Syria Used Chemical Weapons

[Stoked]

NPR reports that the White House is confirming that the Syrian government used chemical weapons. That was the red line that the President drew. Britain, France and Israel had been pushing the US to admit that and now they have.

https://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-wa...te-house-evidence-syria-used-chemical-weapons

So now what? Do we keep firm to the line that was drawn or do we back down from our public stance?

Pros and cons of each....

 

[The Thriller]

We can't even afford air traffic controllers in our own country let alone another war. Sorry Syrians, you're on your own here.

Captain America needs to fix America first, not the middle east. This past decade we've focused on fixing Iraq and Afghanistan and look at what it has gotten us? Trillions in debt, a failing infrastructure, and a nasty *** economy. Gotta fix America first or there won't be an America in the future to fix other countries.

We won't intervene for the sheer fact that intervening now while the economy still sucks. Anyone who supports American intervention will essentially be committing political suicide. To answer your question, we will (and should) back down. maybe France and GB can take this one? of course, they won't because they have so many arabs in their countries. They'd rather have the US do all the dirty work for them.

 

[Stoked]

We can't even afford air traffic controllers in our own country let alone another war. Sorry Syrians, you're on your own here.

Captain America needs to fix America first, not the middle east. This past decade we've focused on fixing Iraq and Afghanistan and look at what it has gotten us? Trillions in debt, a failing infrastructure, and a nasty *** economy. Gotta fix America first or there won't be an America in the future to fix other countries.

We won't intervene for the sheer fact that intervening now while the economy still sucks. Anyone who supports American intervention will essentially be committing political suicide. To answer your question, we will (and should) back down. maybe France and GB can take this one? of course, they won't because they have so many arabs in their countries. They'd rather have the US do all the dirty work for them.

https://www.nationalreview.com/articles/344023/sequester-theatrics-faa-andrew-stiles

What down sides do you see if any of backing down.

Personally I think it will lead other unfriendles to not take the US seriously. They will figure that we will back down.

 

[Hartsock]

Fuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu Syria.

 

[The Thriller]

https://www.nationalreview.com/articles/344023/sequester-theatrics-faa-andrew-stiles

What down sides do you see if any of backing down.

Personally I think it will lead other unfriendles to not take the US seriously. They will figure that we will back down.

I don't think so. I think most countries already recognize that the US isn't in any position to carry a big stick right now. Not until our economy gets back and those 2 other wars in the ME are actually over over instead of "over" while maintaining billions of dollars monthly and thousands of troops.

We have very little to gain by starting another war. Sooner or later some of these countries of the world need to take off the training wheels instead of relying on nanny USA to take care of everything.

 

[Stoked]

I agree that we should stay out but at the same time I feel that when we give our word we need to keep it.

 

[The Thriller]

I agree that we should stay out but at the same time I feel that when we give our word we need to keep it.

But we can't afford to keep our word. Maybe they won this battle of cards and called our bluff? Either way, we can't intervene. Of course, France and GB will bitch about it because they want something done but don't want to do anything for fear of civic uprising and terrorism from their own very (large) arabic populations. They'd prefer the USA do the dirty work for them.

 

[Stoked]

But we can't afford to keep our word. Maybe they won this battle of cards and called our bluff? Either way, we can't intervene. Of course, France and GB will bitch about it because they want something done but don't want to do anything for fear of civic uprising and terrorism from their own very (large) arabic populations. They'd prefer the USA do the dirty work for them.

Then we shouldn't give it. We can intervene but I think the cost is more than we want to pay in several ways.

 

[The Thriller]

Then we shouldn't give it. We can intervene but I think the cost is more than we want to pay in several ways.

