The Other McCain

"One should either write ruthlessly what one believes to be the truth, or else shut up." — Arthur Koestler

NYT Cranks The Judas Priest

Posted on | August 29, 2013 | 29 Comments

by Smitty

Could be the most unintentionally funny headline of the year: “Bomb Syria, Even if It Is Illegal”

There are moral reasons for disregarding the law, and I believe the Obama administration should intervene in Syria. But it should not pretend that there is a legal justification in existing law. Secretary of State John Kerry seemed to do just that on Monday, when he said of the use of chemical weapons, “This international norm cannot be violated without consequences.” His use of the word “norm,” instead of “law,” is telling.
Syria is a party to neither the Biological Weapons Convention of 1972 nor the Chemical Weapons Convention of 1993, and even if it were, the treaties rely on the United Nations Security Council to enforce them — a major flaw. Syria is a party to the Geneva Protocol, a 1925 treaty that bans the use of toxic gases in wars. But this treaty was designed after World War I with international war in mind, not internal conflicts.

‘Rodeo clown’ is the new cowboy, no? After around 6 years of anti-Bush Adventurism arguments (and the bulk of a year spent in Afghanistan helping carry out one of Obama’s rare promises kept) the skepticism has kind of settled in. Also, one cannot possibly fathom what strategic interest the U.S. even has in the Levant. Maybe standing by our ally, Israel. It is a cheery thing to see the occasional greeting on YouTube from Bibi Netanyahu. But is the refreshment of hearing from an actual leader of the non-rodeo-clown variety of sufficient value to justify throwing blood and treasure at Damascus?

Of course ethics, not only laws, should guide policy decisions. Since the Rwandan genocide and the Balkan mass killings of the 1990s, a movement has emerged in support of adding humanitarian intervention as a third category of lawful war, under the concept of the “responsibility to protect.” It is widely accepted by the United Nations and most governments. It is not, however, in the charter, and it lacks the force of law.

Morality, or ethics? I’d argue, against the dictionary, that the two are not synonymous. There really isn’t any moral case in favor of disregarding law. Law is a human product, and therefore may be incomplete, or out of sync with the times. There could be ethical reasons for disregarding a law. I wish the author, Hurd, had provided a link to this famous movement, though. Maybe the “humanitarian intervention” community could help us track down the elusive anti-war movement that flourishes during Republican administrations, whenever those corporatists are out to drive up profits. Perhaps the anti-war movement is cryogenically suspended in Jane Fonda’s basement.
I’ve got to emphasize this closing bit:

Since Russia and China won’t help, Mr. Obama and allied leaders should declare that international law has evolved and that they don’t need Security Council approval to intervene in Syria.
This would be popular in many quarters, and I believe it’s the right thing to do. But if the American government accepts that the rule of law is the foundation of civilized society, it must be clear that this represents a new legal path.

Anybody who thinks that Russia isn’t fomenting unrest to drive up oil prices is clueless. President Rodeo Clown should know that peace, prosperity, and a Keystone XL pipeline are the best ways to stick it to the Russian bear. At least in DC, no one uses the phrase “it’s the right thing to do” without a disdainful eye roll. In DC it means: sure, we’re jacked up to high heaven, but isn’t everything else, too?

via Insty

Assad aside:
Rush’s brother David considered afflicting the Syrians with ObamaCare,

Category: Barack Obama, Syria

Comments

29 Responses to “NYT Cranks The Judas Priest”

  1. MrEvilMatt
    August 29th, 2013 @ 8:12 am

    NYT Cranks The Judas Priest: by Smitty Could be the most unintentionally funny headline of the year: “Bomb Syr… http://t.co/gmBo5jUA8G

  2. Lockestep1776
    August 29th, 2013 @ 8:12 am

    NYT Cranks The Judas Priest: by Smitty Could be the most unintentionally funny headline of the year: “Bomb Syr… http://t.co/QAtyHGNf7I

  3. CHideout
    August 29th, 2013 @ 8:12 am

    NYT Cranks The Judas Priest: by Smitty Could be the most unintentionally funny headline of the year: “Bomb Syr… http://t.co/67XjlidAJF

  4. Citzcom
    August 29th, 2013 @ 8:12 am

    NYT Cranks The Judas Priest: by Smitty Could be the most unintentionally funny headline of the year: “Bomb Syr… http://t.co/tRZ9qcsK4L

  5. jwbrown1969
    August 29th, 2013 @ 8:12 am

    NYT Cranks The Judas Priest: by Smitty Could be the most unintentionally funny headline of the year: “Bomb Syr… http://t.co/P9ho7xpt0X

  6. SwiperTheFox
    August 29th, 2013 @ 9:22 am

    Like I said before, Obama’s foriegn policy leadership on Syria, still not deciding what to do days and days later, seems as bad as just using a Magic 8 Ball.

