by Mark Angelides
The Left (and much of the Right) appears to have themselves in a bit of a paradoxical pickle. They have become entrapped in strands of righteous virtue trying to decide on one hand how to denounce Trump, Putin and Al-Assad, whilst on the other, trying to support Syrians who decry Al-Assad, the takedown of those who use chemical weapons, and Obama’s rhetoric from 2012. Even for those experienced at DoubleThink, this poses a problem. Can virtues be adequately signaled whilst both supporting a policy yet denouncing a monster? It seems they can’t quite manage the mental acrobatics required, so are reverting to type, and just screeching louder.
When President Trump authorized the bombing of Syrian airfields in response to what his office said was an Al-Assad chemical weapons attack, not only was this in line with what many Syrian refugees want, it is also what Barack Obama famously called for with his “Red Line” in 2012. It is also in direct opposition t the Kremlin, who claim that the attacks were carried out by Syrian rebel groups.
But, but, but, It’s Trump!!! They cry. And how could any self-respecting person agree with the actions of him? At the point when the most “mouth-frothing” occurs, I like to apply the “partisan test”. If the exact same actions had been taken by someone on the opposite side f the House, what would the reaction be? Would they hail it as a strike for freedom (as they did when they bombed Libya)? Would it be classed as a just action?
Protests are presently happening in the UK with the usual suspects taking to the streets saying “Don’t Bomb Syria”. Speeches are being made and voices are being heard; but maybe not the right voices. When a Syrian refugee tried to speak at the rally in support of the strikes, he was told off by organizers and demonstrators were ordered to “chant over the top of him”. So who are they trying to help? The Syrians who do not support either a brutal Al-Assad regime or ISIS are being ignored. But surely these are the people who we should be listening to; the people who want their country stable enough to return to.
When their prejudices are met with reality, they should reflect and adjust, but they won’t. They will keep on chanting the lines over and over until they convince themselves that they are right. The Syrian people do not matter to them. The end of a brutal regime does not matter to them. What does matter is the opportunity to show their virtue and righteousness, regardless of the cost in human lives.
When Reality Meets Ideology: How the Left is Responding to Syria
Views:
Except the Brutal Al-Assad Meme is pure Bullshit.
My thoughts exactly! Mark must be sipping on the Kool Aid.
Here’s the problem, by firing these missiles unilaterally, Pres. Trump has forced Russia and other Middle Eastern countries to harden their position. This could have been an excellent cause célèbre for Pres. Trump to rally world opinion against al-Assad. A cause célèbre for peace will always be more effective than a cause célèbre for war within the world community.
Tell me, what makes Assad so evil in the spectrum of things as they are in the Middle East? Why does he have to go? Because the Saudis and the Israelis are harping on us that he needs to be removed? Why are you not supporting the dismantling of the Ibn Saud Klan that runs Saudi Arabia or some kind of governmental change in the Zionist entity that is causing a slow Holocaust of the Palestinians? These two things need to happen before Assad is removed.
This is exactly why I won’t get involved in any of the protests condemning the Syrian bombing. Where has the Left been since this debacle in Syria has been going on. I guess they were knitting doilies and didn’t want to go out there and make out (1/2) black president look bad. Forget Obama for a moment. Where were they during both the Bush II and Clinton years when we were bombing Iraq and Afghanistan to smithereens? I bet the protests that happened in NYC a few days ago were a complete floor show of disarray and lack of focus. I bet you there were signs of BLM and Tranny rights signs (very important tactic of the left to include all issues) and well as the usual cacophony of venom that Trump needs to be impeached regardless if he had bombed Syria or not.
Those protests are meaningless theatre. People need to be educated and then they will do the right thing.
I doubt if most Americans have an opinion on Assad and I don’t believe that there is anything called the left in America.
Assad is supported by the great majority of the Syrian people.IWB is being taken over by neocons.