Pedley’s Ponderings

Senseless in Syria

     Storm clouds have been brewing fervently over Syria this past week, and it seems the war drums have reached deafening levels in Washington D.C.

     The Obama Administration and other top federal officials have been engaged in a massive campaign of chest pounding and saber rattling following allegations of foul play in the Middle East. Syrian President Bashar Assad allegedly launched chemical weapon attacks that killed hundreds of his own people, and a team from the United Nations was sent to investigate the massacre. U.S. President Barack Obama attempted to rally support from America’s international allies, but response has been mixed to say the least.

     Obama and other White House brass are hell-bent on launching a military offensive. The administration and a few other American allies claim the move would thwart future chemical attacks by Assad; however, therein lies the problem.

     Demonstrating an outside show of force would most likely lead to an extended Middle Eastern presence and amplified chemical warfare on behalf of the Assad regime. They would predictably ramp up brutal wartime tactics in the face of outside intervention, and Obama's claims that bombs would halt such behavior seems to be mere rhetorical hearsay. It’s obvious delinquent nations like Syria cannot be trusted to respond positively when push comes to shove.

     Syria has been mired in a civil war for the past two years. They, like many other countries in that region, have no hope of progress anytime soon. It's been a persistent struggle between the government and the anti-Assad rebels, and entering the conflict only sticks our fingers into another unsolvable trap overseas.

     We're nine months removed from exiting a 10-year predicament in Iraq, but it seems we've failed to realize our lesson yet again: people in the Middle East don't like us, and intervening only rattles the cage.

     The Syrian rebels are a religiously-driven group that’s highly motivated by Islam. As we’ve seen in Egypt and other places, the success of these factions leads to government turmoil and extreme societal instability. Attacking Assad’s strongholds would aid his opposition, force us to pick a side and further amplify our costly foreign involvement.

     Syrian officials have vowed to protect themselves at all costs should the United States and its allies launch an offensive. American forces will most likely utilize a combination of air strikes and offshore missile launches to obtain their intended result. Unfortunately, it won't end there. Syria has allies too, and they create a formidable resistance to the United States should we decide to test the waters in the Middle East once again.

     Russia—Syria's closest supporter—would love nothing more than to fund a conflict against the an American-led coalition. They may not get involved first hand, but they could no doubt provide resources to aid a Syrian resistance. This would prolong the conflict, more people would die and America's interventionist tactics would be placed underneath the international microscope once again.

     The situation has been shrouded in extreme uncertainty. However, Obama gained a shred of respect in my book after announcing he’d seek Congressional approval to exact punitive damage on Syria and the Assad regime.

     Sidestepping Congress' war powers has far and away become the modern-day standard when America sets out to accomplish something by force overseas. It's head-scratching that such authority has been instilled in the Oval Office, but Obama’s decision to seek the approval from the public’s representatives in Congress was refreshing.

     Despite this development, the Syrian conundrum is poised to cause more troubles than it will solve. It’s going to cost money, lives and other resources. Our title as the World’s Police Force has caused undeniable foreign quagmires in the past. The examples are numerous, and success has been fleeting. It’s just simply a difficult and unwinnable position to be in.

     If the Syrian government did in fact utilize a chemical weapons attack, it's an unacceptable and disgusting monstrosity. It's barbaric, but Americans must question whether or not risking the lives of U.S. soldiers is worth yet another prolonged Middle Eastern jackpot. Our involvement in "punishing" the Assad regime would undoubtedly be seen as playing favorites by siding with the rebels.

     We haven't been attacked or provoked into this mess, and we'll never get out as fast as we got in if we move forward with a military strike. Intervening in Syria would be an extremely senseless and unfortunate decision by Obama and Congress. It's just not a step worth taking.

     Nick Pedley is the regional news editor of the Hampton Chronicle, The Sheffield Press and Pioneer Enterprise.