Right now, there are three real options Washington can choose from in Syria: the government of Bashar al-Assad, ISIL or al-Nusra Front, the al-Qaeda-linked Sunni jihadist group.
"Victory for the Nusra Front would be the ultimate triumph for those who attacked the United States on Sept. 11, 2001. It would give Osama bin Laden a chance to cheer from his pit in hell, and turn Syria into a terrorist haven. A victory for ISIS might be even worse. Either one is likely to lead to genocide," Kinzer said.
A victory for ISIL or the al-Nusra Front would be certain genocide for Alawites, Christians and other minority groups in Syria, Kinzer argued, reminding how Islamic militants exterminated and pushed Christians out of Iraq after the fall of Saddam Hussein. The same would happen in Syria if either ISIL or the al-Nusra Front gains control in Syria.
"The fantasy of a ‘moderate opposition' is comforting but far from reality. Supporting fringe groups may prolong the way but will have no effect on its outcome," Kinzer argued.
Other than these three options, the United States doesn't have any other working strategy in Syria. Therefore, the only possible option left for the United States is to support the government of al-Assad. It's time for Washington to "emerge from the cocoon of delusion" and stop its attempts to push al-Assad out of power, the US expert said.
