To: President Donald Trump, The United States House of Representatives, and The United States Senate
Drop Gas Masks, Not Bombs
Mr. President:
We understand that you feel the need to do something about the use of Sarin gas in Syria. However, it is not enough to simply do "something" with no particular objective and which will be unlikely to actually benefit anyone. As the issue is the use of gas, let us suggest that instead of using cruise missiles costing over a half million dollars each, for the same money we might easily air-drop 500,000 gas masks, assuming we would use 100 missiles. These gas masks would be helpful in preventing future gas attacks because such attacks would be less effective. They would demonstrate to the Syrian people that America has an interest in their well-being and is not simply playing politics. And there would be no need for Congressional approval.
We understand that you feel the need to do something about the use of Sarin gas in Syria. However, it is not enough to simply do "something" with no particular objective and which will be unlikely to actually benefit anyone. As the issue is the use of gas, let us suggest that instead of using cruise missiles costing over a half million dollars each, for the same money we might easily air-drop 500,000 gas masks, assuming we would use 100 missiles. These gas masks would be helpful in preventing future gas attacks because such attacks would be less effective. They would demonstrate to the Syrian people that America has an interest in their well-being and is not simply playing politics. And there would be no need for Congressional approval.
Why is this important?
Blowing things up in Syria will help no one and have negative effects on our relations with China and Russia. It would be illegal aggression under the UN Charter, and breaking UN rules because we are against others breaking other UN rules makes little sense. Giving the Syrian people gas masks will actually help them, it is legal, and it will not make any other nations mad at us.