Obama is OUT OF HIS MIND

[southbiochem]

mmmm....delicate topic...no, it won't be killing Americans. I believe air strikes will be it (Bush surely would have suggested ground forces).

What you have to worry about this "strike-and-leave" strategy is the possible reprisals on the insurgents (and probably Israel if we discuss the regional implications), because it's highly unlikely that Assad will be kicked out merely out of this, and rather than intimidating the regime, it may induce and escalation of state terror on the rebels...

I assume US is trying to recreate the effect that the NATO bombing of Belgrade and Novi Sad had on the Serbian goverment to retreat their army out of Kosovo. Syria is a quite different though.

What I wonder is, if Obama was going to strike anyway why take so long? Instead of a quick action US, Russia and China (forgive me Americans, Russians and Chinese, I'm talking about your governments, not you as a whole) managed to turn this situation into a Cold War-like scenario. US trying to get in, Russia and China trying to keep them out.....it's frustrating given how many Syrian have died.

[James]

"All it takes for evil to prevail is for a few good men to do nothing."?

[Shiner]

Despite some nations actions in it... I would only justify a strike with UN approval. And with justification.

As has been said by many commentators, while chemical weapons are illegal to use in many places, Syria has never signed on to that, and it still has not been proven who has used them.

I am happy that for now Australia is staying out of this aside from basic political statements.

[SolemnBoy]

Am I the only one who got Bush flashbacks during John Kerry's statement regarding the chemical weapons? He kept mentioning all the evidence they had without actually showing it, instead repeating "we know" over and over again. I'm not awfully knowledgeable when it comes to the conflict but since it wouldn't be the first time the US responded militantly to claims that in retrospect turned out to be false, I can't help but be a little worried.

[davearoo]

Am I the only one who got Bush flashbacks during John Kerry's statement regarding the chemical weapons? He kept mentioning all the evidence they had without actually showing it, instead repeating "we know" over and over again. I'm not awfully knowledgeable when it comes to the conflict but since it wouldn't be the first time the US responded militantly to claims that in retrospect turned out to be false, I can't help but be a little worried.

The Bush team was lying through its teeth when it claimed knowledge of Iraqi WMDs. In fact, they were planning a ground war in Iraq even before September 11th. This situation is not at all similar: nobody in Washington has any interest in a ground war with Syria.

Whether there's a missile strike or not, it will ultimately have to be up to the Syrian people to sort out this mess.

[Jason111]

I'll just quote Simon Jenkins on this one.

"'Punishing' a dictator for killing his own people by simply killing more of his own people seems beyond cruel. It seems stupid. It leads nowhere."

[Romann]

War with Syria will kill millions of Americans.

Why would it kill millions of AMERICANS? No offense but in case you havent noiced, Syria is no where near America. I think you mean millions of SYRIANS

[MisterTinkles]

Obama is a fucking joke.


He comes off as extremely inconsistent, on this subject,
from his silly red line being crossed long ago,
to him promising a brutal attack as early as Thursday,
which has passed.


Despite that,
the American people only support any action on Syria by 9%....
and those are probably just the usual war-mongering,
ancient conservative white men,
slowly dying out
(thankfully).


We don't want it!


We still have blood on our hands
from other conflicts
we'd started long ago.


It's time for the American government
to take it's hands out of that war machine of a cookie jar, ASAP!


Just because we have the military means to do so,
doesn't mean we should.


I'd rather his administration focus on the endless problems,
here at home first,
instead of pretending to play hero,
while taking on exterior motives,
just for it to blow up in our face.


The UK, our closest allie,
has already backed out
(at least they got it right),
and I wouldn't be surprised
if others followed suit.


He doesn't give a shit about the American people,
despite his convincing facade,
which got my vote, regrettably, twice.


The countless violations of The Fourth Amendment,
which he promised to uphold at his inauguration,
along with the rest of The Constitution,
is something, long ago, he wiped his ass with.


To think he's doing this
out of the goodness of his heart
is ignorant at best!


He's Bush 2.0!





That "message" is going to turn to all out war with Syria and their allies.


They aren't going to sit by, nonchalant, as we bomb their country!


War is the motive,
not to help the Syrian people.


You think bombing the Syrian government
is really going to stop the civil war,
or the use of chemical weapons on their own people?
(NO!)


Shit is only going to escalate, and very fast!


There's going to be massive collateral damage,
something our military loves taking part in.
That means more dead civilians.


It's going to be a big fucking mess!

Welcome to the world of politicians!