Diplomacy our only option

Bashar al-Assad has deliberately challenged Obama’s “red line” declaration by going ahead with a heinous chemical weapons attack. It would seem his assessment is that a limited American military response such as cruise missiles against targeted sites, would prove ineffective and would gain him continued military support from Iran and his other allies.

A more significant military response will involve taking out Syria’s robust air defense system…a move that will certainly cost American lives and result in further involvement in what is at this time a civil war involving several competing factions.

Rather than a military response, we should impose every possible diplomatic and economic pressure we can bring to bear on the Syrian regime, while continuing to extend humanitarian aid to the displaced and injured caught up in this tragic civil conflict.

Syrian conflict

Syrian conflict Letter to the editor Raleigh N&O Aug 2013

Bashar al-Assad has deliberately challenged Obama’s “red line” declaration by going ahead with a heinous chemical weapons attack. It would seem his assessment is that a limited American military response such as cruise missiles against targeted sites, would prove ineffective and would gain him continued military support from Iran and his other allies.

A more significant military response will involve taking out Syria’s robust air defense system…a move that will certainly cost American lives and result in further involvement in what is at this time a civil war involving several competing factions.

Rather than a military response, we should impose every possible diplomatic and economic pressure we can bring to bear on the Syrian regime, while continuing to extend humanitarian aid to the displaced and injured caught up in this tragic civil conflict.

Moral Mondays

June 2013 Letter to the editor Raleigh N&O

Who decides what is moral or immoral? Some behaviors reach almost universal agreement, like the immorality of murder, physical and psychological abuse of others, including animals, lying, and cheating….to name a few.

But when what is considered moral, is based solely on political, religious or personal conviction we move from universally accepted mores to prejudicial determination of what is good or bad human behavior.

We will not solves the issues of excessive greed, disregard for the suffering of others, sectarian violence, and poverty, by claiming to occupying the moral high-ground. We need instead to come together to address these pressing problems and discard divisive rhetoric and ideological posturing that invariably lead to polarization and gridlock.