Hands Off Syria??

[Waiting For Everyman]

3. Yes, governing by polls is a very bad idea.

This is a very tough decision, I don't envy those having to make it. It has a similar feel to it, to the Cuban Missile Crisis. (Don't know about you but I remember that very well, it was a very scary time.)

But the one thing I do hope is that everyone who is involved in the process is well-informed. The President does inspire confidence on that score. But I'm not sure we'd want to know how many Congress folks might flunk that little quiz. I'm half-kidding, I hope I'm wrong on that.

We, the public, do have an obligation to educate ourselves too. Especially if we're going to be active politically.

The key fact for me about this, or one of them, has been whether the Syrian public in general really, really, really wanted us there. A week ago I didn't think so. But I decided to try to find that out, and read quite a bit, and the facts surprised me, I was wrong. Syrians do in fact want our help, very badly. That still doesn't say what we should do though, the situation is so complicated. My experience is leading me to wonder if it may be the "undecideds" who have the better grasp of it, because there is no strongly best answer, yes or no. They're both impossible choices.

I just hope that The President finds the same creative judgment that JFK had during the missile crisis. He is a good man for such a moment, fortunately.