×

Answers should be obvious

To the editor:

Most of what President Barack Obama stated Tuesday evening, many can sympathize with. Like Iraq, before our invasion, our hearts went out to those being brutalized by Saddam Insane (Hussein.) Yet, endemic to the Middle East, as soon as the vanquished became victors, they became as bad, if not worse, in brutalizing their religious and ethnic rivals. It appears to be cultural and has been transpiring for centuries.

Saudi Arabia has the wealth and air power to police the Middle East. We have been doing its dirty work far too long. If Syria’s civil war is threatening Middle East stability, it is time for Saudi Arabia and its oil-rich allies to take the lead economically, politically and, if necessary, militarily.

We belong to the United Nations. The security council was designed to prevent a super power from taking unilateral action. Unless we are attacked, we have no legal basis to attack another sovereign nation. We have supported many dictatorial regimes in the past, including Saddam, even when he used gas while attacking Iran.

The question we need to ask ourselves is: If Russia used a chemical weapon on Chechnya or China or Tibet or Formosa, would our president be asking Congress authorization for air strikes against either nation? The answer is obvious. The reason for not attacking Syria should be just as obvious.

Blaise Hogan

Weirton

NEWSLETTER

Today's breaking news and more in your inbox

I'm interested in (please check all that apply)
Are you a paying subscriber to the newspaper? *

Starting at $4.73/week.

Subscribe Today