Assad uses chemical weapons. Now what?

[Rune]

More reports of the “rebels” using or attempting to use chemical weapons:

Police foil al-Nusra bomb attack planned for Adana

Seven members of Syria’s militant al-Nusra group were detained on Wednesday after police found sarin gas, which was reportedly going to be used in a bomb attack, during a search of the suspects’ homes, Turkish media have reported.
Newspapers claimed on Thursday that two kilograms of sarin gas, which is usually used for making bombs and was banned by the UN in 1991, had been found in the homes of suspects detained in the southern provinces of Adana and Mersin. Twelve suspects were caught by the police on Monday. The reports claimed that the al-Nusra members had been planning a bomb attack for Thursday in Adana but that the attack was averted when the police caught the suspects. Along with the sarin gas, the police seized a number of handguns, grenades, bullets and documents during their search.

Police foil al-Nusra bomb attack planned for Adana

• Adana is in Turkey, just like the other bloody bomb attack. Who knows why al-Nusra would plant bombs in Turkey, but neither does it seem that Turkey should have any interest in framing al-Nusra. It might all be a mistake.

[UltraVires]

@Flyer

Considering that:

(1) The Muslim Brotherhood is now in power in Egypt;
(2) The current Libyan government is fairly heavily influenced by Islamists;
(3) Algeria, one of the most stable and moderate Muslim countries, has recently been having problems with radical Muslims;
(4) At least one rebel group in Syria has openly allied themselves with Al Qaeda;
(5) The Assad family has toned down its foreign adventurism over the last several years;

I’m beginning to think that, if we intervene at all, it should be on the side of Assad.

When Alexander Hamilton supported Jefferson for president over Burr, he supposedly said something to the effect that a smart crook is better than a dumb crook. In much the same way, a relatively rational group of thugs is preferable to an irrational group of thugs.

I know that this is a month late, but I agree 100%. Before September 11, 2001, we thought that oppressive regimes that hate the United States were keeping down populations that wished to extend us an olive branch.

In the 12 years since, we have learned that these oppressive regimes are keeping down a population that wishes us far more harm than the regime would ever do.

Didn’t fucking Khadafi tell us that we were helping Al Qaeda? And damned if we didn’t find that out once our consulate was attacked.

These attacks are deplorable, but there is no 21st century alternative. These civilizations (not through race, but through circumstances) are every bit of 500 years behind Western Civilization in almost everything. We can’t have them eating Big Macs overnight, and our efforts make things worse.

[adaher]

Maybe. I think there’s a strong case to be made for nonintervention. However, if we are going to intervene, I think it should be on the side of democracy, even if that helps al Qaeda in the short term. The only way to truly discredit these Islamist movements is to actually let them govern for awhile. They tend to suck at it.

Siding with the oppressive governments is part of what makes them hate us. Then again, opposing the oppressive governments also makes them hate us, so we can’t really win.

[Inbred_Mm_domesticus]

@jtgain

I know that this is a month late, but I agree 100%. Before September 11, 2001, we thought that oppressive regimes that hate the United States were keeping down populations that wished to extend us an olive branch.

In the 12 years since, we have learned that these oppressive regimes are keeping down a population that wishes us far more harm than the regime would ever do.

Didn’t fucking Khadafi tell us that we were helping Al Qaeda? And damned if we didn’t find that out once our consulate was attacked.

These attacks are deplorable, but there is no 21st century alternative. These civilizations (not through race, but through circumstances) are every bit of 500 years behind Western Civilization in almost everything. We can’t have them eating Big Macs overnight, and our efforts make things worse.

There is no relationship between the form of government ruling the everyday lives of Muslims in general or Arabs in particular and terrorist attacks against the United States. Your post is stupid. So is Flyer’s.

Your real goal is to post some sexy Islamophobia and you did a bang up job of it. Good for you! I look forward to your next set of poorly thought out and hate-filled words.

[NotfooledbyW]

@Magiver

given the fact that the Arab Spring hasn’t exactly produced pro-Western regimes there is no rush here. It’s a civil war after-all. And given Obama’s level of support for Americans in Benghazi I don’t see anything happening without a butt-load of world support.

Let the Chinese deal with it.

There appears to be a pro-western regime in Egypt. Of course Obama gets credit for that too. Assad is dismantling its CW. The Arab Spring is coming around is coming around under Obama leadership & Bin Laden is dead.

Egypt Bans Muslim Brotherhood
MAGGIE MICHAELAP. Sep 23, 2013
CAIRO – An Egyptian court on Monday ordered the Muslim Brotherhood to be banned and its assets confiscated in a dramatic escalation of a crackdown by the military-backed government against supporters of the ousted Islamist president Mohammed Morsi.

http://m.huffpost.com/us/entry/3974979/

[NotfooledbyW]

@Terr

So Obama beats his chest and spouts rhetoric about “red lines” and “game changers” and then, when the bluff is called, quietly folds. No wonder no one in the world takes him seriously in foreign policy matters.

Did you vote for Romney, Terr?

Had Romney been able to defeat Obama would you be calling this a bluff, or would you be calling for US Boots on the ground in Syria?

“cite” Mitt Romney: Syria could see U.S. troops under my watch …

www.politico.com/news/stories/0812/80128.html

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney said Friday that he would send U.S. troops to Syria if needed to prevent the spread of chemical … “cite”

[Jonathan_Chance]

Long ago thread. I see little need in reviving another Syria debate with replies from months ago.