Senator Rubio: Hey Mr. President, You Know People Are Dying In Syria, Right? How About A Little Leadership?

Damn it Senator! Don't you know the President doesn't have time for trivial things. He is as busy as busy can be on important matters of state such as, um, appearing on Oprah and going to fundraisers.

But fine, let's see what you think he should be doing instead of those important things.

Clearly, we should be on the side of the Syrian people longing for freedom and challenging the regime's corrupt and repressive rule. Unfortunately, the Obama administration's hesitancy to weigh in has been mistaken for indecision at best and indifference at worst. The president needs to speak directly to the Syrian people to communicate American support for their legitimate demands, condemn Assad's murderous campaign against innocent civilians, and sternly warn Assad and his cohorts that they cannot continue grossly violating human rights, supporting terrorism, and sowing instability among Syria's neighbors.

But his words must be backed by clear, firm actions. As ill-advised as it was to restore diplomatic relations with Syria by sending an American ambassador to Damascus last year, we should now sever ties and recall the ambassador at once. While Syria is already under heavy U.S. sanctions as a designated state sponsor of terror, we should expand sanctions to include persons identified as authorizing, planning, or participating in deplorable human rights violations against unarmed civilians. Our partners in Europe, Turkey, and the Arab Gulf share many of our interests in Syria and play a large role in that country, and the president must put the full diplomatic weight of the United States behind an effort to convince them to adopt meaningful economic and diplomatic sanctions targeting Assad and his enablers in the regime.

...This administration must stop sitting on the sidelines as innocent Syrian people are mowed down by the regime's tanks. At an early point in the Libyan struggle, when a clear U.S. policy could have achieved significant successes at lower costs, the president failed to act. Now in Syria, we are faced with a challenge requiring the United States to find its voice in defense of the Syrian people and to implement meaningful actions in the immediate term. The administration must stop dithering as innocent Syrians die at the hands of a merciless regime.

The Three Amigos, McCain, Lieberman and Graham are also calling on Obama to step up to the plate and get in the game.

As for the situation in Syria, estimates are 500 or more people have been killed in 6 weeks of protests and their repression.

Not surprisingly, the UN has taken a pass on saying or doing anything about Syria.

Ah the UN..."Unless it's about bashing Israel, leave your number and we'll get back to you".

Why anyone thinks the UN is some sort of barometer of moral legitimacy for action is beyond me.

The bottom line is we missed our chance to do anything about the Iranian regime back in the summer of 2009. Given the relationship between Iran and Syria, the current unrest is in some ways a second, albeit less satisfying, bite at that apple. And once again, this administration is simply invisible. I'm not saying we should be signing up for more military action but we need to be doing more economically, covertly (assuming we aren't already) and vocally to support the overthrow of this violent and despotic regime.
Unfortunately, it looks like President Present is taking another pass.

posted by DrewM. at 04:27 PM

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