Ideally a multinational coalition with Russia playing a significant role. Would be nice to see Assad stand trial eventually, I tend to think even he would take that over being sodomized with a bayonet…
I was under the impression that the S400 anti air batteries were under direct Russian control, not really an option to take out anti air batteries of a nuclear adversary. That’s what made it such a difficult situation after Russia moved in, without their cooperation we don’t have many options.
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Ask Qaddafi about making such a deal with the USA? Oh yeah right Al Qaeda killed him with a bayonet up his ass. With our support. Obama was not an Honorable guy. Making us not a nation to be truested
Which is why we never should have allowed them in to begin with. I’m under the same impressions as yourself, so since those targets are no-go I suggest obliterating Assad’s other military.
Russia can’t feasibly protect Assad from his own idiocy after dropping nerve gas on his own people. If I were Trump, I would have talks with NATO leader countries and try to put together a coalition there first–specifically because Russia is not involved. At the same time I’d be talking to UN member nations of the security council (which unfortunately does involve Russia) to see if I could get support for stronger action against him. If you could get China on board–because they’re not exactly best friends with a regional rival–then the only potential hold out of the permanent members of the security council would be Russia. They would look terrible if they did hold out for whatever reason…the current draft resolution in play is being criticized by Russia, but if they’re the only holdout they look terrible.
Granted that because a veto vote from a permanent council member state is an instant killer they could halt any resolution, but it would be a very transparent move and would not gain them any political good will from other countries. If they even remotely wanted to keep up appearances they would need to agree.
But I think cruise missiles are a good start.
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yaayyy bombs and war
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Hmm. Not two months ago, Trump is issuing anti-Muslim executive orders drafted (very poorly) by propagandist Bannon. Fast forward, in the blink of an eye, Bannon gets unceremoniously dumped from NSC and there are reports he’s at the margin in the White House, and Trump commits American blood and treasure to stopping internal slaughter inside a Muslim nation.
Hmm.
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Interesting take. That’s giving the government a lot of credit, though.
I wish. I dunno if Trump is just being schizophrenic again or if Bannon really was that big of a difference maker in his opinions. Either way I’m glad that crazy person is farther away from him now.
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Maybe(in Pres Trump’s mind) Bannon is OK to mess with the media, but he’s not a “Wartime Consigliere.”
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Russia canceled coordination with US forces in Syria, also looks like they are bolstering AA defenses.
I’m starting to wish Trump was as cozy with Putin as everyone has been suggesting.
Here’s a conspiracy I am seeing floating around that ties into the above AP tweet: this whole thing was manufactured by Putin/Trump. The tough talk between the two countries will commence and then an agreement will be reached for US/Russia to work together to clean up Syria; Russia will put pressure on Assad to stop killing his people. This takes heat off of the Russia collusion story and, ultimately, we lift sanctions against them. Win/win for both sides.
Actually @anon50325502 and I beat you to this theory on another thread. Tinfoil hats were involved.
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Ya, gtfo @Tyler23, tryin to steal my thunder…
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I’ve had a suspicion for a while now that it may be a matter of Assad not having his house in order. Could possibly be Sunni friendly elements within the Assad military instigating the attacks in order to provoke the West into taking out the regime. Assad wouldn’t be able to come out and admit this but it seems possible, would make a great thriller/spy flick if it were true…
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I should’ve known you two crackpots came up with this one.
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Like we have options to that… The drums of war have beating a long while. This just the next step in that progression.
I disagree with Obama’s decision there as well. Are we at war with Al-Qaeda or helping them? And who’s going to fill the power void after Assad’s gone? Do they seriously think a peaceful democratic nation will somehow emerge from the rubble and embrace Western Values? It worked real well in the past, after all in many nations…lol. Most of them are the worst of terrorist havens, much better off under secular dictators.
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I don’t think it’s quote that binary, while major elements of the Syrian resistance are intertwined with ISIS keep in mind many were driven there out of necessity due to lack of western assistance. Nonetheless as you mentioned creating a power vacuum would certainly cause unacceptable consequences, maybe there are other members of the Assad regime that can replace Assad himself? Maybe we ought to just give up trying to duct tape these countries together and redraw Iraq and Syria along Sunni/Shia/Kurdish lines. It was done more or less with the Ottoman Empire, might be time for another go. Regardless permitting Assad himself to stay at this point is just not an option.