Military strikes on Syria - Yes or No ?

[nao]

north america is lucky - so far away from conflict- i am sure a few countries are working on that issue, usa has had the trade centres and boston. every action will cause a reaction.
i am an immigrant- i was brought here as a child -like a millions of other children, honestly my only loyalty is to myself- i just need to be honest- for the millions like me- you f.... with my home country. my home country is not in conflict, but its a mixed up , muddled up world. there is enough conflict jmo

 

[ohiogirl]

Dumb question, I haven't followed the whole Syria thing that closely because it is just sad to me, but who is providing weapons and ammo to the rebels now????? That stuff is expensive!

Someone is, who is it? Was it the US that provided those weapon to the masses? Iran has been a close partner to Syria so they aren't likely supplying arms to the rebels, WHO IS? Al Queda? Iran is primarily Shi'ite so I guess maybe a radicalist (non-Shi'ite) movement could be funding the situation and not a world superpower but....errrm....seems odd. Like I said dumb question, but someone here must know.

Syrian rebels turn to Mideast neighbors for arms amid reported delay in US help

Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/politics/201...ing-syrian-rebels-with-weapons/#ixzz2e1STg6ji

 

[Leomoon80]

Syrian rebels turn to Mideast neighbors for arms amid reported delay in US help

Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/politics/201...ing-syrian-rebels-with-weapons/#ixzz2e1STg6ji

I believe at the very heart of it all, that is exactly what it's about.
The rebels are cash short now, they want lots of it like Chalabi did in Iraq, and Curveball did with his faulty intel. They know Uncle Sam has deep pockets, and they are playing us for all we are worth.

THAT to me, is the very heart of the matter, so this news is not at all surprising to me, simply confirms what I feel.

That Commander of the Rebel Army forces, "free Syria" looks like a cartoon character when I first saw him. He reminds me of the old days, Ernie Kovacs comedian when he'd put on a thicker mustache over his natural one. Who can take a cartoon character seriously anyway :rockon:

 

[ellie b]

Dumb question, I haven't followed the whole Syria thing that closely because it is just sad to me, but who is providing weapons and ammo to the rebels now????? That stuff is expensive!

Someone is, who is it? Was it the US that provided those weapon to the masses? Iran has been a close partner to Syria so they aren't likely supplying arms to the rebels, WHO IS? Al Queda? Iran is primarily Shi'ite so I guess maybe a radicalist (non-Shi'ite) movement could be funding the situation and not a world superpower but....errrm....seems odd. Like I said dumb question, but someone here must know.

Have jumped to the end of the thread, so don't know if anyone has answered this before. It is generally thought that the West, i.e. US, UK and others are arming the rebels. The rebels are splintered and certainly have Al Quaida members. It was also reported in May by the U.N. that they believe that the rebels have possession of and have used chemical weapons.

 

[ellie b]

Atrocities are happening all over the world. Many African countries are a complete mess, like Zimbabwe. The country is so poor that the West could easily (relatively easily - compared to other nations) temporarily take over and clean it up. One million Tibetans have died and been killed since China invaded, and torture is an every day occurrence. Yet America isn't attempting to do anything about it. The media does nothing but cover it up. Why does the US want to meddle in Islamic countries, and almost ONLY in Islamic countries? It doesn't make sense and it's incredibly suspicious. I think that they are trying to destabilise the region in order to strengthen the Zionist occupation of Palestine.

This is a very good point, this attack is under the premise of "humanitarian reasons" . A large percentage of the public suspect that is more likely, underneath it all, political.

 

[ellie b]

The evidence actually suggests that it was the "rebels", NOT Assad, who committed the chemical attack. Firstly, phone calls intercepted by Israel should not count as evidence, as they are enemies with Syria and have enormous motives for wanting war. Secondly, the calls actually demonstrated concerned Syrian government officials demanding answers for the chemical attacks, in a way that showed they were completely unaware any such attacks were going to happen. If there was ANY doubt at all, that should to stop the West jumping to conclusions and getting involved - let alone there being no real proof of their claims, and the only proof that DOES exist is showing the very opposite of what they are saying. Besides, many of these so called "rebels" are paid North African al-Qaeda fighters - "Islamic" fundamentalists - themselves meddling in Syria (a secular country), which has a right to defend itself. Why would Syria submit their own people to chemical weapons? It would make them unpopular with the public, therefore weakening politically among their own people, and there are unknown risks with such attacks.

