Jump to content
Join the Unexplained Mysteries community today! It's free and setting up an account only takes a moment.
- Sign In or Create Account -

Trump weighing military options in Syria


Claire.

Recommended Posts

Trump weighing military options following chemical weapons attack in Syria.

The Trump administration is weighing military retaliation against the Syrian government following a chemical attack Tuesday that killed scores of civilians, but it is complicated by the presence of Russian forces in the country and concerns about U.S. troops deployed in Syria in the campaign against the Islamic State, according to U.S. officials.The Pentagon is in the process of presenting options to the White House on potential military responses, which could include strikes on Syrian military targets and actions designed to ground the Syrian air force.

Read more: The Washington Post

The article refers to 'paralysis through analysis' and that is a legitimate concern. So is a knee-jerk reaction given Russia's presence. It's a tough situation to be in.

  • Like 4
Link to comment
Share on other sites

What are your personal feelings on this Claire?

 

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

What a fool. How can you establish anything without proper investigation? Can he rule out the possiblity that it was NOT from the Syrian Army?

So much for a different president!

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

It doesn't make any sense to me for Assad to suddenly use chemical weapons in a non-critical battle, when the overall momentum of the war already on his side, and knowing what the international repercussions would be.

Unless it was a local commander acting on his own.

  • Like 7
Link to comment
Share on other sites

29 minutes ago, The Russian Hare said:

It doesn't make any sense to me for Assad to suddenly use chemical weapons in a non-critical battle, when the overall momentum of the war already on his side, and knowing what the international repercussions would be.

Unless it was a local commander acting on his own.

According to reports I've heard on radio, radar confirmed Syrian (NOT Russian) aircraft over the kill zone at the time it occurred.  Obviously, if this is a False Flag (I don't think so) then such intel could be dismissed but we are talking about Assad, here.  Idlib is one of the few remaining rebel strong holds and I think it's possible he's willing to do most anything to reassert full control over his country.  I also find it troubling to imagine that Assad would go against Putin in such a decision. It is entirely possible that Vlad is the one turning up the volume a bit.  Why he'd want to back Trump into such a box is beyond me.  Maybe the sanctions on Russia are hurting his Oligarch buddies so much that he's personally coming under pressure to break them.  All I know for sure is that this whole situation just went from ugly to potentially catastrophic.  And I don't think that word is hyperbole in this case.  

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, .ZZ. said:

What are your personal feelings on this Claire?

My personal feelings are as follows:

Assad is a war criminal and Syrians are fleeing his regime as much as they are fleeing ISIS. He needs to be removed.

It's also unfortunate that Syria gravitated to Moscow's orbit when it did, and their current alliance reflects, among other things, an attempt on Russia's part to hold on to remaining levers of power. They need to go too.

So what would I do? Since I don't have SEAL Team 6 on speed-dial, I would have to go along with Tillerson on this one. In a statement to media today, he stated: "The process by which Assad would leave is something that I think requires an international community effort, both to first defeat ISIS within Syria, to stabilize the Syrian country, to avoid further civil war, and then to work collectively with our partners around the world through a political process that would lead to Assad leaving."

All I would add to that is that Assad be charged and tried for war crimes against the Syrian people

I'm waiting on Mattis' recommendations as they will obviously be more military-oriented. He's both a strategist and a realist, so hopefully he'll come up with a good and effective plan.

Edit - Here's what Tillerson had to say on the situation (also source for the above quote).

 

Edited by Claire.
Added Tillerson source.
  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 minutes ago, and then said:

According to reports I've heard on radio, radar confirmed Syrian (NOT Russian) aircraft over the kill zone at the time it occurred.  Obviously, if this is a False Flag (I don't think so) then such intel could be dismissed but we are talking about Assad, here.  Idlib is one of the few remaining rebel strong holds and I think it's possible he's willing to do most anything to reassert full control over his country.  

There were several eye witness reports that confirm what you've stated. It was not, as the Russians stated, an accident.

Assad has used chemical weapons several times in the past (all confirmed by UN and other investigators). The 2013 attack was by far the worse in terms of numbers injured and killed. I don't know that getting rid of him will fix Syria, but it's a good first step. He needs to be held accountable.

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

9 minutes ago, Claire. said:

My personal feelings are as follows:

Assad is a war criminal and Syrians are fleeing his regime as much as they are fleeing ISIS. He needs to be removed. It's also unfortunate that Syria gravitated to Moscow's orbit when it did, and their current alliance reflects, among other things, an attempt on Russia's part to hold on to remaining levers of power. They need to go too.

