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Saturday, April 14. 2018

Bombs Away in Syria

Probably a pointless gesture. I hope it is a parting shot. Re the commentariat, however, I consider that if Trump sent the bombs it would be "Insane warmonger Trump playing Wag the Dog," and if he didn't it would be "Proof he's working for Russia."


I see no compelling US interest in Syria. Assad is just one of 50 terrible rulers, but Syria probably needs him. And I do not care what Russia does. That crappy country is destroying itself anyway. 



Posted by The Barrister in Hot News & Misc. Short Subjects at 12:45 | Comments (21) | Trackbacks (0)

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Agreed Barrister.

I can only speculate that Trump is showing that his red lines are meaningful compared to 0bama's which were worthless.

Having said that, did he not campaign on getting us out of the region, and didn't he recently say we have spent $7 trillion in the region with, "nothing to show for it"?

And now this??

WTF??

It doesn't change the general situation at all, but I guess it makes Trump and his advisors feel good and powerful.

If he wants to topple Assad, then topple Assad! Forget about these effing pinpricks.
#1 feeblemind on 2018-04-14 13:12 (Reply)
Do not topple Assad. Remember when we toppled Saddam? These countries need despots.
#1.1 Bird Dog on 2018-04-14 13:20 (Reply)
Let's at least get our Despot in there.
#1.1.1 Ron Snyder on 2018-04-14 17:28 (Reply)
Agreed. They're brutal but their culture need a strong man.
#1.1.2 LWS on 2018-04-15 00:25 (Reply)
It's time to draw that red line in the sand - By my math, if people who hate us are killing people who hate us slightly less, I'm sort of okay with standing by and watching to see how it plays itself out...
#2 The Distributist (Link) on 2018-04-14 13:40 (Reply)
The best analysis I have seen indicates that this is all about who sells natural gas to Europe.

Putin is trying to scuttle proposed pipelines that would terminate in Syria or Turkey - and would compete with the Russian pipeline across Ukraine to Europe.

Syria is a hollowed out mess that has no other value other than its location.
#3 Ben David on 2018-04-14 14:02 (Reply)
https://pjmedia.com/claudiarosett/importance-striking-syrias-scientific-studies-research-center/
#4 Oldblood on 2018-04-14 14:47 (Reply)
Agreed Barrister.

This has zero strategic importance to the US , and a waste of good missiles. Chemical attacks are horrendous, but isn't there a world organization that is suppose to deal with this kind of thing?

I'm a big Trump supporter. He has it right in his many, many tweets about the futility of the US dealing with Syria.
#5 B. Hammer on 2018-04-14 14:50 (Reply)
There is good and legitimate reasons to either mark a red line and stand ready to enforce it AND to get out of Syria and half a dozen other countries around the world. I could make an argument for or against all of these options. This is a tiny strike that merely sends a message. not really a big deal in the greater scheme of things except that it puts others on notice that we are still the big dog. I would have been just fine with Trump or Obama getting out of Syria and some other hot spots too. BUT Israel will not and cannot get out and this is aimed at Israel. If Iran uses a post war Syria to consolidate their encircling of Israel and actually threatens Israel then Israel will fight and they cannot beat Iran and other Muslim nations surrounding them with conventional weapons. This won't be a repeat of the six day war. Israel will and must use nukes if the Muslim world goes to war against them.

I think that Iran, just like Iraq before them, is crazy enough to use WMD's on Israel. It's just a matter of time. Israel is betting everything, literally everything that they can stop them before that happens. Israel is so tiny two nukes would wipe them out. So if we pull out of the Middle East and allow the crazy Mufti, Sheikh, Mullah, Ayatollah and Imam's have their way we will see nuclear war. The choice is that simple. Either we fight endless little battles like this or nuclear war.
#6 GoneWithTheWind on 2018-04-14 15:40 (Reply)
As I see it, this looked like a convenient way to send two short messages:

1. To Assad: "Unlike my predecessor, I don’t just draw lines in the sand. Cut out the chemical stuff.”

2. To Putin: “Your nuclear sabre-rattling and silly threats ain’t fooling anyone, President Potemkin.”
#7 JJM on 2018-04-14 15:40 (Reply)
One commentator, who made a bit of sense, pointed out that we had a vested interest in demonstrating to other bad actors that the use of such as chemical weapons would not be countenanced.

