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10/09/2012

Of Syria, Mitt Romney's Insanity and I

Romney Is Half-Right on Syria: the U.S. Should Arm Rebels

By the Editors Oct 8, 2012 6:45 PM ET

Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney sought this week to distinguish the foreign policy he wants to conduct from that of U.S. President Barack Obama, in part by calling for rebels in Syria to be armed with whatever it takes to bring down the Syrian regime.

No one should expect a major foreign policy shift in the final weeks of a presidential election campaign. On this issue, however, Romney was right -- even if he wasn’t clear or forthright enough in making his case.

Events in Syria have deteriorated so badly over the past two months that many of the concerns behind the U.S. reluctance to supply the rebels with sophisticated anti-tank and anti- aircraft weapons have eroded.

Take the potential for the conflict to spill over Syria’s borders. For the past five days, Turkey has been lobbing shells into Syria. At the same time, it is engaged in an escalating cross-border war with Kurdish insurgents who have bases in Iran, northern Iraq and Syria. The Kurds have been emboldened by the turmoil, perhaps with encouragement from Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan doesn’t appear to be itching to roll tanks into Syria, but the risk of a cross-border conflict is now significant.

The concern that U.S. weaponry could intensify the suffering of civilians in Syria, without toppling Assad, also seems less urgent, because the casualty rate is already soaring. Syrian activists who have been tracking the death toll since the start of the fighting say that 4,631 people died in September alone, bringing the total to more than 30,000. That’s about the same number of fatalities in a single month as in the first nine months of the uprising combined.

It’s impossible to know how accurate such figures are, but the trend is inarguable. The fighting has reached a stalemate, and there’s every reason to believe the bloodshed will continue on a scale similar to Bosnia in the 1990s, when 100,000 people were killed over almost four years of civil war.

Syria, moreover, is in a much more volatile and fragile part of the world. Jihadists are crossing into Syria from Iraq to fight, and a flood of refugees is heading out to Jordan, Lebanon and Turkey. The office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees said last month that to date 294,000 refugees had left Syria for its neighbors, a figure that will probably rise to 700,000 by the end of the year.

In his speech, Romney specified that arms should be given only to Syrian rebels who share the values of the U.S. and its allies in Syria. Given that Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Turkey are the main U.S. partners in supporting the rebels, it isn’t clear what values Romney had in mind. He also didn’t commit the U.S. to distributing the weapons. He should be more precise. The values that will help Syria are not Saudi ones, and Qatar and Saudi Arabia may well hand weapons to militant Islamists the U.S. would want to avoid arming.

As we’ve said before, the U.S. should distribute the weapons itself. It should seek out rebel units that have signed on to a code of conduct that is already circulating and are willing to commit to an inclusive regime to follow Assad’s. Six months ago, the U.S. knew virtually nothing about these people. Since then, it has been delivering nonlethal aid to the rebels, and we share the widely held assumption that the unstated purpose was to get intelligence officers on the ground to find out more.

Delivering arms would involve a significant escalation of that covert operation, one that should put special forces from the U.S. and its European and Turkish allies in Syria to train rebels to use the weapons. Expanding that distribution network could begin even before the Nov. 6 U.S. election, with the move from nonlethal to lethal aid to follow.

Inevitably, the road to further involvement by the U.S. and its allies would then be open. We remain opposed to creating a so-called safe zone in northern Syria, but the planning required should go forward. The Syrian conflict has to be brought under control and efforts to do so must encompass the potential for a larger U.S. involvement in Syria.

The question for the U.S. now is whether it wants to become embroiled in yet another Middle Eastern war -- one with stakes so high that it could produce a direct confrontation with Russia, a nuclear power that runs a naval port in Syria, or an attempted closing of the Strait of Hormuz by Syria’s allies in Iran. Even if and when Assad is toppled, U.S. forces would probably be drawn in.

Once Congress reconvenes, and whoever wins the election, it would be smart to take any proposals to arm the opposition to the nation’s legislators for their support. Arming Syria’s rebels with high-end weaponry is a decision that the U.S. should take collectively and with eyes wide open as to where it may lead. A campaign speech won’t suffice for that.

