# Why is SOS John Kerry beating the war drum? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [September 1, 2013, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-sos-john-kerry-beating-the-war-drum/667740 "2013-09-01T17:30:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2013, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-sos-john-kerry-beating-the-war-drum/667740/21 "2013-09-01T19:56:23Z")
“Politically, it’s been difficult, but **this is a matter of national security,** it’s a matter of the credibility of the United States of America, it’s a matter of upholding the interests of our allies and friends in the region.” Really? Our national security is threatened because somebody in Syria used sarin gas? ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2013, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-sos-john-kerry-beating-the-war-drum/667740/22 "2013-09-01T20:33:25Z")
> [@Ethilrist](#): > > Really? Our national security is threatened because somebody in Syria used sarin gas? I can see a reasonable concern about the long-term effects on American national security if nothing is done in response. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2013, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-sos-john-kerry-beating-the-war-drum/667740/23 "2013-09-01T20:36:49Z")
> [@Ethilrist](#): > > “Politically, it’s been difficult, but **this is a matter of national security,** it’s a matter of the credibility of the United States of America, it’s a matter of upholding the interests of our allies and friends in the region.” > > Really? Our national security is threatened because somebody in Syria used sarin gas? Thinking long term, I can see it. If Assad uses sarin on his own people without consequence, he could be emboldened to use it against Israel. Since we have an alliance there along with other countries, it could spark a major war involving multiple Middle Eastern countries against US-allied forces. If not that, he may start producing the stuff in large quantities to sell to terrorist organizations. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2013, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-sos-john-kerry-beating-the-war-drum/667740/24 "2013-09-01T20:37:34Z")
> [@Bryan\_Ekers](#): > > I can see a reasonable concern about the long-term effects on American national security if nothing is done in response. Like what? That Obama says things he can’t back up? That’s already been made obvious, and three years from now, itt won’t matter anyway. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2013, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-sos-john-kerry-beating-the-war-drum/667740/25 "2013-09-01T20:41:58Z")
No, quite regardless of what might happen to a particular president’s reputation. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2013, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-sos-john-kerry-beating-the-war-drum/667740/26 "2013-09-01T20:48:18Z")
> [@Bryan\_Ekers](#): > > No, quite regardless of what might happen to a particular president’s reputation. I can see a more reasonable concern of bad things happening to the US if we do bomb Syria. Do we really want Assad to have less control over his CWs than he has now? I’m not concerned about Assad using CWs against the US or our allies, but I can see that some of his opposition fighters might. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2013, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-sos-john-kerry-beating-the-war-drum/667740/27 "2013-09-01T20:56:12Z")
Well, if there’s a likely endgame where Assad loses and the stockpiles fall into the hands of the people he’s fighting, I can imagine reprisals and eventually ethnicity-based gassings become a regular occurrence. Unlikely perhaps, but not impossible. ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2013, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-sos-john-kerry-beating-the-war-drum/667740/28 "2013-09-01T21:20:26Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > Thinking long term, I can see it. If Assad uses sarin on his own people without consequence, he could be emboldened to use it against Israel. Since we have an alliance there along with other countries, it could spark a major war involving multiple Middle Eastern countries against US-allied forces. If not that, he may start producing the stuff in large quantities to sell to terrorist organizations. And we think Assad would only be emboldened if he used sarin gas, rather than lots and lots of bombs and missiles? Although, the idea of selling it would definitely be a concern. ---
**Author:** ![Martin\_Hyde](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/47e85d/32.png) [@Martin\_Hyde](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Martin_Hyde)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2013, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-sos-john-kerry-beating-the-war-drum/667740/29 "2013-09-01T21:40:08Z")
The Secretary of State serves at the will and pleasure of the President of the United States, if he has a material disagreement with the President such that he’d be unwilling to go out and give a speech saying exactly what the President wanted him to say–his duty is to resign his office. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2013, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-sos-john-kerry-beating-the-war-drum/667740/30 "2013-09-01T22:21:18Z")
> [@Ethilrist](#): > > And we think Assad would only be emboldened if he used sarin gas, rather than lots and lots of bombs and missiles? > > Although, the idea of selling it would definitely be a concern. Arabs don’t care so much about gaining territory, only in killing Jews by whatever means possible. Gas is an economical method that can be delivered with a few missiles with results in short order, rather than HE, which would take many thousands of missiles and lots of time, with a less-certain outcome. ---
