In the article “Obama’s focus on Syria: Too little and too late” (June 4), Osama Al-Sharif has objectively analyzed the US policy on the Syrian crisis. It is true that Obama started high but fell low. Obama’s inaction and indecision has affected US influence in the region. Assad continues to violate Obama’s famous “red lines” with impunity making a mockery of international laws and the global superpower.
Had the United States acted promptly, the situation would have been different today. At the beginning of the Syrian revolution, foreign elements were absent from the scene. But the delay in a decisive strike changed the situation. The forces loyal to Assad regime and terrorist organizations fighting to gain control of the country are slaughtering Syrians indiscriminately. At a time when the US should have imposed more sanctions on Iran for its support to Assad, Washington extended an olive branch to Tehran.
I think that policymakers in Washington are not well versed with the dynamics of the region. Due to the US-Iran rapprochement, the Arab countries have started to look for alternatives. This will change the balance of power in the region and we might witness yet another power struggle between global powers trying to gain a stronghold in the Middle East. In this tug-of-war, the masses will get affected. The US should rethink its policies before the situation goes out of its control. Washington should do something for damage control. — Nabeel Sheikh, Jubail
Obama’s vague Syria policy
