What is happening in Syria is a horrible thing. For the last six months at least protesters have been systematically abused. President Assad who assumed his father's position on his death had been very sure in that he will not step down and he will not make any modifications to his dissenters.
Syria has kicked out all Western journalists. Any video that we are seeing has been stolen out of the country in secret either in person or by video phone or even computer up links.
It is horrific. The United States has limited options. It seems unlikely that we would ever commit ground forces to aid in the overthrow of Assad. While the Arab League is advocating against Assad an entry of United States forces could easily change the equation. We could help the opposition, the West could, but I am not sure there is a strong defined oppisition such as was in Libya. So the question is how could the United States create a change in the balance of power of Syria. The answer is not very easily.
The situation in Syria is much more complicated than it was in Libya. For one Syria is on the list of bad countries as far as the West is concerned. They are a known exporter of terror, working with Iran, and the Hamas and Hezbollah groups. Unlike the situation in Libya resolutions at the U N have not been supported by Russia and China. Not that resolutions are that effective but this is a signal that any intrusion from the West would not go over well.
The United States has a great deal on it's plate. Afghanistan, Iraq, Pakistan, Egypt to name a few. And of course Iran. Putting resources into Syria does not seem likely.
The deaths are horrible. The brutality is shameful. Still at some point the United States has to know that we cannot fix everything.
This is a bad sutuation getting worse.
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