U.S. suspends talks with Russia on Syria ceasefire

[karynnj]

34. I agree

I think the US position reflects an essential American view that we can "fix things". This is true even at a personal level - consider how often the conversation is how family members regret not having been able to save someone with major problems - with a basic assumption that if they had done the "right" thing, it may have worked, never admitting there may have been no right thing.

This, of course, is far more complicated. Given the fight against ISIS, had the US/Russia been able to put the Syrian conflict on a path to resolution or even just suspended it for a time, it would have allowed both some humanitarian aid and allowed everyone to genuinely cooperate in eliminating ISIS as a force holding land. So, though everyone knew from the beginning that it was a long shot, what would it have said had the US not even tried?

Beyond strategic interest, there is the difficult question of liberal values that mean standing against genocidal actions within another country. This has long been a question where neither side has the clear edge. Note that many express regret that the US did not intervene in Rwanda - even though it may well have been that by the time it was clear what the scope of the killing was that it would have been difficult to mount a timely response that would have prevented much of the slaughter.

There are various narratives to what got us to this point in Syria. Clearly, Assad has viciously attacked the rebels - even when early on they were not violent. Here, there is also the history of Assad's father slaughtering many in Homs during his day. It is also clear that Saudi Arabia and other Gulf States, with at least some tacit and occasionally public US support, gave weapons to the rebels - including some who are jihadis. Russia, itself, has been complicit in bombings in support of Assad. I do not think any side has completely clean hands.

I do think - at this moment in time - the US was pushing harder to stop the fighting than any other player. Kerry said months ago he would rather be seen as failing on this, than as failing to have tried. Ending this was always a long shot, but the best of what the US stands for, means we should try. Not to mention, we gave up nothing to make this attempt. If anything, the terrible fighting by the Russians and Assad - in response to what was a deal with significant concessions - shows that no deal would have stopped the slaughter.