Syria Gas Attack- What Now?

[Chopstick]

Im so glad Obama turned up for his 1:15p, press conference late. I guess those late nights with Magic Johnson take their toll. And I really appreciated the lecture to the world about turning a "blind eye". Sort of like a certain President did to his own people in Benghazi, I presume?

 

[Soldado]

Not exactly a major contribution (not to say it's not important), and considering the support the USA gave I think your previous comment is unfounded.

Unfounded? Did you read the links?

It will be same without the US, the help of the other countries are enough.

 

[pardus]

Unfounded? Did you read the links?

It will be same without the US, the help of the other countries are enough.

A, this is an English language forum.
B, I did translate some of it to see the numbers.

Who else in the world has the heavy lift capability the US has? Why didnt they use them instead? Your last sentence applies equally well to Spain.

 

[Marauder06]

If anyone else in the EU could have made up for what the US providing, why didn't they do it from the beginning? The answer is, "they can't." No one else in the world has the US's logistics, intelligence, and heavy lift capacity. The US provided it in Libya, it is providing it in Mali, and most likely will have to do it if any EU country wants to do anything meaningful in Syria.

Spain's contribution in Mali is significant only for the fact that they sent anyone at all. But comparing a country giving up a company-sized element of ground troops, a couple of LAVs, and a whopping TWO cargo planes to what the US providing is foolish.

 

[Marauder06]

http://dailycaller.com/2013/08/31/obama-asks-congress-to-authorize-syrian-strike/

President Obama has announced that he will ask COngress for authorization to strike Syria.

This is brilliant- now he gets credit for trying to "do something," but he can blame it on Congress for "doing nothing," which he knows is the most likely result.

 

[Hillclimb]

This is brilliant- now he gets credit for trying to "do something," but he can blame it on Congress for "doing nothing," which he knows is the most likely result.

Implicate others: a great way to diffuse responsibility when needed. At least that's what I thought when I saw congress getting pulled in.

 

[DA SWO]

104 of these:

33 of these:

LAV's deployed in situ:
http://www.defensa.gob.es/Galerias/...oteca/imagen/2013/04/DGC-130424-mali-03-G.jpg

A pair more of these:

1 Hercules and 1 C-295 for troops and material.

More info:

http://www.defensa.gob.es/areasTematicas/misiones/enCurso/misiones/eutm-mali.html

http://loquetengaqueser.blogspot.com.es/2013/06/incremento-del-numero-de-efectivos.html

OK, how does that (in your mind) equal or surpass the contribution we are making?

 

[Marauder06]

Hmmm I wonder what the Duffle Blog, the most authoritative source in all of The Internets, has to say about Syria these days.

 

[alibi]

Hmmm I wonder what the Duffle Blog, the most authoritative source in all of The Internets, has to say about Syria these days.

US Praises Massacre Of Syrian Civilians Without Use Of Chemical Weapons

 

[Etype]

I love modern media/politics-

- Black people can kill as many black people as they want, but white Hispanics can't kill blacks within the law.
- You can kill as many people as you want with knives or cars, just don't use guns.
- Anthony Weiner's can send a text message and get more publicity than a warrior's death in Afghanistan.
- We can stand by as Americans die, but it's a travesty if Syrians who would love nothing more than to see us die are killed.
- You can kill as many thousands as you want with bombs and bullets, just don't do it with chemicals.

 

[x SF med]

I love modern media/politics-

- Black people can kill as many black people as they want, but white Hispanics can't kill blacks within the law.
- You can kill as many people as you want with knives or cars, just don't use guns.
- Anthony Weiner's can send a text message and get more publicity than a warrior's death in Afghanistan.
- We can stand by as Americans die, but it's a travesty if Syrians who would love nothing more than to see us die are killed.
- You can kill as many thousands as you want with bombs and bullets, just don't do it with chemicals.

There you go trying to bring logic into this argument.... bullets are only dangerous when fired by American soldiers in the Mideast, should a middle easterner shoot another middle easterner, it does not count, because there was a mutual jihad and the bullets were not fired by the great western devil. Gas attacks scare people more than bullets and are therefore more dangerous (don't get me wrong, CBR usage scares the living shit out of me) because they bring the media out in droves...

Ideology, iconography and propaganda are the keys right now, and who is doing the best job of them...

 

[pardus]

I have a quick question r.e. chem/bio attacks, are all chem agents heavier than air? I'm assuming bio agents are not?

 

[DA SWO]

If anyone else in the EU could have made up for what the US providing, why didn't they do it from the beginning? The answer is, "they can't." No one else in the world has the US's logistics, intelligence, and heavy lift capacity. The US provided it in Libya, it is providing it in Mali, and most likely will have to do it if any EU country wants to do anything meaningful in Syria.

Spain's contribution in Mali is significant only for the fact that they sent anyone at all. But comparing a country giving up a company-sized element of ground troops, a couple of LAVs, and a whopping TWO cargo planes to what the US providing is foolish.

...and a "drone" base in Niger (Google).

 

[Chopstick]

 

[pardus]

 

[Etype]

I have a quick question r.e. chem/bio attacks, are all chem agents heavier than air? I'm assuming bio agents are not?

I would assume for a chem agent to be considered effective it would have to have a "neutral buoyancy*" or be just slightly heavier than air. I would think that all bio agents would be heavier, since they are actual viruses or spores in most cases.

The only bio agents I know of that we have ever actually been concerned with was anthrax and botulism, both weaponized by Iraq.



*Not sure of the correct term, but you know what I mean.

 

[pardus]

I would assume for a chem agent to be considered effective it would have to have a "neutral buoyancy*" or be just slightly heavier than air. I would think that all bio agents would be heavier, since they are actual viruses or spores in most cases.

The only bio agents I know of that we have ever actually been concerned with was anthrax and botulism, both weaponized by Iraq.



*Not sure of the correct term, but you know what I mean.

Danke.

I seem to remember reports in WWI that mustard or maybe chlorine were heavier that air, sinking into trenches, shell holes and bunkers. Kind of a bummer for those taking cover...

 

[AWP]

Danke.

I seem to remember reports in WWI that mustard or maybe chlorine were heavier that air, sinking into trenches, shell holes and bunkers. Kind of a bummer for those taking cover...

That is correct.

 

[Marauder06]

 

[DA SWO]

Danke.

I seem to remember reports in WWI that mustard or maybe chlorine were heavier that air, sinking into trenches, shell holes and bunkers. Kind of a bummer for those taking cover...

Yes, and it forced people out of the trenches into the open, exposed to gunfire.