[Blitzer:] The Obama administration says the threat of military strikes against Syria has to remain an option. Syria's president wants the U.S. to call off the threat before he gives up his chemical weapons. Andrew Bacevich is a 23-year-old Army veteran who says military action against Syria is a bad idea. He's now a professor at Boston University. His latest book is just out and entitled "Breach of Trust: How Americans Failed Their Soldiers and Their Country." He's joining us right now. Professor, thanks very much for coming inning
[Andrew Bacevich, Professor, Boston University, Army Veteran & Author:] Thanks very much for having me on the program.
[Blitzer:] Let's talk about the president of the United States. He made a powerful moral argument for potentially launching air strikes against targets in Syria to stop their using chemical weapons against their own people. You think that will threat alone, military threat should not be on table. Is that right?
[Bacevich:] Well, we should talk about the moral issues. I think we need to begin with a discussion of what's in U.S. interests. And there, I'd want to put Syria in a broader context. When you think about it, going back 30 years, we have used U.S. forces in any number of countries in the Middle East. We've occupied, we've invaded, we've bombed. We've come in on humanitarian purposes, all with an expectation that U.S. military actions ultimately will lead to a more stable, perhaps more democratic region. Well, it hasn't worked. And so why we would think that opening up a new front in this military effort in Syria would produce a different outcome just strikes me as absurd. Now, if you want to make the moral argument, then we have to say what are the actions which can practically and effectively redress the suffering of the Syrian people? And there I have to say I don't understand why waging war is the best way to render assistance. There are any number of people in refugee camps living in squalor. Why don't we focus our attention on actually helping people who need to be helped rather than attacking Damascus?
[Blitzer:] So what would you say to the president's argument and the secretary of state's argument that at least this military threat has convinced, played a significant role in convincing the Syrians and the Russians to give up potentially give up Syria's chemical weapons stockpiles?
[Bacevich:] Well, I have to say I'd say let's give it a little bit of time. You know, the pace with which this story is unfolding is very striking. And as a historian of American diplomacy I really have concluded that diplomacy works best when there's a serious foundation been laid. What we going on with Secretary Kerry is we're making it up as we go along. The latest is rather than just trying to get rid of the chemical weapons, why don't we have a peace conference. There's no foundation that's being laid. There's no consultation with allies. And so I'm actually quite skeptical that the outcome of this process will lead to anything other than probably giving Assad time, time to move weapons, time to continue prosecuting his war against the militants.
[Blitzer:] Your new book, entitled "Breach of Trust," but the subtitle is "How Americans Failed Their Soldiers and Their Country." Professor, in a nutshell, because we don't have a lot of time, tell us how Americans failed their soldiers and their country.
[Bacevich:] Well, the subject of the book is the relationship between the military and society. And on the surface, that relationship is one that's warm and affectionate. We all support the troops, as we like to say. My argument is that there's a considerable degree of posturing and fraudulence in that notion, that we don't really support the troops because we're not engaged with the troops. We've allowed Washington, the state, to claim control of this military of ours that we're so proud of. And if you look at what we've been doing with that military over the past decade or more, they've been subjecting our troops to great abuse. And as people, we let it happen. In a nutshell, that's the failure.
[Blitzer:] And the book is entitled "Breach of Trust: How Americans Failed Their Soldiers and Their Country." The author, Andrew Bacevich, professor from Boston University. Professor, thanks very much for joining us.
[Bacevich:] Thank you for having me on the program.
[Blitzer:] So we just heard, from Professor Bacevich, one side of the argument. He opposes military intervention. Coming up, we'll hear a different perspective, of Florida Senator Bill Nelson. He says the U.S. needs to keep that military option open. He's standing by live. We'll discuss when we come back.