An act of war against a nation that is not threatening us has unpredictable consequences, almost all on the downside.
Supporters of US military action in Syria (and elsewhere) must therefore have certainty that the good done and the lives saved by the action exceed any harm done, most of which is unpredictable and all of which is uncontrollable. They must also be sure that the information that they use to justify the action is beyond reasonable doubt.
Put another way, the certainty of the harm done must be matched by moral and informational certainty of those doing it. Is it as we intervene in Syria?
Also, if the case is that clear, why violate the Constitution by not requesting the support of the people, in whose name the violence is being done?
Robin Koerner is a British-born citizen of the USA, who currently serves as Academic Dean of the John Locke Institute. He holds graduate degrees in both Physics and the Philosophy of Science from the University of Cambridge (U.K.). He is also the founder of WatchingAmerica.com, an organization of over 100 volunteers that translates and posts in English views about the USA from all over the world.
Robin may be best known for having coined the term “Blue Republican” to refer to liberals and independents who joined the GOP to support Ron Paul’s bid for the presidency in 2012 (and, in so doing, launching the largest coalition that existed for that candidate).
Robin’s current work as a trainer and a consultant, and his book If You Can Keep It , focus on overcoming distrust and bridging ideological division to improve politics and lives. His current project, Humilitarian, promotes humility and civility as a basis for improved political discourse and outcomes.