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I understand the concept of striking out in support of Obama's Red Line. Gassing civilians is evil.
However, what is the end game?
Assad is bad. ISIS is worse. If we remove Assad, won't that help ISIS and therefore entangle us more in the region as we will be responsible in propping up the next government that won't be seen as legitimate by large segment of their society?
Why tick off nuclear armed Russia who wants their naval port to stay in place in Syria?
The Obama-Bush doctrine has been to create power-vacuums where terrorist groups thrive (Iraq, Libya, Syria, and arguably Egypt). Obama gave hundreds of millions of dollars worth of military weapons to "moderate rebels" in many countries where much of the weapons went right to ISIS, Al Qaeda, Hezbollah, El Nusra, etc... Terrorist groups are now using US weapons to kill people for being gay, secularists, Christians, Jews, etc...
Al Qaeda is responsible for 9-11, Obama armed them. Will this come back to bite us? How many of our drone strikes that killed civilians will spawn new terrorists? How many Middle Easterners will want to hold us accountable for arming ISIS under Obama?
Haven't we screwed up the region enough?
Can't we cut some sort of a deal to Russia...stomp the crap out of ISIS, but keep Assad on a leash - so we can pull out and they keep their precious warm water port on the Mediterranean Sea?
I don't want Trump to continue the Obama-Bush doctrine of creating power-vacuums and dispersing weapons everywhere...how is this good for the stability of the Middle East tinderbox?
Originally Posted by The Dark Enlightenment You realize you are just echoing the current elite media line, and that the goal is to egg Trump on toward more military action and a fresh new American war in the Middle East? Is that what you want?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Fiyero
Sure why not? Maybe his idiot supporters will finally realize he's nothing but a War hawk neo-conservative which they apparently hate so much.
Because... you actually prefer peace to war and want a good outcome for your country? ...and this matters more to you than trying to discredit Trump?
I am sick of the way we're constantly being manipulated into supporting action and regime change in Syria. I smell a rat and don't think for a second that we've been told the truth about whats going over there. So if you can't trust what the government says, you're left wondering if you're better off just doing the opposite of what they want you to do.
If Assad did it, then he should be targeted. But he's been blamed for things that the rebels did and probably what other more nefarious groups have done to create the desired conflict. And a syrian doctor that was on the news as an expert in the gas attack casualties is himself tied to terrorism. The MSM let that slip by. Again, we're being played and my instincts are to do the opposite of what they want.
I had to vote for Trump because he was the only choice. He was a bad choice, but the only choice. And his being targeted by the deep state was reason to support him. But if Trump is going along with what they want, that's not good for the rest of us. He got praise by very suspect people from both sides over this which is troubling.
I'd want to know what happened in the background, at least with the Russians (aside from warning them in advance). I'd like to think the whole thing was orchestrated in advance including the public postures - that we'd take out an airfield, the Russians would strongly object in the media but ultimately do nothing. The Russian 'violating international law' statement rings pretty hollow in light of Crimea and Ukraine just for starters. Though Syria is a Russian ally, I'd like to think privately they weren't too keen on the use of chemical weapons in Syria either. But we'll never know, and shouldn't. Transparency is a double edged sword, and those who call for transparency are often least able to make responsible use of a lot of information.
One of the few things I agreed with Trump on during the campaign, was for the USA to stop telegraphing our options and plans in advance. And the media has been highly complicit, they're free to ask but the administration should choose what/when they answer. It's not up to Chris Matthews or other talking heads. We should keep all our cards, including surprise, available to play as needed.
Well there is that although that is something I think most Americans knew already.
But is it possible to stop being partisan for a moment and to look at the strike strategically? I believe Trump was being tested. At least by the Syrians, possibly by the Russians as well. This is because I believe Assad is so dependent on the Russians (and Iranians) that there is a possible chance he got the ok to use chemical weapons before hand. Or at the very least he wanted make sure the Russians will veto (again) any UN resolutions condemning his use of chemical weapons.
If Trump had not done anything, especially after the rhetoric he made last year about crossing the line in the sand, he would have looked weak and the USA would have lost credibility in such places as North Korea, the South China Sea and Eastern Europe.
No he wouldn't. He would have looked as if he finally kept his word (the Twitter posts he made criticizing Obama's actions). Once again, why does the US always have to pay world policeman? This is especially true considering Trump won on a platform of isolationism and nationalism. I agree with the poster who said it was a show to supposedly prove he didn't have a bromance going with Putin, and it didn't prove that either.
I think it was a good idea, but of course it's in Trump's hands so he f***ed it up like he does to every single thing he touches.
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