The scramble for Syria

[htpcl]

O, hail, my fellow bored American Idol fans curious peeps who are so utterly concerned about peace and justice in the world! Realpolitik can be a real biach, I say. The biachiest biach of them all, actually. So here are a couple of fancy maps with many colors that look kinda realpolitik-ey.

Comments

[peristaltor]

Excellent analysis. I recommend.

I do take issue with one point: "Ironically, removing Saddam did a great favor to the ayatollahs." "Ironically"? Irony is when the literal meaning of a term is opposite from the actual meaning. The ayatollahs (Shia) were hardly put out when Saddam (Suni) was hanged. Heck Shia did the "removing."

Also, it looks like things have changed from 2008, in that Iran is no longer being skirted.

[nairiporter]

Commendation thirded fourthed.

[htpcl]

That is one helluva map.

[telemann]

Ok, that map is way cool. Thanks ;)

And commendations on a great post as well.

[luzribeiro]

If "living in interesting times" is a common curse, I'd say "living in an oil-rich country" is yet another. Just look at the smaller countries in trouble around the world (the ones that are not great powers), or the ones that are totally fucked up by shitty governments, and you'd see the pattern. You won't see a civil war in Tuvalu, or Mongolia, or Cabo Verde any time soon, and for a reason.

[yes_justice]

Used to also be a quality of having a deep water port.

[luvdovz]

It's like a tapir teaching a falcon to fly

Now that would've been a sight to behold!

[rimpala]

[johnny9fingers]

Plausible; and an insightful reading of the situation.

Does "highly recommended" still carry the weight it once did?

[abomvubuso]

Good point.

[the_rukh]

The people of Syria don't actually win if nothing happens either.

[geezer_also]

Somehow the people never seem to win.

[the_rukh]

There's ways the people can win, but in this situation, there's not much chance of that. If it wasn't a despotic country, a nationally owned gas corp who put the profits from selling the company's resources off back in to social improvement would make the people win.

[yes_justice]

You mean, if America doesn't send missiles over?