Syria Next?

Hawks will caw and say the blunt threats worked. They will be right on some level.

On another thread I speculated that much of the noise about syria is preparation for a scapegoat. Syria will be the place that the missing WMDs and Iraqi leaders "will have found refuge".

I rate that speculation as a low probability. I believe that regardless of whether WMDs exist in Iraq (I belive that some low grade multi purpose agents that have utility as weapons do) they will be found in Iraq.

Agreed.
Problems that may or may not arise in Syria will be as a result of actions taken by the Syrians.

They, like Iraq, will have the choice to comply or not.

Max,

That ignores that fact that actions on our part would also need to be taken for there to be further problems and that the action we decide to take can be merited or not. It's a convenient tactic to try to place the onus on the other side and blame them for any action we take but it is a fallacious ploy.

For what you said to be true would require an assumption that we are wrong more often than we are right.

I do not share that opinion of US foreign policy.

Granted, we have made our mistakes and will no doubt continue to make them, but they will be, as they have been in the past, in the minority.

Pretty much in agreement with ya, CdK .... except for one thing ... what weapons did the US provide to Iraq, and when? Iraq in specific ... nothing to say or do with any other state. I believe the argument that "The US armed Iraq too" to be without foundation. At one point, Iraq was The Enemy of our Enemy, but its been a long, long time sincew any US Federal hardware or money went to Iraq's infrastructure, military or civil. There has been direct US humanitarian aid, but no other tangible US support in the past quarter century or so. The bulk of international support has been Russian/Soviet, French, and German. Heck, even the Swedes and the Italians had more military trade with Iraq than did the US.

No no, I'm not commenting on the merits of an action. I am simply saying that asserting that all our actions are entirely the responsibility of those who chose to act in a manner that is not agreeable to us is, IMO, false. Just as it is, IMO, false to assert that any negative situations that arise from our actions are entirely our responsibility.

Note the part I made bold above. It was with that fact in mind that I carefully placed my statement in past tense.

The bulk of Iraqi WMDs were made during a period in which we allowed our copanies to sell to them and in which we provided state to stte support.

I do concede that during the sanctions against iraq we have been the country that most adhered to them. This is partly due to the fact that we were the country most inteested in enforcing them.

False, yes, I agree.
That was not my point.

Syria will be able to avoid conflict, they will have a choice.
Just as Iraq did.

I honestly believe that Syria will be completely compliant and aggressive action will be avoided.

But they must first realize that Israel isn't going away, and neither are we.

You know, this debate reminds me of a Randy Newman song:


Artist: Randy Newman
Album: Sail Away
Title: Political Science


No one likes us
I don't know why.
We may not be perfect
But heaven knows we try.
But all around even our old friends put us down.
Let's drop the big one and see what happens.

We give them money
But are they grateful?
No they're spiteful
And they're hateful.
They don't respect us so let's surprise them;
We'll drop the big one and pulverize them.

Now Asia's crowded
And Europe's too old.
Africa's far too hot,
And Canada's too cold.
And South America stole our name.
Let's drop the big one; there'll be no one left to blame us.

Bridge:
We'll save Australia;
Don't wanna hurt no kangaroo.
We'll build an all-American amusement park there;
They've got surfing, too.

Well, boom goes London,
And boom Paris.
More room for you
And more room for me.
And every city the whole world round
Will just be another American town.
Oh, how peaceful it'll be;
We'll set everybody free;
You'll have Japanese kimonos, baby,
There'll be Italian shoes for me.
They all hate us anyhow,
So let's drop the big one now.
Let's drop the big one now.


You know Max, if I thought that your views were the ones that would prevail for any length of time in your country, and if I were not so absolutely opposed to murder and the infliction of suffering on other people, I would be considering the whole notion of wiring meself up with placcy explosives or guns and making war on the USA - not on civilians, of course - I would be a "smart weapon."

I do not believe I have ever had such a thought in my life before.

Uh, no.

You would be a dead rabbit.



Stand on the moral high ground if you wish but be cautioned, you do not stand there alone.

Your assumption that those who support the war in Iraq do not share these characteristics is fallacious in the extreme.

LOL! Indeed - but I would consider my life well spent - and hope for a paradise of some sort with no bullies.

How so very radical fundamentalist Islam of you!!

ha! fell neatly into the little bunny trap I set for you!

Don't worry, the stakes at the bottom are just cunningly painted marshmallow. But it may take you a while to climb out...

A trap you say?!?

Well it must be an absolutely excellent one, for I have no inkling that I am in one.....



Huh?!?

LOL! I will stop playing with you now, Max - 'tis a serious thread, and I have diverted it enough - let it lie.

But my first post was pretty serious...

let there be light

We're the ones that don't have a choice anymore. It's already been decided for us that all threats to our way of life (real, imagined, wished for, concocted... take your pick) will be met with depleted uranium fists.

Get used to it. The fun is just beginning.

We were told after Afghanistan that it would take time to replenish our supplies of cruise missiles and smart munitions. Wouldn't the same apply now, before the next campaign?