OPINION:
A lot of people elected President Obama to end wars (those in Iraq and Afghanistan, specifically), not to be some kind of superhero cop across the globe. The United States has signed a number of treaties and other international agreements, all of which provide mechanisms for enforcement, most through the United Nations or some other international organization. In the majority of cases, as with the Covenant on Chemical Weapons, these documents contain articles that define when enforcement occurs, and by whom that enforcement is undertaken. None shows the United States as the enforcing agent.
Mr. Obama put his own foot in his mouth, first saying he had a personal “red line” and then denying that line existed. We should not go to war with Syria to make this president look good in the face of his own stupidity — unless, of course, the United Nations or some other body with legal responsibility asks for our assistance.
The correct question to ask is, what legal right do we have to intervene? If we can’t find one, then we have no right to be going into Syria.
JOHN TIESO
Arlington
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