politics

Never again is now. We must wait for the evidence and then act or never be forgiven.

In the aftermath of World War I, in which horrific chemical weapons attacks caused many deaths and much suffering, the world said it was enough. The weapons were banned from use in warfare. Saddam Hussein of Iraq used them to devastating effect against his Kurdish rebellion. Though it took nearly 18 years, he finally faced justice for his crimes.

After a decade of war in Afghanistan, the British Parliament failed to endorse military action against Syria for use of these weapons on its own population. The evidence was not conclusive, the UN was still on the ground. The war weary British public spoke and the UK will not take part in military action.

France still seems eager.

President Obama is not planning a vote on military action, because under the 1973 war powers act any engagement of under 60 days does not require such a vote. Morally, based on the campaign he ran for office beginning in 2007, Barak Obama must go to congress. If he does not, he is a hypocrite and so is Joe Biden, famously remembered for threatening to impeach George W. Bush if he took similar action against Iran.

I think the US should wait for conclusive evidence. I say that not because I will be visiting my home in Israel, but because some part of the public might be convinced if we wait for the facts to come out. It will take a couple of weeks but is worth it.

If the US refrains from backing action if it has conclusive evidence then it is another kettle of fish.

The government of Syria is using sarin on its people. They posses the delivery systems, the weapons and the motivation. If they are allowed to get away from this, that is proof the world has forgotten the holocaust.

After 6 million Jews died during World War II, the world created Israel, a home for the Jews and said, “Never again”. Many of the martyrs of that era were killed with poison gas. That strikes a particularly sensitive core with Israel, which shares a common border with Syria.

If we wait for the evidence and Syria is guilty of war crimes, eg using Chemical Weapons, Weapons of Mass Destruction on its own people, we must act. To not act in such circumstances proves the world learned nothing from the holocaust.

In action would prove Obama toothless, or the US Congress if it fails to support action. It could further be easily blamed on George W Bush for launching the Iraq war on false pretenses, thereby creating the war weariness policymakers now face.

It says bad things about the future.

Tags: British parliament, Chemical weapons, Congress, obama, Syria, war powers act