Yesterday's daily death toll in Syria reached more than 100 killed in clashes between government forces and protesters against the Assad regime. Putting that in context, that toll in a country the size of the USA would mean roughly 1,750 dead. Taking it one step further, those killed by the Assad forces since the start of the protest are the equivalent of more than 80,000 killed in a country the size of the USA. Indeed, things have finally gotten so bad in Syria that the Obama administration is speaking out about the slaughter. There is a meeting of the UN Security Council scheduled for later today which will consider a three part plan offered by the Arab states. The plan calls for 1) no more violence; 2) the return of Syrian military forces to their barracks and 3) Assad to step aside in favor of his vice president so that national elections can be held. Although the plan is expected to get support from nearly all of the members of the Security Council, it is also expected to be vetoed by Russia, Syria's principal arms supplier. In other words, this will just be another exercise in futility.
Nevertheless, the Obama administration is finally speaking out against the Assad regime. Here is what Secretary of State Clinton had to say: "The longer the Assad regime continues its attacks on the Syrian people and stands in the way of a peaceful transition, the greater the concern that instability will escalate and spill over throughout the region."
That's right, Clinton is concerned about escalating instability which might "spill over throughout the region". Hillary says nothing about the thousands who have been murdered. She is silent about the hundreds of thousands or even millions who have been deprived of basic human rights. Secretary Clinton also says nothing about what will happen to Assad if he does step aside. Indeed, her focus is more on the possible effects on Turkey, Iraq and Lebanon (Syria's neighbors) than on the ordeal of the Syrian people themselves. In other words, Clinton's condemnation is about as mild as it could ever be. How can she speak against Syria without mentioning the senseless killing? It is truly shocking.
The big question, however, is where is Obama himself. He had no problem running in front of cameras to condemn Mubarak in Egypt when less than 20 people were killed by police. He has also come forward to speak out against similar events in Libya, Tunisia and Oman. But for what can only be described as mass murder in Syria, Obama is spending his time campaigning instead. It is a disgrace. The United States has to speak out against the slaughter and it must do so forcefully.
2 comments:
Your candidates in Florida were criticizing the President for too much focus on the Middle East and ignoring Cuba and Latin America. Wow. Pandering for votes in Florida. The four stooges are making good Republicans look really bad.
Actually, Jim, the GOP candidates in Florida have very different viewpoints. Ron Paul does not want to do anything outside the USA other than trade. (ok, somewhat of an oversimplification, but close enough). Santorum criticizes Obama for not properly handling relations with Iran and Pakistan, for messing up the war in Afghanistan, and for ignoring South and Central America and the move by jihadists to form alliances with Castro and Chavez. Both Gingrich and Romney want more attention paid to Latin America. None of that reduces the need--which any sapient individual concerned with human rights would see--to condemn the murder of thousands in Syria by Assad and his goons.
Events in Syria are not political at this point. Either America stands for what we say in our founding documents or we do not. Obama seems to be on the side of "not".
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