US troops never going to Syria? Soldier training with gas mask. Illustrative. Photo courtesy of Mr James Brabenec (IMCOM)
The United States continues to look at all options in dealing with the Syrian civil war, but there’s at least one they’re not even considering: They will not put American soldiers “on the ground” in Syria. For those concerned the US is getting dragged into another Iraq-style war, that apparently isn’t the case.
“The team is continuing to take a close look at all options aside from boots on the ground,” US State Department spokesperson Jen Psaki said on Tuesday in comments released by her office. She noted that both President Barack Obama and Secretary of State John Kerry have said putting troops inside Syria “is not on the table.” Psaki’s comment does raise questions about what’s actually being considered, however.
Other options aside from troops on the ground include providing weapons to the rebels or a no-fly zone similar to the one used in the Libya conflict, in which American jets could remove the Syrian regime’s air power from the fight. Currently the US is providing the rebels with nonlethal assistance and political help.
The Mideast Update has long argued the US needs to do more in the Syrian conflict, lest the civil war lead to a major Middle East war. In such a scenario, oil prices could rise and terrorists could use the chaos to acquire advanced weapons.
(By Joshua Spurlock, www.themideastupdate.com, June 12, 2013)