US to arm Syrian rebels - right or wrong?

This is a tough one. Middle Eastern foreign policy is always difficult...

On the one hand, you don't want to stand by and watch while Syria tears itself apart with chemical weapons, from either side. And you definitely don't want to hang around and let a group like Hezbollah not only get involved, but curry favour with Assad and help him to win.

On the other hand, giving weapons to them will come back to bite us. Queue flashbacks of the first Gulf War when America and Britain channelled arms to the Taliban only for them to use the same guns against us. There's been a long history of Western intervention in the Middle East, and most of it has made things worse.

Of course, the only reason we care (as in, our Governments) is because of oil

I doubt there will be no fly zones and bombings. Firstly, Russia and China would most likely oppose both of those things, secondly, do not underestimate the power of the Syrian Army, its a united army, unlike the Libyan army.

Whats pathetic is that the USA is making many cuts at home, ultimately to fund an invasion of a foreign land.

Secondly, I repeat again Israel prefers Assad over the rebels. because its a 'Devil they know'

The real war will happen once Assad falls, that's when the snakes will come out. May the Mujahideen be victorious in Ash Sham.

Westerners shouldn't get involved. The US don't know who their arming, the Syrian rebels aren't a unified group, Its comprised of regional militias who all have different agenda's. There are some very radical fundamentalist Islamic groups within the rebel force who want an Islamic state. There will be conflict after Assad is gone like there is in Libya, the thing is no gives a toss about what goes on in Libya any more because the boggy man Gaddafi is dead

Libya is still much better off now than it was under Gaddafi and he wasn't just some made-up 'bogeyman', he was bent on slaughtering very large numbers of his own people before he was eliminated.

Your arguments are typical of the Moscow line, which is to turn a blind eye to dictatorships, no matter how cruel, if they appear to be anti-American. It's an absurd position and it reminds us that whilst the US has tried to move beyond the cold war era, when it did the same thing, Moscow remains firmly stuck in the 1970s.

Right. Will watch out for that.

We need to be clear that the Assads have ruled Syria in the most cruel and despicable manner. Assad Snr murdered at least 10,000 people in Hama as recently as 1982. Torture and political murder have been the norm.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_rights_in_Syria#Ba.27athist_Rule

The Baathists really are not a nice bunch.

That's his father. In general Bashar presidency was as brutal as his father and he showed signs of slight reform. Not to be justifying his atrocious actions or anything. Kings killed peasants and enemies and today Prime minister and Presidents do the same thing, not much changes in the world.

Yes, I know it's his father, that's why I said "Assad Snr".

Looks like the son takes after him though, doesn't it.

This will quickly became a proxy war between Russia and USA. I'm not sure about this move.



Russia will definitely get involved, the last thing they want is another Arab country which is friendly toward the west.

What about living in Iraq right now, or El Salvador, or Bolivia, or Juarez, or Saudi Arabia, or Burma, or Bahrain, or Qatar, or Afghanistan. I would be alot more scared living in these countries than under Assad.

People get beheaded and dismembered on a daily basis in central and south America, the gangs their are more powerful than the governments, they run the country, but there is no call for western intervention to solve these issues.

Qatar? Saudi Arabia? Do you like listing out names of countries or are these genuinely part of this list?

What with all the propaganda aimed at Saudi Arabia, it's no surprise you hold such a view but I'm sure in general, individuals feel safer there than here in the Uk.

Back on topic, I hope the Americans don't arm Al Nussrah. They can arm the moderate groups of Fsa all they like but victory will go to those in favour of Islaam.

Point is Qatar and Saudi Arabia fund Al Nusra, and are super oppressive countries. Bahrain had mass protests which were silently crushed by Saudi Arabia and Qatar.

What do you mean in favour of islam? Both sides are muslim, you mean victory for the Sunni's?