Forces of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad are seen in Arjoun village near Qusair town May 30, 2013. (Photo by Rami Bleible/Reuters)
Russia's Syria Proposal Offers Major Powers Clear Advantages -- Paul Richter, L.A. Times
Even if the proposal bogs down at the U.N., it provides a diplomatic way out of a military strike. Syrian rebels and their supporters, however, stand to lose.
WASHINGTON — The Russian proposal for Syria to surrender its chemical weapons has gained great momentum because it provides clear advantages to several world leaders and leaves as the losers a smaller group that lacks much power to influence the outcome.
Even if the Russian proposal bogs down at the United Nations, as many observers expect, it offers a way to put the issue back in meeting rooms rather than on the battlefield, easing anxiety in many world capitals.
A U.S. bombardment of Syria with cruise missiles, which President Obama had planned, would certainly inflict damage, including a high likelihood of civilian casualties. Despite assurances that the attacks would be "narrow and limited," an American military strike would raise risks of escalation and retaliation.
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More Commentaries, Opinions, And Editorials On President Obama's Syria Speech
Obama agenda: Escaping imminent defeat? -- NBC
Political Wisdom: Decoding Obama’s Speech on Syria -- Wall Street Journal
Is Obama a Victim of the CNN Effect? -- Joshua Keating, Slate
Will Kerry’s Loose Lips Save Obama? -- John Cassidy, new Yorker
Russia, US seeing eye-to-eye on Syria? Don't bet on it -- Fred Weir, Christian Science Monitor
Obama's Speech On Syria May Fail To Sway Doubters -- Alan Greenblatt, NPR
Barack Obama's speech won't sell Americans on Syria -- Aaron David Miller, Special to CNN
In Prime Time, Obama Struggles to Reason With Nation Over Syria -- Michael Scherer, Time
FACT CHECK: Obama's Syria case still lacks proof -- AP
Could Russia oppose enforcement of its own proposal on Syria? -- Ariel Zirulnick, Christian Science Monitor
Why Russia Is Now in Control of the Syria Crisis -- Major Garrett, The Atlantic
Putin Seizes on Syria to Cement Middle East Sway -- Bloomberg Businessweek
Threaten to Threaten -- Thomas L. Friedman, New York Times
Obama Rescues Assad -- Wall Street Editorial
Your Move, Putin -- Fred Kaplan, Slate
Obama offers chance to lock up chemical weapons: Column -- David A. Andelman, USA Today
On Russia-Syria offer, what's the catch? Our view -- USA Today editorial
Who Do You Trust? -- Maureen Dowd, New York Times
Dazed and Confused -- William J. Dobson, Salon
Obama’s Call for Action–and Inaction -- Max Boot, Commentary
Syria presents a constitutional moment -- George F. Will, Washington Post
Obama on Syria: The emperor has no policy -- Hamid Dabashi, AL Jazeera
Why the New Syria Plan Won't Work Either -- Jeffrey Goldberg, Bloomberg Businessweek
Did Obama answer these 5 questions about Syria? -- Leigh Ann Caldwell and John Crawley, CNN
Syria speech: What's next on Obama's to-do list -- Lateef Mungin, CNN
Syria speech: What we learned about Obama -- Linda Feldmann, Christian Science Monitor