The first huge clue that action against Syria was a terrible idea was the letter from the Chickenhawk Cheerleaders, the ‘experts’ who helped the Shrubbery invade Iraq.

Let’s add in the Likud, who want to use Syria to promote their real aim, an attack on Iran. If they can sucker Zero on his ‘Red Line’ in Syria, they will create a ‘Red Line’ for Iran, and then provide the intel to ‘prove’ Iran crossed it.

Then you have the problem faced by even Congresscritters like Alan Grayson, to find out what happened in Syria. He can’t tell anyone, or even try to verify, what he learned because everything is classified. This is the same problem that prevented Senators Wyden and Udall from telling people what Snowden has revealed.

Alan Grayson has made a lot of money as an attorney. He can recognize a good case when he sees it. He knows what is needed to convince a jury, and even if he can’t say what he’s seen, he is making the point that it isn’t going to convince the jury.

The real problem that both Digby and Marcy have written about, is that there is no direct evidence that the Assad government approved or even knew about the chemical attack before it happened. They are making the assumption that it was carried out by the government based on very spotty intelligence on activities before the attack. They don’t have continuous coverage of the government’s activities.

Another thing that bothers me is the claim that 1400 people were killed. I first heard that number in a report from Doctors Without Borders, which was given as 1400 casualties of whom 400 had died, that was based on doctors reporting from the hospitals in the area. Four hundred is bad enough, there is no need to embellish the number, and a lot of reasons not to, with credibility on the top of the list.

At this point I think the House will vote against the use of force, led by Democrats who don’t think it will do any good, and Republicans who will oppose anything Zero proposes.

Position: 13.2N 21.9W [10PM CDT 0300 UTC].
Movement: West [275°] near 12 mph [19 kph].
Maximum sustained winds: 35 mph [ 55 kph].
Wind Gusts: 45 mph [ 70 kph].
Minimum central pressure: 1006 mb ↓.

Currently about 160 miles [ 260 km] Southeast of the Cape Verde Islands.

A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for the southern Cape Verde Islands of Maio, Santiago, Fogo, and Brava.

Here’s the link for NOAA’s latest satellite images.

[For the latest information click on the storm symbol, or go to the CATEGORIES drop-down box below the CALENDAR and select “Hurricanes” for all of the posts related to storms on this site.]

To Elayne on her eleventh blogiversary™ yesterday, one of few archæobloggers still on-line.

Both Jill and Fallenmonk are another year older today.

Time flies, and I hope someone’s having fun.