When Assad used them; a precedent was going to be set. Either he would be allowed to do so without consequences, or he would not. It was important to insure that the correct precedent was established, and the appropriate message sent.

As much as we would like to wash our hands of the Middle East altogether, it is simply not in the cards. The area is too strategic, and it is too volatile.
#8 Oldflyer on 2018-04-14 15:46 (Reply)
Agreed.
#9 Bulldog on 2018-04-14 15:56 (Reply)
I remain skeptical that there was a chemical attack.
If there was, I don't believe it was Assad.

I don't see what value, at a point in time when he is finally turning the tables on his rebels, to engage an activity he knows is going to get the world pissed at him.

He's vicious, he's brutal, he's not an idiot.
#10 Bulldog on 2018-04-14 15:59 (Reply)
"I remain skeptical that there was a chemical attack.
If there was, I don't believe it was Assad."

The problem for Assad and his ilk is that they make it all too easy by insisting on constantly playing the usual suspects.

And the civil war has effectively made Syria into one big impact area/air weapons range now.

So, if there's a vague suspicion his side just used chem weapons, meh, too easy to give him a cautionary quick smack anyway.
#10.1 JJM on 2018-04-14 17:29 (Reply)
"I remain skeptical that there was a chemical attack.Me too.
Watching the video over and over,looked like it might be bait.Where were the 40 dying & dead? Just showing all children in video.I don't know,maybe not,but looked 'funny' to me.
#10.2 RL on 2018-04-14 21:55 (Reply)
Shouldn't we make it clear to the world, that there will be a huge cost if you use chemical weapons? Or should we allow the Chemical Weapons Convention to become meaningless?

I find it interesting that there was a huge kerfluffle when the US pulled out of the non-treaty Paris Climate accord, but collectively there is a big yawn when rogue states violate a treaty that they and the US congress passed and signed.
#11 Rolfe on 2018-04-14 16:32 (Reply)
I was foolish enough to think that the days of bombing shitholes to gain political capital were over. I pray President Trump reconsiders this pointless and ill-conceived strategy and focuses his undivided attention on domestic issues.
#12 Arty on 2018-04-14 20:18 (Reply)
How interesting that MAGA folk who easily understand the danger of a porous border don't understand that modern life itself is porous - and close by - as never before.

It's lovely to say "let them rot in their sh*thole" but modern transport and technology make it impossible to be completely isolated from "them". As we saw on 9-11 and in countless rehearsals of similar attacks.

People who think that America can turn its back on the rest of the world and not get bitten - that there is no consequence for America if it lets evil fill the vacuum - are living a 19th century fantasy.

Trump's mention of the World Wars is also a reference to America's loss of that isolationist innocence, and its assumption of Imperial power. Sorry folks - there is no stepping away from that.

As an American now living in Israel, I can now understand the gratitude and patriotism I heard in my childhood from naturalized refugees who spoke of the American presence on the world stage.
#13 Ben David on 2018-04-15 05:34 (Reply)
"I remain skeptical that there was a chemical attack."

Skepticism is good, however just be as skeptical of all the talking heads who are busy spreading fear, uncertainty and doubt. The government is reporting that Russian trolls spreading propaganda about this event increased 2000% after the chemical weapons attacks exactly to spread that doubt. They have literally dozens of known reporters and activists who are regularly on TV who are essentially Russian agents. They take their orders from Moscow but because they are Americans or Canadians we think they are simply "reporters". Some of these people actually work for RT (Russian TV) which is nothing more than a front for Russian propaganda. We are being played by Russia all the time. They didn't "just" interfere with our elections they interfere with everything. Do not be fooled.
#14 OneGuy on 2018-04-15 09:01 (Reply)
"Believe nothing that you read and only half of what you see"
#14.1 Aggie on 2018-04-15 15:24 (Reply)
I wish the comments allowed for a simple "Like"...
#14.1.1 The Distributist (Link) on 2018-04-15 17:10 (Reply)

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