Learn from history and move toward peace

Editor,

A letter to President Obama from an ordinary citizen who has the dream of a more peaceful world.

Dear President Obama,

The reality of Syria: past, present and future
The past — What has happened within Syria is over and done with and cannot be changed.  One of the lessons of the past is that whenever violence was used by other nations in the effort to resolve a civil war within a nation, more violence and death has always been the outcome, both inside that nation and outside of it.

The present — You and all the rest of us on this planet are situated at a fork in the road. One way forward is for you to decide to order an attack against Syria; and the other way forward is for you to decide not to order an attack against Syria.

The future — It will be determined by the decision you make. It really is as simple as that.  If you decide to attack Syria, the result will be that there will be a great deal more violence and death both inside and outside of Syria and many people will suffer because you made that decision.

If you decide to not attack Syria and instead strive to unite everyone in the effort to confine the violence and death to within the borders of Syria, there is the potential of lessening violence and death in many parts of the world.

Please sir, heed the lesson of history and allow that to be the guide that directs you as you proceed forward along the path that leads away from violence and death and towards peace.

Robert Gardiner
Daily Lobo reader