Syria's civil war: No good options and so many 'known unknowns'
What is so striking is how little is known on either side of the debate, Brian Stewart says
A Free Syrian Army fighter carries his weapon as he walks near Nairab military airport, which is controlled by forces loyal to Syria's President Bashar al-Assad, in Aleppo on Sept. 2, 2013. (Hamid Khatib/Reuters)
By Brian Stewart, special to CBC News
Posted: Sep 3, 2013 6:22 AM ET
Last Updated: Sep 3, 2013 8:29 AM ET
Good minds on both sides of the Syria debate find themselves struggling to stake out positions amid a clash of awful alternatives, worst-case scenarios and unknowable consequences.
A civil war of almost unwatchable brutality now provokes a debate of singular complexity. Even for those who firmly believe the regime did use banned chemical weapons, there seem to be no good options.
As British Prime Minister David Cameron found to his shock in Parliament, even some conservative hawks are wavering In the U.S., two sides face their own doubts.
Those ready to justify President Barack Obama's plan to "punish" the Syrian regime for having crossed the so-called red line know the gains may be limited and risks enormous.
http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/story/2013/09/02/f-vp-stewart-syria.html?cmp=rss
