Letters: ‘And Now, Now Will We Go to War?’

What If There Is No Ethical Way to Act in Syria Now?

Last week, Sigal Samuel spoke with a variety of philosophers and ethicists about America’s moral responsibility in Syria. Many of them were at a loss.

The philosophers dropping in for comments throughout Sigal Samuel’s piece left me utterly baffled and frustrated. I have no doubts of their sincerity, let alone any good intentions. However, first and foremost, I’d like to ask each whether they understand the sheer luxury, the privilege, they have in the ability to have the conversation in the first place. The privilege, the freedom (dubious, I know), to debate the merits of who dies and for what reasons.

Brian Barnes
Los Angeles, Calif.

And now, now will we go to war?
Is that what we were supposed to have done before?

Overthrow the man who was misbehaving? Insist we be the ones to do the saving? Remake the demolished country in our image? … Did we learn any