As tensions continue to rise in the Middle East, the United States now finds itself in a precarious situation: to sit idle or to act. Speaking with Jon Scott on Fox News this morning, former Ambassador to the United Nations and Fox News Contributor John Bolton shed some insight on how such a dangerous situation is largely the Obama administrations’ own doing.
John Bolton outlined two possibilities for the United States. Option one is John McCain’s strategy, in which the U.S. could "deliver a devastating, indeed even decapitating blow to the Syrian regime of Bashar al-Assad." Such a strike would bring the rebels to power. Bolton cautioned against this move, citing that it is not in America’s interest. The second option, which Bolton says the administration is likely leaning towards, would be a tame, mild attack.
This small-scale attack would send a "terrible" signal to the Assad regime as well as others in the Middle East, essentially giving Assad the green light to use chemical weapons, but with some penalty to pay. Bolton added that this would likely encourage Assad to continue his nuclear weapons program.
The United States finds itself at such a crossroads because of the Obama administration’s negligence and inability to act wisely. It was only a year ago that President Obama warned that continued use of chemical weapons by the Assad regime would result in a crossing of "the red line." Obama clearly had no foresight as to the ramifications of his threat. A year later, the implications are clear: the United States is preparing a military response because no strategy was thought of prior to Obama’s vague threat.
Failure by the Obama administration to respond to Assad’s continued use of chemical weapons in a sound, intelligent manner will only further encourage Assad. John Bolton summed up the Syria situation perfectly: "We're in a box almost entirely of President Obama's own making." The Obama administration acted sheepishly and now finds itself overcompensating for such thoughtlessness.