Diplomacy is like a game of cards. How many other countries have made threats on stuff that they clearly couldn't keep their words on? We have given our word to countries before and have gone back on it. Look at the First Iraqi War. Shiites were encouraged to rise up. They were expecting the USA to mow forward all the war into Baghdad. Didn't happen. Look at Vietnam. Look at so many cases in the Cold War (which was one big game of cards. Making threats and then backing down). Cuban Missile Crisis anyone? Hell, you could even go back to Civil War or even Colonial times and see this type of stuff happening.

Relax. This type of stuff has been done before and will continue to go on. The USA isn't seen as less credible because of this (only amongst those who already hate Obama). A worse blow to our credibility came when we invaded a country for no reason (like Iraq). Or for ridiculous reasons (WMDs) when everyone else knew that it was bogus. Yet for some reason those who hate Obama seem to forget that there was a certain president between obama and Clinton. Yet they never want to talk about him... Why is that I wonder?

 

[Stoked]

Diplomacy is like a game of cards. How many other countries have made threats on stuff that they clearly couldn't keep their words on? We have given our word to countries before and have gone back on it. Look at the First Iraqi War. Shiites were encouraged to rise up. They were expecting the USA to mow forward all the war into Baghdad. Didn't happen. Look at Vietnam. Look at so many cases in the Cold War (which was one big game of cards. Making threats and then backing down). Cuban Missile Crisis anyone? Hell, you could even go back to Civil War or even Colonial times and see this type of stuff happening.

Relax. This type of stuff has been done before and will continue to go on. The USA isn't seen as less credible because of this (only amongst those who already hate Obama). A worse blow to our credibility came when we invaded a country for no reason (like Iraq). Or for ridiculous reasons (WMDs) when everyone else knew that it was bogus. Yet for some reason those who hate Obama seem to forget that there was a certain president between obama and Clinton. Yet they never want to talk about him... Why is that I wonder?

If backing down from your public stance does not hurt your credibility that is because you have none to begin with. I see that as a problem. When America takes a stand people and countries should know that we will keep good to our word.

Also the whole "other countries do it" arguement is shallow and inneffective on me. Defending your own bad behaviour on the bad behaviour of others is pointless.

Also spare me your boring attempts to turn this into a right v. left fight. That is not the issue here so move on.

In the future I'd like to see less promises made unless you are determined to keep them. If we want to be respected than we should act in a way that deserves it.

 

[The Thriller]

If backing down from your public stance does not hurt your credibility that is because you have none to begin with. I see that as a problem. When America takes a stand people and countries should know that we will keep good to our word.

Also the whole "other countries do it" arguement is shallow and inneffective on me. Defending your own bad behaviour on the bad behaviour of others is pointless.

Also spare me your boring attempts to turn this into a right v. left fight. That is not the issue here so move on.

In the future I'd like to see less promises made unless you are determined to keep them. If we want to be respected than we should act in a way that deserves it.

I agree. We should stop even commenting in world affairs in the first place. Syria has a right to rule as it sees fit just like America does. We should concentrate on ourselves and let Syria take care of itself. Training wheels need to come off sometime

 

[Stoked]

I agree. We should stop even commenting in world affairs in the first place. Syria has a right to rule as it sees fit just like America does. We should concentrate on ourselves and let Syria take care of itself. Training wheels need to come off sometime

I agree that more focus is here but turning our back on the world will lead to disaster as well. There nees to be a happy medium.

 

[The Thriller]

I agree that more focus is here but turning our back on the world will lead to disaster as well. There nees to be a happy medium.

I agree.

It will be interesting what the next step will be. I just really don't want anymore war. We have enough bs here to worry about. and i really do feel like many of these countries would benefit from having to stand on their own 2 feet instead of relying upon uncle sam and his paycheck. that goes for france and gb too. im tired of america doing their dirty work becauae they're too ***** to deal with their own arab issues.

I have a few family members right now struggling to find work as it is. They're qualified and recently graduated. Yet, the economy is still in the toilet. I feel bad for all those who have been unemployed for 6+months and are now being deemed as tainted goods. Will they ever find decent employment ever again? We still have a long way to go to recover what we have lost.