You Break It, You Buy It

So, the Tomahawk missiles were launched and the Syrian airfield was smashed. We stood up to a dictator and showed what happens when you use poison gas on innocent children. We were strong, and the attack was certainly the right thing to do.

And it contrasted sharply with the weak restraint of President Obama. It showed friend and foe alike that the United States means what it says. What could be wrong with that?

Well, nothing yet. 

But, let me count some of the ways that this particular action, at this particular time, might not have been the best of things to do. And, we will be living with it. There is no way to put those exploded Tomahawks back in their launch tubes.

First,  we have simplified the debate over who is responsible for whatever happens in the Middle East from now on. The businessman in the White House will probably recognize the old saying “you break it, you bought it.” Well, the old restraints and relationships have been broken. What relationships? Just wait a bit for some of our allies to start being attacked by troops or terrorists, and their governments will start to say “we didn’t approve this attack on Syria.”

Second, we have clarified the roll of Congress in approving military action against foreign nations. Their job is to sit back and watch, and maybe vote on it later. Admittedly, we have a long history of Congress sitting back and complaining but not doing anything. but lately there has been some debate over just how much power a President should have to commit our troops to strike elsewhere. Hey, what could be wrong with that? Well, we could start with Korea, or Vietnam or maybe - the endless strife of the Middle East.

Third, we have upset and confused the Russians. Tough on them. But we have also confused and upset a lot of the allies that are actually fighting ISIS on the ground. Anyone want to predict what happens when the Kurds get a really free hand and all the weapons they need? Or the Egyptians or the Saudis, who have a whole new political picture to understand almost overnight?

Fourth, what does Assad do now? A brutal dictator, any brutal dictator, operates on toughness and fear. If he admits to using poison gas and says “sorry,” he will be seen as weak and his own people - at least his own generals - will tear him apart. If he acts tough, and I think he will, he has an army to use and an ally to help, unless Russia wants to open its border to all those unvetted potential terrorist refugees coming over its border. Just when was that terrorist subway bombing in St. Petersburg? Less than a week ago.

Fifth, just how far does our new role as world policeman go? There’s another saying that one person dying is a tragedy, a thousand people dying half way around the world is a story on page nine. But, apparently, not anymore.

So, who is keeping food from getting to refugees in Sudan? What about all those refugees dying as they try to cross the Mediterranean? Or the starvation and lack of health care on Indian reservations in the United States?

Well, Congress is starting to talk about safe zones for Syrian refugees, and using air power. Which will take troops on the ground to go on patrol and to refuel the aircraft and to transport food and fuel.  And Turkey isn’t too happy about the way things are going. And Israel, I think, will have something to say about the situation, which will only upset the Palestinians.

So, while things are still in flux, let me go back to that one simple point. You break it, you bought it.