Sir: US President Barack Obama is hell bent upon launching a premeditated war against Syria. Justification for aggression against this Arab country, as given by the Obama administration, lies on the alleged use of chemical weapons against Syrian civilians by the incumbent government headed by President Bashar-al-Assad. To go ahead with its plan to strike Syria, the Obama administration has been hectically engaged in mustering the support of its allies. Surprisingly, so far the response has been lukewarm. In the absence of any tangible evidence of the alleged use of chemical weapons by the Syrian government, the US’s allies are, this time, acting relatively more cautiously and sensibly by refraining from outright supporting the US’s intent to launch a war against Syria. News is that the US Congress stands divided on the issue as its members are too afraid of the dreadful aftermath of this war. The question that now arises is: should the US president tread this path of devastation all by himself or should he, using his own good judgment, rethink his strategy on this vital issue and look for other, more civilised options that would be acceptable to the world community?
The US’s hegemonic designs have always cost it heavily. They have also cost its allies very dearly. Wars waged by the US have always been looked down upon by the civilised world with a sense of utter indignation. As reported in the national and foreign media, the US’s traditional ally, the UK, ruled itself out of any military strikes against the Assad regime in a parliamentary vote. This naturally has increased the danger of Washington becoming internationally isolated in its efforts to push for a military intervention in Syria. France now looks as though it is the US’s only major international partner in any possible strike against Syria. French President François Hollande reaffirmed his country’s support for US military action against Syria, telling French daily Le Monde that he supported taking “firm” punitive action in response to the Assad regime’s alleged use of chemical weapons. At present, the US public also opposes any Syrian intervention. According to a recent online poll conducted on the issue, some 56 percent of those surveyed said the US should not intervene in Syria, while only 19 percent supported the action.
It seems sense has ultimately prevailed among some of the US’s allies, US public representatives and the public at large. Time is running out fast. World powers that matter must not sit back and watch this drama like silent bystanders. They must join hands and act quickly to convince the US president that the war he is hell bent on imposing on Syria could prove to be catastrophic not only for the region but for the entire world. God forbid, if they fail in their endeavours to do so and President Obama decides to go ahead with the attack on Syria unilaterally, the world should be prepared to face the devastating consequences of this foreseeable war.
M FAZAL ELAHI
Islamabad