The false dichotomy of "military action" or "sit in silence" is INFURIATING

[LibAsHell]

How many fucking times are we going to hear this fallacy?

It is not about sitting in silence. We can exert political pressure, leverage Syria's neighbors, allies, the U.N. and the Arab League.

Besides, if we've got such damning and undeniable evidence of chemical attacks by Assad, then we shouldn't have any problems getting Russia and China on-board, right?

I cannot believe we are being fed this bullshit by John Kerry and President Obama. NOBODY IS SUGGESTING WE DO NOTHING. We're demanding that we not engage in a military intervention!

[hedgehog]

1. Where does Assad keep his money? All dictators and their top commanders

keep a rainy day fund in another country. I'm all for seizing his assets!

[muriel_volestrangler]

22. Over a year ago: Syria crisis: £100m Assad assets in UK are frozen

Assets worth £100m belonging to Syrian leaders have been located and frozen in Britain, the BBC has learned.

The European Union imposed sanctions on President Bashar al-Assad's regime after it violently suppressed anti-government protests.

Most of the UK assets is cash held in bank accounts by people and organisations named in the EU's action.
...
But Iain Willis, at the business intelligence firm Alaco, says it is just a fraction of the fortune amassed by the Assad family and its close associates during 41 years in power.

He estimated the figure at £1bn and says most of it is beyond the EU's reach, deposited in Russia and other countries that have yet to apply sanctions on Damascus.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-18897218

[indepat]

2. Let's all see how many obvious dichotomies at play that we can name re the Syrian situation

[n2doc]

3. Exactly. n/t

[Blue Owl]

4. Fuck whatever the TV said

Same goes for NPR and any other MIC-sponsored media outlet who are beating the war drums.

[Supersedeas]

28. the exceptions are being swallowed, muffled and silenced by the whole

[KittyWampus]

5. diplomacy- Kerry has been trying for years despite many DU'ers claims,

leverage Syria's neighbors- they are already in a humanitarian crisis harboring 2 MILLION Syrian refugees.

the UN is impotent

the Arab League is content to cluck their tongues

Russia is exerting its influence via Assad, they support his actions

[LibAsHell]

7. Then we need to reanalyze our strategy and figure out what we're not doing right

Saying, "this hasn't worked, so let's use military strikes" is not the answer.

[KittyWampus]

8. a strategy worth considering is getting the military to depose both Assads.

[xchrom]

9. then go and enlist and fight the fucking wars. stop asking other people to die for our lousy middle

east interventionist policies.

iraq? a mess.

libya? a mess.

afghanistan? a mess.

cruise missiles cost over a million bucks a piece.

[Cryptoad]

16. Last time I checked

All our Armed services are volunteers........

[tecelote]

17. As Xchrom just said...

just show us a success!

Plus, my tax dollars did not volunteer.

[Cryptoad]

27. Irag was a GOP cluster fuck

and so was Afghanistan.

But Libya is a success

and when did you begin to think your tax dollars would be spent as you desire?

its your duty to pay taxes and support your country.

[tecelote]

29. "its your duty to pay taxes and support your country." ????

Paying taxes yes. But, it's my duty to speak what I believe in.

Democracy not communism.

I believe we need to help our citizens before we go spending money on this scam to continue supporting the MIC.

[Cryptoad]

30. If we are going to

give People like Assad free range to use WMD without retribution ,,,enjoy your democracy while you can.

btw......If it were a MIC scam they would be planning a full scale invasion of Syria.

[tecelote]

31. They would if they can get away with it. They know American's are tired of war.

How about helping Americans first? Is this more important to you than your brothers and sisters here at home?


btw - How much do you get paid to post this crap?

'Look like a Democrat and talk like a teabagger.

[Cryptoad]

32. I dont get paid anything

I believe it is important for the world as a whole not to let People like Assad to get away with using WMD's. You think that notion is Un-Democratic, heh?. I don't ,,, the protection of the Liberal state is more important than any one individual rights. That sound tea baggist to you? There is no need to attack me personally because I disagree with your post.

[KittyWampus]

21. I am against military intervention at this time. So take your tantrum elsewhere.

[morningfog]

20. But that isn't even the stated objective.

[pnwmom]

19. No, the Arab League wants to give us the money so we'll do it for them. n/t

[pansypoo53219]

6. as much as i would prefer a siege. is it likely to work today?

i have read enough history(up to f of my 1891 encyclopedia britannica set) to know that appeasement is not the answer, but neither is regime change ala saddam that mccant wants.

[Javaman]

10. But you see, that would take time and effort...

when you have big missiles that can be shot off RIGHT NOW, what option do you think wins?

[Maedhros]

13. Presidentin' is HARD.

Better to go with the easy answer.

[DLnyc]

11. Well put.

It is good to have international agreement when trying to assure that international agreements (against military use of poison gas) are respected.

[G_j]

12. +1000000.....000

[Phlem]

14. Spot On!

and welcome to DU!

-p

[Cryptoad]

15. Yeap,,,,

that political pressure has worked so well on these Third world idiots with WMD's.

What political pressure are you going to apply to Assad that is not already been applied?

Do Tell,,,,,,

geez

[LibAsHell]

18. We haven't applied shit

Are you serious? We haven't done a god damned thing in the past 2 years except talk about what a tragedy the whole thing is. 100,000 people got blown up before this chemical attack and we were content just talking about how bad we felt. That's not political pressure. That's not leveraging anything. Let's not pretend like we've been engaged to any significant degree of trying to get this resolved. We haven't.

Again, if we have the definitive proof that Assad used the chemical weapons, share it with Russia and China and then we can start getting some real pressure on the Assad regime. Guess what, though? We don't have it!

And launching missiles and dropping bombs has worked? Do tell...

[Cryptoad]

25. do telll

what pressures we should apply that we have not already been applied.


We have share our proof with Russia and China,,, just as all the rest of the free world has done

They know what happened.

They it happen just as we called it.

Do you really think Russia and China give a shit?

Can't wait to hear yall's whines after Iran shares a Nuclear weapon with Assad so he can test it for them

Guess we will have to share more info with Russia and China, heh?.

[DirkGently]

23. Assuming we're not appointed by God to control the Earth, yes.

And the rest of it is ridiculous as well.

- Assad's been a brutal dictator a long time. We didn't just notice.

- Plenty of rebel atrocities going around, what with the head chopping & liver eating.

- The same "international rules" that ban chemical weapons prevent the U.S. from acting unilaterally, so which is it, are we the Law Keepers or the Law Breakers?

- We have zero credibility as the World Police, while the victims of our previous illegal, dishonestly promoted war, still walk the smouldering ruins of the previous "WMDS only the U.S. can prevent" debacle.

- We can't kill Syrians into not killing Syrians. What kind of asshole logic is that?

Morever, nothing proposed is a solution to actual problem, which is the Syrian civil war. Punishment bombing will do nothing. Committing to toppling Assad would be another illegal, destructive, presumptuous American military intervention in the Middle East.

[Yo_Mama]

24. I agree n/t

[99th_Monkey]

26. Thank you. The Hague comes to mind, as just ONE alternative 3rd+ option. nt