Were the airstrikes on Syria designed to distract attention from the Putin-Trump investigation?
OK, listen carefully. This is one time I'm going to side with Donald Trump. President Assad of Syria gassed his own people and killed about 100, many of them children. This is a crime against humanity which couldn't go unanswered. This one airstrike may not accomplish much, but it sends a message to Assad that he could meet the same fate as Saddam Hussein if he continues to commit war crimes.Putin is clearly not happy about this and tried to blame the Syrian rebels for the gas attack. If anything this attack puts some distance between Trump and Putin, at least for the time being.
Why is Trump bombing Syria? What could the bombing accomplish?
Syria bombing is a good case for “measured reaction” or “restrained action”. Both terms are security descriptors that could be used by military experts or state security officials to justify action taken to put pressure on an antagonist or an indirect action (passive aggression rather than inaction) against a treaty violator.Please note the absence of “enemy” “attacker” “opposing force” etc.This is something that could be instigated or prompt by the UN to State Dept. to SECDEF to NSA and finally the President. Thereby, bypassing the Congress and the War Resolution Act. It is an easy war to start a war as if brawling. Bill Clinton used this tactics to start 15 wars via the UN. That’s why people say the last real war the U.S. fought was in 1958.But in this case, TRUMP is trying to do the exact opposite of Obama.This act will either pump up Assad to round up the rebel factions now. But if he hesitate to seize on this, he will be weakened further by a “weapon refurbishing uptick” from the Saudi/Qatari/Bahraini weapon suppliers to the rebels. And the fight will continue, and we might even get dragged further and further into the quagmire that is Syria.As said before in my other post, if I were TRUMP, I would have the chemical attack area cordoned off, send in a joint raid (with Russia flanking rather than support), remove the chemical weapons, take out the storage.I will then round up rebel elements (or whoever is alive) tell them about “al fitna al-Kubra” and why it is most needed in the Arabic heartland rather than in the Levante (where soldiers of the Prophet Fitnas under Khalid died). I will then ship them enmass to Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Bahrain. Back them up with one-time strike on military targets in those three countries.Then watch as they attack their sponsors in their homeland. Guess what! Oil supply to Asia and North Korea from the Middle East will be disrupted. And for the first time, North Korea will be found wanting for aviation fuel supply.That’s what I promised to do as SmithieForPresident. TRUMP is loosing a big chance to really stir the pot.Weakening Assad in not in the best interest of Syrians. Embolden those rebels and their penchant for prosecuting Christians, Armenians, Kurds and other minority groups is not the best way to go in Syria. Back up Assad, get rid of the rebels, regardless of the UN, then give Assad a mandate to step down.
Has the US officialy declared war on Syria? If not, how could Trump order a missle strike without Congress’ approval?
“How” he did it is obvious: he ordered the strike. He “most likely” consulted with experts on where exactly to send those few conventional warhead missiles. Only 50 armed with 1000 pound HE warheads. That’s only 0.025 kilotons of explosive.He attempted to reach Congress but Congress was occupied with proving itself incompetent to make important decisions. In fact, they were busy proving they are incapable of giving their approval - of a nominee to the Supreme Court. SOP for Congress.
Does the air strike on Syria change the belief that Trump and Putin are in cahoots?
After studying the evidence and investigation closely my opinion hasn't changed.Donald every time the investigation heats up invents distracting news, Syria is no different, congress and Donald were publicly against Obama punishing Syria when nerve gas was used on 1,000 Syrian. Now Donald wants us to believe he had punished Syria for nerve gas on 70?. Russia was given 1 hours notice of the attack, hence Syrian regime was given 1 hours notice, plenty of time to remove sensitive and expensive equipment and personal. The only fatalities seem to be from errant tomahawks that hit a nearby village including children. The same deaths we were supposed to be punishing for. Donald announced he purposely did not bomb the runway, so let's be clear we ensured the evacuation of a airstrip, we ensured all equipment was removed before we bombed around around the airstrip (but not the airstrip itself) and the Syrian and Russian planes were flying out of the same airstrip 24 hours later bombing the same village. We may as well have dropped wet fish on them.Was it not Donald who in numerous stump speeches declared not to tell the enemies of your military plans?. It seems fitting that this shows he does not consider Russia ergo Syria the enemy. After the election Donald and Putin both threatened a new arms race if you remember, in the end Donald offered to lift sanctions to end the theoretical arms race. Russia will beat its military chest now manoeuvre a few ships and declare America the evil, but I promise the topic of removing Russian sanctions will be in the news again within 6 months.
Why are right-wingers so obsessed with Obama's birth certificate? Nobody has ever seen Dubya Bush's birth certificate.?
Just a distraction, like Benghazi and emails. Next will be Hillary's permanent record from 5th grade. All those things are important to conservatives. Ignoring intel so 3000 people die and starting two wars to kill another 6000 is minor in their wacky world.
Has the war in Syria become a proxy war?
What gives you the idea that the United States has been aiding the anti-Assad forces in Syria? President Obama decided not to get involved in a meaningful way. A great deal has been written in America about what happens when America gets involved in other countries—mostly focused on the negative. What President Obama and many other Americans failed to appreciate is that there are costs and consequences to not getting involved. In this case the humanitarian cost is some 0.5 million deaths.And the question seems to focus on the old Cold War dynamic, Russia versus the United States. Actually the Syrian disaster is different and much more complex. Russia is a major player, supporting Assad because he provides a Mediterranean base and the refugee flow destabilizing Europe—a major Russian foreign policy goal. . The other major player is Iran and relates to the centuries old Sunni/Shi’ia conflict. And the situation is further complicated by divisions within the Sunni with the radical Ismamists becoming a major force.I am not saying America should get involved, but I do not see the costs of not getting involved being discussed in the current American debate, namely the massive humanitarian tragedy and the destabilization of Europe..