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Syria
Aug 30, 2013 23:35:42 GMT -5
Post by Problem of Dog on Aug 30, 2013 23:35:42 GMT -5
You were in the SFS. You know everything about everything everywhere in the world. Explain Syria to me. Thanks.
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Elvado
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Syria
Aug 31, 2013 6:39:35 GMT -5
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Post by Elvado on Aug 31, 2013 6:39:35 GMT -5
I will not dare suggest that I know the answer to the Syria question. I am, however, a bit confused by John Kerry's desire to act here as well as Nancy Pelosi's newfound hawkishness.
Syria is a horror show. The upside down nature of this situation is clearly evidenced by France's aggressive posture and Britain's reticence.
The only clear winner thus far appears to be Putin, who can sit back, do nothing and watch the West contort.
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SSHoya
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Syria
Aug 31, 2013 9:57:05 GMT -5
Post by SSHoya on Aug 31, 2013 9:57:05 GMT -5
Obama made error when he used the term redline and in doing so lost the advantage of strategic ambiguity. He put himself in a box and is now forced to act. Having returned from 2 years in Egypt learned at least one thing. The ability of the US to affect events on the ground is extremely limited in the Middle East. Example, our $1.5 billion in aid to Egypt garners us almost zero leverage with Gen. Sissi and the EAF.
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prhoya
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Syria
Aug 31, 2013 10:10:06 GMT -5
Post by prhoya on Aug 31, 2013 10:10:06 GMT -5
I will not dare suggest that I know the answer to the Syria question. I am, however, a bit confused by John Kerry's desire to act here as well as Nancy Pelosi's newfound hawkishness. Syria is a horror show. The upside down nature of this situation is clearly evidenced by France's aggressive posture and Britain's reticence. The only clear winner thus far appears to be Putin, who can sit back, do nothing and watch the West contort. Elvado, which is your favorite conspiracy theory? It doesn't have to be related to Syria. I didn't want to start a new thread.
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Elvado
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Syria
Aug 31, 2013 10:13:08 GMT -5
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Post by Elvado on Aug 31, 2013 10:13:08 GMT -5
I am not a big fan of conspiracy theories. The President was handed a lousy hand on Syria. Not sure he maximized it, but it was a bad hand from the start.
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Elvado
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Syria
Aug 31, 2013 13:05:50 GMT -5
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Post by Elvado on Aug 31, 2013 13:05:50 GMT -5
Kudos to the President for seeking Congressional approval for action in Syria. It is the right move both politically and Constitutionally.
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Boz
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Syria
Sept 4, 2013 12:03:40 GMT -5
Post by Boz on Sept 4, 2013 12:03:40 GMT -5
I have no idea what, if anything, is the right thing to do in Syria.
However, I am increasingly nauseated as the amount of hypocrisy that is going on in the pundit and political arenas on this issue, up to and including the White House, but most certainly on BOTH sides of the aisle.
All the while protesting that politics has nothing to do with their (in many cases, brand spanking new) positions.
Yuh-huh. Keep saying that. You all make me want to hurl.
Of course, I may be jaded.
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Elvado
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Syria
Sept 9, 2013 18:44:12 GMT -5
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Post by Elvado on Sept 9, 2013 18:44:12 GMT -5
At the risk of being labeled a disgusting troll, Messrs. Kerry and Obama are being played for absolute fools by Mr. Putin.
Note to Sec. Kerry: Please refrain from extemporaneous speech.
Note to Mr. Obama: See note to Sec. Kerry.
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quickplay
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Syria
Sept 9, 2013 19:15:12 GMT -5
Post by quickplay on Sept 9, 2013 19:15:12 GMT -5
At the risk of being labeled a disgusting troll, Messrs. Kerry and Obama are being played for absolute fools by Mr. Putin. Note to Sec. Kerry: Please refrain from extemporaneous speech. Note to Mr. Obama: See note to Sec. Kerry. They went in so aggressively about the unique situation created by the use of chemical weapons that they're going to look like manipulative hypocrites if they now start leaning towards general regime change. They set a trap for themselves and jumped right in.
