U.S. Foreign Policy: Intimidation, Domination; Counterproductive

http://www.nationofchange.org/news/2016/04/10/u-s-foreign-policy-intimidation-domination-counterproductive/

Was it working in Syria during that massive internal conflict in which that country’s government forces were fighting various rebel groups, including ISIS, Daesh and others who fully intended to overthrow the Assad government? Well the U.S. decided to take part in that purge of Assad and proceeded to conduct an intense bombing campaign that accomplished little if anything except contributing to the flight of Syrians into other countries.

This is a clear case of not learning anything from past mistakes. This attempt to remove Assad from power is like a replay of what happened not long ago in Iraq, Syria’s next door neighbor. I’m talking about how the U.S. government, in 2003, overthrew Saddam Hussein because he was in the way and opened the door to massive destruction in that country.

In Syria Putin brought Russian air power into that country in September, 2015 and then initiating a bombing campaign in support of Syrian government and Iranian troops on the ground that stopped ISIS in its tracks. He then set up a cease-fire process that is still in effect and seems to be working. He just recently took steps to withdraw most of the Russian military assets from that country.

Right now those in charge of this failed policy seem to be obsessed with trying to intimidate and control Russia and China, which would appear to be the height of insanity. Let’s put it this way; if this incompetent U.S. foreign policy team wanted to choose two countries that it should never, ever try to intimidate, that would be Russia and China.

Russia and China are both world superpowers, they both possess nuclear arsenals and have large, powerful militaries. China has the largest population in the world and Russia is the largest country in terms of total area. Neither China nor Russia will allow itself to be intimidated in any way. So why in the world would you be so reckless and try to push either of them around?