The Syrian rebels and Syrian government headed by Bashar Al-Assad have been locked in a bloody civil war since 2011. The United States government has taken a stance of neutrality since the beginning of the war. President Obama has taken the stance with his Red Line on chemical weapons. He said America will take action if Syria used chemical weapons.

On August 21, the Syrian government allegedly used chemical gas to kill over 1400 people. Rebels were not the only ones killed. Pictures of rows of dead civilians came out after the attacks many including rows of dead children.  I reached out to Senator Brown of Ohio (D) for an official statement.

“The United States has joined its allies in condemning the use of force and has undertaken diplomatic efforts to end the rule of President Assad. I support these actions and agree that the Syrian government must respect the rights of its citizens. The United States must remain engaged in this situation and not turn its back on those who seek peace and the rule of law.”

I agree with the Senator that we must make an effort to preserve the rights of the Syrian people who have been beaten down by a terrible civil war. We now know that Al-Assad does in fact have chemical weapons and he must be stopped. As a war weary nation, we must stand up again for the right all of people. I do not support putting troops in Syria, but I do support sending selective missile strikes to punish Al-Assad.

Chemical Weapons are indiscriminate weapons of warfare killing civilians and soldiers alike. If the UN cannot stand up for the rights of an alienated people the United States must step in. Letting an attack like this stand lets other dictators and governments think of chemical weapons as a real option.

“One of the gravest threats for all of humanity is weapons of mass destruction. The 1993 Chemical Weapons Convention outlaws the production, stockpiling, and use of chemical weapons. By mid-2013, 189 nations had ratified the treaty. While, as of January 2013, an estimated 78% of the world’s declared chemical weapons stockpiles have been destroyed, this doesn’t remove the threats from certain nations, terrorist groups, and nations in violent transition such as what is happening in Syria. It is also important to note that Syria was one of five nations not to have signed the treaty, the others being Angola, North Korea, Egypt, and South Sudan,” said Senator Brown.

On WMD and Chemical weapons in particular he added that the world needs to destroy as many of these weapons before they can take more lives.

The American public may be war weary and tired of fighting in the Middle East, but that is not an excuse for not standing up for what is right and upholding international laws along with the natural rights of humanity. Also I strongly support President Obama’s choice to ask Congress for a decision and I hope it sets a new standard for all Presidents to follow.