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06-14-2013, 09:51 AM | #1 |
™
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Arlington, VA
Posts: 27,717
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Me neither.
As a parent, you have to set limits and when the limits are tested, you have follow through with the consequences or your kids will know you are a total pushover. Obama said if they crossed the line, he would do this. I wish he hadn't said that. He painted himself into the corner. But it's not like it's this crazy thing he said. It's reasonable to say that using chemical weapons on your civilians is crossing the line. It's a messed up situation. I just hope we don't give them any really good weapons they can use against us later. |
06-14-2013, 11:13 AM | #2 |
Lecturer
Join Date: Sep 2009
Posts: 796
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I don't see us getting anything by going into Syria. Arm the rebels - seems like a reasonable response if the Sarin gas incidents are probably true.
Anything after that, should be humanitarian aid for the refugees, and later on, funds to help them survive as they rebuild their devastated country. No other involvement. There are NO "friends" to the US, in Syria, and Israel *should* act independently, for it's own defense and interests. |
06-14-2013, 12:01 PM | #3 |
Radical Centrist
Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: Cottage of Prussia
Posts: 31,423
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A line has been laid down not just for Syria, but for every other country in the world as well:
If you use chemical weapons, you will face some vague amount of reprisal, such as your runways may be cratered. I do not feel competent enough to decide whether this is a good idea. I will leave it up to you guys. |
06-14-2013, 12:55 PM | #4 | |
Franklin Pierce
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Minnesota
Posts: 3,695
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The big factor in this "intervention" will be how much assistance we actually give the Syrian rebels. Right now we are just giving small arms and Obama has made it clear that this assistance is not a blank check. This amount of assistance will be cheap with a low potential for blowback. I would get worried if we really start escalating our involvement.
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I like my perspectives like I like my baseball caps: one size fits all. Last edited by piercehawkeye45; 06-14-2013 at 01:06 PM. |
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06-14-2013, 01:02 PM | #5 | |
Franklin Pierce
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Minnesota
Posts: 3,695
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Another possible explanation for the minimal assistance is that this intervention is more about Iran than Assad. Right now Iran is helping fund Assad and has a large stake in Assad winning. The longer this civil war prolongs, the higher the price-tag for Iran.
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06-14-2013, 01:54 PM | #6 | ||
Person who doesn't update the user title
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06-14-2013, 02:10 PM | #7 | |
Franklin Pierce
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Minnesota
Posts: 3,695
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Its a term for liberal interventionists. Essentially promoting military intervention for humanitarian purposes. Think Balkans and what Susan Rice believes should have been done in Rwanda.
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I like my perspectives like I like my baseball caps: one size fits all. |
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06-14-2013, 02:34 PM | #8 |
Esnohplad Semaj Ton
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: A little south of sanity
Posts: 2,259
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I usually avoid the politics threads. Can I just drop in and make the smart-ass comment that firearms are technically chemical weapons being both composed of matter and requiring a chemical reaction to launch the projectile?
(I know it's ridiculous. Don't take it seriously.) |
06-14-2013, 03:01 PM | #9 |
I love it when a plan comes together.
Join Date: Oct 2009
Posts: 9,793
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You forgot to mention that the bullets can cause lead poisoning.
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06-14-2013, 04:14 PM | #10 |
still says videotape
Join Date: Feb 2001
Posts: 26,813
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Not so much the dose as the delivery...
I vote no to arming Al Q but I foolishly thought Iraq and Afghanistan would go badly so who knows?
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06-14-2013, 06:52 PM | #11 | |
Doctor Wtf
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Badelaide, Baustralia
Posts: 12,861
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Yes to UT'S point about the international precedent (remember how Libya started playing nice after Saddam got the boot).
And Yes to PH45's article about the greater strategy - although it is a dangerous game to play. Still, what is a good idea in this situation isn't clear to me. However, what the Syrian Rebels need is something to counter Assad's air power. With a no-fly zone and bombing of the Syrian Air Force bases pretty much off the table, that leaves giving the rebels shoulder fired SAMs. These are well capable of bringing down a civilian jet, in whatever country they are used. Hmmm. You really want to give those to people who are friends with Al Q? Maybe if we could make SAMs that have GPS chips that track where they are are and disable themselves if they are used outside an approved war zone... However, I was a little puzzled by this (in PH45's article): Quote:
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06-14-2013, 08:22 PM | #12 | |||
Franklin Pierce
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Minnesota
Posts: 3,695
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I like my perspectives like I like my baseball caps: one size fits all. |
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06-14-2013, 09:16 PM | #13 | |
Read? I only know how to write.
Join Date: Jan 2001
Posts: 11,933
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Nothing is stopping Saudis, Turks, Gulf States, Iraqis, Lebanese, or Jordanians from providing massively more aid. Many are also rich. But instead they want us to do their work? |
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06-14-2013, 09:52 PM | #14 |
Franklin Pierce
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Minnesota
Posts: 3,695
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The Saudis and Qataris have been arming the rebels for the past few years. I do agree with you that we can not "own" the situation in Syria. If we are going to give weapons, it has to be backseat to the support from other countries. If the rebels manage to overthrow Assad, then let them deal with it.
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I like my perspectives like I like my baseball caps: one size fits all. |
06-15-2013, 06:21 AM | #15 |
still says videotape
Join Date: Feb 2001
Posts: 26,813
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This thing seems designed for chaos. Its a nice distraction from what could become an American Spring.
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If you would only recognize that life is hard, things would be so much easier for you. - Louis D. Brandeis |
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