With the U.N. still reporting inconclusive results in the use of chemical weapons by any party in Syria, Israel and the United States have upped the ante in the regional conflict. Possibly crossing a line of their own, the "U.S.-Israeli Union" have disregarded international law by conducting air-strikes within another sovereign state without a declaration of war. Under the circumstances, the U.S. being presumed guilty by association is okay!
We always thought there were rules governing military engagement between nation states. We were under the impression, when said rules were violated, there would be severe international sanctions administered to the guilty. Bombing another nation in the middle of the night, causing death and destruction could be considered a terrorist actor worse, an act of war.
Without a formal declaration of war, Israel's weekend bombings runs may have crossed that line. Simply stating one has the right to do what ever they deem necessary to protect one's self creates a problem, if in fact all nations begin playing by the same set of rules. Perhaps we missed the announcement when Israeli Prime Minister stated the State of Israel was at war with the nation of Syria. Hey, maybe we're old school.
Maybe nobody has to declare war anymore. Perhaps you've been placed on notice when the f-16s do a flyby in the wee hours of the morning. You should have a clue you're at war, when a "crew of nations" decide to blackball your country from doing business anywhere in the world to cripple your economy. You probably should know you are at war when drones are taking out targets in your country without your knowledge, input or consent.
We think this is a pivotal moment in history as the world transitions into one gigantic battlefield. If in indeed, other nations feel obliged to retaliate with their versions of "by any means necessary", we've just set off a global shit-storm of terror. This is the worst of all terrors, because everybody now qualifies as a terrorist. When acts of terror are redefined as preemptive measures God help the global citizen.
Currently, U.S. Secretary of state John Kerry is sitting down with Vladimir Putin. to get Russia's by in for dispensing with the Syrian regime by any means necessary. Oddly enough, we're pulling for the Russians and the Chinese to hold the line against Western intervention until they can do so with a modicum of legitimacy.
Until then, "We the People" must educate ourselves to know what the international norms are when it comes to the rules of waging war. These are critical questions Americans must consider going forward if "We the People" are going to have chance at all of restraining our government from taking the nation astray.
From where we stand, it is Western that is in violation of international law by conducting and condoning acts of aggression against Syria. Taking advantage of a nation in crisis, without taking sides in the civil conflict does not provide legitimacy for air strikes or no fly zones without international consensus and clear indisputable proof of human rights abuses by one aggressive party against the defenseless.
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