This is an entirely Middle Eastern problem. The West would be well advised to stay out of the whole mess.

Why aren't the Oil rich Arab Nations stepping up to the plate on this one? It's because they want the West to intervene so they have someone to hate.

In the end, who really cares. It's Muzzies killing Muzzies & that's a good thing. Isn't it.

Step back & let 'em go for it. Refuse all refugees from the area. We, in the West, don't want or need the problems they bring with them.

A revealing piece of Zionist propaganda from the Middle East Forum, a right wing think tank which seeks to "promote American interests in the Middle East." His enlistment of sectarian extremists is nothing short of frightening. Zealots never learn the simple story of those who would ride the tiger.

And, you have a solution to the problem Leslie.

I'm neither Left, Right or Centre. A bit of CDF would tell anybody to stay out of the problem & let 'em go for it. Don't even pick up the pieces after. I don't care who he writes for either. I never heard of them. I don't take any interest in any groups so I couldn't tell you who is who he game other than they're all the same to me. Who cares.

It is an intriguing proposition.

Now that Syria has been caught using chemical weapons, the field is open to supply the rebels fighting the 3 evils of the middle east namely Assad, Hezbollah and Iran.

With a vast population majority, the Shiites single weakness has been the lack of weapons. Supplied with anti tank weapons and portable artillery, Assad and his allies will be fighting ghosts and in a war of attrition, will find it very hard to win.

If the US plays its cards right it will have hugely weakened Hezbollah and Iran, and leave Iran isolated.

There was a similar situation in Afghanistan when Russia invaded, and when Iran attacked Iraq (after taking American hostages), US weapons turned an expected quick Iranian victory into a destruction of Iran's air force, losses of hundreds of thousands of men, an economy in ruins, and an eventual capitulation.

Shadow Minister,

I think you meant "With a vast population majority in Syria, the Sunnis' single weakness has been the lack of weapons."

But that is being remedied by a flow of arms, mainly one suspects, to Islamists rather than 'democrats', from Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Turkey, each with their own groups to support and axes to grind.

Meanwhile, Hezbollah has moved in thousands of commandos to support Assad and, with a growing civil conflict in Shia-majority Iraq, it may not be long before the war spills over across the region - perhaps first to involve Iraq, then perhaps Jordan. And from there, who knows ?

During the Spanish 'Civil War', the US and Britain blockaded Spanish ports in order to stop weapons getting to the elected government. The Nazis and Italian fascists flew vast amounts of munitions in, along with an entire air force, courtesy of the Germans, which bombed the daylights out of Guernica and many other cities.

My preference would certainly be a complete and effective blockade of Syria, by sea and air. But how to bring that off ? Especially when so many outside governments, Sunni here and Shi'a there, think they can win by pumping in arms to 'their' side.

It's going to be a long war of attrition, unless Obama can pull a rabbit out of the hat and sweet-talk Putin into doing a deal, and the new government in Iran as well. This will probably involve a coalition government, with Assad and secular forces sitting down together, wiping the blood from each others' hands. Between them, they may have to take up arms again against the Islamists who, ironically, may lay claim to represent most of the population.

What a ghastly situation when governments think they can win a war - in somebody else's country, at somebody else's expense.

Joe

Loudmouth: unless Obama can pull a rabbit out of the hat and sweet-talk Putin into doing a deal,

I don't see what it's got to do with Obama or Putin. It's none of the Wests dam business. This is a Middle Eastern affair, nothing to do with the West. Close the Borders, don't let the anybody out. If some country wants to intervene let it be Middle Eastern Countries only.

Pull all Aid out as well, if they want to stay, fair enough but they're on their own. If they get into trouble, Stiff Bickies.

They're only Muzzies anyway, one gene away from Apes, who cares, 93000 & counting, be-uddie.