Friday, June 14, 2013

Another line crossed

So, Obama thinks his red line has been crossed and we'll start supplying arms to the Syrian rebels.  For now, it will be small arms, but I'll wager it will grow.  Of course, the question remains as to which of the rebel groups we will supply arms since a number of the groups are not exactly supporters of the U.S.A.; if the rebels are successful, we may repent our actions should the wrong group be in charge if Assad is overthrown.  Then,we have the question as to whether the arms will be of much use as the tide seems to have turned with Assad regaining the initiative.

A more important question to me is our history of failing in most wars and in 'democratizing' nations.  We have not won a war since WWII and even that is questionable when one considers the inability of Germany to defeat Russia.  Yes, we did succeed in Bosnia and maybe Libya, but is this investment in Syria likely to succeed.  The odds are against it.

And then there is the question of costs.  Don't we have a few problems in this country that we should address?  As Eisenhower said, "Every gun that is made, every warship launched, every rocket fired signifies, in the final sense, a theft from those who hunger and are not fed, those who are cold and are not clothed. This world in arms is not spending money alone. It is spending the sweat of its laborers, the genius of its scientists, the hopes of its children."

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