Saddle up for Syria? Or Op Deny Christmas '13

[Hercster]

Wow...ballsy...and dumb for those military folks to do that. Improper use of the uniform.

[waveshaper]

Wow...ballsy...and dumb for those military folks to do that. Improper use of the uniform.

No way. I don't see the USAF represented in those photos, must be faked/staged.

[Vertigo]

The only action that would be in our national interest would be to strike the factories/stockpiles of chem weapons to keep them out of the hands of Hezbollah and/or AQ.

That's it- and even that's a stretch.

[tac airlifter]

The only action that would be in our national interest would be to strike the factories/stockpiles of chem weapons to keep them out of the hands of Hezbollah and/or AQ.

That's it- and even that's a stretch.

Potentially valid; but that gambles on releasing that shit into the atmosphere. There are warheads designed for that mission, but the law of unintended consequences will likely reign supreme.

[Rmarsh]

I'm surprised Fox News hasn't said it yet (and maybe I missed someone else saying it in the previous 14 pages) but it looks a lot like Vietnam-

"...We are only going to conduct a limited engagement, but we aren't going to start an all-out war..."

"Here's an airstrike Asad! Surrender yet?"

"Ok then, here's ANOTHER airstrike!"

"Surrender yet?"

[BitteEinBit]

So, POTUS talks tough, draws red line...Syria crosses red line. POTUS talks even more tough; says the use of WMD is a national security threat; makes a CINC-type call saying we have to act; allies not on board; backs self into corner, world watching; POTUS then asks congress for "permission" for a strike (kind of un-CINC-like compared to other POTUS, but his prerogative) to either get them to share the burden or deny him "permission" thus getting him out of the pickle he finds himself in....congress says yes, and now POTUS is again front stage with the world watching. Two weeks after said "incident" we are still talking limited strikes to make a point? It is like your dog taking a dump on your carpet one day, and then two weeks later you walk in the house and kick the dog for shitting on your carpet two weeks ago. Can't wait to see how this plays out....(que Michael Jackson eating popcorn gif)

For the record, I think even conducting limited strikes is a bad idea...I can't think of anything good that comes out of it. Iranians/N Koreans...take note.

[AnimalMother]

EDIT: Just watched this. I guess it could either go here or the WTF thread.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tndQw8EwmkI

Cocaine's a hell of a drug.

[Day Man]

jesus...that was worse than the "such as" chick from South Carolina

[ForgotPassword]

Brilliant political move by the Pres....come off hard lined knowing he'll have support from other leaders, appeasing the masses who want to sling missiles down Assad's meat hole....then 90 right and ask Congress for approval, knowing he wont get it, and thus appeasing by default those who want nothing to do with Syria....essentially leaving himself in a neutral and as blameless a position as one can be in.

[clouseau]

YGBSM !

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2013/09/03/sen-mccain-caught-playing-iphone-poker-game-during-senate-hearing-on-syria/

[LockheedFix]

Well that seems like a clearly defined goal: "degrade" the Assad regime. Thanks Republican senators for finally finding something to agree with the president on.

"“No one starts a war--or rather, no one in his sense ought to do so--without first being clear in his mind what he intends to achieve by the war and how he intends to conduct it.”

-Carl Von Clausewitz

[deaddebate]

SECDEF Hagel

[...] I welcome this debate and I strongly support President Obama’s decision to seek congressional authorization for the use of force in Syria. [...]

The Syrian regime’s actions risk eroding the nearly century-old international norm against the use of chemical weapons – a norm that has helped protect the United States homeland and American forces operating across the globe from these terrible weapons. Weakening this norm could embolden other regimes to acquire or use chemical weapons. For example, North Korea maintains a massive stockpile of chemical weapons that threatens our treaty ally, the Republic of Korea, and the 28,000 U.S. troops stationed there. I have just returned from Asia, where I had a very serious and long conversation with South Korea’s Defense Minister about the threat that North Korea’s stockpile of chemical weapons presents to them. Our allies throughout the world must be assured that the United States will fulfill its security commitments.

Given these threats to our national security, the United States must demonstrate through our actions that the use of chemical weapons is unacceptable.

[...] A refusal to act would undermine the credibility of America’s other security

commitments – including the President’s commitment to prevent Iran from acquiring a nuclear

weapon. The word of the United States must mean something. It is vital currency in foreign

relations and international and allied commitments.

Sen. Robert Menendez--Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations

Sharing President Obama's view that our nation is best served when we come together as one, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee has crafted a bipartisan Authorization for the Use of Military Force that we believe reflects the will and concerns of Democrats and Republicans alike. Together we have pursued a course of action that gives the President the authority he needs to deploy force in response to the Assad regime’s criminal use of chemical weapons against the Syrian people, while assuring that the authorization is narrow and focused, limited in time, and assures that the Armed Forces of the United States will not be deployed for combat operations in Syria.

