Dear Editor:

You asked for it so you got it: my slant on the Syrian issue. This may come as a huge surprise to many of your readers but I think that America is better off staying out of this fight.

I do agree with Secretary of State John Kerry (another big surprise for some) that gassing anyone, much less ones own people is a “moral obscenity.” But, it is not our moral obscenity. This is a civil war in a sovereign nation thousands of miles from our borders. The chance that Americans are affected is slim and to be honest if they are over there then that’s their problem. While I think that the United Nations is an ineffectual corrupt body, this is just the thing that it was formed to take care of.

I will admit that if Bashar al-Assad or the Syrian rebels decided that it would be a good idea to use chemical weapons over here in America then I would encourage that the U.S. military be used to land on them with both feet. I think the terms “shock and awe” and “overwhelming firepower” should be the watchwords in that case.

I do disagree with you on one point you made in your editorial, Mr. Editor. This is not a “quasi-religious” war sir; it is an honest to goodness real live “religious” war. These people have been fighting and killing each other for centuries and if long past history doesn’t teach us that we are never going to make a difference then the last ten years certainly should.

My personal message to our elected officials is stay the hell out of the Mideast!

Linc Sample
Boothbay Harbor