THE SYRIAN SOLUTION AND THE HALL

HANDLING THE SYRIAN MATTER

     There is a time tested way to respond to Syria's unforgivable and barbaric use of sarin gas that avoids the pitfalls and absurdity of American political theater.

     Assad, his high command and his field officers who planned, approved, executed and evaluated the use of the gas should be indicted and charged as international war criminals. This would signify to the world  they acted outside the bounds of the civilized world and international law.

     There is an International Criminal Court and there is certainly a history of pursuing, trying and convicting war criminals.  The Nuremberg Trial and the successful prosecution of Nazis at the end of World War II is the most notable but there have been similar prosecutions since.

    It would require time to arrest and try those responsible but in the interim they will be known and vilified and will live with both ignominy and the lurking fear of when the hand of justice will reach them.  In that sense they will be pariahs in the civilized world and marked with their alleged crimes, not forgotten and pursued until prosecuted.
    Nations do not commit war crimes, people do. A lesson of  the Nuremberg prosecutions is that ultimately individuals are held accountable for their actions, even if they are ordered to do so under a military command. This places the responsibility squarely where it belongs, the conscience and judgement of individual human beings.

     To pursue Assad and his minions through a court of law allows the world to revile them and expresses contempt while bringing justice. And importantly it frees the US, or any nation, the need to unilaterally engage in questionable, risky and even philosophically controversial actions. 

     Two quick points here; the US likes the sovereignty of being able to act unilaterally, though we do not favor such an option to any other nation. Maybe you can understand that bias, but it is a flawed philosophical/moral concept. The other point-you cannot engage in a limited action, bombing or other wise, without changing the dynamic of the conflict. Any tinkering in the complexity of a civil war threatens to draw us in more deeply. Look at history, it shouts loudly about this.  

      Furthermore I do not trust the wisdom of this President nor his advisers, nor do I have faith in the judgement and requisite reasoning of our current legislative branch of government. The senior chamber possesses a modicum of wisdom. The House however might be the assemblage of the least qualified, least intelligent and most dysfunctional buffoons, idiots, grafters, poltroons and clowns in the history of Congress!
      Finally following this course of action is the use of diplomacy and reason above the use of lethal force and power. That should always be our first and best option.  

THE HALL

See you down the trail.

THE WEEKENDER-MAKING IT WORK

BRIDGES NOT WALLS

      On an assignment in Israel I spent time with a team of diplomats from both Israel and a Palestinian coalition.  They had been working together for a couple of years on purely business issues; access to air lanes, trucking, water and resources, shipment of material and finished goods and the like.  Their logic was that if the two sides were busy doing business, they would be less likely to be at war.  It was a back channel kind of diplomacy, but it was working. And the representatives from both sides had become friends, even entertaining each other in their homes.

       My friend Beverly sent this video which goes a long way to make that point.  Ending a week when the President visited Israel, our Weekender Video is an inspiration for what is possible.

DELICIOUS 

     Since our move to the California Central Coast we have

discovered that Paella is a favorite of many.  Here's a sampler.  Enjoy

    Have a good weekend.  See you down the trail.

STABILITY? AND CAT PLAYS

WHO IS DISSIN' WHOM

PHOTO/GETTY IMAGES
As of this posting, American officials say they've heard
from several sources that Shane Bauer and Josh Fattal
will be released soon. As I noted earlier this week, I feel
connected to the two free lance journalists. In
this post we also featured an interview with Sarah Shourd, who was captured with Bauer and Fattal.
What is troubling is that Iranian officials are playing power games with each other, using the freedom of the hikers as a pawn.  President Ahmadinejad said earlier they would be free, but since then Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khameini  said not so fast. The unpredictable President and the Supreme Leader have been engaged in a power struggle.
The significance of that is for other analysts, but the 
off shoot is that troublesome Iran has inner political struggles.
In the meantime I hope American diplomacy, public 
and otherwise, is successful in getting Bauer and Fattal
free and on the way home.
AS THEY SAY,
NOW FOR SOMETHING
ENTIRELY DIFFERENT
DAY BOOK
KITTEN TIME

It seems to be bath time

beneath the jade.  I'm

wondering how long until

they are too big to fit.

Also wondering how long until Luke realizes he's getting
too big to fit here.
See you down the trail.