Taking Counsel From Our Fears

Submitted by Robert H. Tyrka Sr. (United States), Aug 2, 2006 at 09:34

Unless we take into account our reasonable fears we run the danger of acting in a foolhardy manner, Lee's aphorism notwithstanding.

My point was that an Israeli strike against Syria in order to cut off Hizbollah from aid guarantees an all-out war with that nation at the very least, and it would be terribly costly for the Israeli residents of the cities hit with WMD, never mind the Israeli economy. Moreover, the Israelis are not anxious to drive out the current Syrian regime--better the devil you know than the devils you don't know.

Putting the squeeze on the Syrians will be up to the European powers, the Sunni Arab states and the U.S., and this can be done through further economic pressures that can bring Syria's fragile economy to collapse.

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