Hmm, I don't think its going to end well whatever the US do now. On balance, I believe the risks from not acting are far greater.

"On balance, I believe the risks from not acting are far greater."

For who ?

The US or everyone else ?

I DON'T believe this is about Chemical weapons any more.

This is now about Obama saving face in the world.

^^^^^ agreed, it's turned into a pissing contest.

Yes it is, and if he backs down the US will be tested on all fronts - NK, Taiwan, S China Sea, you name it.

Putin, and to a lesser extent, China, are ultimately behind this. Iran/Syria couldn't function without either's support. Perhaps the time has finally come for US to make a stand.

I do wonder what a Republican prez would have done in the circumstances. Anyone care to hazard a guess?

"Putin, and to a lesser extent, China, are ultimately behind this."


I hope Obama / the US realised that a long time ago before
he opened his mouth.

Unlike Libya, Syria was always going to be a US versus Russia
because of Russia's closeness to Syria and Russian warm water ports.

So they should have realised the end game was not about Syria beforehand
so they never got into this mess.


Obama is going to look a fool if he does and a fool if he doesn't.

Putin is sitting back, having a drink and laughing his head off
as he has got Obama up against a wall in a Squirrel grip :O

All he has to do now is Squeeze hard and watch Obama squeal.

Here it comes: Syria
 

I wonder if the 6 Typhoons will be coming home shortly ? Very ashamed. I wonder why we have a military.

Excellent trolling. :sad:

Odumbo is a Fool!

One does not posture in public on fiercely complicated matters....the Fool did.

He then appoints two Fools to the Secretary of State Office....Cankles and the Traitor.

His SecDef was also a foolish pick.....look back at the Confirmation problems he had with Hagel.

Add in General Martin Dempsey (sounds of spitting heard) and you can only wonder what kind of advice he is getting from the Joint Chiefs via Martin.

Finally.....with his pick for the UN Ambassador's job.....well hell she was on vacation when the Syria thing was being discussed at the Security Council wasn't she?

Now folks....what could possibly go wrong with that Team at bat?


The American Congress....particularly the Republicans better seize this opportunity to stand up and stop Odumbo. We know he has an out of control Ego, the Media trumpets his Talking Points and does not challenge anything he has to say.....and the Democrat Party will march right off the cliff following the Idiot.

The very last thing we need to do right now is kick off another War of some kind. We got involved in Korea....Vietnam....Iraq and stayed way too long in Afghanistan.....completely screwed up in Libya and Egypt.....nope....time to sit this one out and let the Syrians fight their own Civil War.

We turn our back on Mexico's war, the atrocities in Dafur, completely ignored Rwanda.....so why should we get our collective knickers in a twist over a few Thousand more dead Syrians?

Kobayashi Maru scenario; James T Kirk solution.

SaSless

Why do you not like General Martin Dempsey ?

Well they did pretty well to stay out for as long as they did. By accident or, more likely, design, Assad, with Russian acquiescence, has brought the situation to a head, knowing full well that our media would peddle the story and remind our electorates and politicians of commitments and actions previously made regarding non-proliferation. The whole thing has an air of inevitability, like events in Sarajevo in 1914.

America backed down over Georgia in 2008 (and, pray tell, who was in charge then - ah yes, him), which only served to embolden Putin. Will they do it again?

Will they do it again? (back down).

I have a sneaking suspicion he might, depends on a couple
of things happening on the weekend including US polls,
the feedback he gets from Congress and others.

What the UN report says for one.

That's just my HO though.

Yup, profoundly stoopid idea.

I have no idea if he/his advisers (who ever they were) was hoping to get the Russians driven out of the Mediterranean by the Rebels driving out Assad?!

Anyway, the question is what is worse: The Russians having a warm water port of a friendly Nation somewhere in the Mediterranean or Al Qaeda conquering the next Country.
I know what makes me sleep better at night.
Hint: It's definitely not the Russians that worry me. They don't have any Ideology/Religion which they want to impose on the world. They maybe want to protect their Oil&Gas Sales and some political influence but -come on- there are other Countries as well that even more offensively protect their Energy and Economic/Influence interests (Guess who).
Even if Putin is by no means a proponent of pure Democracy in a US/European sense, there are far more unpredictable and reckless Guys out there. Islamic Nutters getting grips on the next Country on the other hand do worry me profoundly.

I don't see whay the US would have a problem with "The Russians having a warm water port of a friendly Nation somewhere in the Mediterranean".

After all, it's been there for years, isn't exactly a problem and as you
said on the other points re predictability.

And, may I add, the US / UK has plenty of similar around the world
so why can't the Russians ?

Yes but doesn't it worry you that Russia is teaming with the likes of Syria and Iran, who are pulling all kinds of strings in the region, some of them connected to proscribed groups who we would count alongside AQ as our enemies.

If you think Russia are in this just to protect their deep water port, you're mistaken. They could do this easily on their own if they so desired (think Kaliningrad-on-Med). Why do they need Assad for this? They could just as easily secure it as payback for supporting the west and the rebels. The truth is Putin is meddling, possibly trying to counter the US-Saudi/Sunni-Israel axis in the region.

"Yes but doesn't it worry you that Russia is teaming with the likes of Syria and Iran, who are pulling all kinds of strings in the region, some of them connected to proscribed groups who we would count alongside AQ as our enemies."

Substitute the US and Israel for Russia and Syria / Iran and all the US's allies in Arabia could say the same thing.

So it works both ways.


No, it is NOT about a warm water port and your reasons are as good as any.

And I think Putin, having got Obama's measure and being snubbed again
is quite happy to "turn the screws" on Obama and make him look a fool.

It is a game that Putin plays very well and Obama mis read it.

After all, re Syria and putin playing games, what is the worst that can happen ?

The US still fire off a few cruise missiles at Syria ? That would be called acceptable collateral damage in Putin's eyes. Russia is never in Danger here.

And if the US does nothing, all he has done is won another round of
the game of ping pong brinkmanship.

Obama should never have snubbed Putin or got on the wrong side of him.

Re Iran, I am more worried about Iran winding up and arming
Israels enemies and having Israel react to that where the ultimate
end game would be Israel attacking Iran itself.

Then watch the shyte hit the fan !!!

Rather than go after Assad's CW capability, I reckon that if the US do go in they should plink those S300 batteries. Kill a few of their Russians operators. And when Russias table a motion at the UN S/C condemning the attack, blithely use their veto to squash it. Two can play at that game.

The thing is, Putin also got the measure of GWB too. S'funny how some people around here have conveniently forgotten about this.

dead pan

Who are you referring to ?