US AIR STRIKES HIT DAMASCUS - Trump announces Syria air strikes in response to chemical attack

[xeni]

Originally published at: https://boingboing.net/2018/04/13/we-are-at-war-with-syria.html

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[mr_raccoon]

Fox & Friends suggest Trump could bury Comey’s book by bombing Syria

Brian Stelter (brianstelter)

[blissinfinite67]

I think we all know what John Bolton will be doing this evening…

[RickMycroft]

Cohen who?

U.S. says air strikes cripple Syria chemical weapons program

[Boundegar]

Donald J. Trump (realDonaldTrump)

Donald J. Trump (realDonaldTrump)

Note: We do not have a Secretary of State.

[Keith_McClary]

ISIS, Israel and AQ will be thrilled.

[smulder]

@Boundegar

Note: We do not have a Secretary of State.

Ivanka can take care of it. MAGA/s

[rocketpj]

Well, that’s it. If he can provoke a counterattack against US troops or ships then he has cleared the way for ‘extraordinary measures’ on all fronts - domestic in particular. Americans lose their mind if their troops are attacked (or counterattacked), and all debate will be equated with treason.

[Keith_McClary]

Syria chemical attack: weapons inspectors to investigate site

The team from the UN’s Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons will begin work on Saturday

[Barradeno]

@Keith_McClary

The team from the UN’s Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons will begin work on Saturday

Shoot first, ask questions later.

[smulder]

[phiis161803]

“We are prepared to sustain this response until the Syrian regime stops its use of prohibited chemical agents,” Mr. Trump said.

Wait, what? Is that the Trumpian equivalent of a bully’s “Stop hitting yourself! Why are you hitting yourself?!”

[Wanderfound]

@phiis161803

“We are prepared to sustain this response until the Syrian regime stops its use of prohibited chemical agents,” Mr. Trump said.

Obligatory reminder that, so far, absolutely zero evidence has been provided to support the claim that Assad’s forces were responsible for the chemical attack.

OTOH, there are some unpunished chemical weapons war crimes that we do have proof for:

Exclusive: CIA Files Prove America Helped Saddam as He Gassed Iran

[ficuswhisperer]

@xeni

We truly care about the plight of the innocent Syrian’s.

Syrian’s what?

[ficuswhisperer]

Of course he does this when it’s most advantageous within the news cycle versus when it makes the most sense strategically.

[Wanderfound]

@ficuswhisperer

Of course he does this when it’s most advantageous within the news cycle versus when it makes the most sense strategically.

Would it be any better if he were killing Syrians at a strategically advantageous moment?

[Drew_G]

I mean, we know Assad’s used sarin previously in this war.

[Agfish]

No. But it would be easier to explain it as the considered actions of a nation-state, rather than as an individual using it as a prohibitively expensive (in terms of lives, cash, consequences) version of ‘look over there, a three headed monkey…’

[Wanderfound]

@Drew_G

I mean, we know Assad’s used sarin previously in this war.

1. That is still not evidence that Assad’s forces committed this attack.

2. Even if Assad were responsible for the attack, it still does not justify bombing Syria, on either an ethical or strategic level.

3. If Assad was responsible for the recent attack, he’s an idiot. It provided no strategic or tactical advantage and created an easy justification for an attack by NATO, at a time when the US administration was obviously looking for an excuse to do so.

4. It is not at all implausible that the “moderate rebels” (AKA Al-Qaeda linked salafist jihadis) that are armed and supported by the USA were responsible for the attack.

5. The USA has a long and well-documented history of launching military action based upon false pretences.

[ficuswhisperer]

@Wanderfound

Would it be any better if he were killing Syrians at a strategically advantageous moment?

I never said or implied this. It’s a shit sandwich all around for sure.