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“In the councils of government, we must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the militaryindustrial complex. The potential for the disastrous rise of misplaced power exists and will persist.” [1]
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However, I am getting ahead of myself. Keep that quote in mind, My Dear Readers, aas I continue… by going backwards a bit.
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SYRIA: “Syria (i/ˈsɪriə/SIRR-ee-ə ; Arabic: سوريا / ALA-LC: Sūriyā, or سورية / Sūrīyah; Syriac: ܣܘܪܝܐ; Kurdish: سوریه, Sûrî), officially the Syrian Arab Republic, is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south and Israel to the southwest. A country of fertile plains, high mountains and deserts, it is home to diverse ethnic and religious groups, including Arab Alawites, Arab Sunnis, Arab Christians, Armenians, Assyrians, Druze, Kurds and Turks. Arab Sunnis make up the majority of the population.” [2]
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Not mentioned here is that Syria has been ruled, like North Korea, by a single family since November 1970. That Assad family, first Hafez al-Assad and now his son Bashar al-Assad. The majority of arms that make up the Syrian armed forces come from the former U.S.S.R. and they are tightly aligned with Iran.
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Quagmire: “a difficult, precarious, or entrapping position” [3]
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America stands on the precipice of history, once again. If America chooses (and let’s face it… it IS a choice. No threats have been made against America of Americans by Syria.) it will not be a singular action. It will unhinge the Middle East even further. Iran has already started their saber rattling by threatening military action against Israel if America lunches missiles against Syria.
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Israel has responded by erecting, and making well known that they have erected, their ‘Iron Dome’ (Iron Dome (Hebrew: כִּפַּת בַּרְזֶל, kipat barzel) is a mobile all-weather air defense system[6] developed by Rafael Advanced Defense Systems.[5] The system is designed to intercept and destroy short-range rockets and artillery shells fired from distances of 4 to 70 kilometers away and whose trajectory would take them to a populated area.[7][8] Israel hopes to increase the range of Iron Dome's interceptions, from the current maximum of 70 km (45 miles) to 250 km and make it more versatile so that it could intercept rockets coming from two directions simultaneously)[4]
Next, characterization: this international problem (for the lack of a better moniker) can easily be characterized as a secondary result of the Arab Spring.[5] Truthfully, the people of Syria no longer want to be ruled by the tyrant that is Bashar al-Assad. Further, I will continue to remind you, My Dear Readers, that former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger clearly warned, prior to the American invasion of Iraq in 2003, ‘If America invades Iraq to overthrow Sadam Hussein it will destabilize the Middle East for generations…’ Henry, as always, was correct and we are now living in that world.
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Finally, reality in America; I heard this put best on MSNBC today “those that support war do not support President Obama, and those that support President Obama do not support war…” Can’t find a hyperlink to who said that on what show, today. My apologies for the person that made this astute and correct comment. However, I support President Obama and I support a change of leadership in Syria. I do not support a new war. Even dropping bombs in Syria will engage America in the Middle East in a way that I no longer support. However, there is a caveat.
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Whereas I do not think it is the correct course of action for America to engage Syria militarily. Although, I do not think America or the world should just sit idly by and allow Bashar al-Assad to gas his citizens with impunity. First, there should be consequences for Basahr’s actions. International consequences that include, but are not limited to, his removal as leader of Syria. Second, I firmly agree with Russia’s Foreign Minister’s call for “all of Syria’s chemical weapons to be placed under international control[6]”
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Once we have taken these lethal and ‘indiscriminate weapons’[7] from al-Assad? America should work diplomatically to remove al-Assad from power via ‘Free and fair elections’. America should NOT involve ourselves in this civil war. We should not provide weapons to anyone in Syria. Syria IS a bridge too far for America.
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“To all the peoples of the world, I once more give expression to America's prayerful and continuing aspiration:
We pray that peoples of all faiths, all races, all nations, may have their great human needs satisfied; that those now denied opportunity shall come to enjoy it to the full; that all who yearn for freedom may experience its spiritual blessings; that those who have freedom will understand, also, its heavy responsibilities; that all who are insensitive to the needs of others will learn charity; that the scourges of poverty, disease and ignorance will be made to disappear from the earth, and that, in the goodness of time, all peoples will come to live together in a peace guaranteed by the binding force of mutual respect and love.”[8] President Dwight D, Eisenhower
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As always, My Dear Readers, it is an honor that you come here to The Other Shoe and read my work. I hope that I do justice to that honor… I hope that I continue to work and deserve your support.
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Thank YOU!
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