# Should We (USA) Attack Syria? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [December 16, 2004, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-we-usa-attack-syria/280200 "2004-12-16T20:20:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 7
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2004, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-we-usa-attack-syria/280200/121 "2004-12-19T01:33:52Z")
> [@Aldebaran](#): > > I have a problem with **anyone** who even **thinks** he can give **me** orders. Okay, I give up. I fully support the Hutus in their campaign of genocide and torture in Rwanda. I only wish I could have been there with a machete myself! I fully support the Bosnian Serbs in their campaign of ethnic cleansing, genocide, and torture. I only wish I could have shown those evil Muslims a thing or two about bossing around good old yeoman European stock! Not to mention those beautiful Bosnian women! No one’s gonna tell me, Joe Mountainman, what to do with **my** life! And lest I forget, Lord knows I fully support the Taliban, in the name of God the magnificent and benevolent. I only wish I could have enforced their morally upright code against the sinister sexual temptations of the weaker sex. And I don’t want no one, especially decadent foreigners, interfering with ME, nosiree Bob! You’re in good company with those of us who don’t want anyone telling _them_ what to do, my friend. (Insert requisite number of :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes: ) ---
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2004, 3:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-we-usa-attack-syria/280200/122 "2004-12-19T03:06:02Z")
Wipe the spittle off your chin **Ludovic**. Aldebaran’s just expressing the mainstream libertarian view that he doesn’t like being coerced, and he doesn’t like people who think they have a right to shove their dubious moral certitudes down the throat of the rest of the world. Is that attitude really so difficult to understand, or did you just want the practice building strawmen? ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2004, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-we-usa-attack-syria/280200/123 "2004-12-19T03:32:34Z")
> [@Squink](#): > > Aldebaran’s just expressing the mainstream libertarian view that he doesn’t like being coerced . . . No. Libertarianism is all about the freedom of the **individual.** It is an ideology that, in principle, could even be used to justify international military aggression, e.g., to change an insufficiently libertarian regime and liberate its people from overzealous government. **Aldebaran** is arguing from the assumption that **countries** should be completely independent and autonomous – and the less of that attitude there is in the world, the better off we all shall be in the long run. ---
**Author:** ![Aldebaran](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Aldebaran](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aldebaran)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2004, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-we-usa-attack-syria/280200/124 "2004-12-19T21:48:10Z")
I really don’t know **what** it takes for you to your own arrogance and the arrogance of your goverment to think **you** have anything to say about how I live my life in a country that is **my country**. I live in an Islamic nation. I have no interest to see it change in a copy of yours and **you** have not one thing to “decide” about this. Can you get that in your head? Not your country. Not your business. Not your anything. ““Should” we attack Syria?” The question alone is such an example of disgusting arrogance that it makes me vomit. Should the rest of the world attack the USA? Should Islamic nations declare they want to create a “domino effect” for making the USA and from there on the rest of the West Islamic nations? If we had the same military force as the USA and the USA was in no postion to defend itself adequately against it, would you feel as if was OK to hear such things declared as if it is the most normal thing to discuss? I can tell you that reading the amount of discussions like this on US based websites is already enough to make people that furious that they become potential terrorist. And that is no joke. That is reality. Fa ---
**Author:** ![barbitu8](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/839c29/32.png) [@barbitu8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/barbitu8)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2004, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-we-usa-attack-syria/280200/125 "2004-12-19T22:10:36Z")
> [@Aldebaran](#): > > And if _I_ decide that I am not happy with my government, it is _ME_ who shall decide wether _I_ want to make an effort to try to change it. Unfortunately, it’s not that easy. I’m sure hundreds of thousands of Iraqis wished to change the government when Hussein was in power, but they had no effective means to do so. All opposition was throttled. Anyone voicing any such possibility was eliminated. You can make an effort, but you alone would be powerless, and you would have to somehow get the masses involved, as happened in Poland and Ukraine. Iraq’s regime was so brutal, that was not possible. The USA is involved in a war with