Intervention!
Let me preface this by saying I haven’t been keeping a close tab on all the details, nor do I have a definitive opinion on the matter myself. But I do have an opinion on certain people’s opinions.
So, Syria. Bad things are happening there. The UN is paralyzed due to Russia’s veto in the security council. So the US and some allies are considering intervening in the conflict, unilaterally. The justification given relates to weapons of mass destruction.
Sound familiar? A lot of people are making comparisons to Iraq and saying the US absolutely should not intervene in Syria. They say its not in our national interests, or we’ve been at war for a long time, etc etc.
Now, like I said before, I don’t know if we should get involved in Syria. But I do know we should seriously consider it. Unlike Iraq, where there was just bullshit about WMD’s made up to justify a war, WMD’s have actually been used. Chemical weapons, fuel air bombs, mass deaths. That’s not in dispute.
If there is ever a reason to intervene in a conflict, stopping the use of WMD’s should be one of them. Whether its the Assad regime or the rebels, who cares. If someone is tossing around weapons that kill 1,000+ people in a few moments, that needs to stop.
Does that mean we need to send in military power, troops or planes? Maybe, maybe not. Doing so may lead to another decade long war. It might be the spark that sets off World War 3, as Russia and Iran are solidly opposed to US involvement. Then again, not doing so may end up having the same result as the appeasement of Hitler; ie still leads to a major war, just one that comes a little later.
So, unilateral intervention may not be recommended. But to those that say we shouldn’t be concerned with Syria, that it’s a civil war and not in our national interests to be concerned, well screw you. Chemical attacks on civilian population centers should be a concern of everyone on the planet. Anyone who does that should not be in power (whether its Assad or the rebels).
Military intervention, non military intervention, who knows. Digging your head in the sand and pretending WMD use doesn’t matter as long as its in another country, idiotic.
