A Line Can Be A Differnce Maker, or Can Make No Difference Or Worse!

President Obama showed the Syrian dictator, Assad, a Red Line. The message was clear. If chemical weapons were utilized against the Syrian people, The United States would intervene. At the very least, a no fly zone would be established over Syria. Assad proceeded to ignore the warning and went ahead and used the deadly weapons against his own people anyway!

We all found out soon afterward that Obama never had any intention of enforcing that Red Line against Assad. Instead, a very different message was delivered i.e. our President's Red Line was without teeth and was nothing more than an empty idle threat.

A "LINE" like Obama's tells all of America's adversaries around the world that the President's word means nothing, and worse still, that the U.S. can no longer be trusted as a strong and reliable ally! This kind of "LINE" only worsened an already dangerous situation. At best, it made no difference at all. What kind of a "LINE" is that??

But there are other kinds of LINES that can and do make a difference. History provides us with such a line and our President would do well to make note of it.

Way back in 1836, Texas was struggling to win its independence from a Mexico ruled by a ruthless dictator, Antonio Lopez
Santa Anna, a man with no respect for human life much like Assad of Syria today. Santa Anna didn't even respect his own troops, often referring to them as so many chickens.


Less than 200 Texan freedom fighters including Davy Crockett, Jim Bowie, and William Barret Travis were trying to buy time for Sam Houston to organize an army large enough to defeat Santa Anna. These brave souls were trapped inside the Alamo, a fort surrounded by thousands of Santa Anna's soldiers.

Col. Travis drew a "LINE" in the sand and addressed his tiny garrison at the end of the day on March 5th, 1836. He told the men that although they would all be killed if they remained in the fort, it was possible that they could inflict so much damage on the Mexican army that it would give Sam Houston time enough to raise an army sufficient to win the war for Texas Independence. He also told his men that their fight would inspire the rest of Texas to rally to Houston's side and join the Texan troops.

Every man in the Alamo crossed over that "LINE" to join their brave commander, and just six weeks later, General Sam Houston defeated Santa Anna's army in 18 minutes screaming "Remember the Alamo." This "LINE" will never be erased from the place in the Alamo where it was placed so long ago. The result was the establishment of the independent Republic of Texas which eventually became a great part of our nation.

A line in the sand, whether at the Alamo years ago, or over Syria in modern times, has meaning only if enforced! It can inspire or it can be meaningless, or worse, depending on the person who draws it.

Are you listening, President Obama?

Well, seeing that it was more than likely the rebels that used the chemical weapons, for whatever reason, then we would all probably be crying what was Obama thinking, starting to bomb Assad.

In this instance, it would appear to be a false flag incident, something created to wage war on someone the U.S and most of NATO want removed from Syria,

But yeah, we should oppose tyrannical regimes. Let's take out North Korea, followed by China.

a reply to: Cobaltic1978

I agree with you on what happened in Syria. All evidence points toward the US backed Isis rebels using the chemical weapons against the Syrian civilians.

But attempting to remove China's Govt would result in nuclear war. Which benefits no one. And is probably the dumbest course of action available to the US at this time.

a reply to: [post=20286863]Cobaltic1978/post]

Taking out North Korea is one thing. China quite another. Either course is loaded with danger. A nuclear war is the very last thing anyone wants!

a reply to: kendix1960
Nice post OP I agree!

a reply to: Quantum12

Thank you again, Quantum 12

a reply to: skunkape23

It wouldn't have turned out the way it did for Bugs had Obama shown some backbone and enforced his line against the Syrian dictator. And more importantly, a lot of lives may have been spared. And that's always a good thing.

a reply to: kendix1960
You are actually comparing Obama to Travis?
If it weren't so unbearably sad, I would have to laugh.
Col. Travis wasn't a community organizer.

a reply to: diggindirt

Nope. All Travis did was help to organize resistance against a tyrant and a dictator. Obama would have been better off continuing to teach constitutional law. Perhaps if he did, he would have learned to respect our constitution. Or, on second thought, probably not!

a reply to: kendix1960
Exactly, Travis was intelligent enough to know that a "beer summit" won't stop a tyrant.

