Shattered Syria: The Chemical Crisis

Once again, reality and the unthinkable have collided in one massive blood draw. The defenseless have been attacked without warning, with no choice to leave all they’ve known or face death.

Of course, I am talking about the relentless chemical force used by the Syrian regime towards their own people.

If you have not heard about this tragic event, I will give you a brief synopsis. Reportedly, there were chemicals unleashed in the Damascus suburbs on August 21, leaving at least one hundred people dead and hundreds of thousands of others forced to flee their homes.

Now, we hear of evil intruding on peace every day, which is a depressing fact. However, this is even more gut-wrenching because of the fashion of this attack.

Not only did thousands of children suffer, but their hardships are at the hand of their own “trusted” officials. In the midst of all of this tragedy, we are also affected. The White House is faced with a heavy burden. They must choose whether or not to interfere with the crime.

President Obama and his national security team assembled this past Saturday to discuss a further plan to help the affected in Syria. Military analysts have stated that the action that will most likely be taken will be a corrective strike designed to send a message to the regime of Bashar Assad without terminating the regime or altering the course of the ever-raging civil war that is in Syria.

"Behavior modification would be the main objective rather than decisively shifting the situation on the ground or removing the regime," said Jeffrey White, an analyst at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy and a former Defense Intelligence Agency official. The Administration’s motive is to step in to give Assad a reality check, essentially. The concerns that are arising within the White House is Syria’s desire to retaliate. Although their air-defense system is not up to par with the U.S. air-defense, it is still a threat.

A senior administration official of the United States issued a statement regarding the nature of the situation. In his statement, he concludes that an offer from the Syrian government to allow U.N. inspectors to visit the site was provided too late.

Generally, evidence of an attack degrades quickly if not captured. So, are we wasting our time trying to plan a mission that would just end up being a wild goose chase? I believe that it is very valiant and thoughtful for our Administration to put forth the effort to extend a helping hand to those surrounded with turmoil.

However, maybe they are wanting to get involved with the wrong part of the situation. Instead of focusing on attacking the Syrian government, which would end with an even bigger grudge being held against us, maybe they should focus on developing a trust with the people of the terror-stricken country.

If we send in medical aid and just show the people what it feels like to smile, they may trust us and the Syrian regime may lose their power.

There is an old saying that prevails in a situation such as this one. That saying is, “Kill your enemies with kindness.” The Syrian authorities may be our enemies, but if our authorities gain the trust of their civilians, then betrayal and freedom would fall hand-in-hand and victory would surface.

And should this crisis call for military involvement on our part, please salute and remember our brave men and women that will be boarding ships that are sailing straight into danger for our sake.

What are your thoughts on the evil brewing across the world? Should we interfere or just let it run its course? I would love to hear from you via email.