We Could have made a difference, “Syria” but Now It’s Too Late!

Hafez al-Assad, ruled Syria from 1970-2000, when he died his son Bashar al-Assad became ruler of Syria in July 2000. In 1994, after his elder brother Bassel’s death Bashar was promptly recalled to Syria to take over his brother’s duties. He attended military academy and ruled the Syrian occupation of Lebanon. Al-Assad became President of Syria in 2000. This was not a real election for the Assad regime in reality has been a dictatorship since 1970. Syria was under Emergency Law effectively suspending most constitutional protections for citizens since 1963 and is considered a non-democratic government. Revolution broke out in March 2011 plunging Syria into a civil war. Their people warred against Assad and the neo-Ba'athist government to have a democratic style government. The rebels at this point were very pro-American but since then their opinion of us have changed and not for the good.

If we were going to get involved with helping the rebels, this would have been the proper time; they needed help which we could have supplied without putting boots on ground and we could have ensured their air force would have been grounded. At this point Assad had murdered less then a thousand of his own people but we knew it was going to get worse and did nothing. We had a choice, ether we helped them or Al Qaeda would help them; we did nothing. Al Qaeda is now helping the rebels because we wouldn’t and when our president is asked, “What would be the game changer” President Obama answers, “if Assad used chemical weapons this would be a game changer”, but why would this change anything? At this point Assad has murdered 80,000 of his people, men, women, and children, and we have done nothing; does it matter how he is killing them, they are still dead.

On the 25 of April 2013 Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel announced sarin gas has been used against the rebels, this was the game changer promised by American and their president, now the rebels know we, the Americans will come help them; but nothing happens. Our leadership says we can’t prove who used the gas and can’t prove 100% that it was used at all even with people littering the streets with no wounds, just foaming from the mouth, pin point pupils, and uncontrollable twitching which are all signed of nerve gas use. This is what all in the military is trained to look for when looking for nerve gas use.

On 13 June 2013 our leadership speaks, the Obama Administration says that Syria has crossed a 'red line' with its use of chemical weapons, including the nerve agent sarin gas, against rebels and indicates that it will be stepping up its support of the rebels, who have been calling for the United States and others to provide arms need to battle al-Assad's forces; but nothing happens. On 21 August 2013 the Bashar al-Assad government used chemical weapons in an attack on civilians again; more than 1,300 people were killed in the attack outside Damascus, many of them women and children. Video footage and witness reports bolster claims of the use of chemical weapons; we have still done nothing except tell Assad exactly what we would attack if we attacked. I ask, is this a good military strategy? At this point the Assad regime has murdered over 100,000 people and the only people who have helped the Syrians is Al Qaeda. Now we face a loose-loose situation.

We are to fight Al Qaeda at all steps because of their terroristic actions; if we attack the Assad regime and put him out of leadership, we loose because Al Qaeda will be the new leaders in Syria. If we do nothing to the Assad regime we loose because all we know we are the paper tiger they perceive; this is not leadership but the lack of leadership. I have never seen this country look weaker to the world then it currently does; the only time which comes close was when President Carter was in charged. The same thing happened then, we let our allies be removed and terrorist put into their place and the whole world suffered. When are we going to start looking at our mistakes in the past so we will not commit them in the future? Since we did nothing to help Syria when we could have, it is best if we leave well enough alone. Too much time has past for us to fix our mistakes in Syria and as the United Kingdom has done, we need to stand clear. The next time something like this pops up instead of seeing what a pole may say or looking at what nations we might offend, we need to do what is right from the start; KEEP THE PARTY POLITICS OUT OF IT! Now no matter what we do, the Syrian people will either suffer at the hand of Assad or Al Qaeda. I’m sure they thank you Mr. President.