It is increasingly clear that the Syrian government did indeed use chemical weapons against it own people. This is a crime against humanity that cries out for justice.
The only remaining question is whether it is up to us to bring it.
Leaving the use of chemical weapons aside, Syria engages in longstanding civil war pitting really bad against worse. There are no good guys in this war, only bad. To pick a side is to help the bad guys win. This is something we should not do. Every fight is not our fight.
One year ago the President, through a combination of hubris, machismo, and naivete declared the use of chemical weapons as a ‘red line’ that would force the U.S. into this conflict. So now as I write our navy approaches Syria and there is talk of bombing.
I fear that the President’s comic book foreign policy is going to drag us into a war in the middle east in which there are no winners, only losers with potential consequences way beyond the body count of this horrific chemical weapons attack.
One would think that if the last two years have taught the administration anything, it would be that they cannot tell friend from foe in the middle east. This is principally due to the fact that they actually think there are friends there. We have no friends among the Muslim nations, only degrees of enemy.
When the Arab spring began, we saw this kind of naivete. A few of us warned of the dire consequences of taking sides and trusting, only to be drowned out is a chorus of “the sun will come out tomorrow”
Again I warn. Don’t take sides in a civil war of bad vs worse.
August 26, 2013 at 2:01 pm
It is not clear that the Syrian government used chemical weapons against its own people. It could just as easily had been the rebels, who are desperate for the U.S. to get involved militarily, because it is rather obvious they aren't going to overthrow Assad without assistance. We have, however, been hearing from whatever talking head they put out that this whole thing is becoming 'increasingly clear'. What is clear is that some part of our government desperately wants to invade Syria for some reason, and I suspect the only reason the U.S. hasn't so far is because of Russia.
August 26, 2013 at 2:34 pm
A German radio station on the Polish border, the Gulf of Tonkin, Protocols of the Elders of Zion, carefully edited film and tape — what really happened?
Syria is surfeited with explosions and violence now; let's not send our young folks to die in yet another undeclared war.
August 26, 2013 at 2:58 pm
Awesome! Two incompetent presidents in a row involving themselves in civil wars that we shouldn't be involved with in any way. Let these countries sort it out for themselves. Why arm them when all they do is turn the weapons on us when they're done…or during.
August 26, 2013 at 4:00 pm
1. Agree there are no 'good guys' in this fight
2. Gosh – wonder where they got all those chemical weapons from – hmmmmmm
3. Last time someone in the area used them against their own people – when the UN/US etc got involoved – they didn't have the will to fight a war and win
4. If we aren't going to fight a war and win (and that means kill them – kill them dead with as little loss of life on our side as possible – break their will to fight – you know like Germany and Japan) then don't go. This also includes not playing the game about worrying about their feelings, paying them for collateral damange, rebuilding – during the war – anything that is destroyed. War is hell.
5. It's not our job to be the world's policeman – but if we go – go to WIN.
6. It is also quite clear that in additionl to a lack of coherent foreign policy with no learning from the past – short past or long past – we are passiving our military and militarizing Government departments and the police. THIS is not a good thing either.
August 26, 2013 at 4:34 pm
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August 26, 2013 at 4:40 pm
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August 26, 2013 at 4:41 pm
My dear friend:
I ask you as a fellow-Catholic and fellow-Blogger not to swallow the ridiculous US propaganda about this incident. We are being lied to by our own government to justify a war that will end up demolishing the remaining Christians in that land. You must refrain from reading propaganda and mendacious rumors, and start reading people who KNOW what is going on there, beginning with the Catholic patriarchs of those regions.
This is an exact replay of Iraq, etc. Surely you can see who is behind this and why?
For your interest: http://www.ronpaulinstitute.org/archives/featured-articles/2013/august/24/us-set-to-launch-iraq,-the-sequel,-in-syria.aspx
My friend, I ask you again to study this question and not rely on a government that has given us dead unborn babies, the growing threat of sodomy, economic ruin and the persecution of the Church. America is not the good guy in this fight. Quite the contrary.
August 26, 2013 at 5:06 pm
It's amazing how hard Obama campaigns for the US presidency, even though the man's already POTUS. It almost looks like he considers governing a nuisance. Anything to get out of the White House.
How can the President present anything but a “comic book foreign policy” when he's not there to work on one. He leaves it all in the hands of his advisers and his Svengali…
“Anyone seen Valerie?”
We really need to double down on our prayers for the President and other government leaders. Especially at this very volatile time in human history. That they may be open to the wisdom of G-d.
Mary, Queen of peace, pray for us.
August 26, 2013 at 6:38 pm
…and the hypocrisy of it all is if the exact same civilians were killed by a different weapon the US wouldn't blink an eye.
August 26, 2013 at 7:47 pm
Some of the WMD's that didn't exist in Iraq show up in Syria. No surprise there.
I agree there are no good guys here. We do have a humanitarian responsibility to take care of the refugees, especially the Christians, and make sure that the camps do not turn out like in PA and Lebanon. State Dept nor the rest of this administration do not give two hoots for Christians. They think things haven't worked out well with radical, violent Muslim groups because they weren't the ones doing the negotiating. There is nothing we can do militarily, but this is going to bite us. Also, liberals do not learn from experience. They ignore facts if they conflict with their feelings. That's what we have and the Sec State who was involved wants to be president. What could go wrong?
August 26, 2013 at 9:10 pm
Why would the Syrian government gas unarmed civilians when it is fighting tooth-and-nail with armed (by us!) rebels? In WWI, gas was used against combatants in the trenches.
Why would the Syrian government gas unarmed civilians during the week the U.N. inspectors are in the country?
I am reluctant to dub a news event a "false flag," but this event seems suspicious.
Please contact your Congress-critter and beg that we do not attack (any further) the regime that has been defending the Christians from jihad!
August 26, 2013 at 10:57 pm
Why would the Syrian government gas civilians? Because they belong to the wrong "group". The Assad regime has always had a number of different groups making up the "coalition" in their regime like Allowites, Druze, Christians maybe even Shia, but nto sure, against the majority Sunnis.
That's why Haffaz Assad destroyed Hama, completely, every man, woman, child, goat and chicken. To keep control.
They are all bad guys.
August 27, 2013 at 2:02 am
Increasingly clear The Syrian government used chemical weapons on its own population? 15 minutes from where the UN inspectors were stationed in the country? After Turkish security forces discovered sarin gas in the houses of Syrian militant sympathizers on their border? Accepting the word of rebels KNOWN to have done unthinkable atrocities and post false images and videos of atrocities of the regime? After leaked documents show emails and authorizations between a British arms dealer, Quataran officials and approval of the whitehouse for a false flag on the Assad Regime? You really think the Assad regime is that stupid and incompetent?
I'm sorry Patrick but I must ask, are you high?
August 27, 2013 at 1:21 pm
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