Text of President's draft authorization

(a) Authorization. -- The President is authorized to use the Armed Forces of the United States as he determines to be necessary and appropriate in connection with the use of chemical weapons or other weapons of mass destruction in the conflict in Syria in order to --

(1) prevent or deter the use or proliferation (including the transfer to terrorist groups or other state or non-state actors), within, to or from Syria, of any weapons of mass destruction, including chemical or biological weapons or components of or materials used in such weapons; or

(2) protect the United States and its allies and partners against the threat posed by such weapons.

The President's draft will almost certainly be re-written and curtailed by Congress, as it is apparently viewed as too open-ended.

[Fuzz]

So the President and his minions (hagel, kerry ect) are seeking Congresses authority to strike, but says he already has that authority strike if they vote no. Is anyone else confused by this?

[Spur38]

YGBSM !

http://www.foxnews.c...aring-on-syria/

At least McCain was accomplishing something, playing poker during the hearing. Quite apparent by he's coming out aginst the draft resolution this morning....it's all a circus. It would seem that the US Amb would go to the UN Security Council request UN support for POTUS proposed action (Knowingly that the Ruskies and China would veto) and then state that the US is withdrawing monetary support and perhaps membership from the worthless UN.

[Lawman]

So the President and his minions (hagel, kerry ect) are seeking Congresses authority to strike, but says he already has that authority strike if they vote no. Is anyone else confused by this?

Yeah that was fun to see in his joint speech with the Swedish PM.

"This is all a formality because I want them to agree with me, but ill do it anyway."

Great well then ###### it just go ahead and own it.

[Disco_Nav963]

Congressman kicked a little ass at the hearing today--called out Ted Cruz for some of his overly simplistic remarks. I'm a Texan, was something of a Republican activist in college, and have always been skeptical of Cruz's "bull in a China shop" approach. It was nice to see a junior House member unafraid to challenge the so-called "rising star" in the Senate.

[Homestar]

Nobody wants their blood money. They should send their own men to die in Syria if that's what they want. The middle east is like a bipolar ex wife.

[Fuzz]

Nobody wants their blood money. They should send their own men to die in Syria if that's what they want. The middle east is like a bipolar ex wife.

If our government was responsible with its money, and this was just a standoff strike, I would take the money and add a 15% fee for cleaning up their own backyard.

[Smokin]

We'd better get that check up front and wait a few days after cashing it to make sure the funds went through.

[TarHeelPilot]

We'd better get that check up front and wait a few days after cashing it to make sure the funds went through.

We'll just turn around and send it right back to them as foreign aid. Wait...what?

[Snooter]

Maybe we'll get to add "mercenary" to our resumes.

Sweet, does this mean we'll get more flying hours and cuts to BAH and healthcare will be off the table? I am speechless that our government can't agree on a budget but by God we can agree on bombing people!

[redfox52]

jesus...that was worse than the "such as" chick from South Carolina

I personally believe that "such as" chick made more sense because some people out there in our nation don't have that and I believe that our education such as the people in Iraq and in South Africa should help the people in Iraq and in South Africa such that...

I'm a little hammered right now, and my vocabulary can't get any worse such that I won't make any sense.

[BitteEinBit]

Sweet, does this mean we'll get more flying hours and cuts to BAH and healthcare will be off the table? I am speechless that our government can't agree on a budget but by God we can agree on bombing people!

Maybe we can use that extra money to increase that "retention bonus" we don't really need because everyone is eager to stay in for free!

So, fighting another war with someone else footing the bill...this might actually be a brilliant idea in this era of defense budget cuts. We can take advantage of force modernization as we occupy Syria for a few years while the Saudi's fund it. We might even be able to talk OPEC into lowering the price of their oil as part of the "funding." This is win win win for everyone! Can I get any volunteers for deployments? I have a few 365s I need to fill for this OP.

(partial sarcasm)

[disgruntledemployee]

"Next up for auction is a 'Destruction of the Syrian Goverment' package. The winner gets 30 days and nights of continuous bombardment. Bidding will start at 1 Trillion US dollars, paid up front. Some of you border nations may want to pool your cash. Oh, and the winning bidder get to give Iran the middle finger."

Full sarcasm?

Out

[pawnman]

Now we're told Arab countries are willing to pay for the entire cost of a full Syrian invasion by US forces. Because they're morally outraged by human rights abuses and chemical weapons, right? Maybe we'll get to add "mercenary" to our resumes. Am I wrong to be suspicious of the motivations of someone who has to go to extraordinary lengths and costs to justify an intangible objective?

Pay the full price of an invasion...for how long, I wonder?

Still, this is an even better idea than letting Mt. Dew and Doritos paint logos on the jets in exchange for cash.