General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsClashing Goals in Syria Strikes Bedevil Obama
President Obama said the American-led airstrikes in Syria were intended to punish the terror organizations that threatened the United States but would do nothing to aid President Bashar al-Assad of Syria, who is at war with the same groups.
But on the third day of strikes, it was increasingly uncertain whether the United States could maintain that delicate balance.
<snip>
The confident statements by Syrian leaders and their allies showed how difficult it already is for Mr. Obama to go after terrorists operating out of Syria without getting dragged more deeply into that nations three-and-a-half-year-old civil war. Indeed, the American strikes have provided some political cover for Mr. Assad, as pro-government Syrians have become increasingly, even publicly, angry at his inability to defeat the militants.
On the other side, Mr. Obamas Persian Gulf allies, whom he has pointed to as crucial to the credibility of the air campaign, have expressed displeasure with the United States reluctance to go after Mr. Assad directly. For years, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates have pressed Washington to join the fight to oust the Syrian president.
<snip>
We need to create an army to fight the terrorists, but we also have to fight the regime, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, emir of Qatar, said Thursday in an interview with New York Times editors. We have to do both.
<snip>
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/26/world/middleeast/clashing-goals-in-syria-strikes-put-us-in-fix.html
and it looks like the administration is considering a no-fly zone in Syria:
The Obama administration has not ruled out establishing a no-fly zone over northeastern Syria to protect civilians from airstrikes by the Syrian government, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel and Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said Friday.
Mr. Hagel and General Dempsey indicated they are open to considering the request of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey for a buffer zone along the Turkish-Syrian border, where tens of thousands of Syrians have sought refuge. Mr. Hagel said, Weve discussed all these possibilities and will continue to talk about what the Turks believe they will require. He said 1.3 million Syrian refugees are now in Turkey.
General Dempsey added that a buffer zone might at some point become a possibility, but he said it was not imminent. Creating a buffer, or no-fly zone, would require warplanes to disable the Syrian governments air defense system through airstrikes.
<snip>
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/27/world/middleeast/us-considers-a-no-fly-zone-to-protect-civilians-from-airstrikes-by-syria-.html