Should the U.S. Intervene in Syria with Military Action?
More than a year after the Tunisian uprising kicked off the Arab Spring, Syrians seeking to overthrow authoritarian leader Bashar al-Assad face an increasingly violently crackdown from his regime. As many as 7,000 Syrians have died in the fighting since last March. However, outside efforts to assist rebel forces have been complicated, most recently with Russia and China’s rejection of a United Nations Security Council resolution on the matter. Though Western intervention in Libya was deemed largely successful in bringing down its dictator Muammar Qadhafi, many wonder whether such a tack is feasible in Syria. The post-revolution instability in Egypt only adds to their concerns. Others claim that the United States has a moral imperative to step in to stop the escalating humanitarian crisis. Here is the Debate Club’s take on whether the United States should intervene in Syria.
The Arguments
No — U.S. can intervene in Syria without repeating Iraq's mistakes
BRIAN KATULIS, Senior Fellow at Center for American Progress Comment (2)
No — Too many political, practical, psychological obstacles stand in the way of a Syrian intervention
AARON DAVID MILLER, Former Adviser to Republican and Democrat Secretaries of State Comment
No — United States should do everything short of a direct military intervention to support Syrian democracy movement
DANIEL J. GALLINGTON, Senior Policy and Program Adviser at the George C. Marshall Institute Comment
Yes — How many Syrian civilians must die before Obama sees the need for an intervention
AMMAR ABDULHAMID, Fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies Comment (5)
Yes — Intervening in Syria is tough, but the civilian victims deserve it
JAMES ROBBINS, Senior Fellow at the the American Foreign Policy Council Comment
Yes — The case for intervention in Syria is even stronger than it was in Libya
JAMIE M. FLY, Former Director for Counterproliferation Strategy at the National Security Council Comment (2)
Yes — Syria is trending toward a Libya-style intervention
JAMES DOBBINS, Former U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Comment (2)
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