Syria: We Need an International Solution Not War

Take your hand off that button and slow down Mr. President. Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad may well have broken international law by using chemical weapons.  But the United States should not act alone to punish the Syrian government.

Instead we should take the tougher route by pursuing an international diplomatic solution.  Russia has suggested that the international community should take control of Syria's weapons.

It's true that Russia has been guilty of arming and supporting the Syrian government, but an international plan to get control of Syria's weapons stockpile makes more sense than sending in drones to rain down bombs.

We hope that the United States will take a serious look at this idea. It's better than the prospect of bombs and even more civilian casualties.

U.N. weapons inspectors will soon deliver their report to Secretary Ban Ki Moon.  If it confirms the claims of U.S. and foreign intelligence agencies – who say al-Assad's government is responsible for 14 chemical attacks and the deaths of hundreds of men, women and children –then the international community should act.

And this Russian proposal should be among the first ideas to consider.

After Iraq, the American public learned that our military and intelligence establishment had repeatedly lied to us. Recent revelations show U.S. intelligence agencies even lied to Congress about their spying activities. People don't know what, or who to believe.

President Obama, Secretary Kerry and Sen. McCain, among others beating the drums for war, have backed themselves into a corner. Now they want to strike chemical weapons sites in Syria.

No one has mentioned the harm that will be done if those chemical weapons are simply blasted into the atmosphere. How many civilians will die?  Nobody knows. What we do know is those deaths would be our responsibility.

The world needs an international solution to this crisis. So far the Russians are the only ones putting something constructive on the table.

What Do You Think?