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There Is No Military Solution But Obama Launches a New U.S. War in Syria
by
Phyllis Bennis
President Obamas decision to bomb Syria stands in stark violation of international law, the UN Charter, and the requirements of the U.S. Constitution. It contradicts his own commitment, stated a year ago in the UN General Assembly, to reverse Washingtons perpetual war footing.
And it portends disaster for the people of Syria, the region, and much of the world.
The White House stated goal is to destroy the headquarters of the violent and extremist ISIS militia. But you cant bomb extremism out of existence. The U.S. bombs do not fall on extremism, they are falling on Raqqah, a 2,000 year-old Syrian city with a population of more than a quarter of a million people men, women and children who had no say in the take-over of their city by ISIS. The Pentagon is bombing targets like the post office and the governors compound, and the likelihood of large number of civilian casualties as well as devastation of the ancient city, is almost certain.
President Obama was right when he said there is no military solution to the ISIS crisis. Bombing Syria, without Congressional authorization, without United Nations approval, in direct opposition to the stated position of Syrias government, will only make that crisis worse. It will give ISIS and its allies a new basis for recruitment, it will strengthen the repressive Syrian government, it will undermine Syrias struggling non-violent opposition movement, and it will further tighten the links between ISIS supporters in Syria and in Iraq.
1. Supporting an intensive new UN-based diplomatic initiative involving all parties in the region
2. Opening direct talks with Iran and Russia based on shared opposition to ISIS with Iran to jointly push for ending anti-Sunni sectarianism in the Iraqi government, and with Russia to work towards ending the multi-party civil war in Syria
3. Pressuring U.S. allies in the region to stop their governments and people from arming and facilitating the movement of ISIS fighters
4. Shifting the war funds to a massive increase in humanitarian assistance
ww.commondreams.org/views/2014/09/23/there-no-military-solution-obama-launches-new-us-war-syria
Phyllis Bennis directs the New Internationalism Project at the Institute for Policy Studies. Her books include Understanding the Palestinian-Israeli Conflict: A Primer, Understanding the U.S.-Iran Crisis: A Primer, Ending the Iraq War: A Primer, and most recently Ending the Us War in Afghanistan:
leftstreet
(36,107 posts)When the rubble settles and the dead bodies are removed, will the US let Syria retake Raqqah?
dixiegrrrrl
(60,010 posts)In fact, we are bombing more than ISIS:
The White House this morning is confirming that airstrikes against the al-Qaida-affiliated Khorasan Group in Syria were carried out
due to its plotting of an 'imminent' attack against the US. This information was also confirmed earlier today by the US Central Command.
Breaking News headline...breakingnews.com
It appears we have a new mandate...we can bomb any country if there is danger of 'imminent' attack against the US.
woo me with science
(32,139 posts)dixiegrrrrl
(60,010 posts)Press conference, video here:
http://www.mediaite.com/online/watch-live-pentagon-briefs-on-syrian-air-strikes/
KoKo
(84,711 posts)We Gotta Know just What THEY are doing............
Love to hear all sides.
PEACE!
madokie
(51,076 posts)One of the neoCONs sounds to me like
Right now ISIS/ISIL is a military threat that must be stopped and bullets is how that will be accomplished. After they've been brought under some kind of control then the rest can and I'm sure will follow. This President is not a warmonger no matter how much anyone wants to try to pin that moniker onto him.
grahamhgreen
(15,741 posts)Vattel
(9,289 posts)and please don't say something dumb like "war always kills innocent bystanders."
seveneyes
(4,631 posts)Most of these religious followers and killers were brainwashed from youth to believe in some vengeful sky daddy and the sword of forced religion. You can not reason with fanatics.
BrotherIvan
(9,126 posts)BeyondGeography
(39,370 posts)Talk, talk, talk while they place markers down and gain leverage.
No.