Syria

As you know, the Syrian government, or regime as the media calls it now is under attack by various groups trying to “liberate” Syria. What that means, if successful, will be  evident after the Syrian government has fallen, if it falls.

It appears that chemical weapons have been used on civilians implying that the Syrian government used them and “crossed the red line” set by President Obama. That begs the question “why”? Why would a government under the international microscope be stupid enough to use the exact weapon that would precipitate the U.S. government and other western powers to get actively involved?

I have thought about this for a month, and I can only conclude that the dominant al-Qaeda elements in the rebel faction have obtained chemical weapons and used them on civilians. Why? To push us over the red line, and do their dirty work so they can take control and join the new Caliphate awaiting birth. They will thank us by using them over here. It will be our biggest crisis since 9/11.

So my questions is where do these chemical weapons come from? Are they being supplied by Iran, by pro-rebel sympathizers in the Syrian army or by another group that has made crude, but effective versions? In World War I, both sides used chemical weapons. If they could make them nearly 100 years ago, it can’t be that difficult to make them today. I don’t know who made them, but it’s very, very serious that these weapons are now in use.

In the meantime, the west is paralyzed as helping the rebels is helping al-Qaeda, our sworn enemy. We’re between a rock and a hard place. We don’t have a good path to follow, and our president knows it.

Further, Russia continues to send sophisticated arms to the Syrian government, aircraft of different types, anti-aircraft weapons including surface to air rockets and even the latest Yakhont anti-ship missiles. The Russians are using the Middle East as a test bed for their weapons, in the same way that we slowed down testing weapons at China Lake in California, instead testing them on our enemies in Iraq and Afghanistan.

If the west becomes actively involved, Syria will fight back and kill many allied soldiers. We are no longer pursuing the Arab Spring (an unbelievably stupid policy instigated by Mrs. Clinton while Secretary of State) to depose weak governments who cannot defend themselves effectively against the west. This time it will be a fight to the death.

Russia will continue to support the Syrian government as it’s only port in the Mediterranean is Tartus, in Syria. They are not about to give that up, and lose control over gas pipelines that crisscross the area. Mr. Putin is ex-KGB. He has no love for the United States.

The underlying problem is our government’s foreign policy. I’ve followed it for fifty years and can consistently state that it’s almost all awful. We continue to interfere in other countries domestic policies, clueless to the ramifications of what we are doing. Fortunately, the current Secretary of State, John Kerry appears ineffective.

We regularly support any government that kowtows to us, and work to depose any that doesn’t. This has blowback implications. September 11 was blowback. Osama bin Laden, our best friend when he was on our side fighting the Soviets in Afghanistan, turned against us. There is always a why?

Here’s a radical thought. Our government keeps praying for the Syrian government to fall so that civilian casualties would end. Hillary Clinton and President Obama thought that Syria would go the way of the other Arab Spring countries. It didn’t, so we continue to support the rebels with its al-Qaeda elements.

If we were to switch sides, and support Bashar Assad and his government, the civil war would be over in days not years. We would insist that the rebels not be punished if they laid down their weapons and peacefully assimilated.

The trauma would be over, and civilians deaths would cease. Will we do it? Not a chance. Our government has a position that Assad must go, so we don’t really care about the Syrian civilians; it’s just crocodile tears to justify providing more weapons and training to the rebels.

Think about Middle East current and past events, and ask why? Without common sense, lack of sense in Washington will be the driving force for one bad decision after the next.