I think President Obama was right to call the use of chemical weapons by Syria a red line. And between the video and intelligence — that most of us are getting third hand — it certainly looks like chemical weapons have been used. Of course a decade ago there was pretty convincing evidence that a regime that had used chemical weapons was stockpiling them, and that turned out not to have happened.
Once again, there are inspectors on the ground, and once again there is a drumbeat to war. But I hope we can wait until the inspectors give a report before we make a final decision. And when we make that final decision, we should figure out the way to make it as international and as diplomatic as possible.
While both are to be avoided, the use of chemical weapons is different from the regular course of war. The taboo on it has served the world well for nearly a century. That Saddam Hussein is the worst example of chemical weapons use until last week is a testament to how rare it is. It wasn’t used by either side in World War 2, or much during the Cold War. And that is for the good.
Still, relying on weapons inspectors is the best way to show that we’re opposed to these weapons for the right reasons, not for political reasons.
Carl,
I disagree.
1.
To the extent that any president needs to communicate a “red line” it should be done in private and not in public. Sometimes the line is drawn wrongly and too loosely (e.g. Korea & Formosa) and sometimes,like with this line, they are drawn without sufficient consideration of what can be effectively done after the line is crossed.
Simply said “speak softly, and carry a big stick”.
2.
I can’t argue that one weapon is different from another, but I don’t think you really believe that the outcome (death) is any different.
The chemical weapons allegedly used by the Assad government were no more lethal and not much more indiscriminate than the bullets used by the Egyptian junta.
I don’t disagree that WMD are worse, but I posit that the genie has been out of the bottle for a long time. For example, chemical weapons were not used in Europe during WWII, but WMD was dropped on Japan.
To the extent that the US can and should do something, I agree with you that the US should aggressively seek the cooperation of the international community in crafting any response. I disagree that there is really any military response that would deter Assad or others in possession of WMD.
All in all, I’m despondent. It appears we’re on the road to ineffective military reactions.
My only hope is that this man I helped get elected because he has consistently shown an ability to think things through does so now. There is an opportunity here to make progress towards a goal of non-use of chemical weapons. It shall not be easy in any regard. But if we really want this ‘better world’ we have to try to do better.
Bombing shit in Syria won’t make anything any better for anybody but the Merchants of Death.
In conclusion, we need to move deliberately towards international diplomatic solutions and avoid militaristic reactions. The politics be damned.
I’m all for that.
We know successful jumping the gun to find WMD has been in the past.
I’ve spent the morning reading a financial blog where the conservative posters are saying Syria is none of our business and we should ignore what happens there.
Conservatives are extremely predictable on questions of military intervention:
Any military intervention by a Republican president is automatically good.
Any military intervention by a Democratic president is automatically bad.
In other words, on matters of war and peace, partisanship drives conservative thinking, just as it does with all other issues.
Not a headline from the Onion
Rumsfeld says administration hasn’t justified Syria attack
@4 Since when is Rummy an expert on chemical weapons? Was he the genius who bombed up a baby food plant, or was that some other Bush henchman?
Utter BULLSHITTIUM Roger SENILE DUMBASS and LUNATIC Wabbit…
Witness you lack of memory…
Obummer in the Boston Globe Interview
Oh Yeah Joe BiteMe…
Puddy remembers! Sux to be a dumb ol decrepit wabbit!
Seems the facts are otherwise as always when Roger posts his smelly pellets!
Here is what Politifact wrote about Obummer and Libya… the link used by many libtards
Sux to be a senile old man acting as a senile dumb wabbit!
@6 & 7
Nothing has
chickenshitRepublican Congressman quaking quite like an actual vote on military action in Syria.Option A: Argue that gassing your people is no big deal. Vote no. WMD use is A-O-K but suspected WMD possession, that’s worth billions wasted in Iraq.
Option B: Give that uppity president the explicit instructions to stand up against WMD.
The GOP wants desperately to be taken off the hook by intervention without a vote. “Hey, we can bitch about it without having to own it.”
Good try checkmate except the doves in Congress are the DUMMOCRAPTS.
Oh I seem to remember this idiot calling for action..
And this idiot making some nice noises about that idiot..
Heh. If Obama didn’t act – right wing krackpot kongressional tools would whine about it anyway..
! ! B E N G H A Z I ! !
If Qaddafi carried out his massacre and crushed the rebellion, the US and Europe would have little choice but to cut themselves off from Libyan oil while the Euros would then have a huge refugee problem on their hands.. Southern Europe is just about an economic basket case that can ill afford taking care of 10s of thousands of refugees.
Yes, an argument could be made that national security was at stake. Under the NATO treaty, a threat to one is a threat to all. The UN resolution just gave the NATO partners some more legitimacy.. The approval of the Arab League was icing on the cake.
Right wing bullshit again refuted..
Once again HA’s unemployed ASSHole moron points to his reflection and says
Since you are chronologically challenged as HA’s unemployed ASSHole moron, (dancing on Mike Webb’s Grave – HAHAHAHAHA!) Roger SENILE DUMBASS and LUNATIC Wabbit made an assertion easily disproved by the morons in da whitey house and the Naval Observatory!
Sux to be as soooooooo stoooopid as U R!
11 – Yawn. Yet another reading comprehension brainfart..
After Cain melted down you were “jockstrapping” Gingrich..
Gingrich – that “no fly zone” idiot before he was against it..
Stupid!
And you are HA’s batshit insane, right wing bullshit debilitated (less than) ZERO!!!
Wrong leetle doggie… reading comprehension is strong in HA’s unemployed ASSHole moron! Writes untruths as always!
McCain is right… Obummer missed his chance and tacitly gave Assad the green light to use chemical weapons!
And again you prove yourself with each moronic comment that YOU are HA’s right wing propaganda debilitated (less than) ZERO!
As always HA’s unemployed ASSHole moron can only attack Puddy since the facts are on Puddy’s side!
You? HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!
So sad and so typical!
And as always HA’s delusion and klownservative lie debilitated (less than) ZERO can only name call and fantasize that the right wing bullshit he calls “facts” are worth the pixels on anyone’s computer screen.
Too funny this deluded fool!
C’ya klownservative!