Sam Howells Period 4

To: President Barack Obama From: Samuel Howells Subject: U.S. Policy toward Syria

The civil war in Syria has been a tragic event to watch happen for the past few years, and its time to resolve it. Action must be taken, as the existing hands-off tactic has been unable to cause any change within Syria. Looking back on the choices the United States has taken to combat this conflict, the United States has tried to avoid direct invasion and confrontation at all costs. This option is risky, but may provide the needed benefits if carried out correctly. The United States and Syrias relationship has been declining over the past fifteen years and has nearly reached its tipping point. After September 11, Syria began to become more of a threat to the United States, and ever since, the United States has felt disconcerted about the country. The United States and other international leaders have asked Bashir al-Assad to step down from his presidency multiple times with no luck. The United States and many other countries have held economic sanctions on Syria for a few years, but these have proved ineffective because they have not been able to persuade the United Nations to follow in suit. Syria has large economic partners in Russia and China, who veto proposed solutions in the UN. This strategy has been the current worldwide approach, but hasnt yet been extremely effective due to Russia and Chinas resistance. Hence to fight and conquer all your battles is not supreme excellence; supreme excellence consists in breaking the enemys resistance without fighting. (Attack by Stratagem, 2). Now is the time to step up, and change the United States course of action, with one thing in mind. There is no instance of a country having benefitted from prolonged warfare. (Laying

Sam Howells Period 4

Plans, 6). The United States just came out of the Iraq War and is still in Afghanistan, it needs to avoid starting another war at all costs. The United States must try to keep peace as best it can and be a force in only its presence. On the other hand, the proximity of an army causes prices to go up, and high prices cause the peoples substance to be drained away. (Laying Plans, 11). The United States can cause further damage to Syrian society without adding to the death toll by continuing economic holdouts, supplying the rebel forces with resources, and advancing the American military towards Syria. If money is taken out from the Syrian economy and put into the rebel forces, with time, the Syrian militia will start to deteriorate. The concern with this is economic support to Syria from China and Russia. The United Nations must urge these countries to cooperate, but also realize that compromise is a necessity in reaching an agreement. If this can be done, Syria will have nowhere to go, and will have to give in, or at a minimum, let up, and again, compromise with the requests of the rebel forces and the world around them. The rebel forces will accomplish nothing to truly set back the Syrian army on their own, they require outside assistance, and the United States can provide that in an effective manner.

Bibliography: Almond, Kyle. "Syria Explained: What You Need to Know." CNN. Cable News Network, 4 Aug. 2012. Web. 26 Oct. 2013. <http://www.cnn.com/2012/08/24/world/ meast/syria-101/>. Myers, Steven Lee. "Bush Says Syria Nuclear Disclosure Intended to Prod North Korea and Iran." The New York Times 30 Apr. 2008: n. pag. The New York Times. Web. 26 Oct. 2013. <http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/30/ washington/30prexy.html>. "SyriaUnited States Relations." Wikipedia. N.p.: n.p., n.d. Wikipedia. Web. 26 Oct. 2013. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ Syria-United_States_relations>. Weisman, Steven R, "Bush Calls Syria 'Out of Step' on Democracy in the Mideast." The New York Times [New York] 18 Feb. 2005: n. pag. Print.