So what would I do? Since I don't have SEAL Team 6 on speed-dial, I would have to go along with Tillerson on this one. In a statement to media today, he stated:

"The process by which Assad would leave is something that I think requires an international community effort, both to first defeat ISIS within Syria, to stabilize the Syrian country, to avoid further civil war, and then to work collectively with our partners around the world through a political process that would lead to Assad leaving."

All I would add to that is that Assad be charged and tried for war crimes against the Syrian people

I'm waiting on Mattis' recommendations as they will obviously be more military-oriented. He's both a strategist and a realist, so hopefully he'll come up with a good plan.

I have faith (hope) that Mattis has all of the facts before recommending launching cruise missiles. It is of supreme importance to get the facts straight. 

This mess could have been avoided i.e. "The red line in the sand"

This is where normally I would shoot arrows at the previous administration's weak actions regarding Assad, but that is history.

Looking forward, I hope we can "remove" Assad ASAP.

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 minute ago, .ZZ. said:

I have faith (hope) that Mattis has all of the facts before recommending launching cruise missiles. It is of supreme importance to get the facts straight. 

This mess could have been avoided i.e. "The red line in the sand"

This is where normally I would shoot arrows at the previous administration's weak actions regarding Assad, but that is history.

Looking forward, I hope we can "remove" Assad ASAP.

In the case of the last administration it was a case of ' paralysis through analysis', among other things.

But we're in the here and now, so hopefully this time around it will be a situation of "I know a guy who knows a guy" but this time it's Trump talking to Mattis:

"Outstanding, you whacked the guy. That's so New York I gotta tell you. Outstanding. Really great."

:lol:

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

People seem to forget that bombing Assad will strengthen ISIS. 

And do we even have the moral high ground to do this?  We just killed over 200 civilians in Mosul: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/03/24/world/middleeast/us-iraq-mosul-investigation-airstrike-civilian-deaths.html?_r=1 

Assad killed 86 in the chemical attack: http://abcnews.go.com/International/syrias-latest-chemical-attack/story?id=46617872

Dead is dead.  We would be like Jason Voorhees punishing Freddy Krueger for killing people.

 

  • Like 5
Link to comment
Share on other sites

10 minutes ago, Gromdor said:

People seem to forget that bombing Assad will strengthen ISIS. 

And do we even have the moral high ground to do this?  We just killed over 200 civilians in Mosul: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/03/24/world/middleeast/us-iraq-mosul-investigation-airstrike-civilian-deaths.html?_r=1 

Assad killed 86 in the chemical attack: http://abcnews.go.com/International/syrias-latest-chemical-attack/story?id=46617872

Dead is dead.  We would be like Jason Voorhees punishing Freddy Krueger for killing people.

That's why the suggestion is to deal with ISIS before dealing with Assad.

I can't and won't justify the deaths of civilians in any situation. Mosul was an unfortunate incident and I don't know that we would have bombed had we known so many civilians were present. Hopefully the investigation will get to the bottom of what happened.

Using a banned nerve agent to kill and injure is all sorts of wrong. Dying from a chemical weapons attack is extraordinarily painful. For the 'lucky' ones, death occurs relatively quickly. For others, it can take as long as several hours. It is a horrible way to die. Deploying sarin, or chemicals like it, on massive scales can be enormously catastrophic and there is good reason why chemical and biological agents are classified as weapons of mass destruction

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, and then said:

According to reports I've heard on radio, radar confirmed Syrian (NOT Russian) aircraft over the kill zone at the time it occurred.  Obviously, if this is a False Flag (I don't think so) then such intel could be dismissed but we are talking about Assad, here.  Idlib is one of the few remaining rebel strong holds and I think it's possible he's willing to do most anything to reassert full control over his country. 

Is it possible that Syrian warplanes hit a terrorist warehouse containing chemical weapons? Didn't realize it was hidden there? In any case, there is evidence that rebels have used those weapons in the past and despite what Claire claims, it was never definitly established by the U.N. that Assad was truly responsible for any such attack. So I'd say caution is needed. Logic and reason tell us that it makes ZERO sense for Assad to use chemical weapons and draw the wrath of the international community on him and his governement when they have made tremendous gains in recent months. They are not desperate.

Edited by TruthSeeker_
  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Assad does not even try to deny it so far. he is publicly accused, yet he is quiet.    i also think he has no reason to do so, someone who would want to make him look bad, would.  it would be not too hard to find out what chemicals were used, and who made them. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 minute ago, aztek said:

Assad does not even try to deny it so far. he is publicly accused, yet he is quiet.    i also think he has no reason to do so, someone who would want to make him look bad, would.  it would be not too hard to find out what chemicals were used, and who made them. 

Moallem, in a televised news conference from Damascus, the capital, reiterated the government’s position, categorically denying it used chemical weapons.