terrorists. Right now many of these terrorists are in Iraq, and some are affiliated with bin Laden, who killed thousands of Americans. Americans are fighting these terrorists, but are impeded by Syria who is not only harboring them but giving them support. Many Iraqis asked for our support, those who emigrated here and to other countries. Those who still lived in Iraq could not possibly do so. Iraq (Hussein) had attacked three countries (Kuwait, Iran, and Israel) and had designs on others. That’s the reason Saudi Arabia gave us permission to use some of their lands for bases. After the first Gulf War, Hussein agreed to certain conditions, none of which he lived up to despite 18 UN resolutions. He was waiting for the UN to finally throw up its collective hands, at which time he would have reinstituted his WMD. His scientists have said that he could have easily done so in a very short time. The UN would have voted for the war except that France and Russia had a financial interest in keeping Hussein in power. France would always have vetoed any such Security Council resolution. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2004, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-we-usa-attack-syria/280200/126 "2004-12-19T22:27:07Z")
> [@barbitu8](#): > > The USA is involved in a war with terrorists. Right now many of these terrorists are in Iraq, and some are affiliated with bin Laden, who killed thousands of Americans. I think previous posts have brought this comment into question. > [@](#): > > Many Iraqis asked for our support, those who emigrated here and to other countries. If by ‘asked for,’ you mean ‘lied and dissembled to get…’ > [@](#): > > After the first Gulf War, Hussein agreed to certain conditions, none of which he lived up to despite 18 UN resolutions. Not true, since he had no WMD. > [@](#): > > He was waiting for the UN to finally throw up its collective hands, at which time he would have reinstituted his WMD. His scientists have said that he could have easily done so in a very short time. Had this ever happened - and why would it - that might’ve been possible. He always would’ve had the intellectual power, but if you overlook the minor problem of not having the facilities or (as far as I know) the actual materials… > [@](#): > > The UN would have voted for the war except that France and Russia had a financial interest in keeping Hussein in power. :rolleyes: It would supported the war if not for the 2/5 of the council that was against it. We’ve gone around and around about the financial issues on this board, and I agree with those who say that if France and Russia just wanted money, they should’ve sided with the US. > [@](#): > > France would always have vetoed any such Security Council resolution. Also false if you look at what they said on the matter. ---
**Author:** ![barbitu8](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/839c29/32.png) [@barbitu8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/barbitu8)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2004, 4:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-we-usa-attack-syria/280200/127 "2004-12-20T04:02:26Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > I think previous posts have brought this comment into question. > (a) If by ‘asked for,’ you mean ‘lied and dissembled to get…’ > (b) Not true, since he had no WMD. > (c) Had this ever happened - and why would it - that might’ve been possible. He always would’ve had the intellectual power, but if you overlook the minor problem of not having the facilities or (as far as I know) the actual materials… > (d) :rolleyes: It would supported the war if not for the 2/5 of the council that was against it. We’ve gone around and around about the financial issues on this board, and I agree with those who say that if France and Russia just wanted money, they should’ve sided with the US. > (e) Also false if you look at what they said on the matter. (a) And they didn’t know the half of it. The extent of Hussein & Co’s brutality was not disclosed until the regime was overthrown. (b) The resolutions were concerning inspections. (c) His scientists said that the material was available at a moment’s notice. All Hussein needed was the threat of inspections to cease. (d) France sided with Hussein for monetary reasons and (e) France unequivocally said it would veto any resolution. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2004, 4:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-we-usa-attack-syria/280200/128 "2004-12-20T04:19:38Z")
> [@barbitu8](#): > > (a) And they didn’t know the half of it. The extent of Hussein & Co’s brutality was not disclosed until the regime was overthrown. While horrible, if anything I think it was overstated. We found no human paper shredders, we didn’t find mass graves for hundreds of thousands of people (despite what was reported), etc. > [@](#): > > (b) The resolutions were concerning inspections. The inspections were in place to enforce the ban. And they were successful in doing so, since there were no weapons. > [@](#): > > (c) His scientists said that the material was available at a moment’s notice. All Hussein needed was the threat of inspections to cease. We’ve found no materials and no evidence that anything new (that hadn’t expired by, say, '95), so I doubt that. > [@](#): > > (d) France sided with Hussein for monetary reasons This has been repeated ad nauseam, but what’s the basis for it? > [@](#): > > (e) France unequivocally said it would veto any resolution. Search around these boards and you’ll see that that’s been debunked. France said it would support a resolution authorizing force if the inspections were completed. That’s hardly unequivocal. ---
