Michael Totten on Syria:
This is about enforcing Obama’s red line on the use of chemical weapons. He told Assad there’d be hell to pay if he used them, and if he doesn’t enforce it, he’ll lose credibility. It’s really not okay if a state sponsor of international terrorism thinks he has a green light to use weapons of mass destruction against civilians. It’s not okay if anyone does. Even if you don’t care a fig about Syrians, well, they aren’t the only ones within range.
If Obama doesn’t enforce this, he’ll also lose credibility on the other red line he’s drawn in the Middle East—the one against Iran’s development of nuclear weapons.
Just a couple of years ago I would have bought that argument. But this Administration’s actions have me convinced that they’re willing to tolerate a nuclear Iran, as a counterbalance to overweening American power, and perhaps as a chip to play against the Israelis to get a “peace” accord with the Palestinians.
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