No, Just No
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.
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I’ve held off commenting on what’s happening in Syria and the region because there is too much FUD and because it was difficult to tell what was really happening. But it seems to be becoming more clear now, with many sources in and around Syria reporting with come consensus.
So, German intelligence is now reporting that the attack may have been without the consent of Assad. From Reuters:
Also from Reuters:
However, the humanitarian disaster is massive and growing. Jordan and Palestine are overwhelmed and almost at breaking point. It seems to be forgotten that as well as Syrian refugees, Jordan (with a population of only 6 million) has absorbed over 1 million Palestinians fleeing conflict before it took in over 500,000 Syrian refugees. According to Andrew Harper (Head of the UN refugee agency in Jordan) about 1/3rd of it’s population is now refugees! (He was interviewed by Jon Stewart on TDS on 3rd Sept.)
CNN have an article by Dr. Sanjay Gupta posted yesterday that gives and idea of the real human tragedy it is (to CNN’s credit).
Gupta: At refugee camp, nothing makes sense
PBS also have a story on the refugee crisis:
Refugees Pour Out of Syria, but Number Entering Jordan Slows to Trickle
These (and others) upset me considerably because it reminded me of what I saw and experienced first hand in Cambodia all those years ago. I’ve tried to put it out of my mind, and I have adopted a hard shell and a heavy veneer of humor about everything. But reading this stripped all that away and sent me back to a place I wish I’d never been! Because it makes me so angry, you can have no idea! Believe me. There are days when I truly and sincerely despise Humans.
On top of all that, Syran forces are attacking refugees! If the USA wants to do anything, it should so something about that!
Syrian forces attack Palestinian refugee camp
I’m supposedly an expert in many areas, and I have first hand experience of insane despot’s. But with this, I have NO idea what the answer is!! Killing that SOB won’t actually change much, and may make things worse. Not killing him will mean that thousands more innocents will die. The only way I see would be a calculated form of wholesale slaughter! But really, would that even make things better? Maybe, for a while. And maybe not.
Whilst I’m just glad I’m out of it, I am also extremely frustrated that I can’t do anything!
If anyone asked me right now how to solve this (and the countless other insane and pointless tragedies and stupidities caused by Humans), I’d say “A large asteroid smashing into Earth!” Sure, it would also wipe out the innocents, but at least they won’t be suffering any longer. And I can finally find some peace!
Jordan is on the verge of collapse. The refugees from Iraq basically brought Syria to collapse, and Jordan is the next domino in the row that we set toppling when we destroyed Iraq. I don’t know what happens after that. Other than a lot of dead bodies :(.
Jordan and Lebanon definitely need help, and even Turkey may need it before this is over. It is much better for the US national interests to be seen as helping the afflicted with non-violent assistance, than just blowing things up.
It wouldn’t hurt to funnel aid through local non-profits, rather than the usual dumps of surplus food from the US. Buying things locally will help the local economy remain viable, while dumping food aid often wipes out local farmers. Locals know what they need.
With every year that passes the Iraq War looks worse and worse. A total cock-up from the start, and the results were totally predictable. The only good to come out of it is the new caution in the US Congress and the world about the claims of the US government.
I think the new caution in Congress is mostly about partisan politics though. If Obama’s surname was Bush and he was white, we’d probably already be bombing Syria :(.
The Shrubbery would have bombed the ‘terrorist’ protestors about two years ago, because his ‘good buddy Bashie’ understood about the need for ‘enhanced interrogations’ 😈