Don't draw line

This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2013, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

The president is a definite wimp. He stated that the use of chemical weapons in Syria is a red line that cannot be crossed. The evidence shows the government of Syria used chemical weapons against its own people.

The red line was crossed, with more than 1,400 dead, including women and children. Our inaction has caused the credibility of the United States to wane in the Middle East to zero. Our allies in the region have no reason to trust us or our word; we speak out of both sides of our mouth.

Credibility depends on backing up what you say with action, not mere words. The president should never have said there was a red line that could not be crossed unless he meant it, and was prepared to back up his words.

Which he did not.

Bruce Cohne

Salt Lake City