What Secretary of State John Kerry described as the ‘most promising opportunity’ for a political solution to the Syrian war, was an opportunity that could only be realized through compromise. Frustrated by Iranian positioning in the Vienna talks, the U.S. has stepped up the military side of their Syria strategy by committing special forces, possibly an attempt to gain leverage in subsequent talks. However, commentators on President Obama’s Middle East strategy may be constraining available options through an unreflective, macho discourse on international relations. Donald Trump claimed in September that President Obama had allowed Putin to become emboldened because …read more
Source: The Huffington Post