Syria Vs. Libya

Many people are asking why Gaddafi is being bombed and Assad is spared. If you’re the kind who fancies bullet-point comparisons, check out this Guardian feature on how the two countries compare.

If you prefer a paragraph explanation, check out The Economist’s take:

If the West deems it right to bomb Libya in an effort to force the murderous Muammar Qaddafi from power, why not do the same to Syria? The answer is entirely pragmatic. Most Libyans inhabit a thin coastal strip connected by one big road that can be policed from the air; Syria’s geography is complex. Moreover, Colonel Qaddafi is far more isolated and derided by his fellow Arabs than Mr Assad is. The Arab League, the UN Security Council and countless Libyans have all endorsed the Western assault on Libya. No such constellation has come together over Syria, and it is unthinkable at present for Western leaders to intervene militarily in the face of widespread local objections.

Plus of course, Syria has no Oil to pay for the air strikes..