Best Defense

Thomas E. Ricks' daily take on national security.

Do Iraq and Syria no longer exist? (10): Hey, be careful before you write them off!

James Soriano was a U.S. Foreign Service officer who led the Provincial Reconstruction Team in Anbar province from 2006 to 2009, and was the foreign-policy advisor to the U.S. Air Forces, Central Command, 2010-12: "On the proposition that Syria no longer exists, consider: 1. Syria is an idea that must be held together by force. ...

via Wikimedia
via Wikimedia
via Wikimedia

James Soriano was a U.S. Foreign Service officer who led the Provincial Reconstruction Team in Anbar province from 2006 to 2009, and was the foreign-policy advisor to the U.S. Air Forces, Central Command, 2010-12:

James Soriano was a U.S. Foreign Service officer who led the Provincial Reconstruction Team in Anbar province from 2006 to 2009, and was the foreign-policy advisor to the U.S. Air Forces, Central Command, 2010-12:

"On the proposition that Syria no longer exists, consider:

1. Syria is an idea that must be held together by force.

2. If you take away the force, you take away the idea.

3. If you take away the idea, Syria fragments.

4. If Syria fragments, the Alawites become independent.

5. If the Alawites become independent, Israel becomes their natural ally.

6. Since the Arab nationalists cannot countenance any accommodation with Israel, go back to Step 1."

Thomas E. Ricks covered the U.S. military from 1991 to 2008 for the Wall Street Journal and then the Washington Post. He can be reached at ricksblogcomment@gmail.com. Twitter: @tomricks1

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