syria

President Obama seems determined to involve the United States in another civil war in the Middle East, this time in Syria. Because his recent involvement in Libya failed to blow up in our collective faces, Obama seems confident enough to intervene in another country's internal affairs. His announcement that the U.S. will help arm Syrian rebels fighting against President Bashar al-Assad should, however, give us pause. Just because we were lucky in Libya does not mean we will be so fortunate in Syria. We could easily be arming our future enemies.  Such is one of the many dangers we face when we choose sides in a civil war.

There is a time for the U.S. to adopt a stance of armed neutrality, and this is one of them.  We can certainly condemn one side's actions - such as for the use of chemical weapons - and we can certainly provide humanitarian aid.  Food, water and medical supplies can be showered on both sides in a civil conflict without the U.S. choosing sides.  But when we provide arms we have crossed a line from which there is no retreat. For when we do that, we have chosen sides and provided lethal aid.