US bombs Syria
- Thread starter Nic Robinson
- Start date
lennyw
Still throwing Eephus pitches
Mike Reed
pfm Member
Timing is everything. The Donald could have waited (as did his predecessor) for incontrovertible proof, but this was a golden opportunity to (a) show North Korea that he doesn't make idle threats, and (b) indicates to the Chinese premier that the Chinese should not prevaricate over their rogue neighbour, and (c) shows Putin that the Donald is a force to be reckoned with.
Russia guaranteed that Assad's chemical stockpile would be eradicated and that no further use would occur. This was partly why Obama backed down before. So much for Putin's guarantees, and I feel this is egg on his face.
It's a surgical strike to show that the U.S.A. is under new management; I can't think there'll be too many repercussions.
Russia guaranteed that Assad's chemical stockpile would be eradicated and that no further use would occur. This was partly why Obama backed down before. So much for Putin's guarantees, and I feel this is egg on his face.
It's a surgical strike to show that the U.S.A. is under new management; I can't think there'll be too many repercussions.
droodzilla
pfm Member
My main concern about this is it shows how trigger-happy Trump is. Clearly a man who can't wait to start a war.
Whatever happened in Syria is morally repellent. The thought of Trump in charge of the biggest military arsenal in the world at a time like this fills me with dread.
Whatever happened in Syria is morally repellent. The thought of Trump in charge of the biggest military arsenal in the world at a time like this fills me with dread.
gassor
There may be more posts after this.
I feel very uneasy about the airstrike because it indicates the knee jerk policies of Trump are something that will be a feature of his presidency. This strike is something he railed against during the election and now he acts in a way that totally contradicts what he stood for before. The most powerful person in the world is a complete loose cannon and God only knows what he will do next.
".
SteveS1
I heard that, pardon?
I struggle with that too, it makes no sense. Especially as he seems to be achieving his objectives with conventional weapons as if they are not bad enough. Trump's predictable trigger happy approach is a huge concern.
notaclue
pfm Member
I'm guessing that a day future generations could point to as the start of World War 3 would look a bit like this http://www.independent.co.uk/
The biggest worry will be if Trump has now had a taste of real military power and will want that feeling again and again, greater and greater.
The biggest worry will be if Trump has now had a taste of real military power and will want that feeling again and again, greater and greater.
TheDecameron
Unicorns fart glitter.
Panto-style protestations from his friends in Moscow. Purely for the audience.
SteveS1
I heard that, pardon?
Oh no it isn't. <fetches coat>
tones
Tones deaf
Funny, that same thought ran through my head - Trump the man of peace v. Hillary the warlike harpy. Of course, she might have done the same thing. We'll never know.
tones
Tones deaf
Perhaps he thought that, with his solid Russian backing and statements from the current incumbent of the White House that removing him was not an option, he could indulge in more controversial tactics in the expectation that nothing except a few moans would come of it.
The Far North
pfm Member
Possibly Dec, but then again (from the BBC website)
It is obvious that the US cruise missile strike had been pre-prepared. It is clear to any specialist that Washington made the decision to strike before the events in Idlib, which were only used as a pretext for a show of force.
Russian Foreign Ministry
MVV
pfm Member
I'm with Yomanze. Assad can and does kill as many civilians as he likes with conventional weapons, barrel bombs and suchlike. He may be many things but he is clearly not stupid. It is not even particularly effective.
Are there rogue Syrian commanders? In which case they will now be in some basement, connected to the mains and toothlessly repenting.
If not that then you have to ask, who else might benefit from bringing America further into this war/facilitating this action?
Cloth-Ears
pfm Member
Its all very murky at the moment. So far my gut says Trump wasn't itching to do this. I think he's been manipulated to doing it by the internal forces that oppose the changed stance to Syria and the Assad regime.
If there is an element of Trump impulsiveness, it might be that he readily agreed, to make a show that he is prepared to go against Russia's wishes and that he isn't Putin's man ( which he isn't anyway ).
As to who did the attack, again its so murky for now, but my gut says not the regime, because they stood to lose so much if they did and the Islamist rebels to conversely gain. Do remember the time when it was supposedly so clear that Kerry wanted action; red lines and so forth. Then, ooops it was the extremist rebels. But then, they just wanted to take out Syria anyway ........... as is still the plan among the deep state, that continually undermines Trump.
If there is an element of Trump impulsiveness, it might be that he readily agreed, to make a show that he is prepared to go against Russia's wishes and that he isn't Putin's man ( which he isn't anyway ).
As to who did the attack, again its so murky for now, but my gut says not the regime, because they stood to lose so much if they did and the Islamist rebels to conversely gain. Do remember the time when it was supposedly so clear that Kerry wanted action; red lines and so forth. Then, ooops it was the extremist rebels. But then, they just wanted to take out Syria anyway ........... as is still the plan among the deep state, that continually undermines Trump.
Space is the Place
pfm Member
Call me a cynic, none of the papers are mentioning it, but it also take away the heat over Trumps Russian links, he's playing a very dangerous game in which we could all be the losers.