Let’s be really clear about the main reason behind President Trump authorizing missile strikes against Syria in retaliation for that country’s use of chemical weapons. It was inevitable, precisely because former President Obama made it inevitable.
Obama infamously drew his ‘red line‘ over Syria, then refused to act when it was crossed, reportedly because of ongoing negotiations with Iran, which is involved in the Syrian conflict. That meant that he – and, by extension, the USA – was regarded as weak, soft and indecisive by most of the ‘power players’ in the region.
When Syria used chemical weapons again, a few days ago, it was essentially a direct challenge to the USA, and to President Trump. “Let’s see if you’ve got your balls back.” Well, President Trump has now demonstrated that things are, indeed, different on his watch.
- He’s shown President Assad, in a measured, proportional response, that actions have consequences.
- He’s shown Russia’s President Putin that he’d better get his Syrian house in order, and rein in his clients in that country, or face burgeoning difficulties with the USA as well.
- He’s demonstrated to Iran that it no longer has a free hand in Syria, and, by extension, elsewhere.
- And he’s demonstrated to the world that President Obama’s reluctance to act is no longer a factor in world politics.
I wish the strike had not been necessary. I don’t want the US involved in any more foreign entanglements – rather the opposite. I’d like to see us able to concentrate on domestic issues that are crying out for some serious attention. However, under the geopolitical circumstances inherited by President Trump from the globally ghastly effects of the Obama administration, I don’t see that there was any alternative but to launch the attack. Failure to do so would have reinforced the perception of American weakness that Mr. Trump’s predecessor left behind him, like a bad taste in the world’s mouth.
Let’s hope that one strike will be enough to send the message, and ensure its reception.
Peter
With Xi at his house, I imagine this has ramifications on the other side of the world as well. I hope that China and Kim got the message, too.
It's funny, my liberal friends and my friends that work in the media have been strangely silent about this attack. Not a peep on the Facebook. I was expecting a digital outrage, so far – crickets.
Obama involved us in the mess, and Congress sat on their hands; even though they had the power to demand withdrawal of troops.
A few things come to mind:
First off, WMD=NBC, weapons of mass destruction are nuclear, biological, or chemical.
And all are banned by international agreement with an understanding that any state that resorts to such in subject to retaliation in kind.
All 50 missiles arrived on target. This strongly suggests that the Russians shut down their detection and defense systems otherwise at least a few would have been stopped.
This leads me to believe that Assad is an even bigger fool that we thought and ordered that Sarin attack behind the Russians' backs.
Won't go so far as to say we coordinated the strike with the Russians, but the facts do beg the question.
After the way Mr. Milquetoast Obama screwed the pooch low these last eight years, us failing to respond to a WMD attack would even further the idea that such could be done with no repercussions. The real fear is that were this considered true it would only be a short while before some state decided to try such an attack against Israel. And knowing the Israelis their response might very well be tactical nukes.
Far better that we bitch slap Assad now and head off any other such poorly thought out ideas before they germinate.
Hello Captain Schmoe,
The reason they're silent on Facebook is they're all busy fomenting on the liberal websites.
That explanation makes sense to me.
I still think we should pack up and leave the Arab world immediately, but if that was Trump's motive, it was a good one.
…Okay, NOW pack up and leave.
– Charlie
Obama tied his hands his priorities of having nuclear deal with Iran over anything else. He can only puff over Assad's actions and nothing else.