How Should Syria Be Viewed?

begin quote:“Should Syria be viewed,” he asked, “as a front in a broad regional cold war against Iran and its allies or as a humanitarian catastrophe that must be resolved?”end quote from:

http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/war_stories/2013/07/can_the_united_states_help_syria_barack_obama_has_no_good_options.html

So, if the U.S. views (as it has been to some degree) the Syrian War as a way to bleed Iran then that is presently what is happening. From the strategy of having to send in a U.S., European or Israeli Army into Iran eventually maybe it is better to let the Syrian Conflict collapse the Iranian Government. However, this isn't completely logical because Iran functions now more like North Korea than any other government. Doing this causes millions in Iran and Syria just so suffer and die.

The second point of view is to only view this as the biggest humanitarian conflict since the last Cold War which ended around 1990. This is what it actually is and this is not only destabilizing the Middle East but also countries like Greece, Italy and Spain as well. So far it isn't destabilizing France or Germany but it could with enough time.

The problem the U.S. is having with all this is that "Should the U.S. bleed Iran through Syria until their government collapses or should the U.S. help in a humanitarian way knowing full well that a awful and deadly conflict is inevitable between the U.S. and Europe on one side and Iran on the other at some point. Israel has said to the whole world that they will attack Iran at any point they feel it is necessary. So, all countries know it is only a matter of time before Israel attacks Iran in some way, shape or form.

On top of this Russia's involvement and it's acting like the old Soviet Union at least in regard to Syria and Iran is confusing for the U.S. because Russia hasn't acted like this since 1990 in regard to any part of the middle east until now. So, the U.S. is uncertain what path will create the best security for the U.S. long term in all this.

Normally, the U.S. (since 1990) would answer this question on a humanitarian level. But, because in the New Cool War (like the Cold War only in denial on all sides) Russia and China in addition to Iran are all acting in threatening ways towards the U.S., Europe, and much of the rest of the world. So, simple answers to these questions no longer work  because the U.S. must find a way not to start a nuclear war by accident. So, even trying to help Syrians (even civilian refugees) has become more of a problem than anyone ever expected in the last 10 years or so. 

So, what will happen? The most likely outcome is stalemate between the U.S. and on the other side Russia and Iran. Likely Assad will stay in power many more years but will never be allowed by the U.S. to feel safe from U.S. involvement on a variety of levels. Russia will keep their warm water port in Syria.  Likely, (looking at this from someone who grew up during the beginning of the Cold War) what will happen is Syria will be a "No man's land" for many years. Iran will bleed away resources and possibly even collapse it's government. The refugees will be looked after by the world but likely will never (for at least 10 or 20 years) even want to go back to Syria because it will be unsafe like Somalia was starting in the 1990s during "Blackhawk Down". This unfortunately is what we likely are looking at because of the new "Cool War" that is going on between Russia and China and Iran on one side and Europe and the U.S. and most of the rest of the world on the other. If you are from Syria "God Bless You!" because this is what I presently foresee as an intuitive. I write this only in the hopes that a better outcome for all mankind might be found.