Syrian Unrest

     Today on Yahoo is a headline where Senator John McCain is asking for the US to start bombing Syria just as NATO did with Libya in order to dislodge Muammar Qaddafi.  Senator McCain is the ranking Republican on the Senate Armed Services Committee and he states, "The ultimate goal of airstrikes should be to establish and defend safe havens in Syria, especially in the north, in which opposition forces can organize and plan their political and military activities against Assad."
     This uprising started with public demonstrations on 26 January 2011 as part of a wider Arab Spring, a wave of upheaval throughout the Arab World.  It is now a nationwide uprising.  The protestors are demanding the resignation of President Bashar al-Assad, the overthrow of his government, and an end to nearly five decades of Ba'ath Party rule.  Is this a result of our invasion of Iraq?  Did we give the people the 'backbone" to put themselves into the "breach"?
     To quell these uprisings the Syrian government deployed the Syrian Army and it resulted in several cities being besieged.  According to witnesses, soldiers who refused to open fire on civilians were summarily executed by the Syrian Army.  Of course the government says theri were no defections and blamed "armed gangs" for the trouble.  In answer to this action civilians and army defectors formed fighting units which began the insurgency campaign against the Syrian Army.  The problem with the civilians in the lack of organized leadership.
     The Aljazeera web site is covering this story very thoroughly.  The question though is if we get involved will that turn all the other "muslim" nations against us even more?  Since this is a Ba'ath party issue will it lead to an uptick in al-Qaeda actions?  Will this become a playground for terrorists to perfect their trade?
     I went to see the movie "Act of Valor" this weekend and it brought a lot of questions and feelings that struck me to the bone.  I couldn't stop crying at the end of the movie.  I know what it is like to be in those situations and to know what the price could be for the decisions that we make.  I know that the American people are tired of war and so am I but I also know that the military doesn't decide to just go on these missions.  The military is a tool in the diplomats bag and hopefully it is the tool of last resorts.  Human life is fragile and needs to be protected even though the cost of that protection is high.  Even if other people don't take human lives into the equation of their actions we need to.  I think that everyone should be free and have the freedom to speak what they really feel.  When you go to bed tonight stop and look in the mirror and ask yourself this question.  Did I do everything in my power today to make the world a better and safer place to live?