Iran and Syria: Red Alert or Red Herring?

[Buffalo Bill]

Iran is dependent on Syria.  The question is how big of a threat is Syria?  As president I would work with Israel towards a nuclear energy agreement with Iran starting with negotiations.  If these didn't work sanctions would be placed on the Iranians.  I think our goal should be preventing, not containing Iran from having nuclear weapons.  Keep in mind Iran's Revolutionary Guard isn't terrorism so at this point I'd view military force as a bad idea. 

As for Syria, I'd also work with Israel to pressure Assad to leave.  In the mean time I'd place sanctions until he steps down and WMD's are dismantled.  To help Syrians through these times, we need to speed up humanitarian aid.  Food and water are essential to an oppressed people.  Continue to bring them to the U.S. if needed as well.  Iran's isolation will increase when Syria and Bashar al-Assad fall and their threat will be lessened.  Right now Assad is the biggest problem and the only country I'd place sanctions on at least at the moment.

[Antonio the Sixth]

K.

[Buffalo Bill]

K.

As in you agree?

[PresidentSamTilden]

Iran is dependent on Syria. 

Pause. How? Wouldn't it be the other way, if anything?

[Buffalo Bill]

Iran is dependent on Syria.

Pause. How? Wouldn't it be the other way, if anything?

Assad must go and yes that's what I meant to say.  Let's take the refugees into our nation and supply humanitarian aid in the mean time.

[PresidentSamTilden]

Well, I'd say at this point, Syria is far more dependent on Russia than anyone else. I think Assad would have had to flee by now if it wasn't for the intervention last year.

In addition, I think Assad is fairly popular among areas that are still under his control. They are under threat of rebels of uncertain allegiances and motives, and he is protecting them. After the war, I think he will be gone, but for now, I don't think it's possible. I don't like Assad at all but that's the reality.

I don't think Iran poses an existential threat to the United States or our allies. They are dangerous in the ME though because they stand to gain control over a lot of the world's remaining conventional oil reserves if they dominate Iraq. We could try sanctions but I doubt they would be effective - people are going to buy that oil. Just my two cents.

[Famous Mortimer]

Jeb Bush lost. Get over it.

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

As for Syria, I'd also work with Israel to pressure Assad to leave.

Derek, I literally can't think of a single reason Israel would want Assad to leave.  Bashar never troubled them and while Israel would like to see Iran's influence lessened, that's preferable to having a radical Sunni state on its border, and that's what the likely outcome of Bashar leaving would be.  The only question is how radical Bashar's replacement would be.

[MASHED POTATOES. VOTE!]

Right now Assad is the biggest problem and the only country I'd place sanctions on at least at the moment.

I would think those fellows are the biggest problem now:



That is unless they went totally dissapeared during the last hour, before I could check my FB wall.

[Jesus save us]

Iran is dependent on Syria.  The question is how big of a threat is Syria?  As president I would work with Israel towards a nuclear energy agreement with Iran starting with negotiations.  If these didn't work sanctions would be placed on the Iranians.  I think our goal should be preventing, not containing Iran from having nuclear weapons.  Keep in mind Iran's Revolutionary Guard isn't terrorism so at this point I'd view military force as a bad idea. 

As for Syria, I'd also work with Israel to pressure Assad to leave.  In the mean time I'd place sanctions until he steps down and WMD's are dismantled.  To help Syrians through these times, we need to speed up humanitarian aid.  Food and water are essential to an oppressed people.  Continue to bring them to the U.S. if needed as well.  Iran's isolation will increase when Syria and Bashar al-Assad fall and their threat will be lessened.  Right now Assad is the biggest problem and the only country I'd place sanctions on at least at the moment.

So you'd be another ing neocon. YAY!