# We are currently bombing Syria. **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [September 23, 2014, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-are-currently-bombing-syria/699292 "2014-09-23T02:13:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![davidm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidm/32/225_2.png) [@davidm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidm)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2014, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-are-currently-bombing-syria/699292/1 "2014-09-23T02:13:44Z")
[http://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/23/world/middleeast/us-and-allies-hit-isis-targets-in-syria.html?\_r=0](http://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/23/world/middleeast/us-and-allies-hit-isis-targets-in-syria.html?_r=0) > [@](#): > > WASHINGTON — The United States and allies launched airstrikes against Sunni militants in Syria early Tuesday, unleashing a torrent of cruise missiles and precision-guided bombs from the air and sea on the militants’ de facto capital of Raqqa and along the porous Iraq border. > > American fighter jets and armed Predator and Reaper drones, flying alongside warplanes from several Arab allies, struck a broad array of targets in territory controlled by the militants, known as the Islamic State. American defense officials said the targets included weapons supplies, depots, barracks and buildings the militants use for command and control. Tomahawk cruise missiles were fired from United States Navy ships in the region. ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2014, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-are-currently-bombing-syria/699292/2 "2014-09-23T02:48:35Z")
No choice. ISIS is not in retreat in Iraq so going after their command and control in Syria is the next step. If that fails, then ground troops will have to be committed. ---
**Author:** ![davidm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidm/32/225_2.png) [@davidm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidm)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2014, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-are-currently-bombing-syria/699292/3 "2014-09-23T02:59:18Z")
No argument from me. I hate this but I support it. Such are the ambiguities of life. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2014, 3:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-are-currently-bombing-syria/699292/4 "2014-09-23T03:16:56Z")
Why did we have to do this? Couldn’t Assad’s Air Force bomb these a-hole’s? Doesn’t he have Soviet aircraft from the Cold War days? ---
**Author:** ![davidm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidm/32/225_2.png) [@davidm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidm)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2014, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-are-currently-bombing-syria/699292/5 "2014-09-23T03:20:41Z")
Maybe what Assad has isn’t sufficient. Or maybe Assad prefers to be able to place the blame elsewhere. I’m guessing that this is happening with his consent, but that that consent will never be explicitly admitted. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2014, 4:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-are-currently-bombing-syria/699292/6 "2014-09-23T04:13:22Z")
Assad wouldn’t have the modern smart bombs we deploy. He’d have to carpet bomb and a lot of innocents would die. Our forces can be more precise and limit collateral damage. ---
**Author:** ![Declan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecae2f/32.png) [@Declan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Declan)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2014, 5:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-are-currently-bombing-syria/699292/7 "2014-09-23T05:23:21Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > Why did we have to do this? Couldn’t Assad’s Air Force bomb these a-hole’s? Doesn’t he have Soviet aircraft from the Cold War days? Assad may no longer have the pilots, or trust the ones he has left. A number of them defected, when they were ordered to bomb civillians in their civil war. Declan ---
**Author:** ![Claverhouse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/13edae/32.png) [@Claverhouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Claverhouse)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2014, 5:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-are-currently-bombing-syria/699292/8 "2014-09-23T05:50:42Z")
At last ! The balance is restored. Without America raining bombs somewhere, how else be all right with the world ? > [@Declan](#): > > Assad may no longer have the pilots, or trust the ones he has left. A number of them defected, when they were ordered to bomb civillians in their civil war. > > Declan So now it’s being done by proxy for them. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Pig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c57346/32.png) [@Little\_Pig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Pig)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2014, 8:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-are-currently-bombing-syria/699292/9 "2014-09-23T08:47:30Z")
Times sure have changed. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2014, 12:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-are-currently-bombing-syria/699292/10 "2014-09-23T12:03:53Z")
Quite interesting that Sunni Countries are in this coalition against ISIS. > **[‘The Turk’ is dead: Al Qaeda-linked terror group says leader died in Syria...](https://www.cnn.com/2014/09/23/world/meast/isis-airstrikes/index.html?hpt=hp_t1)** > > Airstrikes on ISIS in Syria by a coalition make it “clear to the world that this is not America’s fight alone,” U.S. President Barack Obama says. > [@](#): > > Perhaps the most surprising part of the strikes against ISIS was who joined the United States. > > Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Jordan and Qatar all assisted with the operation, sources told CNN. > > “It’s a remarkable diplomatic achievement,” said CNN political commentator Peter Beinhart. “I don’t think it was expected that there would be this much Arab support.” > > Former CIA counterterrorism official Philip Mudd said the inclusion of Sunni-majority countries fighting a radical Sunni militant group sends a strong message. > > “Prominent religious leaders have said ISIS is not representative of Islam, and now you have countries that are coming to the fore to attack it,” he said. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2014, 12:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-are-currently-bombing-syria/699292/11 "2014-09-23T12:13:09Z")
CNN has former military James Reese, Rick Francona and Mark Hertling explaining the campaign. Very good analysis in this video. > **[Don Lemon: 'Are we at war again?' | CNN](https://www.cnn.com/videos/bestoftv/2014/09/23/cnn-tonight-reese-francona-hertling-airstrikes-isis.cnn)** > > Guests James Reese, Rick Francona and Mark Hertling react to the United States beginning airstrikes on ISIS in Syria ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2014, 12:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-are-currently-bombing-syria/699292/12 "2014-09-23T12:46:05Z")
