as seen on tv
Senator
Congratulations Senator McCain – President Obama has announced the bombing (in Syria) will start in 5 minutes. Er . . . that doesn’t sound right. Let me check again. Correction – my bad – Obama actually said he will begin the arming of Syrian rebels in 5 minutes. In related news, the rebels immediately pledged allegiance to Al Qaeda. This is not a joke.
At this stage I invite the “progressives” on this board to discuss their past affinity for the concept of “multilateralism” and “actions within an agreed upon UN framework”. I’m allowed to do this because I have consistently posted in this forum AGAINST American involvement in Syria. So let’s hear it, those of you on the left – shouldn’t have Obama waited for a UN resolution, harsher sanctions, and a fact finding mission?
No – of course he should not. The last UN fact finding mission to Syria resulted in the bizarre declaration that it was the rebels who had used Sarin poison gas against Assad’s army. That of course was quickly “walked back” by more responsible voices in the UN. . . But it does illustrate the basis for the knee-jerk GOP aversion to UN control of anything.
I’m all over the map this morning, aren’t I? Actually, I’m not. The enemy of my enemy isn’t automatically my friend. Although we can all agree the UN is a joke, and hasn’t actually “fixed” anything anywhere, that doesn’t make either the GOP or the Obama administration my friend this morning.
In an ideal world, if you determine someone is guilty of “war crimes” you would arrest them and bring them to trial in an international court of law. Yeah – good luck with that. I don’t think Assad’s “team of rivals” is going to slap the cuffs on him and put on the tarmac at Al-Assad International Airport for pickup by UN helicopters. The UN would never vote for that anyway. Russia – a permanent member of the Security Council by virtue only of their nukes – would veto it. Do you get the connection between Nukes and power aspirations of other tin horn insane despots now?
Russian technicians helped Syria create its Sarin gas stockpiles. If you have to ask how we know this, you could be too dumb to be a member of this board. And Russia has been shipping boatloads of conventional arms to Assad, so he can fend off the “democratic aspirations” of the Syrian people. Well, some of them have democratic aspirations, probably. Others just pledged allegiance to the flag of Al Qaeda and the oppression for which it stands. And Assad is also getting assistance – material, manpower, and advice - from Hezbollah and Iran.
So Russia – explain to me why you’re in league with Islamists assisting Assad, while machine gunning them down in Chechnya, on your own doorstep? Oh - that’s right. That old “enemy of my enemy is my friend” thing again. How’s that working out for you?
Back to Assad, and his war crimes. Here’s my advice to Mr. Obama, although I doubt it will actually work: Have NATO or some other “coalition of the willing” issue an arrest warrant for Assad, based on his war crimes. Close the Syrian airspace and ports of Syria. Expel Syrian diplomats from all coalition members.
Again, this probably WONT result in Assad turning up bound and gagged on the airport tarmac. But it’s a darn sight safer than sending surface to air missiles to Al Qaeda, and we can at least say we did everythign short opening up a new war front.
Full disclosure – the arming of Syrian rebels is just THIS close to being a “wag the dog” scenario, in the midst of IRS, NSA, Benghazi, and DOJ wiretap scandals, isn’t it? I have a screenplay outline I will be shopping around Hollywood, as soon as I can get representation. Working title - "A Sad Day for us all"
At this stage I invite the “progressives” on this board to discuss their past affinity for the concept of “multilateralism” and “actions within an agreed upon UN framework”. I’m allowed to do this because I have consistently posted in this forum AGAINST American involvement in Syria. So let’s hear it, those of you on the left – shouldn’t have Obama waited for a UN resolution, harsher sanctions, and a fact finding mission?
No – of course he should not. The last UN fact finding mission to Syria resulted in the bizarre declaration that it was the rebels who had used Sarin poison gas against Assad’s army. That of course was quickly “walked back” by more responsible voices in the UN. . . But it does illustrate the basis for the knee-jerk GOP aversion to UN control of anything.
I’m all over the map this morning, aren’t I? Actually, I’m not. The enemy of my enemy isn’t automatically my friend. Although we can all agree the UN is a joke, and hasn’t actually “fixed” anything anywhere, that doesn’t make either the GOP or the Obama administration my friend this morning.
In an ideal world, if you determine someone is guilty of “war crimes” you would arrest them and bring them to trial in an international court of law. Yeah – good luck with that. I don’t think Assad’s “team of rivals” is going to slap the cuffs on him and put on the tarmac at Al-Assad International Airport for pickup by UN helicopters. The UN would never vote for that anyway. Russia – a permanent member of the Security Council by virtue only of their nukes – would veto it. Do you get the connection between Nukes and power aspirations of other tin horn insane despots now?
Russian technicians helped Syria create its Sarin gas stockpiles. If you have to ask how we know this, you could be too dumb to be a member of this board. And Russia has been shipping boatloads of conventional arms to Assad, so he can fend off the “democratic aspirations” of the Syrian people. Well, some of them have democratic aspirations, probably. Others just pledged allegiance to the flag of Al Qaeda and the oppression for which it stands. And Assad is also getting assistance – material, manpower, and advice - from Hezbollah and Iran.
So Russia – explain to me why you’re in league with Islamists assisting Assad, while machine gunning them down in Chechnya, on your own doorstep? Oh - that’s right. That old “enemy of my enemy is my friend” thing again. How’s that working out for you?
Back to Assad, and his war crimes. Here’s my advice to Mr. Obama, although I doubt it will actually work: Have NATO or some other “coalition of the willing” issue an arrest warrant for Assad, based on his war crimes. Close the Syrian airspace and ports of Syria. Expel Syrian diplomats from all coalition members.
Again, this probably WONT result in Assad turning up bound and gagged on the airport tarmac. But it’s a darn sight safer than sending surface to air missiles to Al Qaeda, and we can at least say we did everythign short opening up a new war front.
Full disclosure – the arming of Syrian rebels is just THIS close to being a “wag the dog” scenario, in the midst of IRS, NSA, Benghazi, and DOJ wiretap scandals, isn’t it? I have a screenplay outline I will be shopping around Hollywood, as soon as I can get representation. Working title - "A Sad Day for us all"
