Obama's 'Red Line' on Syria and subsequent waffling on his comments have not only created doubt about America's resolve to aid our allies and support human rights but have diminished our credibility with both our allies and our adversaries around the world. Despite America's long history of engaging countries or groups who would harm the US or their own people, the words of President Obama are falling flat on the ears of the world.
In a telling example of the Obama Administration's inability to effectively deal with the worlds bad guys, John Kerry, a staunch anti-intervention democrat, made a compelling appeal to the American public for support of military action against Syria only to be contradicted by President Obama, another anti-intervention democrat, hours later.
As a side note, consider the following paraphrased statements made by Kerry:
If Assad had nothing to hide regarding chemical weapons then his response should be immediate transparency. (Does this apply to Obama's response to the IRS scandal?)
The UN has been stalled at every turn to investigate the claims of a chemical attack, this is not the behavior of a country that has nothing to hide. (What of our own congress in their investigation of Benghazi?)
Assad has used the worlds most heinous weapons against the most vulnerable people. (If information is the symbol of power, how do we interpret our government's extensive spying on it's own citizens?)
Let me be clear about anti-intervention politicians of any stripes: their insistence for justification is a good thing! When it turns to indecision or worse, inaction in the face of over 100,000 deaths it is a bad thing. Make no mistake about it, America has no business in the civil wars of foreign countries. We do however have not only an interest but an obligation to defend the basic human rights of all peoples and provide support for our allies safety and security. Innocent Syrian civilians are being killed. Jordan, Turkey and especially Israel are directly threatened by the continued expansion of this war.
Because just like in the game of chess where a move on the board cannot be un-done, a missile fired or bomb dropped cannot be recalled therefore every possible scenario must be considered from every angle before the move is executed. What makes Obama's disappearing 'Red Line' astounding is not his second guessing. Rather it is his failure to calculate the right move. To provide creative solutions that our global neighbors will support - create a coalition of nations. History is filled with the successes and failures of American Presidents foreign relations as well as their relationships with the leaders of foreign countries. I think I may have seen this rodeo before...
As a reminder, the primary function of our Executive Branch is to:
Approve or Veto Legislation (not write it)
Enforce Laws (regardless of personal views)
Conduct Foreign Affairs (does anyone still revere America?)
“When you find a man you wish to marry, Tessa, remember this: You will know what kind of man he is not by the things he says, but by the things he does.”
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