The Syria Thread: Everything you wanted to know or say about it
- Thread starter Tecumsehsbones
- Start date
David Axelrod credits Obama’s ‘credible’ (but unbelievably small) threat for possible Syria deal
If POTUS hadn't threatened credible military response, does anyone believe Russia and Syria would be coming forward now? No time to falter.
David Axelrod credits Obama’s ‘credible’ (but unbelievably small) threat for possible Syria deal | Twitchy
So who gets the credit?
I think it is important for the international community and the United States to stand up and say, "This cannot happen." Now the good news is I think that Assad's allies, both Russia and Iran, recognize that this was-- this was a breach, that this was a problem.
And for them to potentially put pressure on Assad to say, "Let's figure out a way that the international community gets control of-- of-- of these weapons in a verifiable and forcible way" -- I think it's something that we will run to ground. So John Kerry will be talking to his counterparts in Russia, we will contact the U.N. Security Council members as well as the Secretary General of the U.N. And let's see what happens over the next several days to see if in fact what they're talking about is realistic.
more
Obama: "I understand" American people aren't with me on Syria strike - CBS News
It is so much bullsh*t! Who the hell do the Americans think they are? Issuing threats against Syria for having chemical weapons when the US has more than anybody. Issuing threats against N Korea and Iran about nuclear weapons when the US has more than anybody. If the US wants to see these weapons disappear they need to start at home otherwise it is nothing more than a bully making sure no-one can stand up to them giving them free rein to control the entire planet by force.
I hope Syria doesn't give up it's chemical/biological weapons until the US agrees to do the same.
I hope Syria doesn't give up it's chemical/biological weapons until the US agrees to do the same.
A person with a room temp. I.Q. realizes it's not the number of chemical weapons you have, but the number you use without provocation! -
Cruz is interesting. He is 'transitioning' beyond Texas politics and it shows in his speech- some rough edges remaining.
that Erick Erickson's Abortion Barbie Game : The New Yorker said- it's nice to se a "TEJAS Repubikcun' who isn't sounding off about 'Abortion Barbie or Coathanger Barbie' Kretin Kraziness.
Hmm... so... Syria used chemical weapons as a tool in a civil war against foriegn-armed rebels, and now are being chastized by that same foriegn-power saying, in effect, "Hey, no fair using toxic-gas against the rebels we armed".
If some powerful foriegn-power really did have a moral issue against the use of toxic-gas as a weaponized form of crowd control, they'd just say, "We'll trade you this non-toxic gas that will knock-out-without-killing your rebel crowds, for the toxic stuff you've been using".
The plutocrats won't complain, because they can hedge their bets by investing in both chemical and arms industries, such that they make money from the non-toxic gas traded to Syria, and on the weapons sent to the rebels that the non-toxic gas is being used against, and because the rebels aren't killed, it ensures an ongoing continuence of the conflict, such that a flow of weapons and non-toxic gas continue, thus ensuring ongoing profits.
Plutocrats get better profits from the conflict, and fewer people get killed.
If some powerful foriegn-power really did have a moral issue against the use of toxic-gas as a weaponized form of crowd control, they'd just say, "We'll trade you this non-toxic gas that will knock-out-without-killing your rebel crowds, for the toxic stuff you've been using".
The plutocrats won't complain, because they can hedge their bets by investing in both chemical and arms industries, such that they make money from the non-toxic gas traded to Syria, and on the weapons sent to the rebels that the non-toxic gas is being used against, and because the rebels aren't killed, it ensures an ongoing continuence of the conflict, such that a flow of weapons and non-toxic gas continue, thus ensuring ongoing profits.
Plutocrats get better profits from the conflict, and fewer people get killed.
Having failed to wow the membership with my logic I intend to drive you to despair with my poetry.
Fools- you rejected MY genius...
I thought Assad was quite impressive on the Charlie Rose interview... articulate, well reasoned... he sounded a lot better than the drooling hysterics that have characterized CNNs (especially) and other American medias portrayals of him. He frankly sounded a lot better the Obama's war mongering.
He brought up a couple of good points.. that the use of chemical weapons would have been completely at odds with the best interests and objectives of the Assad regime. Also that the type of weapon used in the civilian attack.... Sarin.. is in fact a crude and primitive gas, easily within the rebel's competence.. to make and deliver. It is hardly an exclusive technology of the the regime.
Assad seems specifically NOT the type of raving maniac that would inflict atrocities by way of WMDs on his own people.. something you can't say of the most radical of his opposition.. the ones carrying out public executions of Syrian soldiers and opponents.
Assad's family itself comes from the Alawi minority, a Shia mystical sect, which for centuries was a persecuted minority at the hands of the Sunni majority. It goes to show how complex the religious and historical roots the Syrian Civil War are. One for which very simple attributions of Good vs. Evil cannot be applied in an absolute sense.
He also noted that what's at stake here is a division of what post Civil War Syria will look like. There's no doubt that, like ALL Middle East Regimes (including Israel and Turkey) the Assad regime has been marked with brutality, human rights abuses and secrecy. But they are also, in marked contrast to their opposition, rigidly secular.. imposing a strict division between religion and statecraft. That is part of the founding credo of the Baath political ideology of which he is a legatee.
We see now that the rebels are starting to evict Christians from their villages, desecrate their churches and impose Sharia Law in areas that they control. This will not be a friendly regime to the West. The best you could hope for is moderate Islamic regime.. but the rebels most organized group seems more akin to the Muslim Brotherhood of Egypt.. which brook no dissent or heresy from strict Islam in the organization of the state. Things quickly fall into social chaos when the Brotherhood takes over.. they have no understanding or respect for Democratic principles which protect minorities.
