The United States invaded Iraq nine years ago, which induced sectarian and ethnic conflicts in the state. Jacques René Chirac, president of France at the time, had accused the invasion of the U.S. army as opening "Pandora's Box" in Iraq. Now, another evil box is about to be opened in Syria.
The Syrian crisis was quickly put to the geopolitical interests of the United States. The unshakeable goal of the United States is to change the Syrian regime, break up Syria- Iran alliance and maintain its leading role in the Middle East.
Changing the regime of a sovereign country by external force has been the consistent foreign practice of the United States since the Cold War. The process will be cruel to Syrian people and the consequence will be calamitous to the state and even the world peace.
In the past weeks, Bashar al-Assad lost control of some important regions in Syria and Syrian reactionaries sympathized and supported by external forces gained the upper hand by murdering senior officials backing Bashar al-Assad. The change of balance of power will trigger a time consuming war between Syrian reactionaries and pro-Bashar al-Assad group.
Syrian opposition has captured certain cities, but they are leaderless and divided into around 100 factions. Even if Bashar steps down voluntarily, Syria will still be split into pieces because of various forces fighting for their own interests. Syria will suffer from ethnic cleansing, refugee flows, and humanitarian catastrophe. Al Qaeda will also take advantage of the chaotic situation.
In addition, Syria’s surrounding areas are also full of powder kegs. In addition to Israel, Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq, and Turkey are also facing hidden complicated contradictions between Shiites, Sunnis and Kurds. The Syrian conflict will inevitably overflow, which will lead to a large-scale regional clash.
Once this “Pandora's Box” is opened, the United States will be stuck in a new quagmire in another way, which is not in line with its interests. Syria is neither Egypt nor Libya. Now is the time for the United States to make a choice, though it will be a hard one.