**Author:** ![ninetypercent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/9de0a6/32.png) [@ninetypercent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ninetypercent)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2004, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-we-usa-attack-syria/280200/129 "2004-12-20T20:04:38Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > What is this supposed to mean? I don’t believe we can pull out of Iraq. The U.S. reputation has not been that good for a long time, whatever anyone wants to claim about international goodwill after 9/11. It won’t ever be better unless we are right about the situation in Iraq and the Middle East in general. A full scale invasion is not possible, but we should not ignore Syria or anyone else who wants Americans dead. > [@Aldebaran](#): > > I really don’t know what it takes for you to your own arrogance and the arrogance of your goverment to think you have anything to say about how I live my life in a country that is my country. We can’t deny the existence of people who hate us. We won’t, I should say. Neither would your country. ---
**Author:** ![rjung](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/45deac/32.png) [@rjung](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjung)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2004, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-we-usa-attack-syria/280200/130 "2004-12-20T20:54:31Z")
> [@barbitu8](#): > > (d) France sided with Hussein for monetary reasons And Bush invaded Iraq for monetary reasons. What’s your point? ---
**Author:** ![barbitu8](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/839c29/32.png) [@barbitu8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/barbitu8)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2004, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-we-usa-attack-syria/280200/131 "2004-12-20T22:24:43Z")
> [@rjung](#): > > And Bush invaded Iraq for monetary reasons. What’s your point? Bush wanted the UN to pass the specific resolution and had a resolution that did authorize the invasion, but the invasion was not for monetary reasons, as much as you want to believe that. If Hussein had obeyed the terms of the surrender after the first Gulf War, there would have been no invasion. The UN imposed sanctions on Iraq; France and Russia both were violating those sanctions by supplying Iraq with materiel that were banned, for a price, of course. The USA was not selling such goods, or any goods, to Iraq. ---
**Author:** ![Ale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@Ale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ale)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2004, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-we-usa-attack-syria/280200/132 "2004-12-20T22:40:29Z")
> [@barbitu8](#): > > …France and Russia both were violating those sanctions by supplying Iraq with materiel that were banned, for a price, of course. Such as…? In other words, cite? ---
**Author:** ![barbitu8](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/839c29/32.png) [@barbitu8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/barbitu8)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2004, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-we-usa-attack-syria/280200/133 "2004-12-20T22:55:27Z")
> [@Ale](#): > > Such as…? > > In other words, cite? This was in several news articles in wire reports as well as on TV. Some of those materiel were helpful to Iraq when we invaded. I don’t have a cite off-hand but I’ll search the newspapers archives and see if I can dig something up. ---
**Author:** ![barbitu8](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/839c29/32.png) [@barbitu8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/barbitu8)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2004, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-we-usa-attack-syria/280200/134 "2004-12-20T23:04:46Z")
[This](http://charleston.net/stories/111804/wor_18oil4food.shtml) is all I could find now, but that was not the extent of it. ---
**Author:** ![Gaudere](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e495f1/32.png) [@Gaudere](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gaudere)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2004, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-we-usa-attack-syria/280200/135 "2004-12-24T00:36:55Z")
**Aldebaran** : > [@](#): > > Whenever I read threads like this, I fee like getting a gun, going to Iraq and start shooting there at the criminals who invaded and keep it under occupation. > Really. I do. [Moderator Hat ON] Aldebaran, do NOT threaten to shoot American servicemen on this board. Period. [Moderator Hat OFF] ---
**Author:** ![Aldebaran](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Aldebaran](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aldebaran)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2004, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-we-usa-attack-syria/280200/136 "2004-12-24T18:05:15Z")
I have two questions about this: 1. How on earth is expressing sentiments you have when reading one and an other “threatening” anyone (by the way: You left out the explaining end of that remark). Don’t call me out on what the USA invents. I didn’t bring these US soldiers where they are. I don’t propagate invasions of yet an other nation on message boards. I don’t propagate to “nuke” the Middle East = to nuke Aldebaran, his family, friends, country included, as is done more then once on this message board without Moderator interference. I don’t propagate to kill all Muslims, as is equally odne on this message board without anyone waying anything against it. I don’t call for killing people who fight the invaders of their country, like is regularly done on this message board. Neither do I post that I am ready to go join that invading army (who, as we all know, kill people). Which also regularly done on this very message board. Where is the difference? Considering the situation “as is” in my very own backyard - formerly known as the sovereign nation Iraq, now known as being under US occupation - and the situation “as is” in the war mongering minds in the USA, I would at best consider my sentiments to be nothing else then “expressing to have a feeling to do something about a clear and present danger imagining a pre-emptive strike”. And we all know who finds that such a useful terminology, don’t we? 1. Is it the intention that I change my membername to **YellowRibbon** and adopt a US flag as my signature? Now that I think of it, here is the prospect of a whole new profitable project to set up for me: Production of yelow ribbons with in Arabic the text “Support the US troops, Heil Bush our New Prophet of God” and mini-US flags with the same. Some people on the SDMB keep claiming that there is a steadily growing market for such items in the Middle East. I only have to find it. Salaam. A ---
**Author:** ![annaplurabelle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/919ad9/32.png) [@annaplurabelle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/annaplurabelle)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2004, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-we-usa-attack-syria/280200/137 "2004-12-24T20:30:36Z")
This thread topic is nothing but a neocon wet dream. Apparently it’s considered more offensive to decry it, or call it out, than to post it. Not my call either way, and in truth, I’d rather be offended than seek censure. Even so, this has been a sad commentary on the level of discourse here. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2004, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-we-usa-attack-syria/280200/138 "2004-12-25T01:33:09Z")
> [@Gaudere](#): > > **Aldebaran** : > [Moderator Hat ON] > Aldebaran, do NOT threaten to shoot American servicemen on this board. Period. > [Moderator Hat OFF] Hey, wait a minute. If I said I wanted to join the Army so I could kill me some Muslim-terrorist bastards, would that be against the board rules? Or suppose I speculated about joining in an armed revolution against the U.S. government, or against capitalism, or whatever? Speculating about the prospects of revolution would be a serious political discussion, the most serious kind of political discussion imaginable – what could be more fitting for GD? If either of those statements would be against the rules, then we need much more liberal rules when it comes to talking about violence on this board. ---
**Author:** ![Aldebaran](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Aldebaran](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aldebaran)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2004, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-we-usa-attack-syria/280200/139 "2004-12-25T17:00:08Z")
Well I think the answer is very simple: You are Made in the USA = Good Guy. I am not Made in the USA = Bad Guy/Towel Head/Muslim/Terrorist/Must be invaded/ Killed, without having even the thought of feeling I should resist the Made in USA Good Guys. drip US Blatant Hypocrisy drip US Arrogance drip US Foolishness drip drip drip Salaam. A ---
**Author:** ![JMS\_CCT](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/bbe5ce/32.png) [@JMS\_CCT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JMS_CCT)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2004, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-we-usa-attack-syria/280200/140 "2004-12-25T17:31:35Z")
I would bet that we will. We’re already over there, and it doesn’t appear we’re going to quell the insurgency in Iraq without stopping the obvious support of it from countries like Syria–and, the majority of Americans seem to be convinced that the so-called “war on terror” can be won. I am personally against America acting as the world’s policeman. If I were in charge of it, I would began the pull-out from Iraq as soon as the election is over. This is looking more and more like another Vietnam. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-we-usa-attack-syria/280200.md?page=6) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-we-usa-attack-syria/280200.md?page=8)