Tens of thousands are dead or dying in Syria - hundreds of innocent children and women every day. Egypt is wracked by murderous sectarian violence; Iraq has blown up, again literally, Bagdad's streets are littered with shattered human wreckage and misery from daily car bombings; Iran is speeding toward wielding the largest killing machine in history, an atomic bomb; Yemen is so threatening to America that our Embassy has been closed, possibly permanently. No country in the entire Middle East is peaceable or safe for Americans, Europeans or Israel's citizens. The Arab Spring may yet lead to a Nuclear Winter for the West, our civilization reduced to rubble or destroyed by Jihadists willing to kill forever in the name of Almighty Allah.
So, as chaos reigns, hard choices - none good, nor assured of complete success - need to be made here as our war weary nation is now threatened to be engulfed in these many murderous conflicts, spanning already two continents. Russia has made its chosen path in the region known - every military armament available to be spared from the Russian arsenal has and will be flown into Syria to keep Assad, the Butcher, on his thrown, so he can kill, maim and torture his own people in perpetuity, Reset Button notwithstanding.
In the face of this vast carnage in Syria over the last three years, our Nation's key response has been to unleash first Hillary, and now John, on the Butcher Assad with ever more withering rhetoric. This week, however, America has finally reached the Rubicon, as President Obama has called upon the Congress to authorize his use of whatever military force he deems warranted to prevent more chemical weapon attacks on Syria's civilian population.
In one recent press interview, the President said he intends to "fire a shot across the bow" of the Butcher Assad. Regrettably, as Assad does not live on a boat out at sea, he probably won't even see the splash of this so-called harsh punishment. But this is no time to carp or quibble about pin pricks or other one time symbolic, face saving gestures. Because now the Congress gets a Vote, so will Assad, Putin and the Mullahs in Iran after America fires a few tomahawks into Syria's desert. This President's fervent desire to sucker punch Assad, and then pivot back to his golf game with Joe Biden is just not the way the world works.
America and our Congress must now decide whether to get very serious about the perceived need to protect our national security. We have the military power to stop the ongoing carnage, at least for a long period of time through air strikes that ground the entire Syrian Air Force. Such a "All In" intervention - at great risk to our armed forces and citizenry due Jihadist retaliatory attacks - is not the President's Way, however. Indeed, should Congress debate this authorization to go to war seriously, knowing that a sucker punch that does not knock the opponent unconscious, leads quickly to possibly countless and uncontrollable counter punches, may well reasonably decide not to intervene. As stated at the outset, there are no good or guaranteed winning choices in today's Middle East conflict.
Nonetheless, one absolute truth does exist in this geopolitical battle for regional dominance - any one or two day, pop gun shot across the bow will accomplish nothing more than reveal to the entire World that America is faking it; we will be justifiably seen as "phoning in" our supposed concern for the gassed babies, mothers and fathers of East Damascus, let alone the other one hundred thousand slaughtered by more "humane" weapons. I will not Vote for America to become the Joke of the Middle East. I have not yet decided on whether to call my Congressional reps to seek their support for "All In" either. Nonetheless, I will not be out golfing while I struggle with that seriously Life and Death Vote. Our entire Nation deserves a few sleepless nights over this dangerous game changing decision.
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