**Author:** ![even\_sven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dfb087/32.png) [@even\_sven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/even_sven)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2013, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-sos-john-kerry-beating-the-war-drum/667740/31 "2013-09-01T22:51:24Z")
> [@Ethilrist](#): > > “Politically, it’s been difficult, but **this is a matter of national security,** it’s a matter of the credibility of the United States of America, it’s a matter of upholding the interests of our allies and friends in the region.” > > Really? Our national security is threatened because somebody in Syria used sarin gas? I don’t think that boldly illustrating that the US is too wary, broke and divided to take any kind of action is particularly good for our long-term security. ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2013, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-sos-john-kerry-beating-the-war-drum/667740/32 "2013-09-01T23:26:47Z")
> [@even\_sven](#): > > I don’t think that boldly illustrating that the US is too wary, broke and divided to take any kind of action is particularly good for our long-term security. Ah, right. Let’s nuke 'em, then. We haven’t used one of those things in ages. Gotta remind people that we have the largest military on the planet, after all. ---
**Author:** ![BigNik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/73ab20/32.png) [@BigNik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigNik)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2013, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-sos-john-kerry-beating-the-war-drum/667740/33 "2013-09-01T23:27:50Z")
> [@Ethilrist](#): > > Really? Our national security is threatened because somebody in Syria used sarin gas? He’s right in that the US’ national credibility is threatened. Your president announced a “red line” with unspecified consequences if it was to be crossed. The US government has now said that the line was crossed. If there are no consequences, the US’ power to threaten is substantially diminished. With that said, the US doesn’t really have much credibility when it comes to claiming pretexts for war (viz. “Mass Destruction, Weapons of”, “Tonkin, Gulf of”, “U.S.S. Maine” et al. ad nauseam), but I’m willing to believe Medicins Sans Frontieres when they say it happened. Does the use of chemical weapons justify military action by itself? Probably not compared to all sorts of other conflicts going on around the world, but the fact that the US president committed the country to a response means that if there’s no response the US will _look_ weak. ---
**Author:** ![handsomeharry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e9c0ed/32.png) [@handsomeharry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handsomeharry)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2013, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-sos-john-kerry-beating-the-war-drum/667740/34 "2013-09-02T15:38:00Z")
> [@Musicat](#): > > This whole business reminds me of the WMV ramp-up that turned out to be false. Wonder if this one is, too. Probably. Let’s be real-our whole Iraq thing was because Hussein allegedly was building gas weapons. Here, Assad (??) already has it and is using it wholesale… Much bigger drum than W’s, so, it must be true! ---
**Author:** ![handsomeharry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e9c0ed/32.png) [@handsomeharry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handsomeharry)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2013, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-sos-john-kerry-beating-the-war-drum/667740/35 "2013-09-02T15:40:00Z")
> [@Ethilrist](#): > > Ah, right. Let’s nuke 'em, then. We haven’t used one of those things in ages. Gotta remind people that we have the largest military on the planet, after all. And, t_he most committed_! You forgot committed!😉 ---
**Author:** ![georgewk10](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/f475e1/32.png) [@georgewk10](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/georgewk10)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2013, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-sos-john-kerry-beating-the-war-drum/667740/36 "2013-09-02T15:46:05Z")
Well, it’s a much bigger system than that. I call it “The Men behind the Curtains” a.k.a. The Neo-Cons. some call them the Illuminati. Anyway , they pull the strings and your “leader” jumps. Mitt would have done the same. Hint; It’s not only bigger than you imagine. It’s bigger than you CAN imagine. ---
**Author:** ![BrokenBriton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4bbf92/32.png) [@BrokenBriton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrokenBriton)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2013, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-sos-john-kerry-beating-the-war-drum/667740/37 "2013-09-02T15:48:05Z")
> [@BigNik](#): > > With that said, the US doesn’t really have much credibility when it comes to claiming pretexts for war (viz. “Mass Destruction, Weapons of”, “Tonkin, Gulf of”, “U.S.S. Maine” et al. ad nauseam), but I’m willing to believe Medicins Sans Frontieres when they say it happened. Does the use of chemical weapons justify military action by itself? Probably not compared to all sorts of other conflicts going on around the world, but the fact that the US president committed the country to a response means that if there’s no response the US will _look_ weak. The issue hasn’t been for a week or more whether sarin was used, it’s who used it. zero evidence for that, no matter how Kerry arranges his sentences, adds pauses, suggests by association, etc, etc. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2013, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-sos-john-kerry-beating-the-war-drum/667740/38 "2013-09-02T16:07:36Z")
> [@georgewk10](#): > > Well, it’s a much bigger system than that. I call it “The Men behind the Curtains” a.k.a. The Neo-Cons. some call them the Illuminati. > Anyway , they pull the strings and your “leader” jumps. Mitt would have done the same. > Hint; It’s not only bigger than you imagine. It’s bigger than you CAN imagine. > [@Chefguy](#): > > Arabs don’t care so much about gaining territory, only in killing Jews by whatever means possible. Gas is an economical method that can be delivered with a few missiles with results in short order, rather than HE, which would take many thousands of missiles and lots of time, with a less-certain outcome. This is a general instruction to stay on topic. This is a thread about Kerry’s statements on Syria and it’s not the place for conspiracy and derogatory comments about ethnic groups. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-sos-john-kerry-beating-the-war-drum/667740.md?page=1)