Why is the US currently at war attacking ISIS targets in Syria?

I am sure you may have the answer to this and since you have the answer, you may want to move on to another article. Okay, there are the simple narratives that perhaps may be dismissed so fast and digested ones. It is your pick.

Don't consider:

• Golan Heights are resource with water that can serve Palestine, Israel, Jordan, Syria.
• The fact that Iran is supporting the Syrian Gov't.
• The fact that neorealist/neoliberalist  commonsense compel the powers that be to work with a legitimate state than rebels who are fighting against it
• The fact that this is a proxy war between USA and Russia

But, let us just remain simplistic and trace the history:

Syria is part of the Middle East and is bordered by Turkey in the North; Jordan is in the South; Mediterranean Sea is on her west; and Iraq is on the East with a population of about 18.0 million. 75.0% are Sunni and 13.0% are Shia. The current President Assad, belongs to a subgroup of Alawi Shia (World Population Review website). Ghouta, Douma and Hamouriya in Damascus, are rebel strong-holds e.g., Nusra Front, Jaish al-Islam, Faylaq al-Raman and Hayat Tahrir al -Sham. The war started in 2012 and has left 5.6 million in 1,244 communities in acute need (according to BBC). Syria has 6.5 million internally displaced people.

The civil strife compelled bodies such the UN, Red Crescent and Red Cross to play pacifying roles because the state has failed to provide legitimate quality life for her citizens. Different allies joined different warring sides to address different needs. The US is on the side of the Sunni while Russia is on the side of the Shia. The compulsion for the US to attack Syria is multifold: it establishes a US-led presence, ensures US interests are met, creates a buffer for responsible conduct, checks Syria’s defensive arming and counters Russia’s show of power in the region (Blanton and Kegley, pages 23-27). 

But.........

Because of the xenophobia experienced by many who fled to Europe and the fact that the Assad regime is gaining a semblance of order, Syrians are returning in droves. A state is one of the only entities which can assure citizens of anti-poverty programs, sanitation, steady clean water flow, a basis for quality life and opportunities for innovations to turn out to be thriving industries. This is a motivation for people to be sympathetic to stabler governments. When there are options to choose between Assad and ISIS it is any one's guess which side may be popular.

ISIS on the other hand has now turned into a pariah marketing mayhem and leaving a trail of disorderliness. So, matters have changed. Assad is the lesser of the devils and ISIS is the enemy in the region.

References:

Blanton, Shannon, and Kegley, Charles (2017). World Politics Trend and Transformations. 2016-2017 edition. Routledge

Population of Syria: http://worldpopulationreview.com/countries/syria-population/.

The BBC, March 11, 2016

Syria: The Story of the Conflict

The BBC, Feb 23, 2018

Syria war: UN Security Council truce vote delayed

Notations On Our World (Special Memorial Day W-End Edition): On This Eve of Memorial Day W-End Here in the United States

On this Memorial Day 2018, our Editor passed this on to us he received from the Executive Director and  Dean of Students Affairs at Walden University where he is doing Post-Graduate Work in Public Policy during our Weekly Review.  We are pleased to feature this on Memorial Day Week-End is before Us: 

On this day, Americans across the nation and citizens located around the world will pause throughout the day to observe Memorial Day. Since its first official observation on May 5, 1868, when it was called Declaration Day, it has been a day of remembrance for those who sacrificed and died in our nation’s service. And while it was originally dedicated to honor Civil War soldiers, we know it today as a celebration in memory of all who have fought and defended our right to freedom. Today, it remains a time of celebration to honor and to respect those who fought to protect the liberties that our Founding Fathers proclaimed with certainty in the Declaration of Independence and that were thoughtfully and carefully framed in the Constitution of the United States. Research shows: In 80 months of the Revolutionary War there were over 4,000 deaths, or about 55 Americans dying each month of the war, In 37 months of the Korean War, there were over 33,000 deaths, or about 909 Americans dying in combat each month of the war, In 90 months of the Vietnam War, there were over 47,000 deaths, or about 526 Americans dying in combat each month of the war, In 1 month of the Gulf War there were 293 deaths, or 148 Americans dying in combat the month of the war. Within 14 months of fighting in Iraq, there were over 800 deaths, or 57 Americans dying each month of the war, and 6,840 Americans have died in Iraq and Afghanistan in Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom Those Americans who died in all these wars performed their duty. We know who they are, as we visit the cemeteries and note the dates of their shortened lives on the headstones. We know their loved ones, their spouses, parents, their children, and the friends who shall always miss them. To those who died securing peace and freedom; to those who served in conflict to protect our land and sacrificed their dreams of the day to preserve the hope of our nation – keeping America the land of the free for over two centuries – we owe our thanks and our honor.  It is important to not only recognize their service but to respect their devotion to duty and to ensure that the purpose for which they fought will never be forgotten. So, let us pause to remember, with respect and honor on this Memorial Day, those who fought, those who gave their life, and those who willingly stand ready today to do the same, without question, when the defense of freedom calls on them. We owe each of them the highest regard, respect and honor – and the assurance that their commitment to this Nation’s freedom will never be forgotten.   Today, let’s salute our veterans!  Today, let’s salute our troops! And today, let’s salute the fallen!   Let us not forget! Lest we forget! Gone, but not forgotten!

Notations On Our World (Special Wednesday Edition): James Clapper On Russia: They Swung The Election To @realDonaldTrump

Former  Director of National Intelligence is out with a new book with some rather explosive comments on Russia and the 2016 Elections.