US mulling Syrian emergency intervention?

[Jimbuna]

Originally Posted by Armistead

We have moved a carrier group off of Syria...

China isn't going to do nothing but rant, their economy is still heavily tied to ours. Russia will do nothing. My guess is we push action through the UN if chemical weapons are used.

The bigger issue if Assad falls, what will happen to all the chemical weapons. This is probably the biggest fear right now, no telling whose hands these could fall into. If Assad goes the country will fall into chaos.
Let's face it , when it comes to the Mid-East

It takes a Dictator....

I fear you may well be right...the time is drawing nigh.

[Skybird]

As always with WMD, uncontrolled proliferation is my major concern.

Hezbollah is reported to have set up several camps in direct vicinity of chemical weapons storage sites in Syria, and has been allowed by Assad to even conduct combat training inside those compounds.

Go figure. Israel no doubt is not amused. But the threat goes far beyond that.

[Jimbuna]

If that is in fact the case then Hezbollah could soon find themselves in direct line of fire.

I should imagine there are a few satellites watching the areas in question even as I type this.

[Platapus]

Syria does not have all that much oil. Nothing in Syria is worth a single American life.

[Armistead]

If these chemical weapons fall into terrorist hands, it will be a whole different game. The question will remain, if Assad leaves, what will fill the vacuum, probably something worse.

I'm not sure what we can do, if we bomb the gas sites, how many 1000's will die. If we leave them....

The Mid-East remains a stain of the underpants of modern humanity.

[Skybird]

Originally Posted by Platapus

Syria does not have all that much oil. Nothing in Syria is worth a single American life.

My attitude exactly, widening it to not just American but Western soldiers in general. Even more valid when considering the very anti-Western nature of Assad's opposition, which is anthiong but humanistic or democratic in orientation.

However, the chemical weapons, and these getting into the hands of Muslim terror organisations - that is something we cannot afford to ignore. Israel cannot ignore it either. Even the new regime can use them to blackmail us: "Give us what we want (money, anti-Israeli diplomacy, whatever), or we give chemical weapons to Hezbollah, still - that would bring us back into the Lebanon game as well."

[Jimbuna]

The chance of chemical weapons falling into the wrong hands is reason enough to get involved.

[yubba]

I think Russia should step up, it's their bestest buddies they should put a lid on it, or maybe the UN should grow a set and get off our backs and do something other than try to set mandates to hobble the american people.

[Jimbuna]

The main obstacle is usually when one of the 'big boys' exercise their right to use the veto.

[mapuc]

This is just a thought

Is NATO going to make a preimptive strike on Syria, if and when they start to load those bombs on the planes?( it's only then, ´cause thereafter it's a little to late)

And if NATO do that, what about Syria's friend Iran, will they close the strait of Hormuz ?

Markus

[Jimbuna]

I doubt Nato will make a pre-emptive strike and I also doubt Iran has the means to close the Strait of Hormuz for more than a day or two at best.

[eddie]

Oh great, as if the Rebels didn't have enough going on fighting Assads army, they are now opening up a new front in Syria, taking on the Kurds!
This going to turn into a nasty civil war.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/12/07/wo...ref=middleeast

they are now opening up a new front in Syria, taking on the Kurds!

Its not a new front, since the start some kurds have been with the rebels and some have been backing Assad.
Throughout Iran Iraq Syria and Turkey the Kurds are not unified force, they are lots of very different splinters often fundamentaly opposed to each other, much like the palestinians

[Skybird]

Originally Posted by eddie

Oh great, as if the Rebels didn't have enough going on fighting Assads army, they are now opening up a new front in Syria, taking on the Kurds!

It's been like that since a bit longer already. Not really new. There never was one unified Syrian opposition, but many factions temporarily coordinating their efforts. But the majority of these have been fighting for a fundamentalist Syrian regime to be established form beginning on, and it seems these forces have managed to form the dominant power in the competition - and this too since quite some longer time already. Thus in preparation for the time they will grab for power, they already have started to decimate their potential challengers.

Assad is done anyway. What comes after him is either a Lebanonization or Somaliazation, or a fundamentalist regime with a strict fundament in Sharia law.

[eddie]

I guess they don't have anything else to do but keep the old Sunni vs Shia feud going for another couple of centuries!