By Russell Omo

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Fourteen hundred innocent civilians were killed after the miasma caused by a chemical weapons attack designated by Bashar al-Assad and his government regime in late August. By breaking the international oath forged by the Chemical Weapons Convention, President Barack Obama addressed the nation on Sept. 10, explaining the current situation in Syria. Through the sentiments and explanations one thing was clear. Justice was needed. President Barack Obama donned his badge and brandished his pistol like those presidents before him, with sights aimed at Assad, confirming that military action towards Syria was an indefinite possibility. However, the people of America resented this idea of playing sheriff, and although Obama addressed these doubts from the people and even Congress, the mission still stood, ready and willing to take on all possibilities and responsibilities.

“Foreign wars and foreign entanglements cannot prevent us from feeling deep concern when ideals and principles that we have cherished are challenged.” Obama stated that evening, “I believe we should act. That’s what makes America different. That’s what makes us exceptional.”

However our soldiers are still fighting the war in Afghanistan and it is going to be a while before that conflict is fully resolved. The question is if our people can endure doing more for the world and most importantly, what will the U.S. gain by doing this. Although contrary to our philosophy, it is by no means a selfish thing to ask. The U.S. has, since its inception, been carrying the responsibility in war and diplomatic negotiations for problems outside our country. But every responsibility bears its burden.  Every American is saddened by the loss of  soldiers who have paid the ultimate price for others. Obama even quoted an anonymous veteran in his address to the nation who stated, “This nation is sick and tired of war.” Also by interfering in other countries’ affairs, while standing up for ideals and principals, America often feels the backlash of negative criticism. It is only natural for us Americans to feel the weight of carrying that responsibility.

The U.S. needs to step down from this role of being the sole hero and the mentality that it is up to us to solve each problem. But not so that we stop contributing to the world, but to the fact that other countries contribute to the ideals and principles that we have for so long upheld. It is the time for those who criticize us, those same countries who have the power and resources as us to serve the world, to do just that. This weight of responsibility is not only ours, but the world’s, we need to carry it together. To further that point, even as we debate on this subject, negotiations have  been discussed between Syria and the U.S. with the help of Russia.

Although it may seem we, the people of America, are not being “exceptional” by not wanting to attack Syria for its use of chemical weapons on its citizens, being the protector of the world is not what makes us American. We have in no way stepped away from our principles. We are “exceptional” because we have maintained the principle that we are “a government of the people, by the people, for the people.”