At a time when US President Barack Obama is basing his campaign partly on his withdrawal of American troops from Iraq and his plan to do the same in Afghanistan, he cannot take the risk of intervening in Syria. Meanwhile, the European Union is fighting for its survival, and cannot devote its energies to an uncertain battle.
这次它们手里握着更好的牌。在美国总统巴拉克·奥巴马（Barack Obama）将其大选的一部分胜算押在从伊拉克撤军的举措以及在阿富汗的类似计划上的时候，他不会冒险干涉叙利亚。与此同时，欧盟正为自身的生存而战，无法为一场不确定的战争分神。对西方世界来说，叙利亚反对派起义的时机再糟糕不过了。