A war weary America is watching the unfolding of the massive instability across the war torn Middle East with deep concern. Residents in Syracuse whose families have already paid a heavy price in the Iraq and Afghan wars are are hoping U.S. troops are kept out of Syria. As the situation worsens in Syria daily Americans overall neverthless appear to prefer diplomacy over a direct military confrontation in Syria which could lead to a bloodbath that is how resentful Syrians overall would probably be if American troops invaded their nation.
Scott Clement has reported for The Washington Post "Syria intervention? Americans may not be cheering." Things aren't very pleasant in Syria now with civilians being bombarded by President Bashar al- Assad’s government. And Assad shows little sign of giving up power after facing international sanctions and efforts by his Arab to push the nation towards a democratic government.
Nevertheless, while often commenting that Assad should stop the violence, President Obama has been very cool towards the prospects of a Libya-like military intervention. Obama’s desire to avoid military intervention in Syria appears to be in support of public opinion across the United States. Although the concept of spreading democracy is popular with Americans, overall they appear to have shown much more ambivalence towards using the military to topple dictators.
In fact according to a November Quinnipiac University poll fewer than half the American public said the United States did the right thing by using military force in Libya. In a 2011 Pew Research Center poll only 13 percent of the American public said promoting democracy in other nations was a top foreign policy priority , placing this issue dead last among other foreign policy objectives, behind human rights and climate change. Over eight in 10 Americans ranked protecting jobs of Americans workers and terrorism as highest priorities.
70 percent of Americans in a recent CBS News poll said the United States should stay out of other countries’ affairs instead of trying to replace dictatorships. A 2006 Fox News poll, found the American public by 2 to 1 supported using military force only if “provoked or attacked” by another country. And so President Obama is taking the correct position keeping American troops out of Syria if he wishes to be seen as properly representing the desires of the American people instead of just going off on his own.
