Air strikes in Syria

[Burlyman]

I guess a lot of people are panicking. Thoughts?

[callmeslick]

not well thought out, IMHO.

[Tunnelcat]

Never let a child who's pissed off because he got caught doing something naughty and wrong and may be punished have access to any kind of deadly weapons. I also see that this airstrike attack is probably just as ineffectual as the last one. It's all for Trump's little ego show. What a waste of our military and our tax dollars. Heaven forbid he fails to back up all that rhetoric with action or else look like a weakling. But his decision making is being influenced by all the investigations going on around him since it's come out he's clearly having roid rage episodes while watching cable TV, which seems to be unhinging him at times. Temper, temper. And Burlyman thought Hillary was more likely to start WWIII.

https://www.esquire.com/news-politics/p ... deserting/

https://www.boston.com/news/politics/20 ... n-attorney

[Burlyman]

She was going to do the same thing. I don't think this was Donald Trump's idea though.

[vision]

She was going to do the same thing. I don't think this was Donald Trump's idea though.

I agree that this has probably been in the works for a long time. There have been continual chemical attacks in Syria, they just chose this one because it's convenient. The strike was handled flawlessly, so as much as I'm against it at least the goal was accomplished without collateral damage. Looks like this was an excuse for a live test of some new tech, which seems to have worked great. I don't think this was intended as a political distraction since there some new bull★■◆● with our president every other day. I don't even think a world war would be a big enough distraction.

[Burlyman]

Actually, from what I heard, the missiles were old technology, and the missile strikes weren't very successful. Time to check some more sources....

[Vander]

It seems kind of arbitrary to single out chemical weapons. Is killing 50 people with chemical weapons really all that different than killing 50 people with explosives?

[Burlyman]

CNN seems to have dropped a hint that something else is going on:

The U.S.--the possessor of the biggest arsenal of chemical weapons--has no moral right to blame other countries.

He posted that on Twitter. Also, Assad claims to be fighting terrorism. Is Syria being bullied by the governments of these three countries? What about Israel?

[vision]

Time to check some more sources....

I would like to know more, so if you see a good source please post it.

My opinion is that this airstrike has nothing to do with chemical weapons and everything to do with destabilizing the country. Now that the threat of ISIS is mostly eliminated the US needs to create some bull★■◆● excuse for keeping a hand in Syria. The ultimate goal is to secure a gas pipeline from the Arabian Peninsula to Europe. The US is simply the strong arm of our allies in the EU and Arabia, ethics be damned.

[Tunnelcat]

Actually, from what I heard, the missiles were old technology, and the missile strikes weren't very successful. Time to check some more sources....

Not true. They decided to try out some of their newer more expensive missile toys.

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/syria-st ... 31387.html

[Tunnelcat]

I see that Trump just can't bring himself to do anything bad towards Russia and Putin. His little airstrikes were nothing but limp noodle swats meant to bolster his ego, because now Trump won't back up his words with more and stronger sanctions.

https://www.smh.com.au/world/north-amer ... 4z9zr.html

EDIT: The Israelis added this little insult to Trump's grand "Mission Accomplished" premature ejaculation. I guess saying that phrase instantly dooms any president who utters it.

http://www.businessinsider.com/israeli- ... led-2018-4

And now Russia is doing what the hell it wants with it little cyber war against the U.S. while our president sits back and enjoys his little bromance. XOXOXO What the hell happened to our president being Commander in Chief for OUR country? We really need to get rid of this Putin-loving bastard of a president before we are brought to our knees as a third rate country.

https://www.zdnet.com/article/russian-h ... ata-warns/

[Burlyman]

Here's an interesting comment from the missile article:

It's all about experimenting new weapons, and making the war industrial complex patrons richer, this strike cost taxpayers over half billion dollars, can you imagine spending that money on education, clean water, safe roads, health care etc.

I can already think of some more things to spend that money on besides war. Here's another one from that same article:

Not an impressive debut. The pictures available so far show nothing significant. Where are the fires? There should be hundreds of craters and burning structures. Evacuations of the local area should be visible as chemical poisons or bacterial weapons explode or leak. What do we see? Nothing.

