U.S. snubs Britain

[Commander CMG]

• John Kerry praises 'oldest ally' France for supporting attacks on Syria
  
• President Obama makes coded swipe at the UK's decision not to join in
  
• Parliament has refused to back British involvement in military action
  

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[questionmark]

so they will be Freedom Haggis instead of British Haggis now?

[Kowalski]

Glad you guys in Britain have the backbone and smarts to stay out of this mess.

Unfortunately, we agree with y'all, but our President and the war mongering idiots in Congress won't listen to the will of the people.

[TSS]

It'll blow over with little in the way of a lasting problem between the 2 nations (imo). Suez, Grenada, Somalia, Vietnam, we've disagreed with each other over all those conflicts, and in those cases it was the Prime Minister of the day that opted out, where as in this case it was just political game playing that ended any involvement.

I'll be interested to see what happens if the US start making more direct digs though.....because Cameron has made it clear he won't be apologising to the US or anyone for not going in.....I wonder if his words will become more heated if he's pushed on that...

Edited August 30, 2013 by Sky Scanner

[Kaa-Tzik]

History goes full circle. France was the midwife to the birth of America and is it's oldest friend and ally. Though I guess to really go around in a circle, Britain will have to cosy up to ye olde friend Prussia, or should that be das alte freunde in the ancient language of our royals.

[questionmark]

History goes full circle. France was the midwife to the birth of America and is it's oldest friend and ally. Though I guess to really go around in a circle, Britain will have to cosy up to ye olde friend Prussia, or should that be das alte freunde in the ancient language of our royals.

Problem is that trick does not work anymore, the only time you can separate Germans and French nowadays is when the French want more money for social programs... besides Cameron did his best to p*** off both in the last few years.

[Kaa-Tzik]

Problem is that trick does not work anymore, the only time you can separate Germans and French nowadays is when the French want more money for social programs... besides Cameron did his best to p*** off both in the last few years.

There is an image in my mind of Mitterand and Kohl holding hands at a WWII memorial ceremony in 1995, and then Kohl sobbing at Mitterands funeral. UK has no chance of getting between them. I can imagine similar scenes in a few years for the centenary of Verdun, with UK side-lined, even though it was part of the general offensive that included the Somme.

[Ealdwita]

Perhaps us Brits might just do what the US did on two previous occasions - join in at half-time!

[+and-then]

Perhaps us Brits might just do what the US did on two previous occasions - join in at half-time!

Nah - better to stay well and truly clear of THIS train wreck. No winners here. no way. I support bombing the crap out of chem weapons sites and infrastructure. Beyond that I think the Syrian situation is just unsolvable for outsiders.

[questionmark]

Nah - better to stay well and truly clear of THIS train wreck. No winners here. no way. I support bombing the crap out of chem weapons sites and infrastructure. Beyond that I think the Syrian situation is just unsolvable for outsiders.

Some "chemical target" bombing in Sudan came back in form of the crashing Twin Towers... nothing gained there either.

[A rather obscure Bassoon]

Why get pulled in and create a bigger mess,Obama should be concentrating on the Islamists and prevent them from getting a foot in the door.Al Queada would love to get their hands on chemical weapons.

Thankyou Obama for the big jump in Gas Prices,high Gas Prices will do the US economy no favours.

Edited August 30, 2013 by shaddow134

[Ealdwita]

Why get pulled in and create a bigger mess,Obama should be concentrating on the Islamists and prevent them from getting a foot in the door.Al Queada would love to get their hands on chemical weapons.

Thankyou Obama for the big jump in Gas Prices,high Gas Prices will do the US economy no favours.

Would that be Barack HUSSEIN Obama we're on about here?

[Elfin]

Whoever Saudi Arabia supports, that is the faction we should not support. Unfortunately all Western governments and institutions such as the BBC are enslaved by the oil money.

[A rather obscure Bassoon]

Would that be Barack HUSSEIN Obama we're on about here?

He wasn't very popular here today.People are sick and tired of the constant meddling in the ME.It's long weekend here and people are paying through the nose for Gas.

Edited August 30, 2013 by shaddow134

[+and-then]

Some "chemical target" bombing in Sudan came back in form of the crashing Twin Towers... nothing gained there either.

True enough, though I'd argue that had Clinton done much more at that time those towers just might be standing. Regardless, this atrocity of 2 years in Syria is ever worsening and if no line is drawn then Assad will continue ratcheting up his responses until he can beat down all challengers - can you imagine what might be next? I think you know that evil really is like that. It never stops on it's own - it must be fought.

