What is emerging in the United States and United Kingdom now is a movement that is anti-war in form but pro-war in essence.
– The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, as quoted by Danny Postel of the Rationalist Association, who goes on to say…
[O]nly having a position on what shouldn’t be done, while avoiding the question of what should be done, is a copout – and a betrayal of the tradition of internationalism. The question of what should be done is much thornier, to be sure — it requires more thinking, analysis, reflection, even soul-searching.
Postel also observes that wrestling with the conflicting issues at play and thinking hard about how the Syrian tragedy can be resolved is what internationalism demands we do.
Far too many see Syria in entirely US/UK terms, to the point that they completely ignore the plight of Syrians. By opposing intervention without any consideration of what can or should be done to resolve the conflict, far too many people who claim to be progressives, are effectively taking the side the brutal and authoritarian Hassan regime in this conflict.
