“If we have to use force, it is because we are America. We are the indispensable nation. We stand tall. We see further into the future.” Secretary of State Madeleine Albright’s famous (or infamous) remarks should be much on the mind of Congress as they vote on the authorization of force to punish Syria for using chemical weapons. Theodore Dalrymple’s collection of essays explores the decline of Europe and the retreat of European intellectuals from activism to isolationism. Dalrymple sees the same pattern repeating itself in the United States. Falling birthrates, aging population, weariness with wars, and a disdain for the military leads to disengagement. But, what is the cost of isolationism? If Assad’s use of chemical weapons goes unpunished, will that send a signal to other dictators and terrorists that they use these weapons with impunity? The stakes are high and the outcomes are in doubt. GRADE: B+
The problem is – on top of all the other problems and the things you mentioned – we also have to factor in the “Arab spring” and Egypt and Libya into the equation. I read this morning that the “rebels” John McCain is so anxious we support just “liberated” a town from Assad and promptly forced all the Christians to convert to Islam.
I see the consequences but I still don’t support it. And Obama is not a good enough salesman to sell it.
Jeff, I’m on the fence with this proposed cruise missile/drone strike against Assad. I’m not sure such a strike will accomplish much. One commentator on MSNBC likened this situation in Syria to the Battle of Stalingrad: “It’s Hitler vs. Stalin. We don’t want to support either side.”
I’m not much in favor of an overt attack, but would like to see more pressure brought to bear on Russia and others to pull it’s support of Assad. Sort of a shunning punishment, though that may not be possible nor as effective as a loud bang. Problem is, we’ve gotten ourselves into a position where we’ll be the bad guy no matter what we do. It bothers me a lot that no one else except possibly France, whom I expect to pull back, will support us not get involved. Our efforts to support and engender freedom and democracy in the middle east seem only to make more and more people hate us. I don’t think we can win what is to a great extent a religious war.
To get involved in another war, while so much seems to be falling apart at home…I’m not sure it’s smart.
Exactly, Rick. We seem to be in a NO-WIN situation no matter what we do or don’t do.
Hopefully this attempt to get them to give up their chemical weapons will work–if it isn’t another rumor. Otherwise there is truly no good solution and no good outcome.
You summed it up, George: thanks to the Bush/Cheney Iraq debacle, anything we do in the middle east will be perceived as the wrong thing; no amount of good intentions will overcome that senseless act of bungled aggression.