The #1 talking point the Obama administration has been using in its campaign to seek Congressional approval to bomb Syria is that it would "send a message" that use of chemical weapons won't be tolerated by the international community and won't go unpunished. Ostensibly, this message will be "heard" by our enemies such as North Korea and Iran.....even THINK about using WMD and you will have to answer to the US of A! This so-called message will allegedly have the effect of changing the behavior of bad actors in the world, starting with Syria which will hear this message most directly and the loudest. "Message sending" now seems to be a legitimate use of our military might, or they are at least trying to legitimize it. Maybe they should rename the Defense Department the "Defense and Message Delivery Department". Heck, it sure beats the old name, the Department of War!
Left unsaid, though, by this administration are all the OTHER messages a missile attack on Syria would send. Some may be more than a bit counterproductive, and harmful to our national security interests. But who needs to remind anyone of those messages since it gets the war drumbeaters off-message? I will! Below the squiggle, that is...
Top 10 messages we also would be sending if we attack Syria, other than the administration's stated one...
1. We go to war despite widespread popular opposition among the citizenry. Who needs the people to be backing such a sanitary mission, even if it ends up killing civilians anyway? Ugh.
2. We say we don't want to go to war and aren't going to war through a limited surgical strike. By that logic, Japan didn't go to war with us when they bombed Pearl Harbor.
3. We can attack a sovereign nation that didn't even threaten to attack us. Not unprecedented, given that we invaded and occupied Iraq just a decade ago. Still, this message gives license to other nations that may have grievances against a foe to do the same. Sovereignty, Schmovereinty!
4. We care more about punishing perpetrators of war crimes with bombs than in aiding the victims of that war who are flooding refugee camps. To Hell with winning hearts and minds in the Arab world, looking like "good guys" is for pansies.
5. We don't mind putting a big fat target on our backs. Opening ourselves up to retaliation, either right away or at some point in the future, either over there or on our own shores, doesn't matter. We'll just deal with that little or not-so little nuisance then.
6. We don't care that Iran's new leader shows moderate leanings, and getting off on the wrong foot by attack his country's top ally shows we don't respect our enemies in Iran, even when they signal olive branches may be offered. Way to set back moderate forces in Iran, President Obama!
7. We think Syria and rebels killing 100,000 people by "conventional" means is fine and dandy, and in fact are sanctioning it. We just have a beef when chemicals are the chosen means of death delivery. The deaths themselves in that war-torn country just aren't that big a concern for us.
8. We don't care when a "coalition of the willing" in this instance is even smaller than what GW Bush cobbled together in advance of the invasion of Iraq. Going it nearly alone to enforce international norms makes no sense since its not a true international effort, but who gives a crap when you're the "indispensable nation" and the "last remaining superpower"? Pax Americana and military hegemony is all that matters to those in power.
9. We listen to Israel and AIPAC, and respond to the wishes of Saudi Arabia and Qatar before we listen to our own people. This is geopolitics, God-damnit, and client states in the region plus our oil interests supersede the will of the American people.
10. We still have a democracy? HAH HAH HAHA! People still believe that nonsense? We are a militaristic corporatocracy, and whatever TPTB and plutocrats want, TPTB and plutocrats get. We hope that going to Congress for approval kept the veneer of democracy alive in our country, because social unrest that could result if the people wake up and rise up would be SO inconvenient. Let's hope the dog and pony show we gave and the debates in Congress satiate the masses, at least for a while.
I'm sure my top 10 list of messages weren't all of them, but maybe you could suggest a few more in the comments.