# I pit any action against Syria **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [August 28, 2013, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-any-action-against-syria/667413 "2013-08-28T16:32:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![kidchameleon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/898d66/32.png) [@kidchameleon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kidchameleon)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2013, 1:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-any-action-against-syria/667413/21 "2013-08-29T13:18:13Z")
Why are we spending so much money destroying our chemical weapons? Just ship some of those to the Syrian rebels and we save money while they even the playing field. Win-win! ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2013, 1:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-any-action-against-syria/667413/22 "2013-08-29T13:33:02Z")
> [@snowthx](#): > > yahbut, c’mon, we gotta use some of those weapons we have been buying - it will be a net job creator back home, stimulating demand, so that your welfare mom can get a job at the weapons factory. It took me a couple of times to get this. Here, have a cookie. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2013, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-any-action-against-syria/667413/23 "2013-08-29T13:35:10Z")
To quote a current meme, “So you’re telling me your government is going to bomb Syria…because Syria bombed Syria?” ---
**Author:** ![LibrarySpy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f9ae1b/32.png) [@LibrarySpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LibrarySpy)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2013, 1:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-any-action-against-syria/667413/24 "2013-08-29T13:37:35Z")
The last time a country gassed its own citizens, everybody was pissed we didn’t bomb them/intervene sooner. Damned if you do… ---
**Author:** ![armedmonkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@armedmonkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/armedmonkey)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2013, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-any-action-against-syria/667413/25 "2013-08-29T14:06:04Z")
There’s a problem with just giving up on the “world police” thing. Namely, it is not necessarily in the US’s interest to do that. Syria is not strategic to us at all (at least not much), but chemical weapons are WMD’s. Say what you want about the Iraq war and the lack of WMD’s there, but one thing it did prove is that America really, _really_ doesn’t like those things. This whole thing, on the American side, may be less about Assad than it is about Iran. Obama is probably just going to lob a few cruise missiles and be done with it. The thinking being is that if he does nothing it will look like America is relaxing on its commitment to hinder the mere development of nuclear weapons. Chemical weapon’s aren’t nukes, obviously, but they are weapons of mass destruction that have been internationally outlawed. So strikes against a nation that uses chemical weapons shows a resolve to use military action, if need be, against even the development of _nuclear_ weapons. Call it geopolitics. Will that work? I don’t know. However, it is in the interest of the United States, as a nation state with it’s own economic and security in mind, to hinder the development of any and all WMD’s. This is about global deterrence, which is very much in our own selfish interest. ---
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2013, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-any-action-against-syria/667413/26 "2013-08-29T14:36:00Z")
Let’s see, we’ve got Hezbollah on one side and the Taliban on the other. Shouldn’t we be dancing in the streets that these two are killing each other off? Or is that just too twisted? ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2013, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-any-action-against-syria/667413/27 "2013-08-29T14:37:42Z")
The Department of Defense. We are going to **attack** Syria with our **Department of Defense.** Seriously. WHAT THE FUCK ARE WE DEFENDING? ---
**Author:** ![Machine\_Elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2013, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-any-action-against-syria/667413/28 "2013-08-29T14:54:35Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > The Department of Defense. > > We are going to **attack** Syria with our **Department of Defense.** > > Seriously. > > WHAT THE FUCK ARE WE DEFENDING? Maybe we should start calling it the [War Department](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Department_of_War) again? ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2013, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-any-action-against-syria/667413/29 "2013-08-29T15:05:20Z")
> [@Machine\_Elf](#): > > Maybe we should start calling it the [War Department](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Department_of_War) again? Well, ideally our Department of Defense would remain our Department of Defense but it would come into play WHEN WE NEED DEFENDING. ---
**Author:** ![garygnu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garygnu/32/2924_2.png) [@garygnu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garygnu)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2013, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-any-action-against-syria/667413/30 "2013-08-29T15:58:23Z")
> [@Frank](#): > > So? If the UN, including Russia, won’t get on board with an attack, then maybe we shouldn’t be doing it… Assad could proudly declare that he **is** using nerve gas and Russia would still veto a military strike. Not that I support a strike as it stands. ---
**Author:** ![Darth\_Panda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ee7513/32.png) [@Darth\_Panda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darth_Panda)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2013, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-any-action-against-syria/667413/31 "2013-08-29T16:19:59Z")
Sometimes the best defense is a good offense (not that I think this is one of those times). ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2013, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-any-action-against-syria/667413/32 "2013-08-29T16:58:35Z")
