Syria

[rain_gryphon]

And now we're bombing Syria. I think that's a mistake, and can only result in taking some of the pressure off ISIS.

Comments

[moonhare]

I inferred we did that after seeing a post on twitter when I got up this morning- a vague comment about a missile strike. I turned on the tube and it wasn't even headlining. I went to the news website and it was half-way down the page?

I'm watching, warily.

[rain_gryphon]

I'm feeling rather better about it today. It seems to have been more to make a point to North Korea than anything else.

[whitetail.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I seem to recall a certain someone saying during the campaign that, if he were president, there'd be no more involvement in foreign disputes in which America had no stake; that the era in which we were the "world's policeman" would come to an end. Is this maybe his way of trying to prove to his critics that he's not really "Putin's puppet?" If so, it's a damned dangerous way to do it.

[xolo.livejournal.com]

On further reflection, he's meeting with the President of China tomorrow. This will presumably give greater weight to his claim that if China won't do something about the Crazy Fat Kid, we will.

Also, from the news reports, he apparently told the Russians beforehand, so they could get their people out of the way. Still, in and of itself, I don't think we should have gone there. Assad's no threat to us, and never has been. On the other hoof, if it's to intimidate the Chinese and Koreans, then it's a justified risk.

The longer I think about it, the more comfortable I am with the idea. We'll find out soon.

[xolo.livejournal.com]

Aaaaand... The longer I think about it, I wonder if we didn't just set him up like a bowling pin these past few days, talking about how we were no longer interested in regime change, and hoping he'd give an excuse for military action before Xi's meeting with Trump.

[whitetail.livejournal.com]

I think you're ascribing WAY too much Napoleonic genius and cunning to someone who has zero military and statecraft experience. Not to mention the attack itself just screams false flag. The US let Assad off the hook only three days ago. What better way to get him put back on our shitlist than for the rebels to stage another chem attack? The timing is just too perfect. Also bear in mind, Assad has turned the tide and is now winning the war. It makes no sense at all for him to use chemical weapons after he's gained the military advantage.

[xolo.livejournal.com]

Well, I have zero military and statecraft experience, and the idea occurred to me :)

False flag makes a lot more sense, though, especially if you need a reliable pretext to attack within a certain time frame.

[whitetail.livejournal.com]

Touché. ^^

[whitetail.livejournal.com]

So, this was apparently an attack by air of sarin gas - an extremely deadly nerve agent whose inhalation of even minute amounts is rapidly fatal. Makes me wonder how the White Helmets rescue folks seen in the videos of the aftermath can still be walking, talking and breathing after entering the blast area without hazmat suits, and scrubbing down the victims with their bare hands. And if it was a sarin bomb, why are there so FEW victims? There should be thousands of casualties, and the whole area a dead zone. Also suspicious to me that the preponderance of the victims are very young children - the demographic group most likely to elicit the emotions of sympathy and outrage. Hmmm...

[whitetail.livejournal.com]

Also, if this attack on Syria goes south and gets us into a shooting war with Russia - having started it by attacking a non-hostile (to us) foreign power unilaterally without any congressional approval, Trump has just set himself up for impeachment.