Sam Studer
Officials in the U.S. State Department want a new plan in Syria, and they gave President Obama the chance to help rectify the situation. Even though there was small chance that he will understand. There are few times that moves can change a large number of people in so many areas.
So much could be done if officials admit that the U.S. Syrian policy is flawed and has not worked. If we change this, then we could be able to wind down fighting in Syria, help stabilize the Middle East, and decrease the number of refugees.
The State Department wants to take a new “stand-off” approach, in which things are done some distance from the battlefield. Military would employ air attacks and shooting from a distance. This would allow fewer Americans to be hurt and send a strong message.
Officials hope that by taking a new approach, they can try to negotiate with Syria. Right now, the Syrian people are stuck in a trap that guarantees more death, suffering, and instability. The trap not only affects the Syrian people but people all over the world. Refugees are migrating from all over the world, causing issues in Europe, for example. If Obama was able to grasp that is was extremely important, it would help him to repair part of his legacy.
In the time that Obama has been president, Syria has come under more stress and difficulty. The Syrian Center for Policy Research suggests that the following sectors had been hurt by the Syrian crisis: social services, government services, manufacturing, construction, finance and real estate, utilities, transportation and communication, internal trade, agriculture, and mining.
Also during Obama’s presidency, Robert Ford resigned as U.S. ambassador to Syria because he could not agree with the policy that was being enforced. Obama needs to listen to what his senior staff members tell him; they understand that something needs to be changed. If he can free up this challenge at the end of his presidency, then he might be able to accomplish so much more.
Obama needs to understand that U.S. policy regarding Syria is not working. After that, he needs to keep a hands-off approach. He cannot stoke the fire and allow other players into the game. He states that President Bashar al-Assad is an example of how he is stoking the fire. It’s time to try to look at this conflict in a new way, but Obama has tried take a back seat on the conflict. It has caused trouble for pro-democracy forces. It also helped to lead to the resurgence of ISIS. People are trying to flee and go to Europe. This conflict is causing trouble all over the world, and Obama needs to admit what we have done in the past has not worked.
Continue to grow your legacy, Mr. President. Take a new perspective, and listen to your senior staff.