Thursday, August 29, 2013

The Syrian conundrum

(May 29, 2013, Facebook status)

Spare a moment to think of what it might be like to live today as an ordinary Syrian. What is it like to not know if you'll see tomorrow, if your children have a future at all? Not know who to trust? To see a government that is supposed to look out for your welfare turn up to butcher you and your family instead? To see a resistance movement hopelessly start to lose its way and become a pawn in the hands regional geopolitics? To watch the world stand idly by, reluctant to intervene? To watch it shed tears for victims of terrorists and natural disasters elsewhere but turn its back on the mass murders you're living through every moment? How can one have the will and grit to live through months of this torture, endure the unendurable for so long? How can a man be so hungry for power that he thinks nothing of nearly wiping out his brethren just to remain in office? How is this possible? Why is it being allowed to happen? Can we do absolutely nothing? There must be a way to end this cycle of insanity. How can ordinary people like you and I help?


(August 22)

Conditions in Syria seem to have escalated from horrific to barbaric and the world still stands by wringing its hands in helplessness. How can this butchery be allowed to go on?

(August 28)

The world's conscience is finally forcing a move on Syria. But things will likely get much worse before they get even a little bit better. If an attack is opened, the prospect of civilian casualties fills me with dread. But is there any other way to dethrone that madman Assad?

(August 29)

How deep runs the devastating legacy of the Iraq misadventure! All the leading military powers that feel intervention in Syria is becoming essential are continually second guessing themselves and each other. Britain's Labour Party, which under Blair made the UK blindly follow Bush into Iraq, is now espousing extreme caution, calling for "evidence" before action. Every power is praying that clinical strikes launched offshore will be enough to cower Assad, praying a solution can be found without deploying boots on the ground. What a difference a decade makes.

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