Syria (and Iran)

Holy crap: U.S. looking at military options in Syria.

I haven't posted must about the democratic revolts in the ME, mostly because I just watch them unfold on the news, wide-eyed, ignorant, astonished. I didn't think I'd see such things in my life.

However, I don't see how we can intervene in Syria in our current situation...weakened and depleted by Iraq, a GOP opposition that is willing to use human rights only as a stalking horse, but actually opposes any genuine humanitarian interventions...not to mention the fact that they're trying to gear up for another Iraq, this time against Iran, and prefer that to another Libya. If Obama intervenes, they'll use it against him in the election. Thus intervention in Syria would help put a Republican in the White House, thus (let's be honest) likely doing long-term damage to the country and the world

I'm a liberal hawk, and think we should use our great military power judiciously to promote human rights, as we did in Libya. Our greatest recent successes, in fact, have been the Balkans and Libya--both Democratic interventions, incidentally. The GOP is not merely wrong about where and how we should intervene, they basically get it exactly backwards. The prediction here is easy, though: they'll oppose humanitarian intervention in Syria, and continue to push for action against Iran. Virtually any other time, I'd favor intervention in Syria. I won't be unhappy if we do intervene...but I just don't see how we can.