The other major difference in your situation is that the dictator/tyrant was literally on our border. Syria is an ocean away and has never threatened or harmed us. IF there are regional issues to be settled, I'm all for keeping our noses out of the issues and letting the locals fight or work it out. If we tended to our business and taking care of our own folks, we wouldn't have time nor inclination to attempt to impose our will on other nations.
I know that's a radical stance but it is mine and I'm stickin' to it. Treat others as you wish to be treated.

a reply to: kendix1960

I think the OP is stating that in life you need to lay the line down and if one person crosses it too many times then that is too much, so lay the line and stick to your guns.

a reply to: Quantum12

Right on, Quantum12!

My other point is that the line drawn at the Alamo on March 5th,1836 came at a time when every one of the only 185 men in the fort knew that Santa Anna would attack in force the next morning with an overwhelming force of 5,000 men, and that this tyrant and dictator would be certain to breach their walls and kill them all to the last man. They were still inspired nevertheless to cross the line from mortality to immortality and sacrifice their lives so that their beloved Texas would be inspired to fight on and win independence. The men of the Alamo achieved their goal when Houston's forces defeated Santa Anna six weeks after the Alamo fell and after all of the men in the fort had perished. Houston's men were inspired by the famous battle cry that will live forever---"Remember the Alamo." The line drawn by Col. Travis therefore spelled ultimate victory, and the new Texas Republic was given birth from the ashes of the brave men of the Alamo!

President Obama's line over Syria only spelled weakness and lack of resolve, thereby accomplishing absolutely nothing and leaving America without credibility in the eyes of her world partners.

originally posted by: kendix1960
President Obama showed the Syrian dictator, Assad, a Red Line. The message was clear. If chemical weapons were utilized against the Syrian people, The United States would intervene. At the very least, a no fly zone would be established over Syria. Assad proceeded to ignore the warning and went ahead and used the deadly weapons against his own people anyway!

Assad proceeded to ignore the warning and went ahead and used the deadly weapons against his own people anyway

That was never proven, it only ever an allegation. None of the videos shown at the time showed any convincing evidence at all. All it showed was some blokes firing what certainly could have been gas canisters over a fence but there was absolutely nothing in such videos to prove the blokes were Syrian soldiers or the containers contained gas.

We all need to bear in mind that truth is always the first causality of war.

Surely prudence would require a little more evidence than allegation. The only other credible and rational explanation is that one is blinded by too big a dose of national pride such that it interferes with ones judgement.

Anyway, we are all a 'work in progress otherwise we would not be here.

a reply to: Azureblue

It's well settled that Assad violated the terms of Obama's red line or, at the very least, allowed and/or encouraged that violation. Either way, once having issued the threat carried in his line, the president's credibility and the credibility of America became a part of that line as well. Quite a contrast to the line Col. Travis drew at the Alamo so long ago, and quite a different outcome as well!

History will not be as kind to Obama as it has been to Travis. Travis was a brave man, an intelligent man with foresight and ability. Obama will be seen as weak and wimpy and capitulating.

Edited to add: Good OP, btw.

a reply to: queenofswords

My thanks to you, queen of words! What you said about Travis, and about Obama, is so very true. Spoken like a queen!

originally posted by: kendix1960
a reply to: Azureblue

It's well settled that Assad violated the terms of Obama's red line or, at the very least, allowed and/or encouraged that violation. Either way, once having issued the threat carried in his line, the president's credibility and the credibility of America became a part of that line as well. Quite a contrast to the line Col. Travis drew at the Alamo so long ago, and quite a different outcome as well!

While I would argue that Oboma has no place making a line for anyone, in terms of Obamas actions and its impact on the US, the point you make is a good and well made. its something I had not thought of, thanks for making it.

a reply to: Azureblue

Thank you, Azureblue.

a reply to:CrazyWater:

It has been a while since I posted anything here but I want to report that Obama has just drawn another of his so called "Red Lines," this time regarding the right Israel has to continue control of the Golan Heights. The President has told Vladimir Putin of Russia that Israeli control of the Golan, acquired from Syria in the 1967 War, is a red line Putin must not cross. This issue comes up once again given Russia's latest new involvement in the Syrian civil war. Putin backs his ally, Assad and wants to keep this dictator in power.
Does anyone really think Putin will pay attention to this Obama red line after the way our weak president did nothing when Assad ignored the last one?