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pampango

(24,692 posts)

51. "It's better to force a bad established government to make concessions." Agreed. How do you

Tue Sep 3, 2013, 05:03 PM

Sep 2013

make that preferred option happen?

Do you punish him but leave him in power? That almost sounds like a middle ground between the options of regime change and let Assad do whatever he wants. (Is that close to what Obama may be proposing?) So you just leave him alone, because dictators have rights too, and hope he sees the light of progressive government one day?

How do you motivate a "bad government" to make concessions? One can imagine a "bad government" that does not want to make concessions to become a "good government" and has the army and secret police to not be forced to change by its people. There are quite a few of those in the world.

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Highlight:

Kerry Labels Assad �HITLER� Despite DINING WITH HIM, British SOLD Syria CHEM Weapons For Civil War [View all] Segami Sep 2013 OP

OH FUCK!!! this is not good bigdarryl Sep 2013 #1

Guess we're at war with Eastasia now. NuclearDem Sep 2013 #2

Yup. Psyops max, now. Ghost Dog Sep 2013 #3

So the new standard if someone... dennis4868 Sep 2013 #4

Once again..."how do you know where to go, if you don't know where we've been?" Ninga Sep 2013 #5

Your title is inaccuarate; UK sold potassium and sodium fluoride, not 'chem weapons' muriel_volestrangler Sep 2013 #6

But they didn't sell them, as you later pointed out Turborama Sep 2013 #53

Except he didn't label Assad "Hitler" tridim Sep 2013 #7

He says a lot of things blazeKing Sep 2013 #11

Sorry, your argument is worthless cthulu2016 Sep 2013 #12

Then maybe you should create your own hyperbolic post. tridim Sep 2013 #16

+ 1000 nt Cryptoad Sep 2013 #26

Assad is not a nice guy. Like all dictators for life, he's a bastard Warpy Sep 2013 #8

Assad is not "better than any of the people fighting against him". The vast majority of war crimes pampango Sep 2013 #15

Per NATO, Assad has the support of 70% of the population of Syria KurtNYC Sep 2013 #19

On what date...... NCTraveler Sep 2013 #41

There are no secular brigades of fighters. Jesus Malverde Sep 2013 #37

The Center for American Progress will be surprised at your analysis. Do you have a source? pampango Sep 2013 #49

If they overthrow him there will be a power vacuum Warpy Sep 2013 #48

"It's better to force a bad established government to make concessions." Agreed. How do you pampango Sep 2013 #51

One of the great lessons of history Warpy Sep 2013 #52

+ a million truebluegreen Sep 2013 #54

^^^this^^^ progressoid Sep 2013 #59

nothing pisses washington off like a friend straying. unblock Sep 2013 #9

I would be surprised if British and French officials did not have dinner with Hitler prior to 1939. pampango Sep 2013 #10

Nor would they be ashamed of it - it is normal statescraft karynnj Sep 2013 #17

How is this that much different than say, FDR sitting down with Stalin? rbixby Sep 2013 #13

John and Teresa Kerry were meeting the Assads as part of a diplomatic effort karynnj Sep 2013 #14

Reminds me of the RW mocking Pelosi for going to Syria. ProSense Sep 2013 #18

Very well said. Old and In the Way Sep 2013 #20

Nailed it... SidDithers Sep 2013 #24

Oh that would be too bad. Cha Sep 2013 #57

+1 iamthebandfanman Sep 2013 #25

+1 NCTraveler Sep 2013 #33

It's willful laziness that breeds contagious ignorance. It also weakens Cha Sep 2013 #58

Recommend jsr Sep 2013 #21

so we can use white phosphorus matt in france Sep 2013 #22

Oh now don't you know tblue Sep 2013 #39

Fuck you, John Kerry. RevStPatrick Sep 2013 #23

Idiotic karynnj Sep 2013 #34

Meh... RevStPatrick Sep 2013 #38

"Assad is evil, but this has nothing to do with chemical weapons." ProSense Sep 2013 #44

And another outrage widget hits the shop floor... SidDithers Sep 2013 #27

This has nothing to do with chemical weapons and everything to do with corporate greed. JRLeft Sep 2013 #28

Sec of State is a position of diplomacy, and this was before civil war. Avalux Sep 2013 #29

K&R Ocelot Sep 2013 #30

I don't get it. Skinner Sep 2013 #31

The British did not sell them chemical weapons. NCTraveler Sep 2013 #32

Kicking because everyone needs to see..... NCTraveler Sep 2013 #35

what a load of bullshit... madrchsod Sep 2013 #36

It's just like the pictures of Rumsfeld with Saddam NightWatcher Sep 2013 #40

No it isn't ProSense Sep 2013 #42

Time for all the rich people who matter in the world to get richer. nt valerief Sep 2013 #43

So now trying diplomacy first is bad? NYC Liberal Sep 2013 #45

Kerry continues to disappoint. DirkGently Sep 2013 #46

Why does that remind me of this? HardTimes99 Sep 2013 #47

Let's look at the chemicals sold to Syria by the Brits. MineralMan Sep 2013 #50

Ouch!!! malaise Sep 2013 #55

Who cares about the dinner? treestar Sep 2013 #56