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TC
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Syria
Sept 9, 2013 21:52:21 GMT -5
Post by TC on Sept 9, 2013 21:52:21 GMT -5
At the risk of being labeled a disgusting troll, Messrs. Kerry and Obama are being played for absolute fools by Mr. Putin. Congress is going to vote no. I'm not sure how they're being "played for absolute fools" by investigating door #2. It's not like they're letting Putin try on their Super Bowl rings or anything.
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Elvado
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Syria
Sept 10, 2013 5:46:03 GMT -5
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Post by Elvado on Sept 10, 2013 5:46:03 GMT -5
Just so I am clear, Option #2 would be announcing that they will trust the word of the man who just a week ago they called a war criminal.
But it will all be okay because we know we can trust Vlad to be an honest broker.
This whole sorry spectacle has the fingerprints of a dithering foreign policy operation written all over it.
If these actions by Assad were atrocities, he does not get to turn over hos toys to Mother Russia and get a pass.
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SSHoya
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Syria
Sept 10, 2013 8:19:03 GMT -5
Post by SSHoya on Sept 10, 2013 8:19:03 GMT -5
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Elvado
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Syria
Sept 10, 2013 8:24:59 GMT -5
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Post by Elvado on Sept 10, 2013 8:24:59 GMT -5
Point taken. One should not let Obamaphilia blind one to his failings either.
Ten days ago, these were atrocities which could not be tolerated by a civilized world. Then popular support cratered and so did the President.
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SSHoya
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Syria
Sept 10, 2013 9:01:21 GMT -5
Post by SSHoya on Sept 10, 2013 9:01:21 GMT -5
BTW, I agree this entire run up from Obama's "redline" comment to Kerry's extemperaneous comments exemplifies an incoherence in foreign policy that exceed even my low expectations. Words have meaning in law and diplomacy and Obama/Kerry's loose talk is stunningly stupid, IMHO.
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TC
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Syria
Sept 10, 2013 9:04:47 GMT -5
Post by TC on Sept 10, 2013 9:04:47 GMT -5
Then popular support cratered and so did the President. That presupposes that there was a time when there was popular support for getting more involved. Could you show us a poll where there was popular support for a strike on Syria? A quick Google shows as far back as June, no one wanted to get involved.
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Elvado
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Syria
Sept 10, 2013 10:10:32 GMT -5
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Post by Elvado on Sept 10, 2013 10:10:32 GMT -5
I am sorry. I should have said "Democrat base necessary for 2014 midterms" support cratered and so did the President.
Thanks for pointing that out.
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TC
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Syria
Sept 11, 2013 12:49:28 GMT -5
Post by TC on Sept 11, 2013 12:49:28 GMT -5
I am sorry. I should have said "Democrat base necessary for 2014 midterms" support cratered and so did the President. Thanks for pointing that out. There's no legitimacy in your position, which seems to be : - Obama did the right thing by asking Congress - he should attack anyway - diplomacy is a bad idea because you can't trust Putin
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Elvado
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Syria
Sept 11, 2013 13:19:21 GMT -5
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Post by Elvado on Sept 11, 2013 13:19:21 GMT -5
Partially right.
He did the right thing by asking Congress.
I do not believe he should attack on the facts he can currently prove.
He abandoned hos own plan to attack when he saw he was losing Democrat support.
Never trust Putin.
It was nice that the FDR quote came from a 1935 speech which was given at the height of FDR's isolationist period and one day before Italy attacked Ethiopia with zero US response.
Other than that, you are right on the money.
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TC
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Syria
Sept 11, 2013 13:44:40 GMT -5
Post by TC on Sept 11, 2013 13:44:40 GMT -5
Syrian researcher quoted by McCain and Kerry fired for faking Georgetown degree.
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Post by flyoverhoya on Sept 12, 2013 10:10:35 GMT -5
Best tweet of the day -
I hope Putin has taken adequate protections. Now that he is a Russian journalist his life may be in grave danger!
-- Garry Kasparov
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