DO WE HAVE A CHOICE?

7 PM and Mick’s domain is gradually returning to status quo.

I shall attempt to look at the agenda in the morning and post early afternoon a comment on the proposed budget amendment. We are now entering the last third of the year and are continually amending the budget that was adopted one month ago.

This weekend has been over-shadowed by the apparent confirmation of the Syrian despots’ use of Sarin gas, a rapid paralyzer of the respiratory muscles resulting in a painful strangulating death by suffocation.

VP Kerry claims we have confirmatory proof. Over 3000 casualties suggest that nobody but the Syrian government and military has the capability for such an attack.

The question arises; what should the US do? Our President had set a RED LINE which included the use of weapons of mass destruction and there has been no question that the Syrian Army had them[i].

There had been indication of their use in small quantities before but no UN inspectors were allowed area access. This time the magnitude was overwhelming and it seems that clothing samples from victims have been positive.

Obama is in a lose/lose situation here. This country is in a potential lose/lose position.

Obama cannot order a military strike against another country unless the security of this nation is in danger. In Afghanistan there was no question. In Iraq there seems to have been false information, yet Hussein’s bluster, threats and refusal of inspectors did give credence to that false information.

However for many those two episodes have left a sour taste. But the situations in the Mid-East are quite similar to the one the Isolationist tended to deny before we were force into WWII.

Yes our Mid-East Diplomacy has been deplorable; too many mixed signals and vacillations. Now we have reached a point where we either must take an unpleasant action or lose all respect (or fear) in that part of the world. This will be evident in Africa, the Far East, and South America.

Hitler killed millions of civilians because we turned our back on his atrocities. Even with all the evidence that we have there are some bigots who claim this was all a lie buy a few for their own benefit.

The same arguments are making the rounds today:” It is not our affair.” “They are only Arabs”. “The (OUR) world is better off without them”. “They are not Christians why should we care?”

 Yes these are some of the reasons given why we should not intervene even if it is only limited to the military and/or the government. It worked well in Africa, so we ignored thousands killed in Darfur.

At least this Congress which has acted like the southern end of a northbound horse on all fiscal and social matters presented to it; both the Democrat Senate and Republican House, can demonstrate if they represent the people or just their narrow self getting reelectd interests. 

We can not preach morality if we ignore it.