Some time ago, the president said the use of chemical weapons against rebels in Syria would constitute crossing a “red line.”
Now, that red line has been crossed. Syria, which has been in a state of civil war for about two years, is said to have used sarin, a nerve gas, against rebels. This puts President Barack Obama in a difficult position. What should he do in regard to Syria?
Some say there isn’t yet enough evidence to say that any red lines have been crossed. The White House wants the United Nations to investigate whether chemical weapons were used at all.
Others believe that action is the clear next step. Although the president has said he doesn’t want any “American boots on the ground in Syria,” there is still plenty of room to help the opposition.
Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., has been a supporter in recent days of intervention in Syria. He believes we should create a safe zone for the rebels, institute a no-fly zone over the country and then arm the right rebel groups, according to a video released April 25 by the Associated Press on YouTube.
Those on the other side believe we should stay far away from the Syrian exchange. Russia in particular has taken a vocal stance against American intervention in Syria. On Monday, the Foreign Ministry of Russia said it would not abide with no-fly zones in Syria.
Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke up about the arming of rebels after a meeting with British Prime Minister David Cameron: “One does not really need to support the people who not only kill their enemies, but open up their bodies, eat their intestines in front of the public and cameras,” Putin said, probably referring to an incident involving a rebel commander who was filmed cutting a dead soldier’s torso and biting into a piece of his organ.
The G8 summit, which started Monday, was already off to a rocky start with the Syrian conflict taking a central role. But with 93,000 dead already over the course of the conflict, why is it suddenly so important? Is the use of chemical weapons really the reason we are on the verge of getting involved?
Some remind us of the propensity of our government to keep us in the dark. As Bradley Manning and Edward Snowden have taught, the government does keep secrets, and oftentimes they’re secrets that the American public aren’t in favor of. Could there be a secret here, too?
Speaking of the American public, a recent Gallup poll shows that the majority of Americans are not in favor of arming the Syrian rebels. Will that affect the president’s decision to intervene?
Others remind us of the problems that started when Osama bin Laden, himself once a “freedom fighter,” was armed by the U.S. years ago to fight the Soviets. Would intervention create a future problem for the U.S.?
The answers to all of these questions are unclear right now, but with pressure closing in on all sides, Obama has a tough decision to make. No matter what he decides, he’s sure to frustrate a lot of people. Let’s hope he makes his decision for the right reasons.
