Syrian accountability on hold
As each day goes by with meetings, debates, and clear equivocation, holding Assad and his cadre responsible for the dreadful chemical weapons attacks becomes more tenuous. The U.N. and its inspectors are a highly bureaucratic and at times lame organization, and their peacekeepers often do more harm than good(just read about their drunken whoring in Cambodia for two years in the not too distant past to see what they are "capable" of as peacekeepers). As investigators they are timid, and often reach no substantive conclusions, avoiding any rancor or conflict. They are a big part of what is keeping any action on hold.
The Arab League was no big help as they condemned Syria for its use of chemical weapons but advocated no action whatsoever, no doubt afraid that any such suggestion would endanger their own privileged regimes. England and France have convened their parliaments for discussion tomorrow but the results of the debates are not certain to lead to immediate conclusions. At least they had the seriousness to pull their members away from their vacations to talk, almost unheard of in Europe, especially France. The U.S. has done no such thing, and while much discussion and debate is underway, the Republicans as usual are carping about their lack of consultation and in fact, except for John McCain and Lindsey Graham who may be too far out in front of the discussion, are acting as if they are impediments to any decision, whatever it may be, that could be made.
Russia stands in the way of everything, and Iran and Hezbollah join Syria in promising widespread carnage if any action is taken to punish Syria for its inexcusable violation of all norms of accepted international behavior.
If it would come to that Syria should keep in mind that the U.S. does not control Israel, and if threatened they will likely bomb Damascus government buildings and the presidential palace with the intent of ridding the country of the Assad family, or at a minimum ruining their charmed European lifestyle that they adore even while running a brutal dictatorship over an Arab country. What hypocrites they are.
No one wants more war, most importantly no serious participation by the U.S. in another Middle Eastern debacle. Enough already. The use of chemical weapons is an entirely different matter that should not be tolerated, certainly not be ignored. I say, as I said a few days ago, how can anyone accept the denials of Assad and his Revolutionary Guard brother known as the kneecapper when they have already killed 100,000 of their citizens and forced 2 million people into exile. How can you accept their word when they shelled and bombed the area affected by the chemical weapons for five straight days after the chemical attack. You can't.
No matter what delayed work the U.N. inspectors do, we are unfortunately moving in the direction of a stalemate that lets Syria off the hook, except in perhaps a minor way. If that is the outcome, almost universal condemnation of the use of chemical weapons, even now by Iran, could at least lead to more dialogue, more restraint, and tougher sanctions against Syria, but at the moment Syria looks like Humpty Dumpty, which can't be put back together again. Assad's actions have ruined the country and unfortunately opened the door to Islamist extremists. Any U.S. action should not open that door wider.
The Arab League was no big help as they condemned Syria for its use of chemical weapons but advocated no action whatsoever, no doubt afraid that any such suggestion would endanger their own privileged regimes. England and France have convened their parliaments for discussion tomorrow but the results of the debates are not certain to lead to immediate conclusions. At least they had the seriousness to pull their members away from their vacations to talk, almost unheard of in Europe, especially France. The U.S. has done no such thing, and while much discussion and debate is underway, the Republicans as usual are carping about their lack of consultation and in fact, except for John McCain and Lindsey Graham who may be too far out in front of the discussion, are acting as if they are impediments to any decision, whatever it may be, that could be made.
Russia stands in the way of everything, and Iran and Hezbollah join Syria in promising widespread carnage if any action is taken to punish Syria for its inexcusable violation of all norms of accepted international behavior.
If it would come to that Syria should keep in mind that the U.S. does not control Israel, and if threatened they will likely bomb Damascus government buildings and the presidential palace with the intent of ridding the country of the Assad family, or at a minimum ruining their charmed European lifestyle that they adore even while running a brutal dictatorship over an Arab country. What hypocrites they are.
No one wants more war, most importantly no serious participation by the U.S. in another Middle Eastern debacle. Enough already. The use of chemical weapons is an entirely different matter that should not be tolerated, certainly not be ignored. I say, as I said a few days ago, how can anyone accept the denials of Assad and his Revolutionary Guard brother known as the kneecapper when they have already killed 100,000 of their citizens and forced 2 million people into exile. How can you accept their word when they shelled and bombed the area affected by the chemical weapons for five straight days after the chemical attack. You can't.
No matter what delayed work the U.N. inspectors do, we are unfortunately moving in the direction of a stalemate that lets Syria off the hook, except in perhaps a minor way. If that is the outcome, almost universal condemnation of the use of chemical weapons, even now by Iran, could at least lead to more dialogue, more restraint, and tougher sanctions against Syria, but at the moment Syria looks like Humpty Dumpty, which can't be put back together again. Assad's actions have ruined the country and unfortunately opened the door to Islamist extremists. Any U.S. action should not open that door wider.
posted by John Borden at 5:24 PM
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