This singularly appears to be the most important reason not to attack. The credibility of the evidence. If the US,UK and French governments have solid evidence, why has it not been shown to the U.N. ? These governments have lied to us (their people) before about evidence precluding a military attack.

 

[ellie b]

It isn't a party thing though, I considered myself a Democrat then and I hated the GOP. It isn't about U.S. political parties it is about the government corruption.

General consensus agrees with you

 

[MsFacetious]

UK: Sarin found after Syria gas attack
Traces found in soil, on clothes

British military scientists found evidence of sarin in samples taken from a patient treated last month near Damascus, Syria, the prime minister's office says.

http://www.cnn.com/2013/09/05/world/meast/syria-civil-war/index.html?hpt=hp_t1

 

[ellie b]

Thank you all so much for your views and comments. We will soon be correlating the information we have collected on the public perspective of this matter from both sides of the Atlantic (mainly, although we also have some viewpoints from other countries). Will post the research findings when we have them.
The comments I have read on this thread so far seem to follow the general trend of thoughts.

 

[ellie b]

British military scientists found evidence of sarin in samples taken from a patient treated last month near Damascus, Syria, the prime minister's office says.

It is pretty well universally accepted that a chemical attack took place.

 

[katydid23]

It is pretty well universally accepted that a chemical attack took place.

True. The real question is who, exactly, gave the orders to disperse the chemicals. It could have been internal undercover operants within Assads forces that set him up. Just speculating.

 

[ellie b]

Please note, responses that I have made above are not necessarily my own, but they are points that have often been made by our respondents.
There is one point that hasn't really been mentioned on this thread (must re-read) and that is the legality of the proposed strike. Does that matter?

 

[ellie b]

in the end, i believe we will go in and it will have been the right thing to do. after all, the old quote, often attributed to mlk jr, is true. ''The hottest place in Hell is reserved for those who remain neutral in times of great moral conflict.''

Was just re-reading thread and saw this quote posted. Thought it was interesting that it could be applied to this situation whichever side of the fence you sit on.

 

[gramcracker]

appears that the US is moving closer to the idea of training Syrian rebels in Jordan in addition to ongoing CIA training there, on using communications and weapons supplied by some Gulf states

the proposed plan would allow 100s/1000s to be trained instead of dozens

 

[momrids6]

appears that the US is moving closer to the idea of training Syrian rebels in Jordan in addition to ongoing CIA training there, on using communications and weapons supplied by some Gulf states

the proposed plan would allow 100s/1000s to be trained instead of dozens

Let me guess- on our dime ...oops! China's quarter/our borrowed dime

 

[OtherEyes]

OK, so this caught my attention as I saw this on my Facebook feed and then read this article.
Warning Graphic Video( You don't have to look...just listen! WOW.)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=wQMldsY5oA0

"The Wall Street Journal reported on Tuesday that U.S. weapons still have not reached opposition forces. Despite the delays, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel testified on Tuesday, though, that Obama did approve giving lethal aid to the Syrian opposition.

In June, Gen. Salim Idris, a top rebel commander backed by the West, sent a detailed request to the U.S., France and Britain that contained a wish-list of weapons needed to help fend off Assad's forces."

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2013/09/03/mideast-providing-syrian-rebels-with-weapons/#ixzz2e1STg6ji

 

[Sonya610]

True. The real question is who, exactly, gave the orders to disperse the chemicals. It could have been internal undercover operants within Assads forces that set him up. Just speculating.

Or it could be a wealthy foreign government that wants to provoke the US to take action and overthrow the regime. Getting chemical weapons of that quality takes some pull, while Al Queda may have access to them I don't think they would use them, Allah would be very very displeased.

Someone with power was behind the chemical attacks. Israel would definitely have a motive.

 

[Leomoon80]

appears that the US is moving closer to the idea of training Syrian rebels in Jordan in addition to ongoing CIA training there, on using communications and weapons supplied by some Gulf states

the proposed plan would allow 100s/1000s to be trained instead of dozens

Have you a link for this news?

 

[ellie b]

Discovered this open letter from the Syrian Speaker sent to the House of Representatives. Makes an interesting read, I thought, could be rhetoric. I'm surprised that no-one apart from the BNP (British National Party) has published it.

http://www.bnp.org.uk/news/national/breaking-news-letter-syrian-speaker-us-house-representatives

 

[gramcracker]

Have you a link for this news?

I do

http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory/officials-us-considers-training-syria-rebels-20171695