Are we crazy?

Bush Appointee Jack Goldsmith:

Every U.S. soldier is taught the importance of complying with law, including international law, in every task he or she undertakes. They are also taught that dishonor or worse follows from violating this law. Many of the soldiers and all of the lawyers involved in the Syria planning will surely feel at least a little uneasy about a military action that the President acknowledges does not pass the test of international legality.

Plus the whole Syria effort is likely to be ineffective or even counterproductive. Did we learn anything from Iraq? I am totally sympathetic to Obama's stance — we need to help — but I do not understand how we can do that. 

That's the real bitter irony. Compromising the law to an effective end is one thing; but then to be unable to help ordinary Syrians and then to damage the USA in so many ways (both aspects, simultaneously) makes it all the sadder. 

Comments

[TMLutas]

Iraq was significantly different than Syria. We were already technically at war with Iraq and running a decade long significant military operation that was slowly failing to keep Saddam in check (look up oil for food scandals on how he was getting out of 'the box' we had put him in). That's a special circumstance if there ever is one. Syria doesn't fit the same template