If hitting Assad is as important as Mr. Obama insists that it is (assuming we can still do anything meaningful militarily at this point), and if Republicans are to trust him (and ignore the long history of the president’s duplicity), then they have a right to ask for a token of his sincerity.
May I suggest that, in exchange for a “yes” vote, they win a delay on ObamaCare for another year? Hey, politics ain’t beanbag, as they say–and we could even use the savings on healthcare to pay for Mr. Obama’s missiles. He’s busy trying to buy the votes of his fellow Democrats, so why should the oft-maligned Republicans give theirs away for free?
Personally, my vote would still be “no.” As awful as Assad’s actions are, Mr. Obama hasn’t made the case that America needs to effect a “limited” strike, hasn’t built a coalition, hasn’t clearly defined what the objective would be, and doesn’t inspire confidence that he has the experience or character to do what is needed in Syria. Better no action than a half-baked, politically motivated, and dangerous one.
