A Temporary Reprieve

I am not certain whether the Assad regime or the administration of Barack Hussein Obama is more fortunate that the United States has postponed military action until Congress is consulted. The limited aim of Obama's planned strike, which evidently was to bombard Syria from afar with cruise missiles, but "no boots on the ground", actually betrayed a lack of determination on Obama's part to do enough to change the strategic equation on the ground in Syria. In all likelihood, Assad would personally survive action wherein America holds back so much power and in so doing, be able to claim victory over Obama because in the perspective of Middle Eastern perception such a David against Goliath fight as the last superpower versus a tiny tyrannical regime that has already fought its way off the ropes, the mere survival of Assad's ruling cadre after an American attack will be seen to have been Assad vanquishing a weakened United States. The "limited" nature of Obama's planned military involvement may mean that no action at all is better than half measures. It might be better to have Congress hold Obama back than leave America's enemies with the notion that America is now only a paper tiger.