Syria - a Crisis Facing a Potential Yogi Berra Decision

People who claim to need more evidence about whether or not Syrian President Assad ordered the use of chemical weapons to kill civilians, probably believe in rain dancing.  They live in a fantasy world.  

President Assad's CNN interview with Charlie Rose suggesting he didn't order the use of chemical weapons, is a ruse. It's a trick to deflect responsibility. In fact, his answers to Rose were ambiguous and confusing. He doesn't deny using chemical weapons. Assad can't blame Secretary of State Kerry for producing "no evidence" about the use of chemical weapons, when everyone knows who's guilty.

"Take Five", or a potential diplomatic hold on the Syrian crises, comes from the unlikely source of President Vladimir Putin.  In fact, Putin offers to broker a deal whereby Assad will forfeit all chemical weapons to prevent a US attack to retaliate against their use to murder civilians.  This is a Yogi Berra opportunity, albeit fraught with the risk of even more deception.  

President Obama is in the midst of a media blitz to create a case in support of holding President Assad accountable for killing civilians with chemical weapons.  As the crises builds, President Putin has offered a "fork in the road".  As Yogi Berra would recommend, there is a chance to "take it".  In other words, this offer to enforce a removal of chemical weapons from Syria gives the world a chance to pause - but for how long?  

In my opinion, Putin's offer is a diplomatic deflection ploy. His purpose is to hold off an international crises with the United States until after the Sochi 2014 Olympic Games.

Meanwhile, Americans are skeptical of evidence required to attack Syria. In acting against Syria, the US will be engaged in the country's civil war.  Nevertheless, even Assad's use of chemical weapons in an act of genocide has been unable to convince Americans to demand accountability from yet another evil world dictator.

In somewhat of a surprise move, Putin's intervention created a fork in the road toward a military attack on Syria.  Regardless of how much we mistrust Putin or his intentions, President Obama has reached a point in this crisis where we should take it, but soon.

But, of course, this potential fork in the road should be taken before the 2014 Olympic games.  Meaning, Syria turning over their chemical weapons to international control to be destroyed, must happen soon, very soon.