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The Sheriff of the World

Reader comment on item: No to Bombing Syria
in response to reader comment: Michael S's analysis of Trump's decision to attack Syria.

Submitted by Michael S, Apr 9, 2017 at 05:33

Prashant, I admire you for admiring Trump's principled stand. Putin and his sick allies have used a legalistic excuse to attack Trump and the US (though they would and did break international law in a trice, when it suited their own wishes -- viz. Crimea and the Spratleys).

Concerning "international law", it looks good on paper: The UNSC must authorize any attack on a sovereign member of the UN. This gives animals such as Assad the "right" to continue atrocities such as killing babies with nerve gas, as long as they have an ally among the five permanent Security Council members. When the shoe was on the other foot, the US did something equally horrendous -- dropping napalm on children, because they happened to live in a "free-fire zone".

Because the UN cannot properly address issues like these; and because it mis-uses its powers to persecute Israel for the "war crime" of adding bedrooms to Jewish houses in Judea, an alternative mechanism is needed. That mechanism is that the most powerful country in the world, its only "superpower", should act as the world's "sheriff". If that sheriff is reasonably humane, as the US is at the moment, the world benefits. If that sheriff is a tyrant, like the rulers of Russia, China and Iran, or an imbecile like Obama or Merkel, the world suffers. It's not a perfect system, but it's all we have; and it is superior to the non-rule of a phoney, ineffective "international law".

I shudder, to think of someone like Jared Kushner becoming the leader of the world; but I realize that he, or someone worse, will eventually come to power. The "Never Trump" people in this country ought to consider this, before attacking our President. For all his faults, he is a man who can be moved by compassion for suffering babies. That's not too bad.

Submitting....

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Reader comments (48) on this item

Title Commenter Date Thread
Trump correct to spank Assad for gas attack [72 words]Verner HornungApr 16, 2017 12:30238545
Not so sure, Mr.Pipes [191 words]SoloviewApr 12, 2017 13:38238456
ISIS' victims are generally anti-Israel countries [288 words]Michael SApr 15, 2017 01:12238456
Mixed Messaging of Confronting/Not Confronting National Security Issues [567 words]M ToveyApr 10, 2017 19:25238395
The world's policeman; Major Maintenance of world systems; The coming Pharaoh? [1051 words]Michael SApr 12, 2017 02:47238395
Courting Principalites and Strongholds - Which Will Fail First [246 words]M ToveyApr 17, 2017 18:50238395
No to Bombing Syria [43 words]Angel Oteros GonzálezApr 10, 2017 17:06238392
1Translation: Neither Assad nor Putin have scruples [110 words]Michael SApr 12, 2017 09:56238392
Who's Right... [69 words]Daren OlsinApr 9, 2017 22:33238371
I agree, but... [91 words]Kepha HorApr 9, 2017 21:41238370
Trump's ignorant actions [173 words]
w/response from Daniel Pipes
Jason PappasApr 9, 2017 08:32238345
There may be something positive though [244 words]JeffApr 8, 2017 14:59238316
2Brilliantly Overthought [113 words]
w/response from Daniel Pipes
Reality CheckApr 8, 2017 13:22238315
War is hell; peace is sometimes worse [368 words]Michael SApr 10, 2017 11:04238315
Minorities in Syria and Bashar al-Assad [149 words]dhimmi no moreApr 8, 2017 09:56238308
contradictory messages from MEF [19 words]
w/response from Daniel Pipes
henry m BoudinApr 7, 2017 22:49238305
is Pipes changing his vews ? [29 words]
w/response from Daniel Pipes
henry boudinApr 9, 2017 16:09238305
Trump policy changes, in Syria and elsewhere [542 words]Michael SApr 7, 2017 22:25238304
Michael S's analysis of Trump's decision to attack Syria. [100 words]PrashantApr 8, 2017 23:01238304
The Sheriff of the World [311 words]Michael SApr 9, 2017 05:33238304
What next, will Britain and France bomb America next time an untypically large number of civilians is killed in a nato attack? [70 words]AnonApr 7, 2017 21:36238302
Eisenhower, Bush, Trump ... more ignorant policy [168 words]Jason PappasApr 9, 2017 08:31238302
Agree [92 words]Jack LehrApr 7, 2017 18:56238296
Why not wipe out the entire Syrian Air Force? [104 words]SandraApr 7, 2017 16:01238289
Better diplomacy could have been employed in this missile strike [112 words]Solomon2Apr 7, 2017 15:49238288
2That's an immoral and unwise position [34 words]
w/response from Daniel Pipes
DanApr 7, 2017 15:00238287
Just a Little Reminded [60 words]RebeccaApr 7, 2017 14:25238286
not viewing this holistically. [27 words]Harvey L. PoppelApr 7, 2017 13:16238285
Today's Blog [59 words]
w/response from Daniel Pipes
Ari SigalApr 7, 2017 12:37238284
1"No" to bombing Syria? [118 words]dianne gallenApr 7, 2017 11:48238283
Missle response [150 words]Elizabeth ReissApr 7, 2017 09:48238282
To withhold is a virtue [65 words]KesselmanApr 7, 2017 09:09238281
a message to the public and Putin rather than Assad [237 words]mythApr 7, 2017 08:45238280
Syria. The Evil that will wax worse and worse. [604 words]Anne-USAApr 7, 2017 08:38238279
1Right [80 words]Peter NiedermannApr 7, 2017 07:05238278
1Yes To Bombing Syria [83 words]DaveApr 7, 2017 06:50238273
It doesn't have to be either-or [33 words]Dina GrossmanApr 7, 2017 05:05238272
I generally support this, but what's your thoughts on action against chemical weapons [15 words]
w/response from Daniel Pipes
JazzalohaApr 7, 2017 03:01238270
This limited strike sends a powerful message to all as to who is now in charge [16 words]BorisApr 14, 2017 13:00238270
This limited strike sends a powerful message to all as to who is now in charge [16 words]BorisApr 14, 2017 19:52238270
Syria Tomahawks [192 words]Geoffrey LuckApr 7, 2017 01:50238269
2Not to bombing Syria [184 words]Admiral Peter KikareasApr 7, 2017 00:29238259
Beg to Differ [226 words]lenApr 7, 2017 00:28238258
2NO, Dr. Pipes, we shouldn't arm ISIS! [89 words]
w/response from Daniel Pipes
UNCLE VLADDIApr 7, 2017 00:17238256
1Confusion: Aod Hitler vs. Stalin?! [230 words]DajjalApr 9, 2017 21:18238256
An Opinion [115 words]Andreas GeovanosApr 7, 2017 00:05238252
No to heavy involvement but there are limits. [53 words]EdApr 7, 2017 00:02238251
Trump is not involving the country in a new conflict. [14 words]stevenlApr 6, 2017 23:44238249

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Note: Opinions expressed in comments are those of the authors alone and not necessarily those of Daniel Pipes. Original writing only, please. Comments are screened and in some cases edited before posting. Reasoned disagreement is welcome but not comments that are scurrilous, off-topic, commercial, disparaging religions, or otherwise inappropriate. For complete regulations, see the "Guidelines for Reader Comments".

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