April 7, 2017

“President Trump authorized a cruise missile strike of 59 warheads on Syria’s Shayrat airbase as a punitive and limited strike apparently intended to deter the Syrian government from using chemical weapons in the future…  The aim was not to kill Syrian personnel, but to deliver a message.” (see BBC news, April 7, 2017)

The world now enters a period of debate as to what this really means.  Has President Trump developed a coherent strategy for the Middle East problem enough to end the Syrian conflict, stop the warring madness and allow the refugees of war a place of sanctuary and peace?  Or has he simply done this to enhance his own prestige to now be considered “a decisive President”, who acted quickly while President Obama did not?  While we surely commend President Trump on taking decisive action to defend the humanity of us all in our abhorrence of the use of chemical weapons and warning Russia to check their expansionist intent in the Middle East, along with Iran, one must ask the more consequential question:  “Will this be enough?”

President Trump and his administration have done an about face in their perception of and tolerance for President Assad.  Whereas last week this administration was content to tolerate Assad and leave his fate to “the will of the Syrian people” (or so said Secretary of State Rex Tillerson), now we find US Ambassador Nikki Haley embarrassing the Russian UN ambassador while waving photos of children murdered by chemical weapons.  At the same instance, President Trump decries the death of “these beautiful Syrian children”, even while preparing to strike Syria with cruise missile warheads.

Estimates of persons killed in the last 6 years in the civil war in Syria approach half a million, with 6 million persons displaced within Syria, not counting all those fleeing as refugees (4.8 million persons) overwhelming Europe and free democratic societies, who while welcoming have found so many refugees bringing a more unstable Europe.  Witness the rise of the national Right movements in the Netherlands, France and Germany among those afraid their countries are being fundamentally changed by this many persons entering their nations.  Some say Brexit in England occurred also as the result, at least in part, of the flood of refugees in Europe.  UNHCR counted 4,863,684 refugees from Syria in 2016.

It is imperative for the United States in concert with Europe and the other democratic nations to quickly develop a coherent strategy for solving the Syrian civil conflict.  Both Russia and Iran apparently have a coherent plan to set up strategic bases close enough to attack the nation of Israel and become dominant players in the arena of the Middle East, with its many alliances.  ISIS (ISIL) has provided justification for both Russia and Iran to enter the conflict in Syria.  Putin has, over the past six years, used this to his advantage to place himself again as a main player on the world stage.

For President Trump to now dislodge Russia and Iran from their position of influence in Syria is a difficult, if not impossible task.  President Obama, after the Libyan debacle refused to enter the fray in Syria, despite the cries of the desperate refugees who have been dying regularly for the past six years.  Europe absorbed the great migration of over 4 million persons while the US did very little.  Now suddenly, President Trump has upped the ante in this game of world poker.  I hope to God he is holding 4 aces, or a royal flush.  In any case, he has made the first move.  It remains to be seen how Russia’s Putin will counter and whether he is willing to risk a world war to keep Assad in power.  I am afraid Putin has underestimated the willingness of this President to play the game of world poker (power).  Someone in the Kremlin seriously misjudged their ability to influence our U.S democracy and the U.S. generals who understand the nature of how to use military power.

As I have prayed for God to prevent the oppression of the illegal aliens within our borders, based on the concept of Biblical hospitality for the “stranger among us”, even as Abraham entertained the angels of God who came to visit announcing the birth of Isaac and before the destruction of Sodom (Genesis 18), so now I will pray for God to grant wisdom to the leaders of our nation and our President to guide them as we formulate US policy for the larger Middle East and Syria.  What is the end game for us?  And what is our goal in this arena?

We are now presented with a wonderful opportunity and a terrible dilemma!  Can we tame the Russian Putin while at the same time stabilizing a conflict which has already raged for six years, with a depraved leader as head of Syria unafraid to use chemical weapons on his own people?   If we thought North Korea was a delicate balance of power between the US and China, this may yet prove to be an even greater and more delicate balance between the US and Russia.  For the sake of our beautiful planet and for all humanity’s sincere desire to live in peace with one another, as we all bear the image of our Creator, let us now pray for the emergence of a new consensus not only of what is needed, but of what must be done for our human family to survive and prosper!  The old is indeed passing away.  By God’s grace, let us pray for the new day yet to come!

I am hopeful, but I am also concerned.  In my heart, I feel we are crossing the Rubicon.  It remains to be seen what we will find on the other side of this stream.  Julius Caesar, where art thou? Today, “Speak to us!”  Are we passing the point of no return?

 

A Voice of one Crying in the wilderness, “Make straight in this desert a highway for our God!”