Syrian rebel leader: U.S. will Act When War Widens

[Bill USA]

http://www.news-press.com/usatoday/article/2267859

The leader of the Syrian opposition says the conflict engulfing the country will draw in neighboring states before international players such as the U.S. move in to help bring about its end.

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"Now there is one country with 23 million people involved," he said. "In time, if the situation continues, there will be five countries and 80 million people involved in this conflict. When this happens, and when Israel is involved, then America will act."

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The conflict has already destabilized fragile political activities in neighboring Lebanon, and last week 51 people were killed in two car bombs in Turkey that officials blamed on supporters of Syrian President Bashar Assad.

Sunni-Shiite divisions in the region have been exacerbated by the role played by the Shiite-Lebanese group Hezbollah, which experts say is fighting on the side of the Syrian regime in the western part of the country.

Saudi Arabia and Qatar, two Sunni monarchies, have been instrumental in providing cash and weapons to the mostly Sunni rebel groups fighting the Syrian government. With Assad backed by Iran and Hezbollah, and rebels by Gulf states, Sabra says he believes a long, sectarian war involving all sides may be imminent.
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[denverbill]

1. I sure as hell hope it doesn't come to that point.

I could easily see Iraq collapsing into civil war along Sunni/Shiite lines, and Lebanon too. Saudi Arabia would side with the Sunnis in Iraq and Syria. Iran would back the Shiites. Russia would back Syria's Shiites and thus side with Iran. The US and Israel would probably be stuck backing the Sunnis since Saudi Arabia is least threatening to Israel. Who knows about Jordan and Egypt?

Maybe after 100 years of war, Muslims will learn the virtues of religious tolerance, like Protestants and Catholics mostly learned 500 years ago.

[Bill USA]

3. we are looking at a very 'dicey' situation. One far more complicated than GOPers can comprehend.

[leveymg]

2. Iraq is also again in a civil war formented by the same Saudi and GCC-financed Jihadi paramilitary.

I am afraid Mr. Sabra may be right about regional war. It's already broken out. But, frankly, what exactly the US and the Europeans intend to do about that is very much an open question.

At the moment, if the west wanted to deescalate violence and spillover of religious war, we would pressure the Saudis and the Qataris. But, that would have a set of costs. They are the only ones we have any conceivable leverage over. The other course would be to wade further into the middle of things on the side of the Sunnis. But, that would probably lead to open war with Iran and its Shi'ia allies, which would have its own set of costs.

There is a third and last option: when you don't like your cards and the deal you're being pressured into, cut your losses and walk away from the table. Take the Russians and NATO with you. Freeze the global accounts of all the combatants and their material supporters.