Could there be local affects from Syria decision?

COLUMBIA, S.C. (WOLO) — “Is there a role for the United States, presumably the sole super power? Should it be the world’s policeman? Probably not,” says Charles Bierbauer, Dean of USC’s School of Mass Communications and Information Studies. 

When it comes to making a decision on how to respond to the situation in Syria, where almost one thousand, five hundred people are reportedly dead, Bierbauer says Congress should act together. 

“There is so much contention in Washington now between the White House, between Congress. On this issue, it might even start to diffuse the other issues that are bedeviling them,” says Bierbauer.

With Columbia being home to the United States Army’s largest training base, we wanted to know the local affects, if any, of any military move.

Fort Jackson officials responded by saying the base’s sole responsibility was training soldiers. 

President Obama has also stated that any response from the United States, would not involve boots on the ground. 

Bierbauer says Americans would likely agree. 

“How many people were sent off to Afghanistan, how many people are still there? How many are still residually in Iraq… a decade after the initial response to 9/11,” says Bierbauer

Tuesday, Obama specifically stated that any response to Syria would not be a repeat of the past. 

“This is not Iraq, this is not Afghanistan. this is a limited proportional step that will send a clear message not only to the Assad regime, but also to other countries that may be interested in testing some of these international norms,” says Obama. 

“If the United States doesn’t do something, who else is going to say enough of this behavior that is in contradiction with international law and good, moral conduct?,” says Bierbauer.