Yes, without Russian cooperation, anything the USA does in Syria will only make matters worse for all involved. That’s a given.
While in theory this is true, it nevertheless presents a very simplistic view of international relation, especially between the superpowers. There was never any real cooperation in the Middle East (ME) between the US and Russia. The line is clearly drawn – the US is on the side of Israel and other Arab allies like Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Jordan, while Russia is on the other group.
These relations are more complicated than you like to simplify. Thus cooperation is not so much on the goody-goody relationship but rather what represents their interest respectively. Russia will only be forced to cooperate if it is in their interest.
Assad is their client; there is no way the Russians would agree to any settlement without Assad and the US just made their statement in the UN that there is no hope of settlement with Assad still in the picture.
There is no give and take and no cooperation unless and until one is satisfied, and they would not be because of the big difference in perspective. Any student of international relation would recognize this.
Sometimes, gunboat diplomacy is necessary, sometimes there is sabre rattling but more importantly in such situation, one can only enter into any understanding with a position of strength. Both superpowers have occasionally employed this tactic which was like a game of chess.
Thus you seem only to speak theoretically. Respecting the Russians too much would be construed as a weakness with only unfortunate consequence. Kennedy was seen as weak and inexperience thus set the stage for Khrushchev to bully him. And how dangerous the world then because the US certainly would not want to be bullied.
Don’t know, in any case, if it was, he should have shared that information with Russia, so that together they could curb their use. While also focusing on safe zones in the middle east such as Iraq where people can flee Syria to.
Again quite simplistic. The chemical weapon in Syria was under Russian responsibility in the 2013 agreement with Obama. I tend to agree with the word of the present US SoS that either the Russians were complicit or incompetent indeed not knowing the presence of the chemical weapon in Syria.
There is no point in going in that direction when you know the other party is dishonest. Besides, time would be lost that can only lead to no action taken. In other word, Obama 2013 relived, which is a stupid thing to do, giving a message to Assad that the US is too weak and afraid to do anything about it. The only result is he will do it again someday.
While such diplomacy is good in theory, the lives of the children being killed in the gas attack were too precious for the nilly-dally action of the President.
The USA is not the world, if it gets bogged down in the Middle East as the Obama administration did, then they only further weaken themselves at a time when they are already weakened and in massive debt, and what happens if China or Russia end up engaging the USA? Several years of weakening themselves in the Middle East, the USA will be ripe for the taking.
I would readily agree with you here that the US is not the world. Trump’s inaugural speech outlined his policy as much when he said the US being first.
However the rest of your assumption is wishful thinking because we cannot see the future to make that kind of prediction.
His priority is the defeat of the ISIS.
He strikes at Syria airfield because that was where Assad’s jets were launched which carried out the chemical weapon attack. So it was punitive and the strike surgical – accurate strike at military target, probably more of sending a message that, ‘hey, playing with chemical weapon on the people is hitting under the belt which need a bit of spanking. And it is just a warning for now.’
Deteriorating situation in Syria due to chemical weapon attack would affect refugees because it can cause panic and people being afraid would be fleeing Syria. They would likely spill to Europe and the US - thus creating a problem for Trump. So perhaps, his action is very much related to his policy on immigration as well.