US deems Syria 'national security threat', announces sanctions

On Wednesday the US announced sanctions against Syrian President Bashar Assad and six other Syrian government officials, after over 800 people have been killed in the regime's repression of democratic protests.

In a letter to Congress declaring the sanctions, Obama wrote that he has:

found the actions of the Government of Syria constitute an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security, foreign policy, and economy of the United States and declared a national emergency to deal with that threat.

Extraordinary threat to the national security of the United States? Declaration of a national emergency? Couple that with the National Defense Authorization act, and it sounds like someone's clearing the way for another war.

The harsh prophecy concerning Damascus
Behold, Damascus shall be removed from being a city, it shall be depth of ruins

On that day, man shall turn to his Maker, 
and his eyes shall look to the Holy One of Israel

- Isaiah 17