It’s a strange world. Russian President Vlad Putin may have saved the day, preventing U.S. military action against Syria . . . all because a reporter had the temerity to ask Secretary of State John Kerry for a list of demands before the U.S. went firing missiles in Syrian President Assad’s direction. Shocked by such a sensationally sensible question, Kerry mumbled something about giving up all their chemical weapons.
So Putin rang up Assad, and the next thing you know, Assad said, “Sure.”
Do you want fries with that?
It may indeed all be a ploy on the part of Putin and Assad, but it provides a breather, a timeout before Congress votes to give President Obama the approval he has asked for ( but which he says he doesn’t need) to strike Syria . . . and which he may choose to ignore if he feels like it, which may soon all be moot anyway.
In any case . . .
Gas attacks are extremely unpleasant.
The Obama Administration released film of Syrian victims of Sarin gas attacks. CNN played the footage so citizens could see “what Senators and members of the House are being shown as they make their decision.”
Last night, Mr. Obama called on “every member of Congress, and those of you watching at home tonight, to view those videos of the attack.”
Oh, come on. Opposition to a military strike isn’t predicated on a lack of empathy. Were suffering the measure, we’d be at war in dozens countries all the time, including in Syria more than a year ago, since over a 100,000 people have died in the civil war where both sides have committed atrocities.
To suggest that we should decide the best course for U.S. policy by watching acts of violence and the resultant human suffering is simple-minded and demagogic.
There’s something wrong when Russia’s dictator-president looks better than ours.
This is Common sense. I’m Paul Jacob.
13 replies on “Atrocity Logic”
Where are the videos of Obama’s rebel (Al Qaeda) buddies butchering and beheading Christians?
In this case how is the US empowered to be THE policeman, THE Judge, THE jury and THE executioner?
If Assads actions violations against humanity, and I believe they are if proven, he and the others compliant with and following his orders should be taken to and prosecuted by the UN, or World Criminal Court.
Syria did not agree to the convention on chemical weapons (with an number of other Middle Eastern countries, in no small part because of Israel’s unofficial atomic weaponry which, if used, is equally non-discriminatory in its effect on non-combatants).
All war, but particularly “modern” war as presently practiced, is an abomination.
I would prefer to go back to jousting with a nominated champion to settle disputes. If that appears foolish, so are the alternatives presently being chosen or proposed, on both sides.
Well said.
On another site, (I believe jihadwatch. ) (either .com or .org) there was an item that THE REBELS did the gas attack; that the rebels (also)had/have chemical weapons.
Assad is no angel; the rebels are worse–executing 3 truck drivers because their view of Islam is different; a 14 year old boy for ( what they considered) an inappropriate remark ( to someone else); killing some 200 SOLDIERS WHO SURRENDERED; burning churches; as 2 War —above said-beheading Christians; etc.
Let these animals kill each other–my view.
O interests are not involved; we are not at risk of a Syrian attack, ( but Al-queida did attack us- 12 years ago)
next to alst line 1st word Our
Where is your side-by-side picture of Bush and Hitler?
Bush attacked Iraq under false pretenses to avenge his daddy. Where was you indignation then?
off-topic but i thought i would post up thsi organization that is well heeled and trying to mobilize efforts to attack the national debt and entitlements:
http://www.thecankicksback.org/
JATR — We didn’t use pictures in
daily Common Sense commentaries back when Bush was president. And if we had, I would not have juxtaposed Bush or anyone else with Hitler. Since Putin and Obama are the two key players in this, it seems perfectly appropriate to me.
But for the record, though I do not claim to know that Bush went into Iraq on premises he knew to be false, I was opposed to going into Iraq. I also had plenty of indignation against George W, who was a terrible president thru and thru.
A few links you might find of interest:
https://thisiscommonsense.org////2003/12/02/bad-men-and-bad-law/
http://townhall.com/columnists/pauljacob/2008/09/21/the_silly_seriousness_of_the_also-rans/page/full
https://thisiscommonsense.org////2012/03/12/emperor-obama/
One of my criticisms of Obama is that he is just like Mr. Bush.
I don’t trust Putin as far as I can throw his thuggish ass. He & Assad are as thick as thieves. Hand over some weapons with 1 hand, while the other buys some more from the same source. O yeah, that would be Putin.
What’s wrong, is Obama is embroiled in scandal, millions of college graduates cannot find jobs and are loaded with student debt, millions are unemployed, and he wants a distraction that might put a lot of them to work fighting the Russians, Chinese and fanatical Muslims.
I think this country is too stupid to continue to survive. I think this is a consequence of government “schooling,” where teachers have a perverse incentive to teach that taxation is different from theft (sophistry, incorrect philosophy, incorrect law, incorrect history, incorrect economics).
The Libertarian Party is not serious, and neither is most of the libertarian movement. If it were serious, it would be in front of the local courthouse on monday morning, with jury rights pamphlets, educating those who were in a position to be manipulated into doing damage to their fellow slaves.
Oh yeah, and we shouldn’t go into Syria. The military itself is totally unnecessary in a nation that is well armed, and skilled in marksmanship. If our government were not 100% populated by sociopath traitors, they would encourage every American to own a battle rifle, and be proficient with it. –No more roaming the world with a “big stick” defending paper money.
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