NATO Rules Out Syrian Intervention

NATO has ruled out the possibility of military intervention in Syria. During a visit to Tripoli, NATO Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said, ”My answer is very short. NATO has no intention [to intervene] whatsoever. I can completely rule that out.” He stressed that Damascus should draw lessons from Libya, “Having said that, I strongly condemn the crackdown on the civilian population in Syria. What has happened in Libya sends a clear signal. You cannot neglect the will of the people.” Tony Karon writes that without NATO intervention, Syria faces “the prospect of protracted bloody stalemate, with neither side able to prevail no matter how violent their tactics.”

Meanwhile, the Arab League awaits Syria’s response to its proposal to end the political stalemate between the al-Assad government and opposition parties. Additionally, Senator John McCain said, “The Assad regime has spilled too much blood to stay in power.  Its days are numbered, but it will use those days to murder more of its own people.”