by B. R. GOWANI
Syria and its neighbors. MAP/CIA
Army Gen. Martin Dempsey, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. PHOTO/Department of Defense/Wired
Back in early March, accompanied by Dempsey, the Defense Secretary Leon Panetta, while testifying on Capitol Hill, said that the United States is open to “all possible additional steps” including “potential military options” in Syria. However, he had also emphasized that the Obama government was aiming towards “diplomatic and political approaches rather than a military intervention.”
“Humanitarian” hawks
But now the number of people wishing for political and diplomatic solution are being outnumbered by humanitarian hawks who are bloodthirsty for the nth time. The generals, politicians, pundits, hosts are all sweating, shitting, pissing humanitarianism in the wake of the killing of about 100 people in Houla, Syria. The complicity of the military units and militia men loyal to the Syrian government cannot be ruled out. The BBC‘s hawkishness made it post a 2003 picture from Iraq as a Syrian massacre!
Dempsey told CBS TV: “I think that diplomatic pressure should always precede any discussions about military options. And that is my job by the way, is options, not policy. And so, we will be prepared to provide (military) options if asked to do so.”
Former Republican Congressman Joe Scarborough, on his show Morning Joe, on Wednesday morning raised similar questions which have been raised by other hawks in the past and are being raised this time around too. When are we going to act? After 20,000, 30,000 people are killed?
This is the only country in the world which is always at war with some or other country in the world and where there is always talks of waging wars against some or other country.
Uncle Sam’s leg is raised
The economic scene in the US is not showing any improvement nor is the unemployment figure going downward. The US debt is huge–$15.6 trillion.
The accurate description of the United States at this point would be: Uncle Sam has lost all his clothing and is in a tattered underwear with his face down on the ground. But his macho mentality forces him to lift his leg to prove that he’s not yet totally kaput. The only things he is surrounded by are arms and ammunition.
Obama’s dilemma
The wars President Barack Obama inherited from George W. Bush, he has carried it out ruthlessly. However, one has to acknowledge his relutance to start new war/s. The war against Libya was the work of triple female ninjas.
The Israel Lobby, many Israeli leaders, and many in the US wanted him to go after Iran. But Obama succeeded in averting the big showdown with Iran, at least, up until now.
Now he is under pressure to engage Syria militarily. Unlike Libya, Syria has a large and strong military and the outcome wouldn’t be that fast and favorable. He’ll have to rely solely on air force, navy, and CIA drones. He’s allowed to slaughter Syrians but if one US soldier gets killed in Syria, and the Republicans and FOX TV will be after him.
It’s a presidential election year in the US and so Obama has to be very careful. His Republican opponent, Mitt Romney is itching for a war. If the economy and unemployment rate doesn’t show any improvement and the poll numbers favor his opponent Obama may be tempted for a war. But then, he’ll also have to get out by the end of October with “victory” or else he should be ready to face defeat on November 6.
B. R. Gowani can be reached at brgowani@hotmail.com