Will A President Hillary Clinton Increase U.S Involvement In the Syrian War?

Josh Rogin, Washington Post: Will Hillary Clinton deliver on her promise to ramp up U.S. involvement in Syria?

Throughout the campaign, Hillary Clinton has pledged to ramp up U.S. action not only to fight the Islamic State, but also to end the Syrian civil war. If she does what she’s promising, the risky effort could engulf the first year of her presidency and test the limits of the United States’ reduced influence in the region. The question is whether she will follow through.

Inside the Clinton campaign, the battle over Clinton’s post-election Syria policy has already begun. Clinton’s Middle East advisers are split between those who believe the United States has the ability and responsibility to do more in Syria and those who are skeptical of further U.S. intervention. Advisers are debating policy options both in private and in public. Clinton’s actual Syria policy, if she is elected, is still to be determined.

Listening to Clinton’s own pledges to create safe zones inside Syria, increase pressure on Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and boost support to the armed opposition, one might conclude that those around her who advocate for a more aggressive approach are set to win the day. But after the election, Clinton will be forced to confront the risks and challenges of those policies.

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WNU Editor: If she pursues the policy that she has been advocating on the campaign trail .... no fly zones, taking down Syrian air defenses, increasing support to Syrian rebel groups, etc. .... I can see a situation where U.S. and Russia military forces will be firing at each other. As to the question .... will she actually implement such a radical change in U.S. policy .... I take her on her word that she will do it .... and quickly (i.e. within six months).