Bombs Away

BAMAAK

Guess we launched a bunch of cruise missiles at Syria. Hit an airfield that the chemical attack came from.

tubabucknut

Oh goody more war in the Middle East. I wonder how long until we waste some more of Americas greatest treasure.

early

May the blessings of Allah rain down upon them?:uhm:

tennmike

Hope they didn't hit any Russian troops with those cruise missiles. That could backfire big time.

Jermanator

For what it is worth, Clinton went on record today saying that she would have reacted similarly. And I guess if you were trying to send a message to China's leader (that is visiting Trump in Florida as we speak) that we are tired of playing around with North Korea and they better do something before we do, I don't think you could imagine a better way.

This is probably not going to help us beat ISIS and I am afraid for our troops in Syria, but things are about to get interesting.

Big Al1

Did the missiles cross the line Oblunder put in the sand??!!

Diver43

President Trump executed a plan that the Pentagon formed back in 2013, but President Obama would not execute after his line in the sand was crossed.
Many would have pood Trump if he did nothing, the rest are because he did.

Teach

No they sort of erased it. 60+ cruise missiles- - - - -with about 1,000 lbs. each of HE. That's not quite what a small formation of B-52's could deliver, but unmanned munitions can't end up in POW camps. Send 'em a few more just to underscore the message.

It's probably not a coincidence that it happened while the Chinese big wheel was visiting. Sort of a suggestion that he should handle the situation in Korea- - - - -before we have to!
Jerry

bisley

I think that there will be no more chemical attacks on Syrian civilians, and Russia will bluster and warn us, but do nothing much to escalate the situation. We simply enforced Obama's red line that...he didn't have the balls to do. It may work out OK.

Teach

The only really effective option is to wipe them both out, and dare the Russians and the Iranians who are supporting opposite sides to do anything about it. Eventually, we're going to have to put the smackdown on Iran- - - -decades too late, but it's going to have to happen eventually.
Jerry

Jermanator

alphasigmookie wrote: »

Um....

The Iranians HATE ISIS.

Yep. The Shiite Iranians can't stand Sunni ISIS and vice versa. The only reason the Sunni Saudis hate Sunni ISIS is because they threaten the royal family's legitimacy. Other than that, they are peas in the same pod.

bisley

alphasigmookie wrote: »

Syria is a mess with few good options. The primary conflict is between a brutal dictator propped up by the Russians and ISIS. Not really any good options here.

None of the available 'factions' deserve our support. Regime change should not necessarily be our goal, because none of them will serve our interests. But, if any leader emerges who doesn't want to wipe out selected populations, that's a major improvement. It isn't a bad thing to kill terrorists of any stripe. We should make it clear to the people we help that as soon as they start creating refugees, they become our enemy.

North Forest

Here we go........

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U1mlCPMYtPk

breamfisher

Diver43 wrote: »

President Trump executed a plan that the Pentagon formed back in 2013, but President Obama would not execute after his line in the sand was crossed.
Many would have pood Trump if he did nothing, the rest are because he did.

Not necessarily. I represent what may be a third faction, where I think.... I'm not really sure there is a correct thing to do. Both sides have a LOT of blood on their hands, and finding the "best worst option" is talking in shades of grey, not black and white.

I'm really not sure that there was a proper response, i.e. a right thing to do here, but Pres. Trump was put in a difficult case by Pres. Obama who, as Diver pointed out, drew a line in the sand then didn't back the Pentagon's plan. A plan that's four years old, and may not fully reflect the current situation, but nevertheless a plan.

Vic's Viewpoint

I too feel the plan should have been implemented back in 2013; it would have saved lives and perhaps saved the displacement of untold zillions of refugees, who knows? I'm curious to see a factual damage assessment, i.e., how many Syrian bombers and helicopters did we
in fact destroy? How big a stockpile of weapons, gas and barrel bombs did we destroy? Enquiring (fading, sick) minds want to know.

john9001

Syria is not a real country, it was created when the French and English broke up the Ottoman Empire after WW1. It should be split up.

snake284

breamfisher wrote: »

Not necessarily. I represent what may be a third faction, where I think.... I'm not really sure there is a correct thing to do. Both sides have a LOT of blood on their hands, and finding the "best worst option" is talking in shades of grey, not black and white.

I'm really not sure that there was a proper response, i.e. a right thing to do here, but Pres. Trump was put in a difficult case by Pres. Obama who, as Diver pointed out, drew a line in the sand then didn't back the Pentagon's plan. A plan that's four years old, and may not fully reflect the current situation, but nevertheless a plan.

I think the plan was pertinent to the situation. They hit the base from which the Chemical attack was launched. To me that made a statement.

Make_My_Day

tennmike wrote: »

Hope they didn't hit any Russian troops with those cruise missiles. That could backfire big time.

