The Syrian Al Qaeda Dilemma: U.S. Style

Now that we covered the Al Qaeda dilemma from the Syrian rebels perspective, what does the United States say about it?

 I would have to believe that the United States is deeply concerned about the Al Qaeda presence in Syria, but what options are truly available?

Sure, you could increase weapons to the rebels, but who knows how many are going to be left by the time the resources are marshaled together? Meanwhile, there is no appetite for US troops on the ground in Syria---either in Congress or Main Street.

The best that the United States may be able to hope for is that this finally galvanizes the international community to act in some sort of concerted action.

Absent this awakening, I fear the United States may have to be bitterly content with the Al Qaeda presence in Syria because the current American political realities make it impossible to do anything meaningful.

No politician is going to send troops in an election year—and sending more weapons implies a time element that we don’t have.

No Good Choices: The Greek Election

Today’s election in Greece offers no good choices in a country that is running out of time.

 Do Greeks battered by massive unemployment, austerity measures, and European Union brokered bailout plans stay with the European Union or leave the Euro Zone?

Greeks want to stay in the European Union, but realities inside Greece may override this desire.

As unemployment grows and people become more insecure about their money, the domestic standing of parties favoring continued presence in the EU falters.

Complicating matters, European leaders have said that there will be no renegotiation of the terms of the Greek bailout. This would probably lead to a Greek exit from the Euro Zone and untold economic chaos.

Staying in the EU really doesn’t fix anything either.

Assuming Greece does form a government (we’ve already done the election thing once this year), it will be tasked with yet more painful austerity cuts that have led to riots in the streets and an increasing number of suicides.

They’ll also encounter a Greek state that is disillusioned with government and in need of jobs. The new leaders will further have to do a delicate juggling act between the domestic need for jobs and order with international demands for plans on debt relief.

I don’t envy the alleged winner of this election, or the Greek people.