It's not just the neocons who have a grand plan to invade and control the Mideast. Neoliberals want to get in on the action too! When there's money to be raised from corporate donors, everything is for sale.
Follow below the orange crisp for a look at the Walmart funded Third Way's playbook.
Everyone is probably already familiar with the DLC's new neoliberal front group Third Way.
A while back, War On Error posted this highly informative diary discussing Third Way's corporate donors and the public policy they promote to Democrats on their behalf. Their policy positions have promoted cheap labor, cuts to Social Security and Medicare and plenty of other greedy, poorly planned public policy.
Today, let's take a peek at their "policy" positions on "national defense", particularly in the Mideast. It appears Third Way has been flogging aggressive moves toward Syria since early 2013.
Making the Case: What is America's Best Bad Option in Syria?
The U.S. Intelligence Community is not fully confident that it
could secure the chemical weapons in the event of Assad’s
fall; when asked whether the U.S. or its allies could secure
the arsenal, Director of National Intelligence James Clapper
replied, “I’m not sure I know how to make a call like that…[it]
would be very, very situationally dependent.”
The Pentagon estimated in November 2012 that
75,000 troops would be necessary to secure Syria’s
chemical weapons stockpiles.
Options
Enforce a ground-based no-fly corridor in northern Syria.
Senators McCain and Levin wrote to the White House in March
arguing the U.S. could enforce a no-fly zone using Turkey-based
Patriot missile batteries to carve out a ‘safe zone’ for refugees
in northern Syria—as long as Turkey agreed to using these
batteries for this purpose.35 The former National Coalition
president requested a safe zone protected by Patriots as well.36
This option, however, would not prevent Syrian ground forces
from entering the area.
*
Any action that requires military force within Syria or in the
country’s airspace could be considered an act of war that requires
UN or Congressional authorization. These options include:
Enforce a much larger or country-wide no-fly zone. In 2012,
Senators McCain, Graham, and Lieberman signed a letter
stating the U.S. should work with the rebels to establish safe
havens in “liberated” parts of the country and consider a nofly
zone around these areas, including major cities.37 Carrying
out this mission also means destroying Syria’s Russian-built air
defense network which would, according to Joint Chiefs of
Staff Chairman General Martin Dempsey, require 700 or more
sorties.38
Destroy Syria’s air force through precision airstrikes.
Senators McCain and Levin argued in March that Assad’s air
capabilities could be destroyed via airstrikes, although their
letter is vague as to who would carry out these strikes.39
It is also uncertain how this effort would end the conflict, as
General Dempsey in late April noted that 90% of the casualties
in Syria came from artillery and direct fire, and only 10% came
from the air.40
Deploy international and/or American troops in Syria to
secure the chemical weapons stockpile.
When asked in March whether he supported putting U.S. troops into Syria, Senator
Graham responded, “Absolutely, you’ve got to get on the
ground. There is no substitute for securing these weapons.”
Senator McCain argued the international community should
“be prepared with an international force to go in and secure
these stocks of chemical and perhaps biological weapons."
Hey, look here! Surprise, surprise, we have a special briefing book promoting aggressive foreign policy in Syria and the rest of the ME written just
for Dem elected officials to use during the August Recess. How convenient.
I'm posting links to these helpful talking points and guidelines in the interest of having a better informed debate about the Syrian crisis - just thought you would be interested in the Walton Family's point of view.
Update: To clarify the role of Third Way in promoting neoliberal public policy, keep in mind they have a large roster of co-chairpersons who are Democrats currently serving in Congress. This isn't just a lobbying group.
It will be interesting to see how these co-chairs vote and influence the votes of their fellow Dems.