> [@Anaamika](#): > > Why the FUCK are we thinking about spending money in a war again? Can we please invade America and win hearts and minds by building bridges and improving schools? I don’t want to spend my money on anyone else right now! Billions of fucking dollars on wars in foreign countries and I swear to god if anyone ever whiiiiiiiiiines to me about another welfare mom costing us money I will bitch-slap them so hard their head will pop off.\ You go, girl! That is definitely part of the equation - how does the US afford yet another war in the Middle East? Short answer - it doesn’t. > [@Ibanez](#): > > No word yet where Canada stands on joining the call for military action against Syria, but I hope we stay out of it. Or any other mess of the week the springs up out of the ME from here on. I don’t get the rational behind this all of a sudden. > > _It’s fine to blow each other to bits with conventional methods we’re ok with that, but we draw the line at chemical weapons._ It does seem like kind of an arbitrary line, but it has been drawn since 1925. I’m hoping Canada stays out of it, too. I think. > [@Rysler](#): > > The last time a country gassed its own citizens, everybody was pissed we didn’t bomb them/intervene sooner. > > Damned if you do… Indeed. If the rest of the world doesn’t intervene, we’re standing by while innocent children are killed. If the rest of the world does intervene, we’re interfering in a nation’s sovereign policies. > [@garygnu](#): > > Assad could proudly declare that he **is** using nerve gas and Russia would still veto a military strike. > > Not that I support a strike as it stands. [Here’s an interesting overview of why Russia, Iran, and China are supporting Syria.](http://www.cnn.com/2013/08/29/world/meast/syria-iran-china-russia-supporters/) I agree - Russia will NOT back down from vetoing a military strike. Russian, Iran, and China on Syria’s side - all we’re missing is North Korea in this Rogue’s Gallery. Is Kim Jong Un too busy putting on another 100,000 person pageant? ---
**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2013, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-any-action-against-syria/667413/33 "2013-08-29T18:59:37Z")
> [@armedmonkey](#): > > However, it is in the interest of the United States, as a nation state with it’s own economic and security in mind, to hinder the development of any and all WMD’s. This is about global deterrence, which is very much in our own selfish interest. I’m not certain ‘deterrance’ has ever worked to pursuade a country to act in a way someone else wants it to. I don’t think was even at the roots of why the US & USSR never launched on each other–I think _that_ never happened because nukes were far more useful at home as a display saber than as weapons abroad. When is the last time (ok, any example will do) a country’s leadership ceased actions against its own people because the rest of the world said to? Kim Jongs Il & Un didn’t/don’t care, Saddam didn’t care, Ahmadinejad, Mubarrak, Qdaffi, Mao, Stalin–they didn’t care. Hitler put up a HELL of a fight to get everyone else to mind their own business. Assad? he’s just one of the Arab brothers settling a domestic dispute. He doesn’t care what the rest of the world thinks, and anyone who steps in to stop him will just lose whatever sway that had over the rest of the region. An outsider simply cannot fix a problem in an Arab state without royally pissing off more people than would be helped. ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2013, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-any-action-against-syria/667413/34 "2013-08-29T19:01:33Z")
[Why so Syrian?](http://images2.fanpop.com/image/photos/9000000/Joker-the-joker-9028188-1024-768.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![snowthx](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowthx/32/10660_2.png) [@snowthx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snowthx)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2013, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-any-action-against-syria/667413/35 "2013-08-29T20:40:51Z")
I have mixed feelings about this. On one hand, I think something should be done to help people who are in trouble, either from within or from outside their own country. The world should not stand on the sidelines and watch the Bosnias, the Darfurs, the Iraqs, and now the Syrias destroy their own citizens or societies thru violence. We should have learned something from the holocaust. Maybe I am a bit idealistic. OTOH, the US should not stick it’s hand into yet another rabbit hole knowing full-well there is likely to be a large rattler in there. No one nation should be the world’s policeman - any action here should be from a broad coalition (preferably including locals). The problem is economic interests are getting in the way of doing something to protect people. I don’t really know what the answer is, but standing safely here in the US and wagging fingers at evildoers is not going to help anyone anymore than burying our collective heads in the sand. ---
**Author:** ![RedFury](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ec9cab/32.png) [@RedFury](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RedFury)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2013, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-any-action-against-syria/667413/36 "2013-08-29T22:08:28Z")
The sparse amount of responses this thread’s gotten in the past 24 hours is indicative of how little most Americans care about a possible trigger to WW-III – or simply igniting a region already engulfed in embers. No doubt pitting people ‘commuting’ a couple of hundred feet to their destination, sandy vaginas or bad jokes in thread are much more important. Meanwhile, it appears that the mere possibility of opening Hell’s Gates on account of “keeping your word” – despite the fact that America has quite the poor record on keeping their own – is rather menial to most. That said, if the proposed “punishment” happens, I don’t doubt many of you will be saying “Awe, fuuuck!” 'cept it might be a tad late. As well as being rather Shocked. You don’t prick a hornet’s nest w/out expecting to be stung – you might just find out what happens when you poke a dormant Bear & its cubs with a stick. Good luck with your hypocritical\* “red-lines” and your bullshit definitions of WMDs. Dead is dead. \*Agent Orange/white phosphorus ring a bell? ---
