Full disclosure – unless the civil war in Syria crosses the borders into our allies countries (certainly Israel, to a lesser degree Jordon and downward from there), I don’t see as much of a National Interest in interceding. Yes, oil is a national interest but with the shale finds, fracking, and newer drilling techniques, we may now have the means to disassociate ourselves from the Middle East (and if those reserves are as big as some say, compete effectively against the M.E. oil sheiks!) and those that hate us. While it may not be diplomatic to say so, if they want to beat themselves to bits (especially since the “rebels” may turn out to be Islamists that would hate us the same or worse), why should we stop them? After all, the Assad regime is no friend to America and who knows if Syria, if he is overthrown, would turn out no better than Egypt with the Islamist Muslim Brotherhood haven taken over there (and promptly turning it into a hellhole as they are finding that espousing a “micro-caliphate” via Shariah Law is FAR different than effectively government – Egypt is starting to get close to swirling (as in “down the bowl”)).
But I digress. What is indicative is that, as with Libya, Obama has taken his normative hands off approach – even as he shot his mouth off earlier about “Red Lines”. Now the walk back begins:
Carney reiterated that the use of chemical weapons by the Assad regime constitutes a red line, as does the proliferation and transfer of those weapons, but was careful not to commit the administration to any particular action in Syria. “What the president never did was say ‘If X happens, Y will happen,’” Carney explained, telling reporters that as the administration weighs its options in the region, the use of chemical weapons is not the only “deciding factor.”
Um, isn’t that what a Red Line IS?? “Here is my condition – my line that shalt not be crossed. If you do so, I WILL act!” And when you are the Head of the still most powerful nation in history (although are, at the same time, the brokest nation in history), your words have meanings and connote reactions. What you say is listened to by everyone whether they like you, respect you, or neither. And when you intimate that a consequence is forthcoming, and then you send out your flack to say “Never said Y will happen.“?
That means that there never was a Red Line at all. Leading from Behind would be kind. This is mere bluffing – and not willing to back it up at all. Oh yes, there be future consequences when you say things in the name of the US that turn out to be nothing when it counts. When other countries laugh at you for being a paper tiger, that will not bode well.
The only thing worse will be when you remember being called a paper tiger and then totally overreact.
