Trump's Criticism of Obama on Syrian Chemical Attack is Correct -- and Completely Meaningless

As of this writing, 72 civilians including children in the Syrian town of Khan Sheikhoun are dead as a result of a chemical weapons attack yesterday by the Assad regime (Predictably, the Russians blame Syrian rebels and not their client).


President Trump did not hesitate to assert that former President Obama bears responsibility for the attack:


These heinous actions by the Bashar al-Assad regime are a consequence of the past administration’s weakness and irresolution. President Obama said in 2012 that he would establish a ‘red line’ against the use of chemical weapons and then did nothing. The United States stands with our allies across the globe to condemn this intolerable attack.


To those who are shocked, shocked that President Trump would publicly blame President Obama should not throw rocks from glass houses. After all, there were numerous occasions when President Obama was more than happy to publicly blame President Bush for his troubles where it concerned Iraq, the debt and the VA scandal among other things. President Trump isn't the first Commander in Chief to blame his predecessor nor will he be the last.


At least in this instance, President Trump is correct. A very reasonable argument can be made that if President Obama was prepared to enforce his red line that yesterday's attack would not have taken place.


However correct President Trump's statement might be, it is also completely meaningless.


President Obama's incompetence and ineptness notwithstanding, Syria is President Trump's problem whether he likes it or not. If Obama's response to Syria was characterized by weakness and irresolution then the onus is upon Trump to show strength and resolve. The question is how will Trump show strength and resolve.


The fact is that in August & September 2013, Trump did not support military intervention in Syria. At one point, he tweeted, "What I am saying is stay out of Syria." Will he follow this credo and say how high when Vladimir Putin tells him to jump? Or will Trump bring pressure to bear on Russia to lean on Assad from carrying out further attacks using chemical weapons? I am inclined to believe that it will more likely be the former than the latter.


When a regime uses chemical weapons against innocent civilians, I am only interested how the President of the United States, whoever that might be, will use his power to stop further attacks. I am not interested in his critique of former Presidents. Such critiques do nothing to save the lives of innocent civilians.