Question of Month: Syria and War?

War is where death is fed! I always maintain that violence and war is never the appropriate option. It always makes things worse not better. Every war has created another war.
In terms of Syria, a military strike will not solve the civil war, and it will kill innocent civilians and children. We have missed the mark when it comes to our policies in the Middle East. It is a regional issue not a country by country issue. We have had inaccurate intelligence. The popular thought says the authoritarian leadership will perish like it did in Tunisia, Libya and Egypt. I think we need to look at the region and bring in the other major regional players like Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Iran to weigh in on this crises.

Similarly Russia and China (countries that rely on oil supplies) should also get engaged. We do not need to be alone in this like we did with Iraq. It takes awhile for democracy to get established. You take two steps forward then you take one step back. That is how it was for us as well. Syria is taking a step back but it is not all lost. There will be a step forward. We need patience and dialogue to support the process. I am hopeful for this region to make the quantum leap to democracy … perhaps not our kind of a democracy but a democracy where the elected leadership and NOT the authoritarian leadership will preside.