US “Confronting” Iran Inside Syria: Spoiling for an Unlawful Fight?
NOVANEWS
Beyond the obvious geopolitical implications, seeking out a military confrontation with Iran in Syria for the purpose of preventing it “from cementing its military presence in Syria” may skirt both domestic and international law.
By Tess Bridgeman
The Trump administration is considering “whether to make confronting Iran an explicit new goal for the more than 2,000 American forces currently in Syria,” according to a recent report by the Wall Street Journal. If a policy of military confrontation with Iran in Syria is actually on the table, this is troubling on several levels.
As I’ve argued here, there are many reasons to avoid an escalation of fighting in the devastating conflicts in Syria. Moreover, a policy of purposeful military confrontation against Iran b...