Obama seems to have painted himself into a corner by drawing a "red line" last year promising dire consequences for chemical use in Syria. Horribly, escalation of the conflict seems inevitable.
Is there anything that can be done for the Syrian people or, failing that, to contain and limit the conflict? I think there may be.
Everybody says there is no good choice between Assad and the jihadists. Everybody is right. But these two extremes are not the only alternatives.
Sensible, responsible Syrians are not inside the country, fighting; They took their families and fled. Look for reasonable Syrian alternatives among the refugees.
The refugees are not just in UN camps; In fact, most are not. But wherever situated these people are in desperate need of material support. This support should be massively increased with a mandate to form self administered civil institutions: boards to arrange education and recreation for children; boards to administer health services; civic planning for temporary community infrastructure, to manage housing, sanitation, refrigeration, food and water, electricity and internet access.
Positions on the various boards should be filled by votes, not appointments. Those who prove capable and constructive would have a kind of legitimacy that no-one inside Syria currently has. The world would finally have a "good alternative for Syria".
