ITS NINE/ELEVEN

NINE/ELEVEN this day of infamy like Pearl Harbor day should always be a reminder that in this world we can not exist in a cocoon of isolationism. Those historical days should always remind us that a blow to our safety can come out of the blue from any place  on  this globe. 

This day should also make us aware that we are not safe from the results of some adventurist terrorist attack. That includes not only car bombs or  possible "dirty bombs" but also their  using Sarin gas, provided by a rouge nation that is not above using it on its own people, in one of our subways or at such public events as the Super Bowl.

You may recall similar attacks have occured in a Tokyo subway station (Sarin) or by bombs in the London underground, as well as in  Madrid major railroad station.  

That is why today I would reiterate the points I tried to make in my blog Monday if the President had not only verbalized the same message. 

It is in our national interests; in the future defense of this country, in the protection of the future for our children and grandchildren that no country or despot be permitted to go unpunished for the use of weapons of mass destruction against unarmed civilians and innocent defenseless children.

Yes, once again we are tired of the loss of American lives in foreign lands that have no personal meaning for us.  That is justifiably so. If only we could not be our brother’s keeper; the rest of the world seem to be concerned only with their own agendas.

The fact that 60% of the population were against even a limited military action in Syria is understandable.  Money could be better spent on making our own welfare rather than on military adventures.

Unfortunately isolationism does not work, it has been proven multiple times. We must guard against the long time results of inaction. We must also understand that we can make friends with those who hate us out of jealousy or fear.

We also must realize that we cannot remake the world into what we conjure up as a perfect utopia of democracies. We have not yet accomplished that goal in our own country. Therefore, we should never try to impose an unwanted system upon others. That has been part of the failures in the past; we believe that we are perfect and we are not.

Right now our President and we are fortunate that the Russians understand the dangerous course their allegiance to Syria was taking them. Fortunately a chance frivolous remark by Kerry opened a path for them to save face.

It will also give this country a chance to avoid making the terrible mistake of permitting a petty tyrant to successfully challenge us. As Obama said others will build on our weakness.

Meanwhile, let us see if we can trust the United Nations, Assad, and Russia to see that those terrible stockpiles of inhuman weapons are destroyed. Want to bet?

There is another option which we must always be ready to use; that is to wave the big stick. In this case that could be a prophylactic strike at Syria's stockpile of chemical weapons.

Yes that can be a drastic solution and there is always a danger of a major reaction for which we should be prepared; but as the old saw says "a stitch in time can save nine".