New York Times Magazine posted “Fractured Lands” to their website a few weeks ago. This extensive piece takes a look at the region and the underlying causes of the conflicts that we see today in countries like Syria and Iraq. The piece, at over 40,000 words, is massive (full disclosure: I’ve been reading it since it was posted and have read about half of it) but necessary if we want to begin to understand the conflicts that are concerning heads of state all over the world.
I just wanted to draw everyone’s attention to it because I think it’s critical to analyzing the region and I’d be interested to see what you all think of it. It’s important to keep in mind a few questions while reading. Mainly, what influence can the American military have in solving these conflicts? Obama has been notoriously “hands off” in his approach to Syrian conflict. What role, if any, should the United States play in solving foreign conflicts? Does the war in Syria threaten our national security so severely that we must act militarily to solve it?
For what it’s worth, my own analysis is that the time has come for us to intervene. Granted hindsight is 20/20, but I’m guessing that Obama is regretting not intervening in 2013 when there was evidence that the monster Bashar al-Assad used chemical weapons against his own people (1,500 people have died in Syrian chemical attacks since the war began five years ago).
I know America cannot solve the worlds problems. I know that it is not wise to intervene in foreign conflicts without a political solution in place (and in the Middle East, where tribalism reigns supreme, that is extraordinarily difficult). Secretary of State John Kerry has been working tirelessly with the Russians to reach some sort of agreement that would allow with a “path forward” for peace. I just honestly think the time has come where American force is needed to end this conflict once and for all. The death toll is reaching 500,000, a migrant crisis is crippling the European Union, and ISIL (despite having some major recent setbacks on the battlefield) is a force we need to take seriously. Enough is enough.