Syria under Bashir Assad (closed end 2014)

[jcustis]

There are other disadvantages, but they are rarely considered. The long term implications of sectarian violence is that it can be used to justify retribution at a later date anywhere in the world. Using the popular argument that the purpose of war is to make a better peace, sometimes you have to actually engage in war if you want that better peace.

Not that I am interested in jumping in, but I think we have a tendency to only look at the short term when - a trait of the corporate culture that only looks at profits to be gained in the next quarter (or next election) to make decisions.

You bring up a great point about the long term.

Before we even begin to think about the relatively narrow matter of actually intervening in Syria of 2013 or 2014, we need to figure out if we are willing to own that problem for 5, 10, 15 years. On top of that, how far are we willing to go to keep other malign actors out of the chaos to ensue?