Barack Obama is leading from behind in Syria – and can’t see where he is going
(UK Telegraph)
“As the behaviour of the jihadist and Sunni sectarian elements of the opposition has worsened, so Russia and Iran can portray Washington as taking sides in an internecine war within the Muslim world. With Mr Assad’s Shia allies in the minority, they can even portray themselves as the underdogs.
“If that is the case, there is still a chance, as Mr Obama hopes, of some sort of peace deal, with the mess and blame being spread around.
“So slow has Mr Obama been to act, however, that there is a worse danger: that Russia and Iran will be quite happy to see America sink to its neck, humiliated by ever closer association with the jihadists who are supposed to be its sworn enemy. This is the nature of asymmetrical warfare.
“Could Mr Obama have acted any differently? Perhaps the world was still not ready after the George W. Bush years for America to take the lead in the Middle East. The terrible option can still be better than all the others.
“But it remains the case that if you consciously lead from behind, as Mr Obama wants to do, you sometimes cannot see where you are going.”
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