[BartSimpson]

bootlegga bootlegga:

But that doesn't mean we should sit by and watch atrocities occur.

So if the UN report comes back and proves that the Russians and the Assad regime are correct in that it was the rebels who used chemical weapons will you recommend that the military strikes you support against Syria's government then be redirected against Syria's rebels?

[ShepherdsDog]

Ker-Bares Inc.will bury that story better than Hoffa's remains. They'll figure out a way to justify the actions of the terrorists.

[PublicAnimalNo9]

OnTheIce OnTheIce:

PublicAnimalNo9 PublicAnimalNo9:

Yeah, so let's throw in our two cents and bomb them conventionally instead.
You know, cuz todays bombs are so accurate and "smart" they never end up killing innocent civilians. But hey, at least the "lucky ones" won't have to suffer anymore potential gas attacks since they'll already be dead.

I'm pretty sure most civilians don't hang out and live within military compounds.

You are of course assuming this won't end up being a boots on the ground "intervention"?
Remember Dr. Caleb saying how Saddam gassed 15,000 Kurds in Iraq? A terrible tragedy to be sure. But what's the death toll in Iraq now as a result of the invasion? The lowest figure I've seen is around 175,000 over 10 years, and I'm pretty sure that's a lowball number.
Saddam could have gassed 15,000 of his own people a year for a decade and he still wouldn't have killed as many people as the war in Iraq has over the same time period. I wonder how many of those 175,000(at least) Iraqi civilians also didn't live within military compounds.

Considering this is starting to stink like a redux of the Cold War, I don't have a lot of confidence that at some point, Western troops won't be deployed to Syria.

[BartSimpson]

ShepherdsDog ShepherdsDog:

Ker-Bares Inc.will bury that story better than Hoffa's remains. They'll figure out a way to justify the actions of the terrorists.

Looks to be the case. The White House (via David Axelrod) is already claiming credit for the Russian plan to have Syria put their chemical weapons under international control.

[ShepherdsDog]

The story is out all over the news....no one will buy their bullshit story. Kerry and Obama both look like putzes. Putin's likely having a few chuckles

[DrCaleb]

ShepherdsDog ShepherdsDog:

Kerry and Obama both look like putzes. Putin's likely having a few chuckles

As he should. Well played comrade, well played.

[Lemmy]

How much of chance in hell would there have been for a "Russian solution" without the immediate, credible threat of US air strikes? And why does it have to be a contest? Isn't the important thing to get a workable solution? It's nice to see the international community working "together", at least in some sense, no?

[DrCaleb]

Lemmy Lemmy:

How much of chance in hell would there have been for a "Russian solution" without the immediate, credible threat of US air strikes?

Zero.

Lemmy Lemmy:

And why does it have to be a contest? Isn't the important thing to get a workable solution?

It's politics. If it were strictly diplomacy, there wouldn't be the 'contest'. Putin must not only win to firm up his position to his people, he must also appear to be dominant to everyone else. Obama only needs to come out with a workable solution, he doesn't have to play the Dos Aquis guy like Putin does.

Obama might be working in the background on the diplomacy angle, but all the world saw from the US was 'Bomb them!!'. Which is what the world expected. But Putin used his leverage with Assad to bring a solution where no one else gets hurt, so he looks like the 'winner'. It's for this reason I don't like politics.

Lemmy Lemmy:

It's nice to see the international community working "together", at least in some sense, no?

Absolutely.

[Zipperfish]

ShepherdsDog ShepherdsDog:

The story is out all over the news....no one will buy their bullshit story. Kerry and Obama both look like putzes. Putin's likely having a few chuckles

I've said it before and I'll say it again.. The reason for that is that teh US was playing poker and Russia was playing chess. The US is like "ALL IN, baby!!!!" and Russia was like "Hmmmm....move a pawn."

[PublicAnimalNo9]

Zipperfish Zipperfish:

ShepherdsDog ShepherdsDog:

The story is out all over the news....no one will buy their bullshit story. Kerry and Obama both look like putzes. Putin's likely having a few chuckles

I've said it before and I'll say it again.. The reason for that is that teh US was playing poker and Russia was playing chess. The US is like "ALL IN, baby!!!!" and Russia was like "Hmmmm....move a pawn."

Kind'a reminds me of an old Dr. Bundolo Pandemonium Medicine Show skit starring Sheerluck Holmes and his trusty companion, Watsoff, as they sit at a table across from each other.

Holmes: Checkmate in 22, Watsoff.

Watsoff: But Holmes, no one can plan a checkmate 22 moves in advance.

Holmes: Well yes but you see...

Watsoff: Secondly, I haven't even made my first move yet.

Holmes: Simple elementary and deductive reasoning my dear Watsoff.

Watsoff: Yes, but Holmes, we're playing Monopoly.