A must read from Robert FIsk about Syria

We should have been traumatised into action by this war in 2011. And 2012. But now?

Iran is ever more deeply involved in protecting the Syrian government. Thus a victory for Bashar is a victory for Iran.  And Iranian victories cannot be tolerated by the West

So there is nothing pleasant about the regime in Damascus.  Nor do these comments let the regime off the hook when it comes to mass gassing.  But I am old enough to remember that when Iraq – then America’s ally – used gas against the Kurds of Hallabjah in 1988, we did not assault Baghdad.  Indeed, that attack would have to wait until 2003, when Saddam no longer had any gas or any of the other weapons we nightmared over.  And I also happen to remember that the CIA put it about in 1988 that Iran was responsible for the Hallabjah gassings, a palpable lie that focused on America’s enemy whom 

Saddam was then fighting on our behalf.  And thousands – not hundreds – died in Hallabjah.  But there you go.  Different days, different standards.

And I suppose it’s worth noting that when Israel killed up to 17,000 men, women and children in Lebanon in 1982 in an invasion supposedly provoked by the attempted PLO murder of the Israeli ambassador in London – it was Saddam’s mate Abu Nidal who arranged the killing, not the PLO, but that doesn’t matter now – America merely called for both sides to exercise “restraint”.  

It's funny how western governments pick and choose which countries are rogue nations and which are allies even though they are barely two degrees to the left of North Korea.  When its covenant these governments turn a blind eye to torture, extrajudicial executions, mass imprisonment of the dictatorships flavor of the month opponents, suppression of basic freedoms, and so much more.  But now its time to bomb Syria back to the stone age because its government is supported by Iran.