So…been thinking about the whole situation in Syria….and I can’t get away from that bad feeling that something is not right.
Last year, the Russians moved warships into the area when we threatened Syria. They are again making statements that we should not mess with Syria.
My gut feeling last year was that if we went into Syria, World War III would break out, bringing Russia and the U.S into war against one another, plus the Middle East.
This year, I am still feeling the same, but now with ISIL, Saudi Arabia is threatened. And they have threatened us, as well. Now they have beheaded a British citizen, guaranteeing that the UK will be involved in any effort against ISIL.
And I don’t know what to say. I hate war, as you all know. But when diplomatic efforts are ignored or even laughed at, what does one do?
I have always maintained that violence is unacceptable–only in cases of self-defense, with someone coming at you with gun, knife, or fist– is that justified. Here we have a group that is killing innocent people whom, to my knowledge, have done nothing against them.
I watched DN! the other day with Medea Benjamin (Code Pink) saying how terrible the U.S. is–and believe me, I’ve read People’s History of the United States, so I know we’re no angels–but when do you say that too many people have died? She did not offer any evidence to the contrary of the innocent people being killed. Would she have the same opinion of Nazi Germany? Should we have left them alone, too? Where is the line drawn?
There is so much more about the Middle East that I don’t know–the history, for one. I’m trying to inform myself, but it is not easy. The Middle East grew out of several of the areas in uproar right now–Syria being one of them. There’s more history there than we Westerners know–blame that on our isolationist education–a comprehensive history not given nearly as much importance as Math, technology, and repeating facts from memory instead of thinking for yourself, via NCLB and Race to the Bottom.
Like I said, there is something nagging at me about this situation–something isn’t right. And I can’t shake that feeling of dread of it escalating into a full scale war with Russia.
Eagle 