re: #168 Gus

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These are doable:

We therefore support military intervention with the following conditions.

1. The ultimate goal of any intervention should be to stop the use of weapons of mass destruction and minimize human suffering and casualties.

2. U.S. intervention should seek to change the dynamics on the ground to attain the ultimate goal of bringing the government and opposition forces to agree to a political settlement and transition. At this point, there is no incentive for the Assad regime to agree to any type of political transition due to their military superiority over opposition forces.

3. U.S. involvement in Syria must be limited and preclude any ground troops in the country.

4. While precise targets will be determined by military leaders, precautions must be taken to limit the use of force near civilian areas and to avoid damaging infrastructure which impacts the lives of Syrians.

5. The intervention must go hand-‐in-‐hand with empowering the moderate segment of the opposition to ensure a future for Syria that is democratic, pluralistic and inclusive.

6. The goal of this operation must be to impact the Assad regime and must not be, nor perceived as being, motivated as a proxy war against Iran.

7. The intervention must stay clear of and far away from the historical and religious sites and shrines of the faith communities in Syria. Sites such as the Sayyidah Zainab shrine, the Umayyad Mosque and the Chapel of St. Paul must be avoided.

8. The intervention also should include a safe corridor for humanitarian assistance to allow for aid and supplies to get to the people. This should be backed by force, if needed.

9. The long-‐term goal of the intervention should be to ensure that rebuilding Syria is a priority for all parties. There must be a process established by Syrians and the international community for the economic redevelopment of Syria. The redevelopment plan must include plans for restoring an ancient civilization and cultural icons for humanity.