General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: Kick and Goddamned R if you don't want to Attack Syria! [View all]Savannahmann
(3,891 posts)The idea was that by making an outrageous condition for military action, he could/would make it impossible to have to follow through. The President felt that nobody in their right mind would use the weapons when he had an entire military at his disposal. Now that fucking Rethug we nominated for Defense is stabbing us in the back (What the hell were we thinking) and so the Press is clamoring that the condition has been met, the line that the President warned Syria not to cross.
So the reason we're debating it is because our President issued what is in effect an ultimatum, and if we follow it up, we're no better than the Crusaders of old. If we don't we're brash teenagers talking, but with no intention of doing anything. So the next time that the President issues an ultimatum, nobody will believe him.
We talked our way into a stupid situation, and we are now stuck trying to figure out what would be the least worst answer, because there isn't a good answer. If we say fuck it we're not going, Israel will never believe us again, and when we urge restraint, they'll flip us the mighty middle finger and do whatever they want. Same for all the other regional conflicts that can/will crop up over the remainder of President Obama's administration.
So the President can say the condition was not met, Hagel was wrong, and fire Hagel. He won't do that, we fought too hard to get Hagel in for some reason. He can say Hagel is wrong, and Hagel will resign on his own, which is the same as firing him. We can say that the condition was met, but the situation has changed. Israel will never trust us again when we say restraint, and expect full blown nuclear war in the Middle East as Israel launches nuclear weapons at Iran to keep them from getting the bomb. Turkey will go on a full blown ethnic cleansing assault on the Kurds on the border. Why not, the Americans won't do anything right?
So that is how we got here. Now the question is how the fuck do we get out of this mess without more Soldiers dying?