The Syrian paradox
Sep. 15th, 2015 01:08 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
necturusThe United States fears Daesh/ISIS more than it fears Iran.
Saudi Arabia fears Assad more than it fears Daesh.
Turkey fears the Kurds more than it fears Daesh.
Israel fears Iran more than it fears Daesh.
Iran fears Daesh more than it fears Israel or the United States.
Russia sees Assad as its last, best hope for peace.
The reality, I think, is that what is most to be feared in the region is instability. Someone needs to win and establish an effective government. It almost doesn't matter who. The peoples of the region have lived as subjects of this or that empire for millennia. That is their tradition.
In the words of al-Hajjaj ibn Yusuf, governor of Iraq in the late seventh century: harsh government may harm a few, but weak government harms all. The United States isn't helping; if I didn't know better, I'd suspect that the principal aim of American policy in the region since the 1980's has been to spread chaos.
If this is Babylon 5, then we are the Shadows, and there's nary a Vorlon in sight.
Saudi Arabia fears Assad more than it fears Daesh.
Turkey fears the Kurds more than it fears Daesh.
Israel fears Iran more than it fears Daesh.
Iran fears Daesh more than it fears Israel or the United States.
Russia sees Assad as its last, best hope for peace.
The reality, I think, is that what is most to be feared in the region is instability. Someone needs to win and establish an effective government. It almost doesn't matter who. The peoples of the region have lived as subjects of this or that empire for millennia. That is their tradition.
In the words of al-Hajjaj ibn Yusuf, governor of Iraq in the late seventh century: harsh government may harm a few, but weak government harms all. The United States isn't helping; if I didn't know better, I'd suspect that the principal aim of American policy in the region since the 1980's has been to spread chaos.
If this is Babylon 5, then we are the Shadows, and there's nary a Vorlon in sight.
