I read with interest the article “Obama may shift policy on Assad” by Osama Al-Sharif (Nov. 19). US President Barack Obama had emerged as a ray of hope for millions of the oppressed people across the globe. His humble beginnings and his views on various issues before becoming the president of the United States made millions believe that Obama would reverse the unilateral policies initiated by the United States under Bush, the son. Unfortunately, Obama’s reluctance in taking decisive actions on various global issues has disappointed those who had pinned all hopes on him.
His policies, if there are any, regarding the Middle East has only aggravated the situation. It is true that we cannot put the entire responsibility on Obama, as he had inherited a turmoil-hit Middle East. However, in the case of Syria his indecision gave rise to the threat of the so-called Islamic State. His inaction over Bashar Assad’s use of chemical weapons against innocent civilians tarnished his image beyond imagination.
Had Assad being reined in at an earlier stage, the situation would have not gone out of control. Washington still appears to be in a state of confusion.
It should heed the advice of its Gulf Arab allies and Turkey and should take a bold and decisive action against Assad. As long Assad is at the helm in Syria, Iran will continue playing its ugly sectarian game. Once Assad is taken care of, the international coalition against IS can focus completely on the elimination of the IS militants. As a matter of fact, Assad’s removal could help the US and the anti-IS coalition win allies in the form of various Sunni Arab tribes many of whom are only supporting IS in order to keep Assad’s forces at bay. The situation in the region is getting ugly by the minute. The apparent thaw in US-Tehran ties will also prove to be counterproductive. Washington appears to be confused. Due to this confusion and the resultant actions, the US has considerably lost its influence in the region.
Washington’s confusion
