Originally Posted by Paul Markham

16 years after the invasion of Afghanistan. 14 years after the invasion of Iraq. 6 years after the Arab Spring it's obvious to all but the severely retarded and liberals that giving the Middle East the opportunity to come into the 21st Century won't work. They need despots to hold their countries together because peacemakers get overthrown to easily. That's assuming peacemakers get into power.

But.

The US would ?definitely consider? further action in Syria and signals role in regime change.

Middle Easterners have rejected democracy, liberalism and the only way to keep the area functioning is to have leaders like Assad/Saddam/Gadhafi who were prepared to hit back and squash any form of resistance. Because the leaders know to not smash opposition is to see it grow.

Then exclude all but the high skilled and educated from the West.