Recently, we discussed the
enumerated powers of the President in class.
We went over how Presidents are supposed to get Congressional approval
before committing troops to battle, however since Vietnam, Presidents have
failed to do so. Which is why I was all
the more interested to learn this past week that President Obama is indeed
getting Congressional approval before launching a potential missile strike
against Syria.
At issue in the escalating
conflict between the United States and Syria is the use of chemical
weapons. The United States is accusing
the Assad regime of using sarin nerve gas to kill its own people. According to the U.S., in a most recent
attack, 1,429 people were killed, including 400 children.
Supporters of a military
strike say we can’t allow rogue regimes to kill innocent civilians, regardless
of where they live. As the largest and
most powerful military in the world, the United States has a responsibility to
ensure other countries are not using chemical and biological weapons, especially
against civilians. France has come out in support of a U.S. military strike,
although they may be one of the few countries to do so.
The United Nations Security
Council and Great Britain do not support U.S. intervention. In addition, protests all around the country
have already started against what many feel will just amount to another conflict
that drains the U.S. economy, and make enemies of another Middle Eastern
country. Indeed, while traveling over
the weekend for the holiday, I saw protesters hanging signs over the overpasses
on I-65 protesting any military action against Syria.
So my question to you this
week is, “Do you think the United States should launch a missile strike against
Syria? Do you think the United States
should always get involved when other countries commit these types of
atrocities against innocent civilians?”
Answers are due no later than Sunday, September 8th, 2013
I don't think the U.S. should launch a missile strike against Syria. If we do so, that may start a war. Were better off not getting involved, because what Syria is doing does not affect us.
ReplyDeleteWhen I first heard about what was happening in Syria, I thought that the U.S. should stay out of it. Then they used chemical weapons, and I started to change my mind. Now that I keep seeing more about it, I really think that the U.S. has a responsibility to help. It would be great if we could help without it turning into a billion dollar war, but I know that's unlikely.
ReplyDeleteKelly G.
Let's examine...
ReplyDelete1. Look at how close Syria is to Israel. Got to think about how the US will benefit from this conflict.
2. Are people protesting the US getting involved with the Syrian conflict or are they just protesting President Obama?
3. I have a good friend who is Syrian and I haven't been able to contact him. I'll see what he says. Hopefully he is okay.
Oh yeah! Hats off to Obama for trying to get Congressional approval!
ReplyDeleteLet me tell you what my Syrian friend believes...
ReplyDeleteHe said that for 3 years people have been dying in Syria, but no one has done anything about it. He mentioned that when there was trouble in Libya, the US moved in right away. He said this was because of the oil in Libya. I asked him if it were possible that the US wants to get involved in the Syrian conflict so that it can be near Israel? He said yes. He said he thinks everyone wants to protect Israel but they don't care about the children in Syria.
He said that "people" don't like that radical Muslims are in Syria because that puts them too close to Israeli boarders. Then he showed me these images.
https://www.google.com/search?q=%D8%B6%D8%AD%D8%A7%D9%8A%D8%A7+%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%83%D9%8A%D9%85%D8%A7%D9%88%D9%8A+%D8%B3%D9%88%D8%B1%D9%8A%D8%A7&ie=UTF-8&gl=cy&hl=ar&tbm=isch&source=og&sa=N&tab=li&biw=1024&bih=643&sei=zzUnUu6QMerE7Ab-3oG4CA#imgdii=_
I was shocked. These were children who have been gassed in the past month. So when I see this, I do want the US to help. When I asked him if he wanted the US to intervene he said he wasn't sure. He doesn't know if it will be a good thing or a bad thing. He thinks only the future will tell. However, I do think he wants the children to be helped. He thinks this help should come right away.
So I know nothing of any other crimes of this magnitude other than the one involving Hitler and the Jewish. When I heard about this, that was the first thing that came to my mind. Maybe their issues aren't our own to worry about, but any time a ruler of any country decides to try and wipe out innocent people just because he feels the need to do so...someone has to step in. If that very thing were to go on here in the US I would pray to God that someone somewhere would care enough to stop it. In some ways the 30s, 40s and 50s were like that for the black people in America. Maybe it wasn't so blatant but a blind eye was turned. If no one had stepped in at that time, things would be a lot different now...drastically different. So I support the US stepping in. The use of missiles, however scares me.
