Israeli Aggression Creates Many Questions, Calm and Restraint Is Crucial

Can you imagine the uproar if any country, other than U.S.-backed Israel, attacked another country that is in so much turmoil as Syria, a country where civilian bloodshed has considerable international concern. If this did happen, I guarantee the U.S. government would be the first to deplore the attacks. But the United States, instead, has given its unconditional approval of Israels aggression. President Obamas response, I am not going to comment on what happened in Syria I will let the Israeli government confirm or deny whatever strikes they have taken. He said that the U.S. coordinates closely with Israel. This leads to some intriguing questions: Did the U.S. know of Israels plan beforehand? If the U.S. coordinates closely with Israel, the U.S. should have known of Israels intentions. Do Israels actions have the tacit approval of the U.S.? Is Israels airstrike a test run to determine the strength of Syrias air defense system? Is Israels real purpose to show the U.S. the way? General Martin Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said that Syrias air defenses would be a major challenge. John McCain, an avid hawk advocating for U.S. intervention in Syria, challenges Dempsey's assumption by stating, the Israelis seem to be able to penetrate it fairly easily. U.S. intervention in Syrias civil war elicits other important questions, such as, Is human suffering the reason for the United States to act? or, Is it Syrias strategic location in the Middle East that makes it necessary for the United States to intervene? Are we worried that continued chaos there would sow instability across the region? If this is our fear, what makes us think that U.S. military intervention would make things better? The reckless actions of Israel in cohorts with the United States in Syria, a civil war that has already spilled over into Lebanon, Iraq, Jordan, and Turkey, could have very dangerous consequences. If al-Assads allies China or Russia gets involved, its escalation may bring a largescale regional war that has the potential of triggering a worldwide conflict. U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has called on all sides to exercise maximum calm and

restraint, and to act with a sense of responsibility to prevent an escalation of what is already a devastating and highly dangerous conflict. In his wisdom, the U.S. must take heed.