“We condemn such a criminal act,” he said, emphasizing “that it is not reasonable that the Syrian army could use chemical weapons now at the time when it has been achieving victories on various fronts.”

http://www.latimes.com/world/la-fg-syria-chemical-attack-20170406-story.html

 

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 hours ago, TruthSeeker_ said:

Moallem, in a televised news conference from Damascus, the capital, reiterated the government’s position, categorically denying it used chemical weapons.

“We condemn such a criminal act,” he said, emphasizing “that it is not reasonable that the Syrian army could use chemical weapons now at the time when it has been achieving victories on various fronts.”

http://www.latimes.com/world/la-fg-syria-chemical-attack-20170406-story.html

 

ok then i was wrong,unfortunately

as Otto van Bismark said "never believe anything in politics until it has been officially denied"

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Breaking:

US launched at least 60 cruise missiles on sites in Syria. More to follow.

Link

Edited by .ZZ.
  • Like 4
Link to comment
Share on other sites

12 minutes ago, .ZZ. said:

Breaking:

US launched at least 60 cruise missiles on sites in Syria. More to follow.

Link

Thanks for that! Here's the Washington Post's report:

U.S. strikes Syrian military airfield in first direct assault on Bashar al-Assad’s government.

The U.S. military launched approximately 50 cruise missiles at a Syrian military airfield late on Thursday, in the first direct American assault on the government of President Bashar al-Assad since that country’s civil war began six years ago.

The operation, which the Trump administration authorized in retaliation for a chemical attack killing scores of civilians this week, dramatically expands U.S. military involvement in Syria and exposes the United States to heightened risk of direct confrontation with Russia and Iran, both backing Assad in his attempt to crush his opposition.

Read more: The Washington Post

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

The exact same pack of lies from four years ago taken down off the shelf and dusted off for another go round excuse for murder.   Start shooting fast before the false flag is actually verified.  So much for "evidence".   Shoot first ask questions later.   HORROR!  

Hundreds of thousands killed, millions displaced, but the liars got their sensational NOOZ story about 80 dead people killed by chemicals and because nobody apparently learned a goddamn thing from four years ago, Assad must have done it and "all options are on the table".  

So stupid, so evil, might as well get on our knees and beg for WW3.   The difference between that and this is ceremonial.

  • Like 5
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just now, Claire. said:

Thanks for that! Here's the Washington Post's report:

U.S. strikes Syrian military airfield in first direct assault on Bashar al-Assad’s government.

The U.S. military launched approximately 50 cruise missiles at a Syrian military airfield late on Thursday, in the first direct American assault on the government of President Bashar al-Assad since that country’s civil war began six years ago.

The operation, which the Trump administration authorized in retaliation for a chemical attack killing scores of civilians this week, dramatically expands U.S. military involvement in Syria and exposes the United States to heightened risk of direct confrontation with Russia and Iran, both backing Assad in his attempt to crush his opposition.

Read more: The Washington Post

I have a feeling that the first numbers are usually wrong. I'm all over it. ;)

 

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Oh great, now the excrement made physical contact with the ventilation system.. (sh|t > fan)

I wonder where this will end??

fFszO4X.jpg?1

 

What will Russia & Iran's response be on this?

Will they bow out or stick up for Assad?

This could be messy.

 

.

Edited by EllJay
  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

would be a good opportunity to test Russian air defense system they brought there. latakia is close to homs,   i wonder if any were intercepted

Link to comment
Share on other sites

10 minutes ago, South Alabam said:

Cruise missiles sure beat an imaginary line.

Maybe I should have said "cruise missiles sure trump an imaginary line." :lol:

  • Like 4
Link to comment
Share on other sites

45 minutes ago, TruthSeeker_ said:

Is it possible that Syrian warplanes hit a terrorist warehouse containing chemical weapons? Didn't realize it was hidden there? In any case, there is evidence that rebels have used those weapons in the past and despite what Claire claims, it was never definitly established by the U.N. that Assad was truly responsible for any such attack. So I'd say caution is needed. Logic and reason tell us that it makes ZERO sense for Assad to use chemical weapons and draw the wrath of the international community on him and his governement when they have made tremendous gains in recent months. They are not desperate.

Whilst the UN has been cautious about attributing blame, it clearly stated that in the Ghouta incident that whomever was responsible must have had access to the chemical weapons stockpile of the Syrian military.

Is it possible that Syrian warplanes hit a terrorist warehouse. No, it is not. Have rebels used chemical weapons in the past? It's possible, yes.

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

From The New York Times

The official said that the cruise missile strike was at the more limited end of the military options presented to President Trump Thursday by Defense Secretary Jim Mattis. The cruise missile strike, the official said, was intended to send a message to Mr. Assad about the American intention to use military force if he continues to use chemical weapons.

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.