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U.S. officials, analysts say Syria intervention unlikely, as Pentagon mulls options

By Laura Rozen | The Envoy – Wed, Feb 8, 2012

Even as top American officials say they have no plans for military intervention in Syria, the Pentagon is reportedly reviewing its options as the death toll continues to mount in Syria's ten-month crackdown.

Still, American officials and analysts said talk of any Libya-style military intervention in Syria is highly premature.

"Obama, Rice, Clinton have ruled out military intervention," former Pentagon Syria and Lebanon analyst David Schenker told Yahoo News Wednesday. Reports that the Pentagon is reviewing Syria options "make it sound like they are doing something. It doesn't strike me as a serious threat" to use force, he said.

"The Pentagon is constantly reviewing plans, taking plans off the shelf, looking at them, honing them, updating them," Schenker continued.

In an interview with NBC's Matt Lauer taped last Sunday, President Obama downplayed prospects for action. "I think it is very important for us to try to resolve this without recourse to outside military intervention, and I think that's possible," he said. On Tuesday, U.S. ambassador to the United Nations Susan Rice said the same to CNN's Wolf Blitzer:"Before we start talking about military options, we very much want to ensure that we have exhausted all the political, economic and diplomatic means at our disposal."

Why are American so reluctant to militarily intervene in Syria, given that they were quick to launch a NATO-led no-fly zone over Libya last March?

"Syria is a lot more complicated," Schenker said, noting its borders with Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq, Turkey, and Israel, sectarian divisions, and arsenal of anti-aircraft weapons. "It would be a far more complex operation."

Other popular Yahoo! News stories:

• Now what on Syria? Four experts weigh in as death toll mounts
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• White House orders new Iran sanctions amid diplomatic impasse

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820 comments

ando • Dallas, Texas • 3 mths ago
so called peace activist(islamist extremists) will turn against USA. Look whats happening in egypt. Americans are on trial. Media doesnt say the truth,they are one sided no one is mentioning the aliwites and christians are being kidnaped and killed by those so called activists.those are sunnis turning against alawits and christians payed by saudis and turks. every evening anderson pooper on cnn is talking with syrian sunnis how army is killing them.but he never talks to alawites and christians.shame on you a pooper you dont need to call yoursel jurnalist. and since when turky is humanitarian? they killed christian armenians and greeks, muslim kurds till today.and all of a sudden they care about syrians?they ocupy cypros where is un?they are doing someones durty games.this is just another war coming and the media is preparing americans to support the govt.
Chriss • 3 mths ago
Yesterday, I saw a news program with an Activist from Syria. What he said makes sense: the USA and other Western countries should not intervene with military presence. He said it is a civil war contained in Homs; if the Western countries get involved, it will be all out war throughout Syria.
- Jake 3 mths ago
  Most of that makes sense except I have never heard of a civil war being short of an all out war.
  Maybe insurrection?
- Chriss 3 mths ago
  Hey, Jake. Thanks for your thoughts. I think what he meant is that it is localized and not wide-spread throughout the whole country.
Squabs • Atlanta, Georgia • 3 mths ago
Haven't we learned anything from Afghansitan and Iraq ? Stay out of it !!!
- Shokd 3 mths ago
  DoD, Inc has learned very well! "War" is good business, and tax free provided it's not on American soil apparently.
- Ken 3 mths ago
  We would not have gotten involved in Iraq or Afghanistan had our leaders learned anything from Vietnam.
- Squabs 3 mths ago
  I've got a personal interest in our foreing policy concerning the Middle East . My brother has done 2 tours in Afghanistan , and 1 in Iraq . All he has to show for it is lost time with his wife and children and memories that require him to take medication and see a counselor . He's never complained about any of these facts , but I've got a very big problem with it all .
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Kara • Lake Worth, Florida • 3 mths ago
Hope & Change Begins at Home.
- D. N 3 mths ago
  Especially the change! Obama voted out in 2012!
- walt 3 mths ago
  Kara, how's that working out for you? Can't wait till Nov.
- Kara 3 mths ago
  Me to Guys Xo..
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Reply
Kormster • 3 mths ago
How about we stay out of it?
- John 3 mths ago
  Now there's a thought...
- Kormster 3 mths ago
  You think?
Terril • New Orleans, Louisiana • 3 mths ago
Let the Syrians figure it out for themselves. While we are at it, why dont we focus on leading the world by example rather than by force
- John 3 mths ago
  Yeah...like Grandma said "mind your own business, don't worry about them".
- Terril 3 mths ago
  The easiest answer to why is that we cannot afford it. A more complicated answer is blowback and entanglement for profit by a few.
JP Tyson • 3 mths ago
Here's an option- Mind your own business
Einswine • Riverview, Florida • 3 mths ago
I have the solution. How about minding your own business?
Steve Barron • 3 mths ago
NO MORE WARS! Time to take care of our own country.

Ron Paul in 2012!
JamesP • Indianapolis, Indiana • 3 mths ago
why is this our problem??
Steve • 3 mths ago
Obama had no idea how to justify Libya publicly. Syria is only worse...except for the realization that he now appears an inconsistent hypocrite.
loyds • 3 mths ago
I think the Arabs need to lead on this. US support may be OK, but the Arabs have to devise a plan, commit troops if needed, and ask for international support, and pay for a significant portion of the response.
B • 3 mths ago
I see at more than 50% of the population has awakened from the slumber that the media aristocracy has put them in.. and the Pentagon sees it as well.
soaring eagle • 3 mths ago
Let the arabs take care of the arabs, the U.S. need not be the worlds cops !
Dick Burns • 3 mths ago
How about we sit back and let them kill each other, thats the option most tax payers will agree with. Quit sending money, our money to these countries that hate us.
Quit making this "R" or "D" people, its US!
D A • 3 mths ago
PLEASE STAY OUT OF IT
City of Angels • 3 mths ago
Talk about poking your nose into that Beehive where it don't belong to see how many times you get stung before you realize "what the hell was I thinking? " Let China and Russia try to touch this hive without getting stung and let them realize what a trap the middle east really is. How long America ? How long America does it take to realize you don't have enough band aids for everyone who scraps their knee?
BOZO • 3 mths ago
Could we at least finish one war before we start another...?
Brent • Brentwood, California • 3 mths ago
We are not the USA WORLD POLICE even if we think we are, stay out of it, pull our people home and say good luck everybody.
ElPaso • 3 mths ago
Very good America, you're learning. Now take your troops and GTFO out of everywhere else. Also, tell Israel to start to look after itself, it isn't a small boy anymore...

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