WASHINGTON — Facing questions over U.S. options to stem the bloodshed in Syria, top U.S. military leaders said Tuesday creating “safe havens” for rebels or imposing a no-fly zone would be extremely difficult because of the Syrian regime’s Russian-provided air
WASHINGTON — Facing questions over U.S. options to stem the bloodshed in Syria, top U.S. military leaders said Tuesday creating “safe havens” for rebels or imposing a no-fly zone would be extremely difficult because of the Syrian regime’s Russian-provided air defense weaponry.
Marine Gen. James Mattis, who commands U.S. forces in the Middle East, also offered a cautionary word to members of the Senate Armed Forces Committee who were advocating direct U.S. assistance to the Syrian rebels, known as the Free Syrian Army, saying the uprising there is “not necessarily a rush towards democracy.”
“It’s good to know who you’re dealing with,” Mattis said, adding that the makeup of the Free Syrian Army remained unclear.
Under questioning from senators including John McCain, R-Ariz., one of the most vocal proponents of U.S. military intervention in Syria, Mattis acknowledged that toppling Syrian President Bashar Assad would thwart Assad’s ally, Iran — which is locked in a confrontation with Western nations over its nuclear program — and al-Qaida, whose fighters have taken advantage of the chaos in Syria to stage attacks there.
Mattis refused to discuss on the record any plans the Pentagon was making but said, “If we were to provide options, whatever they are, to hasten the fall of Assad, it would cause a great deal of discontent in Tehran.”
He noted the bloodshed is bad and could get worse, with Assad appearing willing to use “heavier and heavier weapons” against his own people as he seeks to quash an uprising that began more than a year ago as peaceful protests and has since become extremely militarized.
Mattis said Syria has substantial chemical and biological weapons capabilities, although U.S. officials haven’t specified the size of Assad’s arsenal.
While the Obama administration has said it would offer some assistance to rebels based outside Syria, such as humanitarian aid, it has opposed a direct U.S. military role. In a press conference Tuesday, President Barack Obama reiterated that while the situation in Syria was “heartbreaking and outrageous,” deploying military assets wasn’t on the table right now.
Obama rejected comparisons to Libya, where U.S. airpower played a key role in a NATO campaign against deposed leader Moammar Gadhafi. U.S. officials didn’t believe a military campaign against Syria could be done quickly and effectively.
“To think that somehow there is some simple solution I think is a mistake,” Obama said.
