Replies to post #27571 on Cat House

[Porgie Tirebiter]

How effed is that?

Plenty effed. Here's the problem. There is no good side to be on in this particular mess. The irony is that the Alawites are probably the most reasonable (if the word reasonable can be applied in Middle Eastern politics anyway) group out of the whole bunch. It's to bad that happens to be the sect that Assad comes from.

As for the use of chemical weapons, it's not really in Assad's interest to use them as he risks losing what little support he has from foreign interests. Added to that is the fact that it would be absurd not to believe that the FSA wouldn't also have access to some of those stockpiles. And it would clearly be in the FSA's interests to goad the U.S. into hitting Assad.

[catdaddyrt]

its a bad situation anyway you look at it - yes I do believe they have used nerve gas on their own people and its horrific but us lobbing in cruise missiles does not fix the conflict - its Israel's call to intervene imo when the threat meets their "red Line" they can take them out - if we strike Syria, Iran will strike Israel -if Israel strike's Syria, Iran will attack them - if we do nothing the Iranians think we are weak and continue to work on nuclear weapons - the only reason we lost 3000 people in the 911 attack is because the terrorists did not have a nuclear weapon, had they we would have lost 3million - I don't have an answer it's a time bomb with a lit fuse - my best call from the play book would be to have a seal team take out Assad and his close leaders as this would give the rebels an upper hand for the short term. I will say it's one of the few times BO has appeared to give a sheet about anything other than golf and willing to get approval from the congress - he drew the line in the sand and his history is about to be cemented in time be it good or bad.Our soldiers do not seem interested in helping terrorists -go figure. However this goes down it will not be good.