The best course for the West.. is.. stay out of Syria. The blowback.. the Law of Unintended Consequences.. could be catastrophic.
He brought up a couple of good points.. that the use of chemical weapons would have been completely at odds with the best interests and objectives of the Assad regime. Also that the type of weapon used in the civilian attack.... Sarin.. is in fact a crude and primitive gas, easily within the rebel's competence.. to make and deliver. It is hardly an exclusive technology of the the regime.
Assad seems specifically NOT the type of raving maniac that would inflict atrocities by way of WMDs on his own people.. something you can't say of the most radical of his opposition.. the ones carrying out public executions of Syrian soldiers and opponents.
Assad's family itself comes from the Alawi minority, a Shia mystical sect, which for centuries was a persecuted minority at the hands of the Sunni majority. It goes to show how complex the religious and historical roots the Syrian Civil War are. One for which very simple attributions of Good vs. Evil cannot be applied in an absolute sense.
He also noted that what's at stake here is a division of what post Civil War Syria will look like. There's no doubt that, like ALL Middle East Regimes (including Israel and Turkey) the Assad regime has been marked with brutality, human rights abuses and secrecy. But they are also, in marked contrast to their opposition, rigidly secular.. imposing a strict division between religion and statecraft. That is part of the founding credo of the Baath political ideology of which he is a legatee.
We see now that the rebels are starting to evict Christians from their villages, desecrate their churches and impose Sharia Law in areas that they control. This will not be a friendly regime to the West. The best you could hope for is moderate Islamic regime.. but the rebels most organized group seems more akin to the Muslim Brotherhood of Egypt.. which brook no dissent or heresy from strict Islam in the organization of the state. Things quickly fall into social chaos when the Brotherhood takes over.. they have no understanding or respect for Democratic principles which protect minorities.
The best course for the West.. is.. stay out of Syria. The blowback.. the Law of Unintended Consequences.. could be catastrophic.
Last edited:
The majority of Syrians are actually are Sunni. Assad Is 'Awali'- considered a pagan by Wahabbis.
He doesn't kill em off as fast as ol ' HAfez Assad, or change sides as readily as his grandpa.
Regime must be slipping.
Hmm... you know, something just dawned on me that's probably going to cause of lot you to say, "Duh, so you finally figured that out", but, it's this:
Ever noticed how every time Uncle Sam et al get involved in a situation where the root is civil war, potential or otherwise, all it does is stalemate or blow up in their face?
Uncle Sam and allies have always won wars when it was one soviergn power against another, but not civil wars.
Korea was a civil war that stalemated. Cuba was a civil war. Vietnam was a civil war. Nicaragua was a civil war.
Yugoslavia was a confederation of dispirit states held in check against civil war by Tito, and as soon as he was gone, it fell into civil war. At the end of the day, how did it benefit anyone for NATO to get inbetween post-Tito breakup-republics slugging it out?
Everyone knew Saddam was a bastard partly because it was the only way to stop his citizens from collapsing into civil war, and I'm pretty-sure that's why Bush Sr. was okay about not taking him out entirely.
When Bush Jr. took out Saddam, Iraq collapsed into civil war, whereupon US forces found themselves caught inbetween getting IED'd by weapons that sectarians actually wanted to use against each other.
Syria is in civil war, therefore, by virtue of what philosophers of logic call Inductive Reasoning, I'm going to bet that if Uncle Sam meddles in any of the conventional ways, it will blow up in his face.
I think if powers really want to meddle in civil wars, they're going to have to figure out and/or invent some method/technique totally new and unthought of before.
Ever noticed how every time Uncle Sam et al get involved in a situation where the root is civil war, potential or otherwise, all it does is stalemate or blow up in their face?
Uncle Sam and allies have always won wars when it was one soviergn power against another, but not civil wars.
Korea was a civil war that stalemated. Cuba was a civil war. Vietnam was a civil war. Nicaragua was a civil war.
Yugoslavia was a confederation of dispirit states held in check against civil war by Tito, and as soon as he was gone, it fell into civil war. At the end of the day, how did it benefit anyone for NATO to get inbetween post-Tito breakup-republics slugging it out?
Everyone knew Saddam was a bastard partly because it was the only way to stop his citizens from collapsing into civil war, and I'm pretty-sure that's why Bush Sr. was okay about not taking him out entirely.
When Bush Jr. took out Saddam, Iraq collapsed into civil war, whereupon US forces found themselves caught inbetween getting IED'd by weapons that sectarians actually wanted to use against each other.
Syria is in civil war, therefore, by virtue of what philosophers of logic call Inductive Reasoning, I'm going to bet that if Uncle Sam meddles in any of the conventional ways, it will blow up in his face.
I think if powers really want to meddle in civil wars, they're going to have to figure out and/or invent some method/technique totally new and unthought of before.
At least he is making some very strong points.. I'm in 100% in agreement with Grayson..
Sen. Ted Cruz with Sean Hannity on Syria, Defunding Obamacare, and More - YouTube
Last edited:
Come one and all to Syria! Al Queda... Hezzbolah...Sunni... Shi'ite...islamic radicals... seculars... Chechens... Come one and all and join the great Jihad against each other!
Choose a side and come!
Join the meat grinder!
Where the smell of cordite, fire, death, and nerve gas fills the air!
No shortage of RPG's amd AK ammo!
Come to Syria... where the streets actually DO flow red with blood!
Choose a side and come!
Join the meat grinder!
Where the smell of cordite, fire, death, and nerve gas fills the air!
No shortage of RPG's amd AK ammo!
Come to Syria... where the streets actually DO flow red with blood!