U.S. must plan for contingencies as fractured opposition fights Syrian regime
By James Colbert

WASHINGTON, D.C. –At the United Nations, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton called for an international response to the crisis in Syria, warning that if the UN fails to act it should consider itself complicit with the brutal regime of Syrian President Bashar Assad. And there are certainly steps that the United States could take to assist in the downfall of one of the world’s most despicable regimes, although such an outcome is far from certain. Furthermore, prospects for a post-Assad government that aligns with U.S. interests offer little basis for optimism if the aftermath of similar “Arab Spring” revolutions is any indication.

With fighting reported in the suburbs of Damascus and a near daily drama playing out at Turtle Bay, Syria has reached an inflection point. For the United States, however, attempts to contribute to a solution and take a constructive role in shaping Syria’s future are hampered by a long list of unknowns.

In the case of Libya, rebels fighting for the anti-Gaddafi National Transitional Council swiftly seized control of the eastern half of the country, including key ports, giving them a secure base from which to fight Gaddafi’s military as a conventional force. They also enjoyed easy links by sea and air to the outside world, which ensured a generous degree of media coverage. The situation confronting the forces fighting the Syrian government stands in stark contrast.

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