Ann-Marie Slaughter and priorities: "First, becoming enmeshed in Syria could hurt Mr Obama’s re-election chances."

http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/0/a03392ce-da35-11e1-b03b-00144feab49a.html

We will pay a high price if we do not arm Syria’s rebels

By Anne-Marie Slaughter

"Those risks are plentiful. First, becoming enmeshed in Syria could hurt Mr Obama’s re-election chances. Second, sending arms without UN approval would put the US on the wrong side of international law. Third, the US could become tied to the opposition’s fortunes in ways that could inhibit the “rebalancing” toward Asia. Fourth, providing weapons to the FSA risks fuelling the conflict and possibly arming al-Qaeda fighters who are infiltrating Syria. Fifth, providing weapons to the FSA when Iran and Russia are arming the Syrian regime will drag the US into a proxy great power war. "


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