Toward the end of the Second World War, the Allies were begged to bomb the Nazi gas chambers to stop the gassing of innocents.

They refused and argued that "It might make the Nazis angry."

Sound familiar?

It is undeniable that the potential reaction to an attempt to make the Assad regime accountable for their actions (assuming they are responsible,) might result in a yet unknown backlash.

But what is guaranteed is that no response will result in a worse outcome.

The West has a coloured reputation for 'doing the moral thing'.  Yet if they cannot be relied on to do at least that, then stand back while all hell breaks loose.

Britain has already capitulated its morality. France is trying to do the right thing through its gutsy President and against public cowardice. And now the US Right are backing away from the moral path. Pathetic and profoundly depressing.

Society is meant to evolve over time to reach higher levels of intelligence, compassion and tolerance. We appear to be headed in the opposite direction. In this modern world, who will stand up for the moral path despite its isolation and loneliness?

If no one will, then god help us all because we will need it.

Many in the media and others are quite ready to demonise Geert Wilders as 'hateful and intolerant'. To me he appears no more 'hateful and intolerant' than the people who he is accused of being 'hateful and intolerant' about.

Just look at what is going on in Europe, Africa, Middle East and Asia. Certainly no Nirvana of Tolerance in those places.

I'm not suggesting that one attitude justifies the other but let's get real here - Wilders is clearly reacting to the capitulation  of his country (and the rest of Europe) and countrymen to a foreign culture. I don't just mean foreign as 'not from here' but foreign in terms of 'strangeneness' of what his countrymen are accustomed to. He is justifiably concerned about his country's living reality, and fearful of what is in store in the years ahead.

I have been a liberal all my life - but being liberal doesn't mean that just because someone else wants to do things to you or your environment, that you have to let them. Liberal thought and tolerance cuts both ways - it's very ecumenical to be tolerant and loving to  all - including new migrants with their distinctive cultures. But what happens when the 'loving' is only one-way and the people you are tolerant of are not reciprocating the tolerance.

Do you say "Oh well - doesn't matter" or do you attempt to protect what is your intrinsic makeup and character?

That's your choice of course, but I suspect that there are millions more people in Europe who share the feelings and concerns of Wilders but are too intimdated or fearful to say anything.