[Euphorbia]

Nah - better to stay well and truly clear of THIS train wreck. No winners here. no way. I support bombing the crap out of chem weapons sites and infrastructure. Beyond that I think the Syrian situation is just unsolvable for outsiders.

This might sound like a stupid question, but wouldn't "bombing the crap out of chem weapons sites" just disperse chemical weapons into the air, potentially harming innocent people downwind?

[Sir Wearer of Hats]

This might sound like a stupid question, but wouldn't "bombing the crap out of chem weapons sites" just disperse chemical weapons into the air, potentially harming innocent people downwind?

Napalm would, I expect, cook the chemicals before they can react and get nasty.

[questionmark]

True enough, though I'd argue that had Clinton done much more at that time those towers just might be standing. Regardless, this atrocity of 2 years in Syria is ever worsening and if no line is drawn then Assad will continue ratcheting up his responses until he can beat down all challengers - can you imagine what might be next? I think you know that evil really is like that. It never stops on it's own - it must be fought.

There is only one way to resolve this: That the Syrian opposition grows some democratic commitment so that all factions can live. As is, the dirty little secret is that in the "liberated zones" the different rebel factions shoot at each other when they find no Army to shoot at. Until then it does not matter what is done the atrocities will continue. Before, during and after Assad. And if you don't believe that have a good look at our great success: Iraq.

[Ealdwita]

• John Kerry praises 'oldest ally' France for supporting attacks on Syria
  
• President Obama makes coded swipe at the UK's decision not to join in
  
• Parliament has refused to back British involvement in military action
  

....and the French Government have surrendered just in case........

So now I suppose we'll soon be seeing newsreel footage of the Syrian Army goose-stepping up the Champs-Eylsees, yes?

[Commander CMG]

....and the French Government have surrendered just in case........

So now I suppose we'll soon be seeing newsreel footage of the Syrian Army goose-stepping up the Champs-Eylsees, yes?

They will probably have to postpone the support to the USA because of strike action anyway.

[Mr.United_Nations]

Why get pulled in and create a bigger mess,Obama should be concentrating on the Islamists and prevent them from getting a foot in the door.Al Queada would love to get their hands on chemical weapons.

Thankyou Obama for the big jump in Gas Prices,high Gas Prices will do the US economy no favours.

Its acually the oil companies and banks and sellers that bump the oil prices to make profit, the stock market usually controls the levels i think.

The Assad government doesn't want anyone involved, and anyway if the US did attack the Islamists then a terrorist attack would happen very soon

[itsnotoutthere]

As i posted on another thread:-

It seems the 'special relationship' is only special when we do what the americans want us to do!

Up until now I can see how this 'special relationship' works when they want us to follow them into war, or when they want to extradite British citizens for trial over there, or when they want us to put pressure on the E.U. or when they want to fly bombers from our air bases,

But how exactly did this 'special relationship' work in the other direction?

[questionmark]

As i posted on another thread:-

It seems the 'special relationship' is only special when we do what the americans want us to do!

Up until now I can see how this 'special relationship' works when they want us to follow them into war, or when they want to extradite British citizens for trial over there, or when they want us to put pressure on the E.U. or when they want to fly bombers from our air bases,

But how exactly did this 'special relationship' work in the other direction?

You get a bone every now and then... and a pat on the head.

[questionmark]

And breaking: Looks like the NSA also broke into the computers of the French defense ministry (German TV ARD just broke the news), looks like the great new found friendship has a few problems right from the beginning...

[Kaa-Tzik]

Napalm would, I expect, cook the chemicals before they can react and get nasty.

True, but napalm is delivered by either various types of BM, which is not American equipment, and would need "boots on the ground" even if they did have the capability, or aircraft flying at low level. I'm not sure that would be an option given Syria has far better air defences than any country America has yet attacked in that region. There would be losses, and that does not fit with what Obama is saying. Cruise missiles carry nukes or explosives, and if they could be fitted to carry napalm, the payload would be too small. We should presume the gas stocks are in bunkers, so first explosives will be used to bust the bunkers. But this cannot be done so as just to open the roof and conveniently expose the gas stocks for a napalm strike. Trying to destroy nerve gas with airstrikes is not feasable unless you don't care about gas escapes, or undestroyed stocks then falling into terrorist hands in the chaos.

Edited September 1, 2013 by Kaa-Tzik