Our military contacted the Russian military through back channels and warned the Russians to beat it out of town immediately, if not sooner.

Teach

Cutting the rattles off the snake isn't helping- - - - -find out where Assad is, and drop at least that many more tons of HE right on his head. Then tell the sand crawlers to pick somebody who is more cooperative to take his place.
Jerry

HappySquid

Guys, for me a European: it may not have been the best solution but it made it clear to everyone that if you wanna mess around with WMD's you are gettin an unwanted present from the US.
Now let Putin defend the use of Nerve-gas as legitimate weapon internationally, i wish him good luck with that one.

zorba

Teach wrote: »

Eventually, we're going to have to put the smackdown on Iran- - - -decades too late, but it's going to have to happen eventually.

WORD.

tennmike

alphasigmookie wrote: »

Um....

The Iranians HATE ISIS. They are both on the same side supporting Assad and fighting ISIS.

Sent from my SM-G930T using Tapatalk

The 'rebels' the U.S., UNDER OBAMA'S WATCH, was training and arming immediately defected to ISIS once they got their weapons and training. We're fighting the same people that we're arming and training. That worked out SO well for us. The war in Syria is a civil war; it would be best if the U.S., Russia, and Iran pulled their oars out of that troubled water and let it play out to its end, one way or the other. Two superpowers and Iran meddling in this mess has prolonged the war far past its ability to support itself. As long as outsiders provide the weapons to continue the war it will continue to consume the country and the people in it.

And IF we are going to keep our oar in that troubled water, then I'm with Teach (Jerry) on this one. IF it can be proved that Assad's troops dropped that nerve gas, then find out where Assad is hiding, and bury him under a barrage of cruise missiles. Using Sarin is a war crime of major proportion and he'd get the death penalty for it if put on trial. Just skip the trial and go directly to the punishment phase on his butt.

HappySquid wrote: »

Guys, for me a European: it may not have been the best solution but it made it clear to everyone that if you wanna mess around with WMD's you are gettin an unwanted present from the US.
Now let Putin defend the use of Nerve-gas as legitimate weapon internationally, i wish him good luck with that one.

Good to hear from ya, HappySquid! Don't be a stranger! Hearing the thoughts on stuff like this from someone 'across the pond' is enlightening. It isn't a sound bite from some staged interview; it's uncensored thought, and that is refreshing.

snake284

tennmike wrote: »

Hope they didn't hit any Russian troops with those cruise missiles. That could backfire big time.

They didn't, they warned the Ruskies ahead of time.

snake284

tubabucknut wrote: »

Oh goody more war in the Middle East. I wonder how long until we waste some more of Americas greatest treasure.

So when some goon drops chemical bombs on children, America, the great country who says give me your tired, your poor, we turn our back and let it happen?

In case you've been asleep we've got troops there fighting right now.

HappySquid

tennmike wrote: »

Good to hear from ya, HappySquid! Don't be a stranger! Hearing the thoughts on stuff like this from someone 'across the pond' is enlightening. It isn't a sound bite from some staged interview; it's uncensored thought, and that is refreshing.

Mike, I usually don't get into US politics ( My wife still thinks Obammy was the next saviour , and thinks Trump is an idiot) but on this action I had to post my opinion.

Varmintmist

Wambli Ska wrote: »

Funny no one remembers all the mystery trucks that left Iraq and went to Syria right before our invasion. I guess Syria has no WMDs either... :uhm:

Thats because Bush lied. There were no WMD's in Iraq no matter that every intel agency in the world at the time said they were there, Bush lied and there were none.

BAMAAK

HappySquid wrote: »

Guys, for me a European: it may not have been the best solution but it made it clear to everyone that if you wanna mess around with WMD's you are gettin an unwanted present from the US.
Now let Putin defend the use of Nerve-gas as legitimate weapon internationally, i wish him good luck with that one.

So what would be the best solution for you as European?

john9001

Varmintmist wrote: »

Thats because Bush lied. There were no WMD's in Iraq no matter that every intel agency in the world at the time said they were there, Bush lied and there were none.

So it was happy gas Saddam dumped on the Kurd villages? The Kurds must have died laughing.

coolgunguy

john9001 wrote: »

So it was happy gas Saddam dumped on the Kurd villages? The Kurds must have died laughing.

Sarcasm isn't your strong suit, is it?

tennmike

HappySquid wrote: »

Mike, I usually don't get into US politics ( My wife still thinks Obammy was the next saviour , and thinks Trump is an idiot) but on this action I had to post my opinion.

Well, it was a welcome opinion on what others outside the U.S. think. :tooth:

tennmike

coolgunguy wrote: »

Sarcasm isn't your strong suit, is it?

:spittingcoffee: Which makes me reiterate the need for a sarcasm font. Something like Comic Sans type for sarcasm posts for pointing out sarcasm to keep panties unwadded?