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Source: http://www.tnr.com/blog/plank/103951/why-syrian-civil-war-would-be-disaster-us-national-security
Why a Syrian Civil War Would Be a Disaster for U.S. National Security
(New Republic) Robert Satloff - Even with all-out effort, Syria is going to be a mess for years to come; a peaceful, inclusive, representative Syria anytime soon is a fantasy. In a post-Assad world, inter-ethnic reconciliation will be an uphill battle and the inclusion of some Islamists in a successor government is - regrettably, in my view - a necessary fact of Syrian life. Still, policymaking is often accepting bad outcomes when the alternatives are worse, especially when the worse outcomes have the potential to wreak havoc on American interests. Beyond the humanitarian disaster that Syria has become, the strategic damage that could result from the nightmare scenarios that could transpire in Syria should concentrate the minds of U.S. strategists. If it takes American-led intervention to prevent them, then that is where discussion of U.S. policy should begin. The writer is executive director of The Washington Institute for Near East Policy.