ReplyDeleteI think our initial frame of mind about the issue is fine, as far as feeling that it is wrong to be killing so many innocent civilians. However, I think we have our own problems in our own country that we don't seem to be dealing with. We're so wrapped up in other countries problems and sticking our nose in other people's business and not worrying about our own people who are dying. I disagree with what Syria is doing to their own people, and respect the fact that the US sees it as wrong and wants to step in, but I don't see how declaring war on them is going to make any of the wrong doing, or violence any better.I feel like all it is going to accomplish is creating more enemies for the US. It just all seems like a big power trip to me. Yes,we are the most powerful country, but I feel like we would be even more powerful if we focused on our own issues for once.
ReplyDeleteI don't think the U.S. should launch missiles to Syria. We shouldn't waste the money on it. I don't think we should always get involved with other country's, because it could lead into another war. We don't want anymore U.S. Soldiers to get killed.
ReplyDeleteI think what is happening in Syria is absolutely horrible, and should definitely be stopped. However; I think there are so many things going on in the U.S. that also need to be stopped. It's just bad timing. If this war starts it sounds like we will have many more enemies than just Syria to worry about. This war could change so much and I really think it would affect us.
ReplyDeleteHelping out other countries is important but making sure that we do not get too involved in that own countries conflicts is a challenge all on its own. I believe the U.S. is doing the right thing helping out Syria by protecting the people, but they must tread with caution before a war breaks out. The U.S. has many conflicts with many different nations and I do not believe this could cause other nations to attack the U.S. just for doing what we believe in.
ReplyDeleteActually, scratch that. We do not live in a perfect world. Some countries believe in power and others believe in peace. I would like to think that the U.S. is all about peace, but how do we achieve that without power?
I think that the U.S should definitely stay out of Syria. However I do think what's happening to them needs to be stopped. It's not our responsibility to get involved with Syria and what they have going on. I feel like as a country the U.S has so many other things to focus on within our system that as selfish as it sounds we need to focus more on US and less on THEM.
ReplyDeleteThe US should launch a missile strike against Syria. I think the Syrians are in dire need of help and they would welcome it with open arms no matter who gives it. It might trigger problems between the U.S and other countries who are not in support of US attacking, but I still feel that US should go ahead and do what it feels is right. The world does not need to wait for another holocaust to occur before reacting.
ReplyDeleteI think the U.S should not intervene or interfere always but in this case, with the use of chemical weapons against their own people Syria has lost its mandate. The Syrian War has been going for a while now but U.S initially did not intervene, but now I feel its no longer a “personal issue” in Syria. Murdering civilians with the use of chemical weapons is totally unethical and inhuman and not only US but also other countries should join in to help.
We should not go into Syria, we are not the world's policemen. We have domestic issues to deal with, we still have a war going on in Afghanistan, and we can't afford another war. We lost a submarine last month because the navy doesn't have to money to fix the sub.
ReplyDeleteI am extreamly upset that we have decided to move in on Syria. I agree with many other people that we have too many problems of our own that need to have affirmative plans and actions on how to solve them.
ReplyDeleteI am bothered that we are going in on Syria. I think that we should let it be until other countries call for our help or something but we just invaded Iraq sent millions of dollars I think we should work on our economy.
ReplyDeleteI'm on the fence with this one... I want to say yes because it is an unfortunate event for the people in Syria and it seems like they are in need of some type of assistance. However, I don't think right now is a good time for us to play Heroes vs. Villains. We should focus on our economy and do what's right for our own people. I just don't see there being any good benefits if we move in on Syria. It's a shitty situation for them, I agree, and I feel for them... But I don't think it's in our best interest to get involved.
ReplyDeleteNo I do not think the US should have done a missile strike against Syria. I feel they just should have waited until another country called upon them for help before taking any immediate actions of their own. We have a problem with this and it only causes more issues and even more enemies.
ReplyDeleteWe do not have to do missile strikes against Syria. I do feel that we should to them what we do to North Korea. Cripple their economy. We must not be seen as a trigger happy country. This will only give an international view that we as a whole cannot handle our affairs without resulting to force.
ReplyDeleteI definitely think we should do something, but more bombs is not really what the region needs. the inherent problem with american activities of any kind in the middle east is that we have two often conflicting goals; our moral ideals about how we would like the world to be, and our need for oil. What I'd really like is for our government to put some of that stupidly large defense into an alternative fuel infrastructure; someone is going to have to pay that money and you know oil companies aren't going to do it. If we could get over our need of oil, we would no longer need oil from the middle east and we could then stop supporting dictators because we wouldn't need their oil, we could just be moral and idealistic and not have this ulterior motive that runs counter to our goals around the world.
ReplyDelete