pardus
Verified Military
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Sources: U.S. believes Israel has conducted an airstrike into Syria
- Thread starter pardus
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Nope, if we ignore the sarin use, then we will try to ignore an airstrike.
pardus
Verified Military
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- Sep 7, 2006
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Oh yeah I don't think the US would do anything.
I was thinking this could be a good excuse for Assad to try and pull in other Arab states to help him out. Successfully or not.
Scotth
Verified Military
The problem with the chemical weapons evidence is it's weak with only a couple of blood samples as the only evidence. After Iraq, it is going to take a lot more convincing evidence of chemical weapons use before we get involved militarily. If you think back to Saddam's uses of chemical weapons that was real and conclusive evidence.
The UN is questioning if the rebels used the chemical weapons which could be a very real possibility to drag us into the conflict.
The UN is questioning if the rebels used the chemical weapons which could be a very real possibility to drag us into the conflict.
The strike was to primarily to destroy Iranian Fateh-110 missiles that were en route to Hezbollah. These carry a 300pound TNT payload so the strike was not chemical related as originally thought.
I like and respect Israelis, but I also detest the political stranglehold they have on the US. Like any relationship, "it's complicated."
With that said, if Israel announced Operation Total Eradication of the Hezbollah Vermin, I'd cheer them on and ask how can we help.
With that said, if Israel announced Operation Total Eradication of the Hezbollah Vermin, I'd cheer them on and ask how can we help.
Scotth
Verified Military
My comments were more of a sidebar and wasn't directed at Israel's action. In US politics, Obama is taking some grief because he didn't take immediate action based on the sarin results in those blood samples. I don't have an issue with what Israel did. I should have been clearer in my comments.
I wonder if the Sunni/Shiia divide would prevent that.
comrade-z
Unverified
I would imagine the US/Obama perhaps even *likes* the fact that Israel is doing this - Someone is making direct strikes against possible weapons proliferation in Syria, but the US doesn't have to get involved yet. While that seems like it might be all nice and isolationist, this is a good thing. Israel is already involved, which complicates things, but keeps it A) primarily regional, and B) small international intervention. If the US got involved, all our treaties, current issues, etc, would come with - and chances are by acting, we would be inviting public pressure (from the American and other peoples) to do more than just supplement the Israeli strikes. I really can't see that ending well.
My guess is it wouldn't be too successful. Syria has seen a lot of relationships sour over the last few decades, and the Arab world is not nearly as tightly knit as it once was.
Note: These comments are general to what has been said - just chose to respond to the overall discussion in the context of Pardus' two points quoted.
People tend to forget that Syria under Assad's daddy wasn't always tight with the other Arab nations. On paper the 73 Yom Kippur War was a stunning display of Arab solidarity or whatever, but the reality is much different.
One good thing about a nation vs a religion is that a nation's interest will sometimes override religious solidarity. In the ME this is further exacerbated by the Sunni/ Shi'a split.
Just because a Jew kills an Arab doesn't mean that all of the other Arabs will rush to avenge the loss. They can "Dirka, dirka, Mohammed Jihad" all they want, but even King Hussein of Jordan warned Golda Meir of the attack.
Other than Russia, Syria is all out of friends.
One good thing about a nation vs a religion is that a nation's interest will sometimes override religious solidarity. In the ME this is further exacerbated by the Sunni/ Shi'a split.
Just because a Jew kills an Arab doesn't mean that all of the other Arabs will rush to avenge the loss. They can "Dirka, dirka, Mohammed Jihad" all they want, but even King Hussein of Jordan warned Golda Meir of the attack.
Other than Russia, Syria is all out of friends.
comrade-z
Unverified
And Iran - but they seem content with prodding Hezbollah than doing anything directly. Besides oil, is Russia helping Assad much? I remember a few arms shipments to Syria got cut after the world called Russia out for it.
I could see a conversation going something like "Brother, we can't help you in this war with the evil Zionists. We'll however beat the flag of Israel with shoes as a sign of solidarity."
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