In time of crisis, the US always says it likes to keep all options on the table. But on Syria, the option of dialogue involving Assad is clearly off the table, ever since Obama and former secretary of state Hillary Clinton prematurely declared "Assad must go".

Yet diplomacy and dialogue are a far better option for resolving the crisis than arming the Syrian rebels, which will only result in a higher death toll and cause more people to be displaced.

Today, a once united Syria has already been thrown into a civil war, with growing sectarian violence and an influx of foreign fighters, including many jihadists.

No one, not even those hawks in Washington, have any idea what Syria will be like or what they should do if there is a post-Assad scenario.

The latest CBS News/New York Times poll shows that only 24 percent of Americans believe the US has a responsibility to intervene in Syria, while 62 percent oppose the idea.

A Pew Center survey released on Wednesday also found little regional support for Western or Arab countries sending arms and military supplies to anti-government groups in Syria. And there is even greater opposition among Americans and Europeans to such indirect Syrian involvement by their governments.

Basically 82 percent of Germans, 69 percent of French, 65 percent of Turks, 57 percent of British and 64 percent of Americans were against arming the rebels, according to the survey conducted in 12 countries.

If a democratic government reflects the will of the people, both surveys have sent an unequivocal message that they don't want their countries arming the rebels.

Given the US' unrivaled military might, some US politicians are tempted to think that the use of force would be a quick and easy solution. However, as we have seen in Iraq and Afghanistan this would only complicate the situation.

Pursuing dialogue and negotiation that involves Assad and all the other parties is the only option to avoid more bloodshed in Syria and prevent the conflict from spreading across the already turbulent region.

The author, based in Washington, is deputy editor of China Daily USA. E-mail: chenweihua@chinadailyusa.com

(China Daily 05/03/2013 page8)