...U.S. strategy in the Middle East should be about maintaining the balance of power. And I agree: we have no
real allies in the region save Israel, so let the rest of the powers "work" it out.
Friedman
writes (my emphasis):
Is ISIS really a problem for the United States? The
American interest is not stability but the existence of a dynamic
balance of power in which all players are effectively paralyzed so that
no one who would threaten the United States emerges. The Islamic State
had real successes at first, but the balance of power with the Kurds and
Shia has limited its expansion, and tensions within the Sunni community
diverted its attention. Certainly there is the danger of
intercontinental terrorism, and U.S. intelligence should be active in
identifying and destroying these threats. But the re-occupation of Iraq,
or Iraq plus Syria, makes no sense. The United States does not have the
force needed to occupy Iraq and Syria at the same time. The demographic
imbalance between available forces and the local population makes that
impossible.
No comments:
Post a Comment