Gentlemen, we have now come to a position of stalemate on all sides. I suggest that we leave this discussion until action is taken by the outsiders in this conflict.
As I see it:
The UK, not going to do anything unless in concert with the USA after a Security Council resolution, which will not be forthcoming and there is no hope of pushing a debate and agreement in Parliament.
The USA, sends cruise missiles in, is that an act of war and a war crime and in conflict with the US Constitutionas they have not been attacked and therefore have no right of retaliation in self defence.
The Russians, sends more supplies, assistance and keep a warm water port in the Med.
The Chinese, as above.
The Iranians, as above also keeping their lines open to Hizboullah in Lebenon
The EU, incapable of militarily taking part unless the USA starts operations and supports the the EU forces with intelligence (contradiction in terms) C4ISTAR tankers S/DEAD and heavy lift.
The UN, incapable of anything unable to act and deadlocked in the Security Council.
We have had in two years many thousands of deaths for which little has raised concerns in general. The use of chemical weapons has moved it the front of peoples consciousness, but the electorates of both the UK and US want little if anything and are in fact hostile to the idea of intervention in any form. The have been deceived in the past from Iraq onwards through the so called Arab Spring and look what a disaster that has been, remember Libya and Egypt. In the former Hiliary Clinton, you and Obama bear responsibility for the deaths of the Ambassador, by your actions or lack of at a critical moment. Sometimes what countries need is a dictator with his knee on the throat of the population to maintain a 'civilised' society.
I am afraid the stupidity of Obama stating publically that the use of CW was a 'red line' is typical of politicians who let their mouths flap in the heat of the moment to obtain a headline which comes back to bite them in the a**e when they have to make good that statement. This is a classic of my old headmaster, 'whenever I open my mouth some fool says something'
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I have posed the point before, what is the difference of being disembowelled by a burst of AK 47 fire, result of an artillery barrage or a Sarin attack. Many will die and continue to die in this conflict, it is religious, political and factional, outsiders who are not of the same culture or thought processes, such as beheading or shooting people because they don't pray at the right times or numbers at a set part of the day, do not comprehend or understand the insanity.
Last edited by air pig; 8th Sep 2013 at 17:02.