    “Answer hazy, try again later”

  7. Quartermaster
    August 29th, 2013 @ 9:49 am

    His decision making would take a massive turn for the better if he did use the Magic 8 Ball. He’d get far better advice.

  8. Evi L. Bloggerlady
    August 29th, 2013 @ 9:58 am

    If anything demonstrates liberal media bias, this does.

  9. Evi L. Bloggerlady
    August 29th, 2013 @ 10:00 am

    Think of the relationship of Barack Obama to Hafez Assad the same as that of Kim Jong un to his ex girlfriend and it starts to almost make sense…

  10. Can you imagine the editors of The New York Times publishing this if George Bush were still President? « THE FIRST STREET JOURNAL.
    August 29th, 2013 @ 10:20 am

    […] Posted on | August 29, 2013 | 1 Comment […]

  11. M. Thompson
    August 29th, 2013 @ 10:21 am

    1. What’s the gain?

    2. Once again, we are we are dulling our swords and broadening our frontiers. This will not end well.

  12. Dana_TFSJ
    August 29th, 2013 @ 10:22 am

    For @smitty_one_each Can you imagine NYT publishing this if Bush were still President? http://t.co/Re8HxxTnFX http://t.co/ygzPA5bmOG #Syria

  13. joethefatman1
    August 29th, 2013 @ 10:28 am

    NYT Cranks The Judas Priest http://t.co/R1o7GyovAj

  14. Kevin Trainor Jr.
    August 29th, 2013 @ 11:12 am

    Kevin Trainor Jr. liked this on Facebook.

  15. smitty_one_each
    August 29th, 2013 @ 11:30 am

    RT @Dana_TFSJ: For @smitty_one_each Can you imagine NYT publishing this if Bush were still President? http://t.co/Re8HxxTnFX http://t.co/yg…

  16. southsalem
    August 29th, 2013 @ 11:32 am

    RT @Dana_TFSJ: For @smitty_one_each Can you imagine NYT publishing this if Bush were still President? http://t.co/Re8HxxTnFX http://t.co/yg…

  17. smitty_one_each
    August 29th, 2013 @ 11:39 am

    “His decision making would take a…” — Quartermaster http://t.co/EKoFyedCA3

  18. Fareedi al Laayla al Kakhol
    August 29th, 2013 @ 12:11 pm

    I’m not going to click this link because it’s either about “Amazing Horse-like Woman” being machined-gunned down, or Miley Cyrus, or both…

  19. K-Bob
    August 29th, 2013 @ 2:50 pm

    Funny “retweets” by Ace:

    —————————————————————————
    “Is there a Nobel War Prize?” — Lucky Pierre, commenting
    —————————————————————————
    —————————————————————————
    RT @DraftRyan2016 We need to start this war to find out what’s in it.
    —————————————————————————

  20. Bombing Syria? Yeah, Let’s Think About That | Regular Right Guy
    August 29th, 2013 @ 3:24 pm

    […] NYT Cranks The Judas Priest […]

  21. rmnixondeceased
    August 29th, 2013 @ 3:25 pm

    New ad from the Pentagon.

  22. K-Bob
    August 29th, 2013 @ 4:03 pm

    Anyone surprised by this:

    Newsmax: Obama Didn’t Attend Daily Intelligence Briefing Ahead of Embassy Attacks

    Also, Brits having second thoughts. Check out Nigel Farage (vid)

  23. smitty_one_each
    August 29th, 2013 @ 5:36 pm

    “New ad from the Pentagon.” — rmnixondeceased http://t.co/AkiWrjzFBk

  24. thatMrGguy
    August 29th, 2013 @ 6:44 pm

    NYT Cranks The Judas Priest http://t.co/Q9xQps4kEb

  25. SHAWSBLOG1
    August 29th, 2013 @ 7:14 pm

    NYT Cranks The Judas Priest http://t.co/GzRVJ37YuD

  26. Steve Skubinna
    August 29th, 2013 @ 8:03 pm

    There are a lot of arguments for intervening in Syria.

    Unfortunately, they’re all stupid and wrong.

  27. Used to be, liberals laughed if you said there was a humanitarian reason for war. | The TrogloPundit
    August 29th, 2013 @ 8:42 pm

    […] Hat tip Smitty. […]

  28. ZION'S TRUMPET » Bombing Syria Illegal? Obama Does not Care.
    August 30th, 2013 @ 8:11 am

    […] NYT Cranks The Judas Priest […]

  29. Micha_Elyi
    September 2nd, 2013 @ 4:29 pm

    Send the females to war in Syria. After all, their votes elected and re-elected President Ignoble War Prize.

    And because equality!