Problem #24: Syria

Problem #24: Syria

If you read my earlier posts on war + foreign entanglements, then you probably can guess my position on what should be done in Syria: nothing. That’s right, nothing. At least: nothing that’s being serious discussed.

Simply put, the idea that the US has to be the world’s policeman is, in and of itself, a big problem. This is- or at least should be- an Arab problem. Let the Saudis, Jordanians, Egyptians, etc. handle it. Were the US to attack in any way, the best-case scenario could very well be to empower Al Queda-aligned militia groups in Syria. Yes, Bashar Al Assad is a right bastard- no question about that. But he’s killed 100,000+ of his own people already; what about chemical weapons means that the US needs to get involved? Barring a clear threat to the US from Syria- that does not exist- or a UN resolution- which won’t happen, given Syria’s patron Russia’s veto on the Security Council- any US attack on Syria would, by definition, be a violation of international law.

The US needs to do less, not more, on the internation stage; let Syria non-intervention be a good start. If the US wants to “do something,” then it should fund humanitarian aide to all sides: doctors, food, etc. Not weapons, and not air strikes.