**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2013, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-any-action-against-syria/667413/37 "2013-08-29T22:21:04Z")
> [@RedFury](#): > > The sparse amount of responses this thread’s gotten in the past 24 hours is indicative of how little most Americans care about a possible trigger to WW-III – or simply igniting a region already engulfed in embers. No doubt pitting people ‘commuting’ a couple of hundred feet to their destination, sandy vaginas or bad jokes in thread are much more important. > > Meanwhile, it appears that the mere possibility of opening Hell’s Gates on account of “keeping your word” – despite the fact that America has quite the poor record on keeping their own – is rather menial to most. I just interpret it as: we’re all kinda on the same page and there’s not much more anyone can add apart from, “Me too.” The closest anyone has gotten to an argument against the OP was **armedmonkey** ’s lukewarm assertion we should still exert some measure of world-police activity, but even (s)he’s not really into it. If you were to pit Joe Stalin or Pol Pot for being jerks that thread would sink like a rock as well, and not because people would think the OP was a crackpot. ---
**Author:** ![RedFury](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ec9cab/32.png) [@RedFury](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RedFury)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2013, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-any-action-against-syria/667413/38 "2013-08-29T22:28:31Z")
> [@snowthx](#): > > I have mixed feelings about this. On one hand, I think something should be done to help people who are in trouble, either from within or from outside their own country. The world should not stand on the sidelines and watch the Bosnias, the Darfurs, the Iraqs, and now the Syrias destroy their own citizens or societies thru violence. We should have learned something from the holocaust. Maybe I am a bit idealistic. No, I don’t think you are. Instead of selling weapons world-wide, you could sell (or donate when merited) food and technology. Hey! Maybe _I’m_ being idealistic – certainly there’s much less profit in that ‘racket.’ > [@](#): > > No one nation should be the world’s policeman - any action here should be from a broad coalition (preferably including locals). The problem is economic interests are getting in the way of doing something to protect people. I don’t really know what the answer is, but standing safely here in the US and wagging fingers at evildoers is not going to help anyone anymore than burying our collective heads in the sand. Assad can certainly be called an “evildoer” but what do you call his AQ/jihadist counterparts other than true to life “cannibals.” And why the fuck should the US _stand by them_ while you butcher any number of innocent people _fighting them_ elsewhere? Read: Afghanistan & Pakistan plus a few more here and there even if they are Americans (Yemen ring a bell?.) Solution? There really isn’t one other than to get the survivors to negotiate one. So use the proper (UN, hello?) mechanisms to get to that point – but don’t go dropping bombs for peace. Like the immensely talented George Carlin said: “Bombing for peace is like fucking for virginity.” Cognitive bias anyone? ---
**Author:** ![RedFury](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ec9cab/32.png) [@RedFury](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RedFury)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2013, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-any-action-against-syria/667413/39 "2013-08-29T22:45:05Z")
> [@The Great Sun Jester](#): > > I just interpret it as: we’re all kinda on the same page and there’s not much more anyone can add apart from, “Me too.” > > The closest anyone has gotten to an argument against the OP was **armedmonkey** ’s lukewarm assertion we should still exert some measure of world-police activity, but even (s)he’s not really into it. If you were to pit Joe Stalin or Pol Pot for being jerks that thread would sink like a rock as well, and not because people would think the OP was a crackpot. You are right – and so far polls show a mere 9% of the Armchair’s 101st support the attack. So, in a sense, I realize it’s really Obama and his cabinet that I should be pissed at. But I still find it disturbing that up until today the front of my Yahoo home page had Miley Cyrus (didn’t even know the Cyrus dude had a daughter) at the top of the “news.” I also find find this Dem vs Rep crap highly disturbing. Wrong is wrong and I don’t give a shit which Party is doing it. Yet I hardly see the vigorous opposition to Obama as I saw vs Dubya when I first joined here…in a very similar situation. I wasn’t quite fooled by Obama’s pretty rhetoric before he came to power – besides MCain & Palin, weren’t a realistic choice – so I commended Americans for doing the ‘right thing.’ But hot-dam!! I never had an inkling you guys were voting for the same. It’s like one stayed in the oven a bit longer and came out darker, better-looking and smarter. But that’s about it. ---
**Author:** ![El\_Kabong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/el_kabong/32/496_2.png) [@El\_Kabong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Kabong)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2013, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-any-action-against-syria/667413/40 "2013-08-29T23:08:07Z")
> [@RedFury](#): > > You are right – and so far polls show a mere 9% of the Armchair’s 101st support the attack. So, in a sense, I realize it’s really Obama and his cabinet that I should be pissed at. But I still find it disturbing that up until today the front of my Yahoo home page had Miley Cyrus (didn’t even know the Cyrus dude had a daughter) at the top of the “news.” Look, I understand your anger, I really do, but please try to do something about your tendency to hyperbole. Everyone in this country who pays any attention to a full-range news outlet is perfectly aware that there is a possibility of military action by the US against Syria, and why. The measure of a given issue is not based on the number of headlines saying the same things as several days ago. When there is more news, there will be more news. Or maybe you are saying that journalism shold be nothing more than political opinion-mongering, sort of the way Fox News does it. Also, according to you 91% percent of the country is opposed to military action, and yet you still refer to them as “armchair 101st”? I guess your intention is just to be as offensive as possible to Americans, whether anyone happens to agree with some of your points or not. Well, don’t let me stop you. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-any-action-against-syria/667413.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-any-action-against-syria/667413.md?page=3)