State Department and Pentagon Plan for Post-Assad Syria

[alp227]

Source: The New York Times

Even with fighting raging in Syria and President Bashar al-Assad digging in, the State Department and Pentagon are quietly sharpening plans to cope with a flood of refugees, help maintain basic health and municipal services, restart a shattered economy and avoid a security vacuum in the wake of Mr. Assad's fall, administration officials say.

Mindful of American mistakes following the invasion of Iraq in 2003, both agencies have created a number of cells to draft plans for what many officials expect to be a chaotic, violent aftermath that could spread instability over Syria's borders, even though no official could predict whether Mr. Assad's demise was weeks or months away.

The State Department is considering positioning additional food and medical supplies in the region and is studying how to dismantle the raft of American and European sanctions against Syria quickly to allow investment to flow in and business to resume, avoiding further deterioration of life for ordinary people.

Read more: http://mobile.nytimes.com/2012/08/05/world/middleeast/state-dept-and-pentagon-planning-for-post-assad-syria.xml

[lib2DaBone]

1. So we are going to Nation-Build yet ANOTHER country?

How can these politicians give away our money.. while America goes begging?

It has to stop.....

[lunatica]

3. Both can be addressed by this country

It's a myth that there isn't enough money.

[David__77]

2. So they want to lift the sanctions once they celebrate al Qaeda coming to power in Syria?

Odd times indeed...

[lunatica]

5. Perhaps they're actually planning to foment peace when it's possible

Al Qaeda is as good as destroyed. If you object to strong Muslim political organizations that's one thing, but they aren't all Al Qaeda. Not even close.

[lib2DaBone]

9. Call them what you will...

.. these guys are rag-tag mercenaries who will fight under the name Al Queida or anything else.

They are the same group who fought in Lybia to overthrow Khaddify.

What did we gain in Lybia? What did we gain in Iraq? ( Iraq was a $3 trillion dollar war... BTW)

What can we gain in Syria? What can we gain in Yeman?

How 'bout we rebuild AMERICA for a change?

[lunatica]

11. Why does rebuilding AMERICA preclude anything else in your mind?

I'd rather they use my tax dollars which are normally sequestered for their wars to help create peace. Do you really thing they're going to spend less on Defense?

And there's enough money to take care of rebuilding AMERICA too. If you think there isn't you're believing a myth.

[Arctic Dave]

12. So they out of control deficit is a myth?

Is that, "deficits don't matter" statement.

[lunatica]

13. Yeah. That's the ticket. Go off the deep end there

[bemildred]

4. Oy.

Humanitarian aid, OK.

[lunatica]

6. Planning for something to foment peace is bad?

[bemildred]

7. I think we would do well to limit ourselves to humanitarian aid. nt

[lunatica]

10. This sounds like it may have some humanitarian acts in it

[leveymg]

14. I'm afraid you are disconnected from the reality and history of the place if you think peace will be

the outcome of the armed overthrow of the minority Shi'ia regime by Sunni militants, even assuming that will happen.

Look up the history of Syria, and then the word "genocide".

[bemildred]

15. Yes, it does.

I'm concerned that we will be tempted to assume some sort of authoritative role, to assume a political role, and I think that would be at best premature, at worst a grave mistake.

[lib2DaBone]

8. How did the State Department know this would be the outcome?

Shouldn't the American Govt. be focused on rebuilding our economy... rather thtn raging yet anouther useless war?

Obama gave $25 Million to the Al Queida fighters in Syria.. how do the American people benefit from this?