At a time when neither Russia nor China is advancing human rights and democratization, America’s doing so could prove to be a highly strategic move.
Putinism without Putin is the most likely post-status quo pathway for Russia, but this will be difficult to sustain.
As we approach the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence in 2026, society is deeply polarized about what sort of nation America is and what sort of nation it should be.
The Syrian war is not just one conflict, but several conflicts which interact with one another. Syria has become a quagmire in which nobody can win but all can lose.
Moscow’s efforts to retain good relations with both Israel and Iran will continue to cause each to be wary of becoming too reliant on a Russia that it deems unreliable.
Just because Moscow insists on making mistakes in Syria, Washington does not have to do so too.
Rivalries among jihadist movements will not bring about their downfall, but they will prevent the unified, worldwide jihadist movement that ISIS has sought to build.
Increased US involvement may not bring about a quick, clean end to Syrian conflict. But, the limited involvement that Obama has recently been indicating will certainly not do so.
Moscow and Washington strongly disagree over many issues. Their differences over Syria, however, do not amount to a Cold War-style proxy war between them. Regional actors are more at odds in Syria than the U.S. and Russia.
In the case of Syria, Western policymakers need to focus on, not whether to choose between intervention and non-intervention, but what sort of intervention will minimize costs and maximize benefits.
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