Because we have hammers, all problems must be nails. I don’t think the answer to terrorism lies in military action. Perhaps that’s one component, in carefully targeted raids, but we aren’t going to eliminate ISIS with military action. They wanted to goad the west into military strikes and they succeeded in making us dance to their tune. I expect this effort to be as successful as the Afghan war. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2014, 12:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-are-currently-bombing-syria/699292/13 "2014-09-23T12:58:15Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > Assad wouldn’t have the modern smart bombs we deploy. He’d have to carpet bomb and a lot of innocents would die. Our forces can be more precise and limit collateral damage. I just read a long article about Assad’s barrel bombs: they’re basically a ton or so of TNT packed into an oil drum along with metal scrap, dropped from a helicopter. They’re excellent at leveling city blocks with maximum carnage with minimum cost. They may not be efficient at taking out armed forces. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Drake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Dr.Drake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Drake)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2014, 1:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-are-currently-bombing-syria/699292/14 "2014-09-23T13:29:58Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > Assad wouldn’t have the modern smart bombs we deploy. He’d have to carpet bomb and a lot of innocents would die. Our forces can be more precise and limit collateral damage. Just a brief shout-out to the civilians (actual human beings) who are to be killed as “collateral damage.” Sorry, guys. Next time, just put up with your current oppressive regime instead of turning to brutal maniacs. I don’t support the bombing, but I can see that it’s the only short-term solution. We don’t seem to do long-term solutions. ---
**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:** [September 23, 2014, 1:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-are-currently-bombing-syria/699292/15 "2014-09-23T13:32:03Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > Because we have hammers, all problems must be nails. I don’t think the answer to terrorism lies in military action. Perhaps that’s one component, in carefully targeted raids, but we aren’t going to eliminate ISIS with military action. They wanted to goad the west into military strikes and they succeeded in making us dance to their tune. I expect this effort to be as successful as the Afghan war. Your second paragraph seems to be deleted. The one with what you do think is the answer. ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2014, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-are-currently-bombing-syria/699292/16 "2014-09-23T13:39:16Z")
Well at least the F-22 Raptor will get some use. Because what better use for a state of the art $150 million aircraft than bombing the shit out of a bunch of machete wielding lunatics driving Mad Max “technicals”. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2014, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-are-currently-bombing-syria/699292/17 "2014-09-23T13:39:56Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > Your second paragraph seems to be deleted. The one with what you do think is the answer. A fair criticism. I think the central problem is that neither Syria nor Iraq has territorial integrity. As much as we dislike Assad, he would have been able to keep the bastards in line had the insurgents not had some support from abroad. Ditto for Hussein. He was a stinker but if he was still in power, where would ISIS be? Since everything the US touches in the middle east turns to shit, perhaps a hands off approach is the best we can do. By all means, keep an eye on any Americans recruited by ISIS when they return to the US. Every time the US gets rid of one unpleasant entity over there, a worse one takes its place, hence my skepticism that this current adventure has a happy ending. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Drake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Dr.Drake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Drake)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2014, 1:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-are-currently-bombing-syria/699292/18 "2014-09-23T13:40:03Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > Your second paragraph seems to be deleted. The one with what you do think is the answer. How’s this: slowly and gradually improve the local infrastructures (physical, medical, educational, etc.) while refraining from pushing them towards democracy or particular leaders. Increase cultural exchange programs so that they get to know us and we them. Just give, without asking anything in return. Do that for ten years and I suspect much of the hatred of America will evaporate. Israel is a backnote in all of this, of course, but I can’t solve all of our problems with one easy ten-year-long never-going-to-happen solution. ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2014, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-are-currently-bombing-syria/699292/19 "2014-09-23T13:41:15Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > Because we have hammers, all problems must be nails. I don’t think the answer to terrorism lies in military action. While ISIS engages in terrorism, they’re also currently taking a swath of Syria and Iraq via military campaign so a military solution seems appropriate. These aren’t guys sitting in a cave trying to build a bomb out of hardware store components, they’re guys rolling around in tanks and humvees and owning artillery pieces and anti-aircraft guns. ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2014, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-are-currently-bombing-syria/699292/20 "2014-09-23T13:55:13Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > A fair criticism. I think the central problem is that neither Syria nor Iraq has territorial integrity. As much as we dislike Assad, he would have been able to keep the bastards in line had the insurgents not had some support from abroad. Ditto for Hussein. He was a stinker but if he was still in power, where would ISIS be? Since everything the US touches in the middle east turns to shit, perhaps a hands off approach is the best we can do. By all means, keep an eye on any Americans recruited by ISIS when they return to the US. Every time the US gets rid of one unpleasant entity over there, a worse one takes its place, hence my skepticism that this current adventure has a happy ending. Cynical bastard that I am, I see the fact that 5 middle east nations took part along side the US in this round of bombing in Syria as a refreshing change from the usual. Something along the lines of 14 separate coalition sorties were conducted, in addition to 8 involving the US only. I don’t know if this new coalition will last or prove to be a game changer as far as the ME players taking responsibility for their own regional problems. But one can hope without holding one’s breath. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-are-currently-bombing-syria/699292.md?page=2)