maybe U.S. policy in Syria isn't so bad

I haven't heard a good word about America's Syria policy from anybody outside the administration in quite a while, so it's interesting and refreshing to read Zachary Keck's piece in The National Interest.

Keck says:

The most significant way the U.S. has benefited from the Syrian civil war is by seeing its regional and global adversaries undermined by the conflict. Just as the U.S. has been the primary external benefactor of the Syrian civil war, no third party has been a bigger loser in Syria then Iran.

He still argues for U.S. involvement to alleviate the humanitarian crisis, but he thinks analysts have not sufficiently recognized the way the conflict has hurt Iran and its allies, and al Qaeda, and even China.

Meanwhile, note this Reuters report that the congressional intelligence committees have approved a resumption of arms deliveries to the so-called moderates in the Syrian opposition.