Why is the US ignoring the violence in Syria while intervening in Libya?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion centers around the contrasting U.S. responses to the violent situations in Syria and Libya, questioning why military intervention occurred in Libya but not in Syria. Participants explore various factors influencing these decisions, including geopolitical considerations, military capabilities, and regional alliances.

Discussion Character

  • Debate/contested
  • Exploratory
  • Conceptual clarification

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants suggest that the lack of oil in Syria compared to Libya influences U.S. intervention decisions.
  • Others argue that Syria's strong military capabilities and connections in the Arab world make intervention more complicated than in Libya.
  • It is proposed that the Arab League's support for the Syrian government's reforms complicates the situation, as opposed to Libya's civil war context.
  • Some participants highlight the potential for broader conflict involving Iran and Hezbollah if the U.S. intervenes in Syria.
  • Concerns are raised about the economic strain on Western nations, questioning whether they can afford another military venture.
  • There are differing views on whether the U.S. should intervene at all, with some arguing it is an act of arrogance and others suggesting that U.S. leadership is necessary in global affairs.
  • One participant mentions that Israel may support the Syrian regime, complicating U.S. decisions regarding intervention.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express multiple competing views regarding the reasons for U.S. intervention in Libya versus Syria. There is no consensus on whether intervention is justified or what factors are most significant in the decision-making process.

Contextual Notes

Limitations include the complexity of regional politics, the influence of international organizations like the UN, and the varying interpretations of the situations in Syria and Libya. Participants acknowledge these complexities without resolving them.

Who May Find This Useful

This discussion may be of interest to those studying international relations, military intervention policies, and Middle Eastern geopolitics.

  • #61
I am syrian and had to make acount to share what majority of syrian people think.

We don't want any forein intervention. We don't exactly have America/France/Britain in our harts and consider them as bad, if not worse, than our tyrant.

We consider America to be the number one terrorist state. How do you call killing hundred of thousands of innocent iraqis in a war based on lies, only to control region and oil? We call this terrorism.

Syrian people are well educated about western world imperialism. Please america, for once, mind your own business.
 
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  • #62
damascus said:
I am syrian and had to make acount to share what majority of syrian people think.

We don't want any forein intervention. We don't exactly have America/France/Britain in our harts and consider them as bad, if not worse, than our tyrant.

We consider America to be the number one terrorist state. How do you call killing hundred of thousands of innocent iraqis in a war based on lies, only to control region and oil? We call this terrorism.

Syrian people are well educated about western world imperialism. Please america, for once, mind your own business.
I've spoken to a few Iraqi's who've been disposessed, displaced since 2003. They didn't like Sadaam, they didn't like the political situation, but, as they say it, at least they had a life. So, being an American, living in the US for my entire life, I can empathize with this. I certainly wouldn't want a foreign power to invade and occupy my land.

Unfortunately, the reality is that the world at large is not a just or fair place. Whether because of US past deeds or not, the ME is, generally, a hotbed of anti-US antagonism. That's a current fact that the US can't ignore. Plus, there's those vast oil reserves. The US is never, ever, going to just mind its own business.

It's a sort of war on many fronts. And propagandists on both sides will try to spin it in their favor. But, as I see it, it's a confrontation between two quite different ways of life. And while I can empathize with the anger of Arabs and Muslims, I still don't want them to win.
 

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