Tuesday, September 03, 2013

A firm foundation for an American foreign policy decision?

This is the bind President Obama has put himself and the country into (see below). McCain has said it best. And yet what McCain thinks we should do based on that, in my view, would be an even major disaster. It would compound a bad decision, bad enough already.

Ironically, President Obama trying to avoid sounding "Bushy", the "un-cowboy", took a rhetorical approach to the Syrian situation by drawing lines in the sand, lines which kept moving, threatening American action based on transgression of those lines. The final line was crossed by the Assad regime with the use of chemical weapons (supposedly, evidence yet to be determined).

Now, we are told, President Obama should act with military action, if not American credibility and prestige would be on the line because President Obama's policy led us here. So we are to get into deeper trouble just because we are already in trouble.

“A vote against that resolution by Congress,” McCain said, “I think would be catastrophic,” adding that such a move would “undermine the credibility of the United States.”

Both McCain and Graham stressed that the goal of any military action should be to “degrade Assad’s capabilities” and “upgrade” the resources of the Syrian opposition.

And they both leveled criticism at Obama, charging him with failing to “articulate” a clear case for intervention as violence rages in Syria."

Contrary to McCain's opinion, I believe the best it can happen is for Congress not to approve of the military intervention. To engage in military action with no clear strategic, military or political, goals in mind would be not only highly irresponsible but a dangerous guessing game as far as unpredictable consequences are concerned.

If President Obama acts against Congress perhaps impeachment should be seriously considered. To press for military action under these circumstances would be a case to save face for an individual in the name of saving face for the country. Does that sound like a firm foundation for a major American foreign policy decision?

"Meanwhile, Secretary of State John Kerry told House Democrats on Monday that they face a “Munich moment” as they weigh authorizing military strikes against Assad’s regime, two sources with knowledge of the call told NBC News."

Mind you, this is the same John Kerry who supported Assad and assured us he would be a reformer. I find very ironic that Kerry would be comparing himself now with Chamberlain.

The world feels pressured to "do something" if it is true that the Assad regime has used chemical weapons. But why just because of chemical weapons when thousands have been killed by other means is a question many have. The question is not just why "something" must be done but what and by whom.

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