DANGEROUS INHERITANCES

Yesterday, our Commander in Chief ordered the launching of some fifty Tomahawks to strike two different Syrian airstrips. Some claim the targets were actually two locations where chemical weapons were allegedly stocked. Whilst it would have been very difficult to remain silent in view of the horrific images of small children killed with poisonous gas, the decision raises more questions than answers and allows for multiple angles for interpretation. I'm a Republican, but above all I'm a proud American citizen and I want the best for this country FIRST, and by extension for the rest of the world. I would like the reader to join me as my mind wanders though the maze of motives, reasons, goals, strategies and possible outcomes the complex international scenario shows us. No absolute truth is claimed and no single solution, if any, is invoked.

1- Barrack Obama inherited two wars; to my judgement he made the wrong decision pulling out and most of all emailing the enemy time and coordinates of said pull out (figuratively speaking). His decision to withdraw, especially in such humiliating fashion and low tail dog demeanor emboldened our enemies. But the original sin lies on the Bush administration and its naive (provided there were no other interests) notion of exporting our way of life to peoples with different heritages and historical avatars. It was ignorant and suicidal and it passed on to Mr Obama a very difficult situation.

2- Mr Obama, who is not responsible for the failures in Iraq and Afghanistan, did worsen the situation in the region with his clumsy role in the overthrow of Gaddafi (who had already made peace with us and could be used to our advantage) and the consequent dismembering of Libya; his policies handed Egypt to the Muslim Brotherhood on a silver platter and had it not been for the traditional expeditiousness and omnipresence of the Egyptian military we would have a Muslim regime with a border with Israel. In an outrageous show if hypocrisy the Obama administration kept its distance from Egyptian strongman El Sissi while he even tried a bear hug on Raul Castro. Our enemy of fifty an odd years was removed from the list of nations that sponsor terrorism as we continued to denounce abuse of human rights in an old ally.

3- Bush responsible to some extent, Obama responsible to some extent. Despite his undeniable shortcomings; harsh demeanor, short fuse and lack of governing experience, Donald J Trump is NOT in any way, shape or form responsible for any of the conflicts he has inherited. But he is the president now; blaming his predecessors could set the record straight but won't straighten up anything.

4- As the situation in Syria deteriorates his relation with Vladimir Putin may become more and more strained. The honey moon (if ever there was one) could be over before we know it and that would make things ever more complicated. 

5- Let us not forget we have another madman breaking one rule after another in North Korea; not even his Chinese partners seem to be able to put a leash on him as he is most likely blackmailing his northern neighbors with millions of unwanted immigrants (the same extortion used by the Havana Junta, only there the two countries are only divided by a river). So El Loco, as half sarcastically half endearingly some Cuban Americans call the president, invites the Chinese president to a state dinner at his mansion in West Palm Beach and I envision him asking to be excused for a second only to reappear five minutes later; his lips u shaped lengthened in that sardonic smile of his and offhandedly dropping an explanatory remark on his guest: "sorry Mr Jinping, I had to go authorize my Navy to bomb the shit out of Assad; excuse me where were we?; oh yes, North Korea. As I was saying Mr President you have to help us with that crazy kid; do you like Dennis Rodman?"

6- I can't help noticing that for now the attack has been limited to two bases where Russians are unlikely to be embedded with their Syrian counterparts. It is my understanding that Russia and other key players were informed before the strike; so what now? . For Putin to change his position in Syria a lot of chess has to be played; so where does this leave us? Have we at least managed to scare the Chinese to a point where they order the Korean kid to go back to his video games and quit bothering the adults? Is the rest of the world convinced our president is bold enough to push the bottom? Or are the bad guys convinced he's just show and no substance?