By: Daniel Nardini
It is something that U.S. House Representative Ron Paul (Republican-Texas) said about the conflict in Syria. He warned the American people that there are those in the U.S. government who want a war against Syria, and that some military bigwigs have been putting on the finishing touches on plans to attack Syria. America may indeed be slipping into another conflict as it did in Libya and as it is doing in Yemen for very dubious reasons. Yes, Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad is a butcher, a tyrant and a mass-murderer. Yes, he is shooting, bombing and slaughtering his own people with impunity. And yes, Assad has been in power too long and will doubtless try to stay in power until they shoot him and stick him into the grave. But here is the thing—as Ron Paul has pointed out, this slow burning civil war is thousands of miles away from the United States and has no real impact on America national sovereignty. Wherein lies the reason why America should militarily intervene in Syria?
But here is the bigger danger that Ron Paul has pointed out—we could engage in a major conflict with Russia. The United States almost did that in regards to Georgia in 2008, and it is just as big a danger that the United States might get perilously close to another possible shooting war with Russia. Russia has a very small naval base based in Tartus, Syria. Russian military officers are clearly present in Syria, and they advise the Syrian army. Russian civilian personnel are living and working in Syria, and any NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) intervention in Syria will hit directly at the Russians. Russia’s military machine and military capacity is nothing to joke about—in the eyes of the Russians Syria is their client state. Any NATO attempts in going after Syria may prompt the Russians at retaliatory actions elsewhere in the world. Is this what we the American people want? At this point Russia is not a threat to the United States. Do we want to make them a threat?
And, as Ron Paul said, America is broke. Yes, America has no real money to pay for a war even against Syria let alone against Russia. With all of the economic and social problems the United States has right now, getting into yet another conflict will only sink our country deeper into a black hole we may never get out of. My fear is that U.S. President Barack Obama or Mitt Romney (if he gets elected president) may try to get America involved in Syria or some other conflict to boost their popularity at home. America should not be fighting anymore needless wars where the sacrifice in money and above all lives is too high a price. Ron Paul has introduced legislation calling for a bar on any aid to the Syrian rebels and getting involved in any conflict in Syria without a declaration of war by the U.S. Congress. I do not see this legislation going anywhere, but it is indeed a common sense approach to a conflict we should not be involved in.
The Real Fight May Be With Russia
By: Daniel Nardini
But here is the bigger danger that Ron Paul has pointed out—we could engage in a major conflict with Russia. The United States almost did that in regards to Georgia in 2008, and it is just as big a danger that the United States might get perilously close to another possible shooting war with Russia. Russia has a very small naval base based in Tartus, Syria. Russian military officers are clearly present in Syria, and they advise the Syrian army. Russian civilian personnel are living and working in Syria, and any NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) intervention in Syria will hit directly at the Russians. Russia’s military machine and military capacity is nothing to joke about—in the eyes of the Russians Syria is their client state. Any NATO attempts in going after Syria may prompt the Russians at retaliatory actions elsewhere in the world. Is this what we the American people want? At this point Russia is not a threat to the United States. Do we want to make them a threat?
And, as Ron Paul said, America is broke. Yes, America has no real money to pay for a war even against Syria let alone against Russia. With all of the economic and social problems the United States has right now, getting into yet another conflict will only sink our country deeper into a black hole we may never get out of. My fear is that U.S. President Barack Obama or Mitt Romney (if he gets elected president) may try to get America involved in Syria or some other conflict to boost their popularity at home. America should not be fighting anymore needless wars where the sacrifice in money and above all lives is too high a price. Ron Paul has introduced legislation calling for a bar on any aid to the Syrian rebels and getting involved in any conflict in Syria without a declaration of war by the U.S. Congress. I do not see this legislation going anywhere, but it is indeed a common sense approach to a conflict we should not be involved in.