President Obama was an ardent critic of the war in Iraq. Here are suggestions for arguments to be made explaining how intervention in Syria is completely different from intervention in Iraq.
1. Assad has used chemical weapons on Syrians which is a terrible crime against humanity, unlike Saddam who used chemical weapons against Iraqis which is permissible.
2. The US intervention into Syria will be a proud go it alone venture by the US, unlike Bush who mucked up the Iraqi intervention with lots of allies.
3. Obama is a Nobel Peace Prize winner, so we can trust him unlike that cowboy Bush.
4. Michele Obama is proud of this intervention.
5. John Kerry is onboard with this intervention unlike Iraq which he supported until he changed his mind.
6. National interests of the US were at stake in Iraq, while the Syrian intervention is purely altruistic.
7. We won’t be fighting against Al-Qaeda in Syria, unlike Iraq, since we will be fighting on their side.
8. Nancy Pelosi supports this intervention.
9. The Muslim Brotherhood gives a thumbs up to this intervention unlike Iraq.
10. We won’t get those large anti-war rallies this time with a Democrat in the White House.
11. First (not on the menu!) Doggie Bo – wagged his tail as he boarded Marine One.
12. Aristote, a tyrant “is also fond of making war in order that his subjects may have something to do and be always in want of a leader.”
13. Al qaeda deosn’t have an air force or a navy – they need us!
14. Lincoln was a Democrat!
America’s Finest News Source take on our glorious Foreign Minister:
http://www.theonion.com/articles/man-who-couldnt-defeat-george-w-bush-attempting-to,33149/?ref=auto
National interests of the US were at stake in Iraq, while the Syrian intervention is purely altruistic.
I’ve said before that leftist support for US military intervention is inversely proportional to our foreign policy interests. This morning I was listening to an interview with Anthony Bourdain and he more or less explicitly said that this would be a noble cause because it runs counter to our foreign policy interests. And of course he opposed the Iraq War. The fact that we could identify a relatively modest opposition group to place in charge of Iraq was perversely a negative, I guess, compared with placing militant Islamists in charge of a country.
Great point Paul. I have a lot to say on this subject but simply say that the US has to work with Russia on this. Any course of action that does not include Russia may be taken as aggression against Russia. Yes that may include keeping Assad in power. I think our current regime has other objectives in mind.
#12. Republicans bad. Democrats good.
I love President George Bush. Words cannot describe how I feel about Barack Hussein Obama. I should go to Confession tonight.
I am not an “isolationist,” and years ago favored our action in Iraq. I have since changed my mind. I think it was pragmatic to have a conventional action against the forces of Hussein but one should never get bogged down in an internecine conflict. Never. History if full of bad examples. One should also avoid “nation building” and promoting ‘Wilsonian democracy” abroad. I believe that our efforts under Bush and Obama have hurt Mideast Christians only aided radicals, though I think Bush naively meant well in his efforts while Obama is a hypocrite and opportunist.
I’d like to know where you got that headline picture? Pretty good.
I “borrowed” it from Ace of Spades.
[…] Moves Beyond Words – Gretchen R. Crowe Does Syria Matter? – R. R. Reno, First Thoughts Top 10 Reasons Syria Differs From Iraq – Donald R. McClarey JD, TACth West Should Examine Own Conscience Before Attacking Syria – […]
[…] for Peace Moves Beyond Words – Gretchen R. CroweDoes Syria Matter? – R. R. Reno, First ThoughtsTop 10 Reasons Syria Differs From Iraq – Donald R. McClarey JD, TACthWest Should Examine Own …read […]
Some things though, thank God, never change. The AIPAC is going all out on this. They’ll get what they want. “Let my right hand wither O Zion, if I forget thee.”
#6. Altruism from this administration. Good one.
Puppet master(s) after big money deal(s) and enough chaos from which to profit all above mentioned who are concerned so ‘deeply’ for Syria, while the streets of their own country grow meaner by the minute. What’s one word for the opposite of altruism?
‘Egoism’ ?
Just found on another blog to which I can’t link, of course.
RELIGION CREATES ALTRUISM, THE ONLY FORCE STRONG ENOUGH TO DEFEAT EGOISM
by abyssum
It is an article in the Boston Globe with a quote by Voltaire.
Darwin’s conundrum: Where does compassion come from?
by Jeff Jacoby
The Boston Globe
September 4, 2013
[…] G. J. Marlin, Catholic Thing WH Spokesman Jokes about Islamic Attacks on Christians – M. Archbold Top Ten Reasons Syria Differs From Iraq – Donald R. McClarey, TAC Looking for the Byz Pulpit news website, click here. Looking for the […]
#13.
Obama has assured us that his course of action follows Catholic Just War theory. 😉
> Michele Obama is proud of this intervention.
Hysterical :).
– T
“What’s one word for the opposite of altruism?”
Try “liberalism” . . .