It is disappointing that self-identified conservatives would approve of Trump’s aggression upon Syria.
Edmund Burke, the original conservative, wrote, “War never leaves, where it found a nation. It is never to be entered into without mature deliberation; not a deliberation lengthened out into a perplexing indecision, but a deliberation leading to a sure and fixed judgment.”
The U.S. Constitution Article 1 Section 8 explicitly states that the U.S. Congress has the responsibility to deliberate matters of war and exclusive power to make such declarations.
The Syrians never attacked or threatened to attack the U.S. Regardless of who murdered whom, the situation in Syria created no exigency that would require precipitous action by the President. It would have been a simple matter for President Trump to go before Congress and ask Congress for a declaration of war. Congress would then have to do its job. For all his talk about international rules and humanitarian compassion, President Trump has illegally usurped Congress in its most critical function.
For some reason, many so-called conservatives approve.
And, the feckless, lazy, worthless denizens of Congress are content to have Trump take all the risk attendant to another war in the Middle East.
“...disappointing that self-identified conservatives would approve ...”
That happened on the health care debate as well. This neighborhood is changing.
I’m not opposed to America killing people and breaking things at times. I just wish we would be more honest about things and have pre-stated goals.
The funny thing to me is that all the people who said Trump would be a dangerous, rash decision type of president are now praising him more than his core followers. For making a violent and rash decision.
I’m a patriot and vet and not at all triggered by seeing our great Navy throwing tomahawks at some natives.
But let’s not kid ourselves. This is not some act of strength. A surprise attack everyone knows about and stands clear of doesn’t take big balls. This was a photo op, not a daring military op.
The braver and more legit way would have been to assert himself in Congress and pressure them for immediate authority to be the CW World Policeman - or whatever.
Then draw your line and pre-establish your mode of proving violations. Be certain that when proof is clear punishment is severe.
Not only is going to Congress first the right thing to do morally and Constitutionally, it would have been good for Trump politically. After his OCare-lite fiasco, he could use a victorious campaign to conquer the Hill in his own backyard. While at the same time looking tough in the world in a reasoned fashion.
If the line is never crossed, then humanity wins without the big expensive and militarily silly show of force. If the line IS crossed then you have your chance to be strong and resolute.
Personally, I would not see the logic in being the world’s CW policeman. Are these dead people worse off that those beaten and hacked to death in brutal African nations? Are they more dead than the many victims of evil cartels operating on and below our border?
How about the 1000 other civilian victims killed in Syria with nice soft conventional weapons for every one CW victim? Don’t they deserve a policeman too?
Or pick from several American cities that apparently have no policemen. There has been several blue moons since that last CW attack. While every new moon brings as many brutal deaths in Chicago.
Yes, I realize all these situations are not exactly comparable. The point is that we put such a high level of concern on what is a relatively small problem in terms of the number of people affected. Short of a sensibilities offense, there is no American interest involved. But those are everywhere in various forms. So if we are going to have a foreign policy based simply on feelings and triggers, then we are going to be busy.
I’m still not opposed to killing more people to address the problem of people being killed. Whether because they were killed in a manner that offends us somehow or whether the victims were our buddies or whatever. I just want us to do it the morally and constitutionally correct way.