After president Obama got the USA involved in fighting in Libya through a few days of air attacks only to pull back quickly so as to let NATO allies do the fighting, his strategy was famously described as "leading from behind". With the latest from Syria and the reaction from Obama, it has become clear that the president's strategy for dealing with that war is "retreating from behind".
First the facts: Syria has a huge stockpile of chemical weapons. For the last year, Obama has announced repeatedly that he would not get the USA involved in the Syrian fighting, but that use of the chemical weapons were a "red line" for America. In the last two months, the forces of president Assad of Syria have begun using the chemical weapons. At first, America said it could not be sure that the chemicals had been used. Then, one after another, France, the UK and Israel announced that they had conclusive proof that the Assad forces had indeed used chemical weapons on their adversaries. Yesterday, our own Secretary of Defense announced that the USA was confident that the Assad forces had used sarin, a highly toxic nerve gas. At least two dozen people died in this small scale attack. Today, however, the Obama administration said that the red line had not been crossed because it was just a small attack and we did not have actual physical evidence sufficient to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that there had been a sarin attack.
Look, Obama did not have to set up use of chemical weapons as a red line, the crossing of which America would not tolerate, but he did. Obama did not have to repeatedly tell the world for a year that use of chemical weapons was such a red line, but he did. Obama did not have to have his administration announce that the Syrians had used sarin gas, but he did. To be plain, Obama set up this mess. Obama told the world that the use of sarin gas was intolerable and would bring a response from America. Now that it has all happened, the American response can be boiled down to "Nevermind."
If I were the Israeli prime minister wondering if America under Obama means what it says when Obama announced that we will not let Iran get nuclear weapons, this would send a chill up my spine. If I were the leader of Saudi Arabia or Jordan or any of the other countries that Obama has said America would protect, I would also be worried. After all, the use of sarin gas is not a minor matter. Short of nuclear weapons themselves, chemical and biological toxins are probably the most effective weapons of mass destruction on earth. And like nukes, chemical weapons kill indiscriminately. These are not smart bombs that only target the armed forces.
My hope is that Obama's latest is only a ploy meant to have the Syrians let their guard down when we strike the chemical depots. I know, however, that is not our reality. Obama has retreated. Obama has broken his promises. Obama has shown the USA to be (in the old Chinese formulation) a paper tiger. Obama has made us all much less safe than before.
It is a disaster.
First the facts: Syria has a huge stockpile of chemical weapons. For the last year, Obama has announced repeatedly that he would not get the USA involved in the Syrian fighting, but that use of the chemical weapons were a "red line" for America. In the last two months, the forces of president Assad of Syria have begun using the chemical weapons. At first, America said it could not be sure that the chemicals had been used. Then, one after another, France, the UK and Israel announced that they had conclusive proof that the Assad forces had indeed used chemical weapons on their adversaries. Yesterday, our own Secretary of Defense announced that the USA was confident that the Assad forces had used sarin, a highly toxic nerve gas. At least two dozen people died in this small scale attack. Today, however, the Obama administration said that the red line had not been crossed because it was just a small attack and we did not have actual physical evidence sufficient to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that there had been a sarin attack.
Look, Obama did not have to set up use of chemical weapons as a red line, the crossing of which America would not tolerate, but he did. Obama did not have to repeatedly tell the world for a year that use of chemical weapons was such a red line, but he did. Obama did not have to have his administration announce that the Syrians had used sarin gas, but he did. To be plain, Obama set up this mess. Obama told the world that the use of sarin gas was intolerable and would bring a response from America. Now that it has all happened, the American response can be boiled down to "Nevermind."
If I were the Israeli prime minister wondering if America under Obama means what it says when Obama announced that we will not let Iran get nuclear weapons, this would send a chill up my spine. If I were the leader of Saudi Arabia or Jordan or any of the other countries that Obama has said America would protect, I would also be worried. After all, the use of sarin gas is not a minor matter. Short of nuclear weapons themselves, chemical and biological toxins are probably the most effective weapons of mass destruction on earth. And like nukes, chemical weapons kill indiscriminately. These are not smart bombs that only target the armed forces.
My hope is that Obama's latest is only a ploy meant to have the Syrians let their guard down when we strike the chemical depots. I know, however, that is not our reality. Obama has retreated. Obama has broken his promises. Obama has shown the USA to be (in the old Chinese formulation) a paper tiger. Obama has made us all much less safe than before.
It is a disaster.
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