How Horrible for us all that Obama looks more and more like Bush. And don’t be distracted by the chemical weapons. When he finally gets his incontrovertible “proof” that the Syrian government used poison gas, remember, Obama himself says it is a civil war.
He has no humanitarian motive here: to die from poison is no worse than being blasted or burnt or bled by other kinds of weapons. Obama’s plan will only lead to more war, more revenge, more poverty and wasted dollars at home thousands every second, more and more destroyed innocent lives.
No one should be fooled by this new rush to war. Don’t be fooled, and don’t be slienced, and don’t be morally castrated ! Show your heart ! Show yourself ! Show your guts !
The national liberal activist organization Move-On, which has always supported Obama, is showing some guts instead of “standing by their man”. It is sponsoring nationwide protests. Monday at 7PM people around the country will demand peace.
In Brattleboro we will meet at Holstein Fountain, across the street from the Gilbert Memorial by the co-op. Join us !
Move-On link: http://civic.moveon.org/event/syriavigil/139730
Where do our reps stand on Syria intervention?
Here’s what Senator Sanders posted on FB this a.m.:
“Today’s news from Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.):
Americans Oppose U.S. Force in Syria: Sen. Bernie Sanders reports there is 10-1 opposition to authorizing the use of force in Syria in an online survey of constituents. Calls to his offices are even more overwhelming, according to an editorial on Sunday in the The(Madison, Wis.) Capital Times.
Vermont Delegation Split on Syria: Sen. Patrick Leahy, the country’s most senior senator, appears set to support U.S. intervention. Sen. Sanders has voiced reservations while Rep. Peter Welch remains on the fence, WCAX-TV reported on Saturday.
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Sounds like it is time to let your reps know how you feel about the matter.
I don't think it is that
I don’t think it is that relevant other than as a polling of public sentiment as to what the surveys of constituents show. Most Americans probably couldn’t place Syria on a map let alone give you any accurate information about who is fighting in Syria, why they are fighting and what the real risks of targeted strikes are, not to mention the risks of not striking. Statements about what methods of dying are better or worse ignore the reasons behind the UN sanctions against this sort of warfare. While I have reservations like Senator Sanders, I hope that these senators and Congresspeople make their decisions based on their access to information and not public sentiment. As I said, most couldn’t even place Syria on a map if you asked them. Unfortunately that might include some of the senators and congresspeople who will be voting.
New World Questions
Representatives should ignore their constituents?
Why would one need to know the location of a country to not want to spend money to bomb it? It only matters where it is if you DO want to bomb it.
Are you ready for some...Foot Bill?
Also unprecedented and bizarre; the advertised outsourced financing of the operation to our Arab League allies.
Politicians should listen to
Politicians should listen to constituents but that’s a simplification of the process. Representatives aren’t elected to vote based on the swaying back and forth of public opinion based on polls. When politicians vote based only on fear of whether they will get elected or not because they went against sentiment in their districts we get bad governance.
. There have been times when this country made changes regardless of public opinion for the right and necessary thing. The removal of segregation in the South comes to mind. I think our late entry into WWII is an example of public sentiment creating a situation where our delayed entry proved to be bad judgment and caused the loss of millions more lives than would have been necessary if public sentiment and anti-war feelings hadn’t held sway.
A decision of whether to bomb or not shouldn’t be based on spending money. The decision should be made based on an informed understanding of what the situation in Syria is, who is involved, what the repercussions all around would be and yes, you should at least know where the country is located.
There must be some reason Bernie is on the fence so far, some information he knows. I’m as reluctant as most are to see something like this done but I certainly hope the decision is based on more informed judgment than what is probably reflected in those polls.
And, by the way, as far as I know the decision is a little more complex than just a bombing of a country. I think the discussion is targeted strikes on military arsenals. But of course that is also not quite that simple a procedure. It’s complicated all the way around.