White House: Irrefutable Assad link to gas attack lacking, but passes ‘common-sense test’

[reACTIONary]

74. I looked into it a bit more carefully...

... and you are right, the UN charter is a treaty signed by the United States. Article 51 Chapter VII provides for the right of countries to engage in self-defence, including collective self-defence, against an armed attack. And, as a collective right, it is the right of any government to join in the defense of its allies or friends to protect their or its own vital interests. This is an ancient and well established practice.

We have further interpreted this right of self defense to be valid even for peoples who do not (yet) constitute a sovereign State and are not members of the United Nations. It is part of our American heritage that we respect the legal right of a people, even the duty to themselves, who are subject to an unjust, tyrannical regime to rebel against that oppression. And since this is a collective right to self-defense, it is the right of the United States, to participate in their collective defense.

In this view, we have the right to participate in the collective self-defense of the people of Syria in rebellion against their tyrannical and oppressive regime.

The Syrian regime can, of course, bring this matter to the attention of the UN Security Council. Then the shoe will be on the other foot. Not only Russia has veto power in the Security Council.