What I can see, it is a mess. The US is thinking rational government and punishing Assad for Nerve agent use. This is not rational, it is a developing religious war of competing muslim docterines. Fact is the whole mideast is involved in a developing Sunni/Shiite war. As tragic as this is, I don't think this is a good one to get directly involved in. Provide weapons to the Syrian rebels,maybe, but that is it. Definitely keep our troops out, I just don't think it is worth risking our troops lives at this point. This is not Libya, Syria has air defenses and lots of weaponry. Trouble now, is the best rebel soldiers are now Al Queda affiliated. I just see this as a no win for the US. As for the nerve agent use, lets see if our European NATO Allies want to see their forces involved, I am guessing not. And if not, stay on the sidelines. Countries and terrorist organizations are choosing sides. Iran, Iraq, Hezbollah, Syria, versus Hamas, Saudi Arabia, Iraqi Sunnis, Al Queda, Emirates, and possibly Egypt on the Sunni side. It is gonna get messy.
Its a mass murder thing with already hundreds of thousands dead from bio agents (gas). Our fear is that the bad guys will get there hands on the gas and pop a canister (across the US) in malls and work places etc etc.
This is serious stuff. Everyday our enemies are getting the message that the US will do NOTHING to stop terrorism, radical muslims or anything else. I think we are going to see a major event before Obama leaves office. His actions scream so loud you cannot hear his words and the world knows it. NO ONE FEARS Obama, strike now and just listen to some Sec State screams "WHAT DIFFERENCE DOES IT MAKE" and our current drooler who is too stupid to pour pizz out of a boot with the directions written on the heel...
Obama will at best tip his hat to the UN, who have a LONG record of massive corruption and inability to accomplish anything.
What should we do? Not easy to answer that. Sitting out on some Navy ship and slinging Tomahawk missiles is most likely a stupid move. Gas takes some serious heat to get rid of it and NOT spread it all over...ask anyone who has burned Poison Ivy to get rid of it only to find they are now eaten up with the stuff, up there nose, face, hands etc. You have to feed the gas into massive incinerators built to consume all of it. Tossing bombs short of nukes may not do the job.
This leaves nukes and boots on the ground. No fan of boots on the ground but could care less if they nuke the whole area into a glass parking lot, but not likely to happen.
Looks like the SecDef (Hagel, another DUMMY), Kerry and Obama are holding a bag of chit and all of them too stupid to sort it out. We really got ourselves a bag o worms on this one...
I am not so concerned about terrorist organizations getting nerve agents, as they most likely have access to them if they want. If they have access to a college level educated chemist, and a third world level pesticide plant they can manufacture them. If you took a can of Ortho pesticide bought at Walmart and concentrated it a thousand times, you would have a passable nerve agent.
Boots on the ground in Syria will not change that. Who would be our allies? The resistance including Al Queda linked organizations? Are we ready for another Iraq for the next ten years? The Syrian war has spread into Iraq as well, as Sunni terrorist groups attempt to undermine the Shiite governments in both countries, as Alawites in Syria such as Assad, are a Shiite offshoot. I agree Obama and Kerry haven't a clue what to do. The one country we need to confer with and bring in on how to deal with it is Turkey. Secular government, tough Army, and as a Muslim state, less likely to cause a jihad against the infidels response. Whatever happens, prepare to watch a mess develop.
The gas usage is a tragedy but it didn't have to be a tragedy for us. The present administrations chest thumping red line declaration has only served to show weakness. If we had an interest in the outcome the time is well passed for any influence. It should have been handled covertly and early. Think back to how Bill Casey handled our response to the Beirut barracks bombing, on the visible side we left, on the invisible side the terrorists responsible were executed. The people that needed to know knew we were responsible and started showing some deference to the US. The facts may never have come to light it it were not for the Iran-Contra hearings. It wasn't until the Clinton years the terrorists decided to rattle our cage again. Then baby Bush rejected his fathers "prudent" advice and we have been sucked into this religious battle ever since.
There are no clear "good" options for the US, just misery ahead. The terrorists will get WMD and they will use it, most likely with impunity.
Tomahawk and Cruise missiles are worthless here. They have an estimated 1000 Tons of gas, the ONLY solution is boots on the ground. IF the goal is to get rid of the gas. This is not job for SOCOM, they lack the manpower to do it in any length of time. Someone has to get in there, find it and set up the equipment to get rid of it.
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