Authorize Obama To Strike Assad
Among all of the popular uprisings in recent history, the Syrian people’s revolution has gained the largest degree of solidarity. Over the last two and a half years, a brutal military suppression by Assad’s regime has been displayed in front of the whole world, through testimonies and photos — some taken by mobile phone — of terrified Syrians, then increasingly afterward through the reports of respected international journalists.
Nothing is more important than for us to remember that the first months of the revolution constantly echoed slogans that made the heart swell, saying, “The Syrian people are one” and “peaceful.” Even when Assad’s security forces escalated their suppression from live fire to airstrikes, the protesters continued, carrying signs, flowers and bottles of cold water to offer to those very same security forces charged with crushing them. Assad’s cold-blooded and systematic brutality pushed the Syrian people to defend themselves and armed resistance. Had thousands of brave troops not disobeyed the regime’s orders to kill the protesters and split off to form the Free Syrian Army, which civilians gradually joined in order defend their families, the unbelievable and unimpeded violence that Assad practiced would have continued, for this repression only birthed a general apathy in the international community.
The world’s indifference and indecision convinced Assad that he was invincible and compounded his boldness to commit savage atrocities against unarmed civilians. Assad launched more bloody chemical attacks in parts of Damascus on Aug. 21 to kill more than 400 children and around 1,000 adults. This wasn’t the first time that Assad used chemical weapons against his people and won’t be the last if he is not stopped.
Not one person paid attention to a number of warnings. Navi Pillay, United Nations high commissioner for human rights, repeated last February the call that she gave for the first time in Dec. 2011, referring Assad to the International Criminal Court for committing crimes against humanity. António Guterres, United Nations high commissioner for refugees, appealed to the international community saying last week: “Syria has become the great tragedy of this century, a disgraceful humanitarian calamity with suffering and displacement unparalleled in recent history.”
Despite all of the horrors, the situation today is not as bad compared to what could have happened had the resistance to Assad not come to pass or had he not been held responsible for his crimes. The endeavor of the first million Syrians for asylum in neighboring countries lasted a full year, but the retreat of the second million from Assad’s brutality did not take more than six months. And what is the size of the exodus after it was saved from Assad’s chemical massacres? Almost upward toward a third of the Syrian population are without shelter and living in poverty. Inaction will only elevate the scope of human tragedy, and despair will foster extremism, especially if the execution of chemical attacks takes place.
History shows that Assad only understands the green or red light and nothing between. The world hesitated to act, and the protection that his allies have granted him, his reward, until now, is invulnerability against the terrorism he carries out on the rights of his people within his territory.
The hesitation of the world’s most powerful nations not only bolsters the power of Assad’s evil regime, but the support of Alawite terrorist extremists following al-Qaida’s example that are infiltrating Syria from the East. They don’t only fight Assad — more importantly, they fight against those resisting Assad. As long as the Assad regime continues to operate outside of authority, more extremists will exploit the situation and destabilize the entire region.
More than 100 nations, among them the United States, recognize the Syrian coalition as a legitimate representative of the Syrian people. Under this recognition, we demand Congress and the American people move to cripple the destructive capabilities of Assad. Please, authorize Obama to take measures against Assad to his march down his bloody path. With the number killed bordering 100,000, our endeavors to free our country from this murderous regime and protect our people continue. However, no one but the United States is able to prevent Assad from using chemical weapons again.
Nothing is more important than for us to remember that the first months of the revolution constantly echoed slogans that made the heart swell, saying, “The Syrian people are one” and “peaceful.” Even when Assad’s security forces escalated their suppression from live fire to airstrikes, the protesters continued, carrying signs, flowers and bottles of cold water to offer to those very same security forces charged with crushing them. Assad’s cold-blooded and systematic brutality pushed the Syrian people to defend themselves and armed resistance. Had thousands of brave troops not disobeyed the regime’s orders to kill the protesters and split off to form the Free Syrian Army, which civilians gradually joined in order defend their families, the unbelievable and unimpeded violence that Assad practiced would have continued, for this repression only birthed a general apathy in the international community.
The world’s indifference and indecision convinced Assad that he was invincible and compounded his boldness to commit savage atrocities against unarmed civilians. Assad launched more bloody chemical attacks in parts of Damascus on Aug. 21 to kill more than 400 children and around 1,000 adults. This wasn’t the first time that Assad used chemical weapons against his people and won’t be the last if he is not stopped.
Not one person paid attention to a number of warnings. Navi Pillay, United Nations high commissioner for human rights, repeated last February the call that she gave for the first time in Dec. 2011, referring Assad to the International Criminal Court for committing crimes against humanity. António Guterres, United Nations high commissioner for refugees, appealed to the international community saying last week: “Syria has become the great tragedy of this century, a disgraceful humanitarian calamity with suffering and displacement unparalleled in recent history.”
Despite all of the horrors, the situation today is not as bad compared to what could have happened had the resistance to Assad not come to pass or had he not been held responsible for his crimes. The endeavor of the first million Syrians for asylum in neighboring countries lasted a full year, but the retreat of the second million from Assad’s brutality did not take more than six months. And what is the size of the exodus after it was saved from Assad’s chemical massacres? Almost upward toward a third of the Syrian population are without shelter and living in poverty. Inaction will only elevate the scope of human tragedy, and despair will foster extremism, especially if the execution of chemical attacks takes place.
History shows that Assad only understands the green or red light and nothing between. The world hesitated to act, and the protection that his allies have granted him, his reward, until now, is invulnerability against the terrorism he carries out on the rights of his people within his territory.
The hesitation of the world’s most powerful nations not only bolsters the power of Assad’s evil regime, but the support of Alawite terrorist extremists following al-Qaida’s example that are infiltrating Syria from the East. They don’t only fight Assad — more importantly, they fight against those resisting Assad. As long as the Assad regime continues to operate outside of authority, more extremists will exploit the situation and destabilize the entire region.
More than 100 nations, among them the United States, recognize the Syrian coalition as a legitimate representative of the Syrian people. Under this recognition, we demand Congress and the American people move to cripple the destructive capabilities of Assad. Please, authorize Obama to take measures against Assad to his march down his bloody path. With the number killed bordering 100,000, our endeavors to free our country from this murderous regime and protect our people continue. However, no one but the United States is able to prevent Assad from using chemical weapons again.
As word is out that the Saudi
Intelligence may have rigged
the chemical attack , one wonders.