Barry Rubin: U.S. Syrian Policy: A Massacre in Progress; A Disgrace in the Making

The following by Barry Rubin is reposted with permission:

U.S. Syrian Policy: A Massacre in Progress;
A Disgrace in the Making

Another monitoring mission, another set of people from all over the world making excuses, trying to explain the unexplainable and getting frustrated and fired upon to boot. When will the world follow a plan that makes sense. To the world we say: Give us what we need to get the mission accomplished, not what you need to feel good about yourselves."
--Syrian Revolution Digest, April 21, 2012

By Barry Rubin

U.S. policy toward Syria is turning into a scandal on both strategic and humanitarian grounds. The next three months will be wasted in a toothless observer effort during which time the Syrian regime will go on massacring people and mopping up the rebellion. In addition, U.S. policymakers admit that they have no real back-up policy and what they should do next.

And then to show how ridiculous the whole thing is, Syrian troops opened fire at oppositionists trying to talk to the UN monitors, forcing the observers to flee for their lives and injuring eight demonstrators. The UN responds by proposing a few dozen more, equally helpless, observers.

Report: Syrian Regime Executes Activists Who Met UN Monitors

Asharq Alawsat is reporting that the Syrian Regime executes activists who met UN monitors

Syrian armed forces on Monday “summarily executed” nine political activists who had met with UN monitors during their visit of Hama on Sunday, whilst the city was also shelled following the UN observer mission’s visit, resulting in the deaths of 45, according to a human rights organization.