It is questionable whether blowing up a few storage areas for chemical weapons will be enough to deter Bashar al-Assad from making use of the chemical weapons the country still has in its possession. Throughout their six-year civil war, the Syrian dictator has been ruthless in his use of weapons against his own people.
The United States and its allies have accomplished nothing productive yet in its attempts to prevent Syria’s use of chemical weapons, so millions of Syrians are still being subjected to deadly chemical attacks. Firing missiles is not a substitute for an actual strategy.
There is little evidence that supports the idea that bombing campaigns, like the ones in Syria, are able to change behavior or deter conduct by state officials. Yet leaders like President Trump continue to use this method, and to little success. It allows these leaders to claim action, while more often than not negative consequences are inevitable, and the very conduct we wish to prevent continues to happen.
President Obama was chastised for choosing to negotiate a deal with Syria for the removal of chemical weapons instead of bombing, yet that deal was able to remove hundreds of chemical weapons from Syria and no such weapons were used for three years after the fact.
Vice President Mike Pence said these air strikes were a “morally right act to take.” It would have been even more morally right to allow orphaned Syrian refugees from entering the United States.