Intervention

“Dear President Assad,

We don’t talk about it ever, but I love you very much. I know you love me very much, and you are very proud of us . We wouldn’t be where we are, or have what we have, if it weren’t for you. You taught us that we need to learn how to take care of ourselves before we rely on anyone else to do it for us. You encouraged us and supported us in our global aspirations. This gave us the confidence we needed to accept diplomatic positions that took us throughout the Middle East on our own.

When I went through my major civil war, you were the one whose shoulder I cried on. You were the one I trusted. You helped us get through it.

President Assad, your chemical weapons have been a part of our lives for a very long time. We didn’t get here overnight. It is running our life. When we call to check in, if it is too late in the evening, you’re launching missiles. You get on the phone and your speech is slurred. When we talk later in the week you don’t even remember our conversations. Sometimes you’re passed out, and we don’t get to talk at all.

When weapon inspectors come to visit you, and we're on the way out to walk the dog, if you’re in the bunker we’ll try to wait a little while because we don’t want to catch you secretly killing your own people. We do this to save you embarrassment. Or else we try to make a lot of noise in the laundry room so you know we're coming, and you can hide the sarin .

If we show up at your house late in the evening, you’re using chemical weapons. I see it in your eyes, hear it in your speech and watch you move back and forth from the kitchen cupboard to the couch, with an occasional trip to the bunker to launch from your hidden supply.

We love you, and we don’t like seeing chemical weapons sucking the life out of you. We’re all here together because we want you to accept help. We’re here to help. Will you accept our help today?

Love, The Syrian People”