Syria’s civil war, continuing since 2011, is increasingly complicated. Last week Donald Trump boasted of “withdrawing our small military presence from Syria and quit sinking trillions of dollars into the region”; then the choline gas attack occurred and Trump threatened strikes, even tweeting: “President Putin, Russia and Iran are responsible for backing Animal Assad”. (Remember Trump’s 9/7/13 tweet: “President Obama, please do not attack Syria. There is no upside and tremendous downside”.) Last Tuesday, a Russian diplomat speaking on Hezb’allah TV said, “Russia will shoot down any U.S. missiles fired at Syria and then attack the source where the missiles were fired!” If we vacate Syria, we leave the entire region to Assad’s regime and his allies, Russia and Iran, which would seek to fill the vacuum; and Turkey will step-up their attacks on the American-allied Syrian Kurds. To end our involvement or extend it? Many are calling for congressional authorization for further military action.
Trish Forsyth Voss
Apr 13 2018
How should America respond to Syria’s use of chemical weapons against Syrians?
Syria’s civil war, continuing since 2011, is increasingly complicated. Last week Donald Trump boasted of “withdrawing our small military presence from Syria and quit sinking trillions of dollars into the region”; then the choline gas attack occurred and Trump threatened strikes, even tweeting: “President Putin, Russia and Iran are responsible for backing Animal Assad”. (Remember Trump’s 9/7/13 tweet: “President Obama, please do not attack Syria. There is no upside and tremendous downside”.) Last Tuesday, a Russian diplomat speaking on Hezb’allah TV said, “Russia will shoot down any U.S. missiles fired at Syria and then attack the source where the missiles were fired!” If we vacate Syria, we leave the entire region to Assad’s regime and his allies, Russia and Iran, which would seek to fill the vacuum; and Turkey will step-up their attacks on the American-allied Syrian Kurds. To end our involvement or extend it? Many are calling for congressional authorization for further military action.
Trish Forsyth Voss
By spiritspeak • Community Roundtable 0