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Linking Targets to Political Objectives in Syria
(Washington Institute for Near East Policy) Chandler P. Atwood and Michael Knights - If a U.S. strike in Syria is to be more than a token move, U.S. leaders need to approve targeting that sends the most menacing message possible to the Assad regime. Success is more likely if Washington surprises the regime. Clearly explaining the rationale for hitting certain targets is crucial if Washington hopes to influence the regime. The Assad regime needs to understand that U.S. attacks may not unfold in a linear or predictable fashion. Washington should prevent Assad from concluding that he can selectively trade occasional chemical weapon attacks for limited U.S. strikes. Maj. Chandler Atwood, USAF, is a Visiting Military Fellow at The Washington Institute. Michael Knights is Lafer Fellow with the Institute.