Read more opinion online from Bloomberg View. Subscribe to receive a daily e-mail highlighting new View editorials, columns and op-ed articles.

Today’s highlights: the editors on the end of the austerity era at the IMF; Jeffrey Goldberg on the hypocrisies of the Free Gaza Movement; Ramesh Ponnuru on why Ryan will win the vice presidential debate; Betsey Stevenson and Justin Wolfers on Romney and fiscal responsibility; Cass R. Sunstein on how turncoats make us more open-minded; Adam Freedman on the Obama administration’s attack on property rights; Camille Paglia on Jacques-Louis David’s painting of a murder victim.

To contact the Bloomberg View editorial board: view@bloomberg.net.

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Showing 19 comments on Romney Is Half-Right on Syria: the U.S. Should Arm Rebels

  • SiDevilIam 0 minutes ago

    What are you smoking, Mr Editor? If Mitt Romney were a half doctor, his diagnosis, the one you like so much, would be half correct. Being a doctor of any kind, one must know the full responsibility for the patient, not half.
    Such frivolity expressed by you makes me wonder if you are half mad. I think that you ought to shut your shop and enter a government facility for the insane. Under nurse, Mildred Rached, preferably.
    ...and I am Sid Harth@mysistereileen.com

  • At some point, those in power must learn from our past mistakes. GWB initiated the 2 wars, and Obama has not exactly displayed the wherewithal to disengage. At least Libya was not a permanent occupation. My hope is the US citizenry are far ahead of the political and media establishments and will not permit further military adventures.

  • Dan Ciammaichella 15 minutes ago

    you war-mongering interventionist chicken hawks are a real piece of work

  • Jack Cunningham 4 hours ago

    A message to Mitt:
    If you want to win this thing, you need to emphasize that the BO Administration is - WEAK.

    The American people want a strong President and a strong Administration, period.

    The BO Administration is:

    Weak in Defense - $4 Trillion has been spent and 300,000 people are dead since 9/11. What is the ROI on this investment? Where is the leadership? Demand that we have an efficient, strategic Defense with support for our military men and women with effective results that we can be proud of. The Navy Seals got the job done with Osama Bin Ladin, not the effete in the Oval Office.

    Weak on Foreign Policy - Russia and China and Iran are calling the shots in Syria right now and people are dying. Demand an end to the bloodshed. Arm the rebels through Turkey.
    Russia and Iran are challenging our resolve in Syria. China is challenging the US in the west Pacific.
    Europe is circling the drain.
    Waiitng and watching are not going to stop Iran from using a nuclear weapon against Israel.
    Where is the leadership?
    There is a reason why Hillary is not going to waste her time as Secretary of State for another 4 years.

    Weak on the Jobs - A statistical estimate for an unemployment rate (that few serious people believe) is not the same as hard accounting of real people out of work. Hiring is on hold due to an uncertain economy, Obamacare and weak federal governance. Demand a U6 number from BO in the debates.

    Weak on Governance - You spoke about needing bipartisanship between the Administration and Congress (because we do not have it). What happens when we do go off the fiscal cliff because we do not have a functioning Federal government? We follow Europe down the drain.
    Demand details of BO's plan to fix disfunctional government.

    Weak on the Economy - How much longer can this economy go substituting growing debt (QE) for real growth? QE is not working. Negative real interest rates are not working. Demand the answer from BO on why we have had an anemic economy for the past four years.
    (Answer: weak President).

    Weak on Healthcare - You can handle this one.

    Do we see a pattern?

    (Edited by author 3 hours ago)

  • Jack for President!

  • I don't care how these people set an economic table.  I don't care to spend my national treasure of military weapons and kids, fighting fist fights house to house in Flablungastan.  And I don't care to hear about morality and making war from people who sit and write about what others have to do in the military, you've no skin in the game.

    Running around the world spreading evangelical capitalism went off the charts at the end of the Cold War.
    If we don't like these people, let's get independent of Mid East oil, and the first time we get wind of terrorism that might breach our shores, I favor the Truman solution--a couple of signature mushroom clouds sends a message "STOP" like no other.

    Yosemite? Or am I being too obtuse?

