I have avoided commenting on the very public debate about intervention in Syria because of their use of chemical weapons. I have given this subject considerable thought. I am not in favor of the USA sticking her nose in
everyone’s business nor do I believe we need to be the policeman of the world. However, I recall a few basic facts from history.
I now believe without doubt that Bashar al-Assad is waging a war of genocide or at least religious prosecution (http://clicktotweet.com/U42ef). His family is from the Shia Alawites branch of Islam, an offshoot of Shi'ite Islam, only 12% of the Syrian population, and they are at war with the Sunnis branch, about 75% of the population. The ethnic minority Kurds have no love for Bashar either. Bashar has relied on Alawite-dominated units of the Army to fight the rebels. The UN reported in June 2013 that the death toll surpassed 100,000.
Remember the Holocaust? Hitler came to power in 1933 and immediately began to persecute
the Jews and other minorities. That did not end until 1945 when the allies defeated Germany. It
is estimated that 11 million people were killed. Six million of those were Jews, nearly two-thirds of all Jews living in Europe. An estimated 1.1 million children were murdered. Hitler also killed gypsies, homosexuals, and Jehovah’s Witnesses.
The US was skeptical and failed to intervene until the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor on December 7 1941. An earlier intervention even on a limited scale could have saved millions of lives. By the time we intervened, Europe was under Nazi rule, millions died, and England was near defeat. Hitler was working on weapons of mass destruction (WMD) and would have used them.
The Japanese had their own Holocaust. They committed the infamous Rape of Nanking, killing an
estimated 300,000 Chinese soldiers and civilians, and raping 20,000 women. The Japanese viewed the Chinese, Korean, and other ethnic Asians as inferior. They committed Genocide. Some reports say they experimented with chemical weapons on the Chinese. Again, the US was skeptical and failed to intervene until the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor.
Have we learned nothing from history? Is it better to intervene in case of genocide or wait until millions die and Americans are killed? Should we wait until Bashar has killed all the Sunnis and Kurds and turns his attention on Americans? Should we wait until the Syrian government becomes a master on the use of WMDs? Eventually we will be dragged into the war. It is better to intervene early in the case of genocide to prevent a massacre (http://clicktotweet.com/kU8WV). I say go for it.
everyone’s business nor do I believe we need to be the policeman of the world. However, I recall a few basic facts from history.
I now believe without doubt that Bashar al-Assad is waging a war of genocide or at least religious prosecution (http://clicktotweet.com/U42ef). His family is from the Shia Alawites branch of Islam, an offshoot of Shi'ite Islam, only 12% of the Syrian population, and they are at war with the Sunnis branch, about 75% of the population. The ethnic minority Kurds have no love for Bashar either. Bashar has relied on Alawite-dominated units of the Army to fight the rebels. The UN reported in June 2013 that the death toll surpassed 100,000.
Remember the Holocaust? Hitler came to power in 1933 and immediately began to persecute
the Jews and other minorities. That did not end until 1945 when the allies defeated Germany. It
is estimated that 11 million people were killed. Six million of those were Jews, nearly two-thirds of all Jews living in Europe. An estimated 1.1 million children were murdered. Hitler also killed gypsies, homosexuals, and Jehovah’s Witnesses.
The US was skeptical and failed to intervene until the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor on December 7 1941. An earlier intervention even on a limited scale could have saved millions of lives. By the time we intervened, Europe was under Nazi rule, millions died, and England was near defeat. Hitler was working on weapons of mass destruction (WMD) and would have used them.
The Japanese had their own Holocaust. They committed the infamous Rape of Nanking, killing an
estimated 300,000 Chinese soldiers and civilians, and raping 20,000 women. The Japanese viewed the Chinese, Korean, and other ethnic Asians as inferior. They committed Genocide. Some reports say they experimented with chemical weapons on the Chinese. Again, the US was skeptical and failed to intervene until the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor.
Have we learned nothing from history? Is it better to intervene in case of genocide or wait until millions die and Americans are killed? Should we wait until Bashar has killed all the Sunnis and Kurds and turns his attention on Americans? Should we wait until the Syrian government becomes a master on the use of WMDs? Eventually we will be dragged into the war. It is better to intervene early in the case of genocide to prevent a massacre (http://clicktotweet.com/kU8WV). I say go for it.
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