Will American strikes extend to Syria?

The road to hell is often considered to be paved with good intentions and reckless and destructive idealism. As America became a hostage after the catastrophic Vietnam War, Democrats in the United States made it their mission to solve the world’s problems. Moreover, Obama is being held hostage by George Bush’s legacy in both Iraq and Afghanistan. American Republicans often follow a doctrine that is based on the instinct of militarisation and it is this very commandment that the Republicans urge Obama to follow on every occasion.

This commandment, which is based on militarism, is what will link the 2016 presidential elections to the Republican Party’s oldest figures such as Dick Cheney and John McCain. The faces of the Republican Party are craving a change in American politics. And yet, we still bear witness to figures such as Rick Perry, the Governor of Texas who criticises Obama for failing to take military action against ISIS in Iraq and or arming Syrian rebels. Then there is the Senator of Texas, Ted Cruz, who criticises Obama on engaging in nuclear talks with Iran. Cruz considers such talks to be misleading diplomacy that slides the US into the abyss.

Obama had no choice but to listen to his advisors and aim a precise hit against ISIS after the group gained control of the Mosul dam and threatened Erbil, Baghdad and the American embassy. Obama admitted that ISIS surprised American intelligence and that it is evident that confronting the group will not be an easy task. The decision to leave room for ISIS to train in Syria and gain control of a number of oil wells was a smart one by the Syrian regime and Iran, both of which would like nothing more than to reshuffle the cards of power in the region and prevent the Free Syrian Army from accessing high-quality weapons.

The Obama administration was hesitant to support the Free Syrian Army due to its hope to sign an agreement regarding the Iranian nuclear issue. Yet, Obama’s hopes of achieving such a deal evaporated and everyone was left to fight in this destructive war. Obama continues to justify his delay in fighting ISIS by claiming that he believed they would place pressure on the Maliki regime. And yet, the true blame lays in the fact that rebellious tribes failed to combat ISIS, which has now become a threat to Al-Maliki and tribal militias alike.

Obama left the Russian-sponsored Iranian flames to engulf and take over the Arab region. Therefore, one can conclude that the Obama administration wants to see what Iran’s true intentions are regarding the nuclear file as a number of American foreign policy officials went to Geneva in the hopes of pushing the Iranian nuclear file and seeing what Tehran’s true intentions are. Tehran’s position seems to be serious and the question that remains is: Will America’s airstrikes extend to Syria? Is it possible that the US will extend aid to the Free Syrian Army so that it may resolve the ongoing crisis lingering in Syria?

Translated from Al-Araby Al-Jadeed, 12 August 2014

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