Soapbox

I would like to reply to an argument I have been getting a lot from Donald J. Trump supporters:
    "If liberals are so damn concerned about the Syrian people, why don't you support
           Trump bombing the government that is killing them?"

~Because I am capable of caring about more than one thing at a time. I can care about civilians killed *and* about escalating an on-going conflict to a full-on war.
~Because the way to prevent death is usually not with more death- which I fear this will lead to.
~Because I question the forward-thinking and planning that went into this action. I do not believe that Trump knows- or particularly cares- what the consequences of throwing missiles around in the middle east could be. 
~Because, while I am sure that there are many in the military that DO consider the consequences wisely, Trump has stated on more than one occasion that he believes he is smarter than the generals, and everyone else. I doubt he listens to anything that doesn't agree with what he already wants to do.

~Because I question Trump's motives in the attack. Everything that Donald Trump has ever said and done and tweeted tells me that concern for the civilians of Syria was NOT his motivation for this largely window-dressing of a raid.
So what was? Shut down interest in Russia-gate by attacking a country that Russia has been helping? Prop up his poll numbers? Get some good press for a change? Well MISSION ACCOMPLISHED. The way pundits are fawning over how 'decisive' and 'presidential' he is now is not only infuriating but terrifying. If you praise an egomaniac for violence, he will commit more violence to get more praise!

~Because almost no time seems to have been taken to verify that what killed those people was a chemical attack carried out by Syria. Some are claiming (and not just the Syrian government) that what really happened was a government bomb hit a chemical storage area and released toxic chemicals that killed people. Maybe that's bullshit. Maybe that's true. Do we even know for sure?
~Because Trump has a history of 'going with his gut'. If something 'feels ' like terrorism to him (or if it would be super-handy for him if it were terrorism) then he announces to the world that it was, w/o waiting for experts to confirm this. What if that happend this week? What if he retaliated, in a manner violating international laws by the way, for a chemical attack that didn't actually happen?
~Because Trump has a history of being impulsive and revenge-motivated. In his own words, he likes to "hit back". He might eventually walk away and pretend he was never there if he's losing, but he will never publicly back down, no matter the cost.
~Because Trump is terrified of being seen as weak or a failure- which his entire presidency has been so far. Now it comes out that his $80- $90 mill attack  did approximately ZERO to degrade the Syrian military's ability- or willingness- to kill the rebels who oppose them. They were off and bombing a human rights monitoring station the very next day!  Will he attack Syria AGAIN, even more 'bigly' in order to save face, to look like a winner and not a loser?

~Because Trump says he "loves war". He seems to believe that simply possessing a vast army with deep resources is all it takes to win any fight you take on- and we all know that is not the case. Ask George Bush about Iraq. Ask Russia about Afghanistan. Ask LBJ about Vietnam. 
~Because there are no simple answers to generations of hostility and bloodshed- and Trump deals ONLY in simple answers. If he can't buy it, sue it, grope it or blow it up- Trump has nothing.

~Because a guy who wanted to block US doctors who had treated Ebola patients from being allowed to return home, who wants to stop ANY Muslim from being able to enter the US, who wants to increase pollution and toxic chemicals, cancels lead-abatement programs, defund food programs for shut-ins, deny prenatal care and cancer screenings to millions and ignore climate change to increase his own wealth does not care if pople get killed as a result of his actions!

~Because presidents sometimes must do things that kill people, and all you can ask is that they care about that. Barack Obama took actions that resulted in civilian deaths… and whether it turned out they were necessary or were an error, you could at least tell that he felt each and every one of them personally. Trump ordered a missile launch and then went to play golf.

~Because Donald Trump is a serial and unrepentant LIAR, to the point that if he said it was a sunny day I and half the world would grab an umbrella. Because you can guarantee that anything he says about a subject this closely tied (in his mind) to his own masculinity and ego WILL BE LIES, or at best gross exaggerations. 
Raise your hand if a building burned down next week and Trump said that terrorists did it, you would think …Reichstag fire. Uh huh. Half the fucking world would!
I don't believe him, YOU don't believe him, our military probably doesn't believe him and our allies sure as HELL don't believe him.   And when bombs and missiles and even nukes are on the line- that is a recipie for disaster! Not just for America but for the human race.

And finally- again, because I am capable of caring about more than one thing at a time…