Unless you’ve been making a conscious effort to avoid CNN, Fox News or MSNBC for the past month, chances are you have seen the horrible atrocities being committed by the Assad regime in Syria. This morning, the Obama administration revealed shocking, graphic videos of the effects of the chemical weapons that the Syrian Armed Forces have been employing against the opposition to President Assad.
War is such a controversial issue, unfortunately, it has always been part of history. No one really likes the idea of killing people for a cause, but when someone is willing to kill you because of their beliefs, you have to be willing to stand your ground and protect yourself. As we lean forward into the future, it is paramount to remember the past. It is a natural human desire to crave more.
The saying goes, “too err is human, to forgive, divine.”
Based on that statement, if Assad used chemical weapons just once, it would have been acceptable. In reality, it is never acceptable to commit such a vicious act against a human being.
As a matter of fact, it is a deplorable act. Using chemical weapons is against the rules of war. Dying is rough enough; having your last moments spent on earth be filled with pain and suffering is an agonizing thought. Having to briefly live through it would be nothing short of unbearable.
In short, the acts that Assad has allowed are criminal. Allowing the government that he administrates to employ the use of dangerous chemical agents is a war crime. It is quite obvious that something needs to be done.
This past Sunday, President Obama and Russian Federation President Vladimir Putin brokered a deal for Syria to give up their chemical weapons. The agreement stipulates that the United Nations has the next nine months to destroy Syria’s chemical weapons. Something that President Obama will be glad to see is that Syria will potentially face consequences for non-compliance.
French President Francois Hollande has said time and again that should Syria break the agreement, the threat of military action is still on the table. This is probably music to President Obama as well, considering that his attempt to enlist the U.S. Military in this matter hit resistance in Congress. One of the major reasons the potential contingency hit a snag was because lawmakers were afraid an overseas military operation with no end in sight felt too familiar and also were afraid about the backlash from Assad’s opponents, many of whom have ties to Al-Qaeda.
The Assad regime has just seven days to begin complying with the deal. The Syrian government will have to hand over a full account of its chemicals to the United Nations. Furthermore, President Assad has to allow United Nations approved weapons inspectors from The Hague based Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) to finish their primary on-site inspections by the end of November.
At first glance, this deal appears to be very lenient towards Syria. In a way, the United States and Russia allowed Syria to be the very lucky recipients of the “Get out of jail free card.” President Assad allowed his own government to slaughter his own people; he needs to be referred to in the same manner as General Pinochet, Adolf Hitler and Joseph Stalin.
Should the Assad regime allow the United Nations to execute a proper extraction, it could lead to a more peaceful and prosperous time along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea. Should the Syrian government disregard this resolution, it could plunge this area back into a state of perpetual warfare.
President Assad has to realize that his country just missed out on being invaded by a military vastly superior to his own. Now is not a wise time for the Syrian government to be greedy. For President Assad, no press is good press. His name is being berated in the media.
No person should die in such an inhumane manner. It’s callous and vicious; no decent person would subject their own people to such a heinous death.
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