Diggapedia

Syria…what to do about Syria. As the debate rages, opinions, perspectives, ideas, and arguments are flying for and against action.   It comes down to quite a few talking points I have tried to summarize as best as possible: 1)       There is insufficient proof that Assad used chemical weapons.   After the Iraq ginned-up debacle, Americans are naturally more skeptical of their government and the world is a lot more untrusting of American claims. 2)       We haven’t exhausted all diplomatic solutions.   How do you know when more talking is frivolous?   If you believe President Obama is a ‘reluctant warrior’, has he not reached the point that further discussion is pointless?   3)       We shouldn’t go it alone.   If neither NATO nor the UN have called for military action, then why should America be the military course of last resort? 4)       I...

What happens when you take a region with little history of self-rule, numerous tribal alliances over nationalism, sectarian strife including murder, an abundance of the world’s most sought after commodity, regional power players, autocratic rule, and global powers playing a chess game?   The Middle East of course. The Arab Spring started with a Tunisian street vendor’s self-immolation in December 2010 and we have seen   the fall of autocrats in Libya, Yemen, and Egypt.   Additionally, monarchies in Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and Jordan have had to deal with popular uprisings via security forces and populist bribes.   The latest chapter is unfolding in Syria and it is turning out to be a free-for-all where nearly a hundred thousand civilians have been killed and millions displaced.   Local actors, sovereign states, terror groups, and the global powers are all vying for a solution, control, and a favorable outcome. When considering all of the possibl...