How to really hurt Assad

I am appalled at this country’s lack of imagination and common sense in addressing Bashar Assad’s use of chemical weapons. Any missile attack would just give him the opportunity to say, “I have defied the United States and survived.” Not the message we want to send.

We need to attack Assad at his weak point. The huge refugee camps are an embarrassment for his regime. Our answer should be to take the funds we would spend on military deployment and weapons and use them in the refugee camps.

Set up secular schools to teach reading, writing and arithmetic — in Arabic, including girls (in separate classrooms if necessary). Set up occupational training and further education for adults, including women. There are probably experienced teachers already there. Help relieve Jordan and other campsite nations of some of their costs associated with the camps. A humanitarian and educational response, carried out honestly (not sold to the highest well-connected bidder) should be a first option.

A military option is always a backup. But even classic military strategy is to strike at your opponent’s weakness rather than its strength. Does the administration lack the courage to try that?

Miriam Mueller, San Francisco