One year ago, President Obama told the world that if President Assad used chemical weapons he would be crossing a redline that would warrant a response from the US. Unfortunately that red line has been crossed and the US has done nothing. The President appeared ready to strike but inexplicably pulled back.
Now the administration is in full damage control saying the President didn’t draw a red line that the world did and that the worlds credibility is on the line if it does nothing. The President has put forward a war resolution to Congress basically saying they need to pass it to save our credibility. The real problem however is having a President with no discernible foreign policy or core principles. If the President really wanted to uphold his red line he has the authority under the war powers act to launch strikes for up to 90 days without Congressional approval. He then could have gone to Congress and the American people and made his case as to why his actions were necessary. Instead he blinked when his bluff was called and now wants Congress to help him save face.
According to the Presidents own standards this would be a bad war. The American people are against it. There is no international coalition with us or a UN mandate, the administration is even saying they won’t go to the UN. Our National Security is not directly threatened by the use of chemical weapons just as it wasn’t by its use in Iraq. No end game or exit strategy has been established by the President if we were to use force. And at a time when our economy is fragile we should not be spending our money on wars of choice. No, Congress should not pass this war resolution. If it does it threatens Obama’s credibility as the anti- Bush, anti- war President, and we wouldn’t want the President’s credibility at risk would we?
On The Contrary 