  • Doug Robertson 6 hours ago

    I wonder if you people at Bloomberg are Idiot's!
    Have you not had enough! Do you not learn any lesson's? Every thing you touch turns into dog S**t!
    You want to arm these so called rebels? If it was a popular uprising there would be millions in the streets!
    That has not happened! In fact Assad has huge support in Syria from the population. In fact Syria was one of the safest countries in the Middle East before your interference!
    I don't condone what Assad does but you sure as hell were happy to deal with him when it suited you!,
    These so called rebels are mostly foreign merc's paid for by your friendly dictators. Let's not forget Al Qaida and all the other nut jobs who are currently your best friends (if they do what you want).
    Your little games have cost hundreds of thousands of innocent lives so far. What about the lives of your servicemen that have been lost chasing Al Qaida for over a decade? Where is the respect for them! Politicians in your country like Romney, Penatgon lackwits as well as you in the media show no respect for your servicemen!
    Now your backing Al Qaida!  Don't try and make out your not because we still get informed news from our media in the rest of the world!
    Why don't you try telling the American public the truth for a change!
    That is, if growing a spine is on your "too do list!

  • Bloomberg editors and Romney are not half right about arming Syrian rebels.  They are all wrong.   Bloomberg has been so wrong on so many foreign affair issues that its image would improve if it just kept its mouth shut.   They gave all out backing to the Bush-Cheney-Rumsfeld-Wolfowitz gang on Iraq and Afghanistan and look at the disaster that has been.  They would not have gotten away with the Libyan no fly zone intervention had Putin been sitting at the helm in Russia.   Even so, that folly cost an Ambassador and some aides.  Arming Syrian rebels just adds another burden to the low income volunteers who mostly join the military to get a paycheck but why should the elitist Bloomberg editorial staff worry about them as they party on Long Island or in Manhattan. .

  • Just can't get enough of war, can you.  May the good Lord give you your heart's desire.  May you choke on the blood.  And all in the name of the god of democracy.

  • I read very attentively your comments down below, and I strongly disgree,,,,,with the many wrong assessments that followed,,,,,,

    You are looking at the Middle East only from an anti Islam & anti Arab format, it is the wrong angle to zoom in,,,,,Syria is not Egypt, Syria is not Libya, Syria is not Tunisia, Syria is not Iraq & Syria is not the 1st & 2nd Afghanistan war,,

    Syria is Syria, all of you criticizing Romney,, down below, do your extra homework,,,
    I doubt you know the entrance to this question, and neither the exit,,,,,
    Otherwise you wouldn't simply criticize his choice,,,,,,,

    Romney is ON target,,,,,,,,with his statement,,,,,,

    And NO, Israel cannot operates in the avenues where the Rebels can,,,,,,,,,, Iran is a 20 time larger target threat bigger than Saddam Hussein,,,, to send US boots again in the Middle East? the war in Iraq should have the answer, think again,,,,,,

    There are plenty of Russian anti aircraft missiles in Syria, the Revolution is not expecting US stingers to win the war,,,,,,,,,,70% of the country is already under their control,,,,,, US needs to act quick,,,,,, there are no margin for errors in this puzzle and a very little room left to maneuver,,,,, before Israel and the entire US interests in the Middle East will go into flames,,,,,,,and the No action of President Obama only invited Al Qaida to re emerge & organize again on the platform,,,,,,,, thanks to this no strategy.

  • Thewiseone 8 hours ago

    Please settle down warmongerers and Militiary Indistrial Complex lobbyists.

    The US and other self proclaimed "moral authorities" should focus on telling the so-called "rebels"(aka terrorists) to go back to the drawing board and conduct a peaceful revolution just as they did in Egypt.

    A million person march on the capital of Syria would send the right message to Assad that he should do a Mubarrak and get lost.

    Understand?

  • What world do you live in "As we’ve said before, the U.S. should distribute the weapons itself. It should seek out rebel units that have signed on to a code of conduct that is already circulating and are willing to commit to an inclusive regime to follow Assad’s"m  We gave weapons to the  Mujahideen in the 80's and how did that work out.  I forgot we also have weapons to Iran for the release of the hostages...  We don't know who we are giving weapons to and if you think we can secure those weapons after Asasd's defeat you are crazy. I wonder what Israel will think if one of those anti aircraft are used on one of their air plains ...we need to give air support, non weapons support and humanity support and that it.

