As I said, I have no idea if the U.S. should bomb Syria. Fortunately, it isn't up to you…or me. What scares me is that it's up to a lot of people who aren't all that interested in whether it would be good for U.S. interests around the world…or any particular interests around the world. When Obama puts it up to Congress, as he now has, he's putting it up to a lot of people who I don't see as capable of deciding anything about anything on any basis but self-interest.
There's a great scene in the play and movie of 1776 where the delegate from Georgia has been wrestling with the decision of whether to vote yea or nay on the not-insignificant question of American independence from Great Britain. Earlier in the proceedings, he says that he's for it and the people in his state seem to be against it. He says, then, that he's decided that for the time being, he will err on their side.
Then comes a moment when it is closer to the final vote on the matter. Late at night, he hikes over to the chambers where the issue has been under debate. He finds John Adams there and tells him —
I couldn't sleep. And in trying to resolve my dilemma, I remembered something I'd once read; that a representative owes the people not only his industry but his judgment. And he betrays them if he sacrifices it to their opinion. That was written by Edmund Burke…a member of the British Parliament.
I don't get the sense that very many of our elected leaders think that way. We have this war going on — Democrats and Republicans — and most of them vote the way their respective leaderships tell them to vote. If they don't, it's because they're worried about facing a primary challenge and/or outraging some small but easily-outraged faction of their base. I can imagine a lot of folks on both sides of the aisle opposing Obama because it will be so advantageous to say "I voted against it" if things go wrong. There may be more to be gained there than by being for it if things go well. But in any case, that's going to be the prevailing thought process…and that's what scares me.
A fellow wrote me that he thinks most members of Congress will vote for war because they won't want to be accused of being sissies or cowards. Maybe so…but I don't think it takes any bravery at all to vote to have someone else go off to kill foreigners. I think it takes bravery to risk losing your big donors or going against the kind of "supporter" we now have in this country — the one who wants you ousted and dead if you go against them on one single issue. I don't see much of that kind of bravery these days.