No menu items!

COSTA RICA'S LEADING ENGLISH LANGUAGE NEWSPAPER

HomeArchiveCosta Rica's Nobel Prize winner says U.S. intervention in Syria would be...

Costa Rica’s Nobel Prize winner says U.S. intervention in Syria would be ‘enormous mistake’

Former two-term Costa Rican President Oscar Arias(1986-1990 and 2006-2010) had strong words for his fellow Nobel Peace Prize winner United States President Barack Obama on Thursday: U.S. intervention in Syria’s civil war would be an “enormous mistake,” the former president posted on his Facebook page.

“It seems inconceivable to me that President Obama, Nobel Peace Prize winner, would be open to following the steps of ex-President [George W.] Bush. Bombing Syria from ships in the Mediterranean implies the deaths of hundreds of thousands of innocent men, women, boys and girls,” the former leader wrote.

Bashar al-Assad’s regime allegedly used chemical weapons in an attack that killed 1,429 people in a suburb of the Syrian capital, Damascus, on Aug. 21. Obama previously said that the use of chemical weapons in the Middle Eastern country’s civil war was a “red line” that would trigger a response from the U.S.

The Syrian Foreign Ministry issued a statement denying the charges, claiming that the evidence from a U.S. intelligence report was “fabricated.”

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry went to pains in his comments Friday to distance any possible military action from the previous decade of U.S. military intervention in the Middle East and South Asia.  

Any actions in Syria “will bear no resemblance to Afghanistan, Iraq, or even Libya,” Kerry said Friday, according to a speech provided by the State Department.

“That 10 years after the invasion of Iraq Washington would want, unilaterally, once again, to deal a few blows to the dictatorial and criminal regime of Bashar al-Assad to weaken it, knowing full and well that this will not topple the government, does not seem like the best path to follow,” added Arias.

The British Parliament voted down Prime Minister David Cameron’s proposal for military action Thursday. French President Francois Hollande, however, remained supportive of taking action against the Syrian regime alongside the United States.

On Friday, both countries issued statements saying that they wanted to send a “strong message” to the Syrian regime.

NBC News reported Friday that eight in 10 U.S. citizens want Obama to pursue congressional approval for any act of force against the Assad regime, according to a news poll from the network. Half of those surveyed said they do not think the U.S. should attack Syria following the suspected chemical attack.

Arias closed his post by calling for a multilateral approach to confronting “despotic and bloody” regimes.

AFP contributed to this story. 

Trending Now

A Costa Rica Love Story: From Rustic Cabina to Separate Dreams

My Tica wife and I have been together for over a quarter century. When we met, I was living a simple life here. Three...

Hondurans March to Mark 2009 Coup as Election Battle Heats Up

Thousands of government supporters marched Saturday in the capital of Honduras to commemorate the anniversary of the 2009 coup that ousted then-leftist President Manuel...

Retired Nicaraguan Army Captain Sentenced to 50 Years for Treason

A retired military officer was sentenced to 50 years in prison in Nicaragua for the crime of "treason against the homeland," his family denounced...

Fishing, Wildlife, and History in Costa Rica’s Barra del Colorado

Costa Rica’s Barra del Colorado is a magical and charming town. It’s one of the country’s hidden gems, best known for its world-class sport...

2025 Gold Cup: Honduras Advances After Dramatic Shootout, Mexico Ends Goal Drought

Honduras, with a surprising and dramatic penalty shootout victory over Panama, and Mexico, with a lackluster win against Saudi Arabia, advanced Saturday to the...

Guatemala Makes History as They Face USA in Gold Cup Semifinal Showdown

Desperate to show progress under Mauricio Pochettino, the United States is looking to secure a return to the CONCACAF Gold Cup final on Wednesday...
spot_img
Costa Rica Tours
Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Travel Insurance
Costa Rica Rocking Chait
Costa Rica Travel

Latest News from Costa Rica