  • Arming the rebels like we did in Afghanistan in the 80s?  Al Qaeda is already helping out the rebels, is this really the sort of people we need to be arming?  We are just assuming (terribly) that these "rebels" are the George Washington, Paul Revere type and not the religious fanatic type that is gaining ground in Egypt and Libya.  We have no business there. Libya was not a success, and last month's attack proved this.  The middle east is heating up with anti-western sentiment and sending American, or more bluntly, "Christian" soldiers into an armed conflict to stabilize oil prices is pointless.  It is easy for Romney to criticize a player in a game that he is merely a spectator in.

  • I like Romney's economic policies and his moral stand on life & liberty. But I simply can't agree on supporting Arab rebels (who are predominantly Muslims) to topple a despot like Assad. Let the disgruntled Syrians topple the despot themselves without us supplying them weapons. You know what happened when the US supported the Talibans against the Russians in the 1980's. The Talibans used the military training and weapons against Americans and Afghan moderates after they took control and established a fundamentalist Islamic rule so cruel that girls were prohibited from going to schools. Those who dared to go to schools were sprayed with acid on their faces. By the way, one of the CIA trainees in Afghanistan to fight the Russian invaders was a young Saudi named Osama.

    The US should instead provide humanitarian help to those fleeing across the Syrian border most especially the minority Christian Syrians who will be the target of persecution by the extremist groups among the rebels who will most likely take control of the country once Assad is toppled.

  • Larry Linn, I am a patriotic American. 12 hours ago

    Arm the Syrian Rebels? That strategy backfired on the United States after we armed Ben Ladin and Al Qaeda when they were fighting the Soviets in Afghanistan.

  •  Yes, true. We know Al-Qaeda is fighting on the side of rebels in Syria, to arm them would be foolish.

  • Sure, arm the rebels...but don't expect anything of value in return. If there's one lesson that the US has not learned from its Mid-East foreign policy its that they (Muslim, Islamic) do not share our values and reject our culture (specifically individual rights and Capitalism). We will not see anything resembling rationality from THOSE PEOPLE until they decide to separate their religion from their politics. Until then, our efforts to civilize them will remain fruitless.

    They respect force...and the more brutal the better.

  • The thing is, the Republicans seem to NEVER learn the lessons...

    There was Ike, with his barely-covert tailgunner-Joe-inspired double-coup of Mosaddegh based on the false authority of the Shah to fire the democratically-elected PM, in exchange for US support of him for the next 25 years, ending with revolution and 444 days of embassy hostages.

    The USA backed Mubarak for nearly 30 years (starting with President Reagan), after Sadat was slaughtered in 1981 for 1) giving the Shah asylum and 2) signing a peace treaty with Israel (even though Egypt went on to totally ignore that treaty throughout Mubarak's reign once they got the Sinai back).

    And Reagan backed saddam Hussein against Iran throughout the 1980s, only to have saddam invade Kuwait and bring us Desert Storm... he was so grateful he named his mercenary army the Republican Guard.

    Then Reagan and Bush41 backed the Taliban against the Soviet Union, who -- emboldened by Bush43 doing nothing when they used leftover US-supplied weaponry to destroy the Bamiyan Buddhas as an insult to Islam (but which were carved into the sandstone cliffs over a thousand years before Islam was even invented) -- teamed up with usama bin Laden and the al quitters to bring us 9/11.

    I can't believe republiKKKans have the gall to mention Reagan and foreign policy in the same breath.
    It's like Reagan infected the whole party with alzheimer's before he passed.

    No doubt Romney wants to give the Syrian rebels a couple thousand surface to air missles (that should make flying commercial REAL safe), and a couple surplus nukes as long as they 'promise' to use them against Iran if they don't need them for Assad (I'm sure they'll pinky swear to that).

  • It's a mistake to paint one party as virtuous and one as evil. If the Dems truly wished to end both  Iraq and Afghanistan, it would have been finished by now - not to mention Libya. It is important to learn from the past, but it makes little sense to be blinded by it.

...and I am Sid Harth@mysistereileen.com

Posted at 09:09 AM |

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