Here's what Al-Assad says about these air strikes:

[Tunnelcat]

From the lips of a heartless monster willing to use explosive and shrapnel filled barrel bombs on his own people. Suuuuure he's innocent. It's no stretch that Assad would conveniently put chemicals into a couple of those and drop them just to help shorten his fight against those rebels. Assad is no better than his Russian allies who also have no qualms about using nerve agents on state enemies in foreign countries. Even the U.S. was guilty of deploying barrel bombs during the Vietnam War. Whatever it takes to win some stupid war I guess.

[vision]

I'm normally not conspiracy minded, but the whole thing has false-flag written all over it.

[Tunnelcat]

I'm normally not conspiracy minded, but the whole thing has false-flag written all over it.

For what purpose or end?

[vision]

I'm normally not conspiracy minded, but the whole thing has false-flag written all over it.

For what purpose or end?

The president previously announced the desire to withdraw from Syria. At this point the war is pretty much won by Al-Assad. Why antagonize the West when on the cusp of victory by attacking a low-value target with chemical weapons? Also, why this chemical attack an not the unknown number of previous ones in the past year? Why not wait for an evidence-based verification? It doesn't add up, but I admit we don't have all the facts. It just looks like Western powers trying to keep the fight going since they have basically lost, and losing means a strengthened Russia and Iranian crescent.

[Burlyman]

Actually, from what I heard, the missiles were old technology, and the missile strikes weren't very successful. Time to check some more sources....

Not true. They decided to try out some of their newer more expensive missile toys.

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/syria-st ... 31387.html

https://www.sott.net/article/382908-Abo ... s-in-Syria

[Tunnelcat]

Well, from Assad's point of view, the West is and has been pretty spineless when it comes to it's threats and then carrying them out, all because of their ally Russia (especially since Trump refuses to do anything against Putin). So why not bomb a holdout rebel stronghold with chemical weapons just to end the fighting quicker if the repercussions are almost non-existant?

[Tunnelcat]

https://www.sott.net/article/382908-Abo ... s-in-Syria

It's kind of sad that this country has thoroughly prostrated itself to the giant military industrial complex that has taken over our government and military since WWII, all on the taxpayer's dime. Meanwhile, our president brags he did something great and huge to stop a madman, when in reality he did NOTHING, especially since he went against the words of his own UN Ambassador Nikki Haley and refused to put even more sanctions on poor little Russia. So much for draining the swamp.

[vision]

https://www.sott.net/article/382908-Abo ... s-in-Syria

Thanks for the interesting take on the missile event. I'm sure more evidence will surface over the next several months.

[Burlyman]

No problem.

https://www.sott.net/article/382908-Abo ... s-in-Syria

It's kind of sad that this country has thoroughly prostrated itself to the giant military industrial complex that has taken over our government and military since WWII, all on the taxpayer's dime. Meanwhile, our president brags he did something great and huge to stop a madman, when in reality he did NOTHING, especially since he went against the words of his own UN Ambassador Nikki Haley and refused to put even more sanctions on poor little Russia. So much for draining the swamp.

Well said. Here's an interview I'm still reading:

https://sputniknews.com/russia/20180420 ... interview/

Sounds like good news for those worried about World War III like a lot of people reacting on YouTube.

[Tunnelcat]

Lavrov, one of Trump's little Russian buddies in crime who he invited into the White House without any American press around for miles, makes a reassuring statement. Kissy, kissy. But what happens when Trump gets indicted for who knows what and finally gets his corrupt behind removed from office? I'm guessing VP Mike Pence has a different sense of values concerning relations with a despot like Putin. Even if Trump manages against all odds to stick around, everything he's doing or will do in the future as president tends to benefit himself and his business, especially if that includes schmoozing up to who he believes is the God of world leaders, Putin. I can guarantee you it'll be stuff that's not in the best interest of the U.S. either.

[Burlyman]

If Donald Trump is removed from office, will the current Vice President take his place? Or will his whole cabinet be removed? I don't even remember the rule.

[Tunnelcat]

Unless Pence in somehow involved in this whole Russia mess, and there's a slim possibility, he'll become president. If for some reason Pence is removed, we get the outgoing Paul Ryan, heaven forbid, or his successor.

[Burlyman]

Is it true that Mike Pence is the brains of the operation like Dick Cheney was with Bush?

[Tunnelcat]

Is it true that Mike Pence is the brains of the operation like Dick Cheney was with Bush?

As long as Trump thinks he's top dog, Pence can do whatever what he wants. What Pence does with his secret behind the scenes power is right up your alley Burlyman.

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/26/opin ... rings.html