The United States says evidence that Syria used chemical weapons against its own citizens could be grounds for a military strike against the country.
President Barack Obama warned the alleged use of poison gas that killed hundreds of people in Syria last week crossed a "red line" that the US could not ignore.
Dr Binoy Kampmark, US foreign policy expert with RMIT University in Melbourne, says a US strike against Syria could have long-term repercussions for both countries.
"At no point can you say that a surgical strike doesn't lead to other and heavier consequences," he says.
"It’s the idea of treating security problems essentially as a dental problem -- you isolate the cavity, you isolate the problem then you can remove it and then everyone's happy.
"That's not going to be the case. It's going to be destabilising."
The United States was initially seeking a mandate from the United Nations Security Council to take action against Syria. The talks failed to reach an outcome on Wednesday, and according to media reports the Obama administration may seek to forge ahead without UN support.
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