GUEST COLUMN

Bombing Syria will unleash chemicals throughout region

CAROL ABAYA

The United States’ proposed bombing of Syria will only unleash deadly chemicals and kill thousands of people. The word “strike” is being used to describe potential American action against Syria.

“Strikes” are bombings — bombings that will undoubtedly hit chemical depots with the result that deadly gases will be released into the air. Thousands more will be killed by American hands.

The president describes potential action as “limited.” What does this really mean? What would be hit?

The objective, so the president says, is to wreck missile launching capabilities and planes. Airfields would be hit, but this is exactly where chemicals are now stored.

So Americans, in their egotistical mentality to save the world, will kill even more innocent women and children than Assad has.

Americans must oppose any overt action against Syria.

What is the answer? I do not know. I do know that whenever and wherever the United States has interfered in other countries more chaos and death have resulted. The economy in these countries has been devastated and the average man (woman and child) on the street has suffered immeasurably.

I need not, but will, remind the president of the United States’ recent follies in Iraq, Libya and Egypt, where chaos still reigns. Past follies? Cuba, Iran, Liberia, the Philippines. The ramifications of the United States’ actions in all these countries are still very apparent even decades later.

As a former foreign correspondent who covered coups and revolutions, before the United States’ illegal invasion of Iraq, I warned that Iraq did not have atomic weapons or deadly chemicals. I warned that only more chaos and deaths would occur. I was right. Chaos and killings are still rampant in Iraq.

Today in Syria the so-called “opposition” consists of politically unorganized, mostly uneducated individuals and multiple groups of unhappy young people. There is absolutely no viable leadership.

Thrown into this mix is the estimated 10,000 to 20,000 outside terrorists who not only kill for the sake of killing, but always terrorize everyone else.

My warning now: deadly chemicals will be unleashed by these so-called “limited strikes.” The entire region will experience the repercussions and thousands of people inside and outside Syria, including people in Israel, Jordan and Lebanon, will be killed.

The United States must not strike. I was right before. I am right now.

Carol Abaya is a resident of Marlboro who has a master’s degree in international relations from New York University.