US Launches Missles at Syria at Syrian Base after Chemical Weapons Attack

[paleotn]

152. Easy to say from this side of the world....

The accuracy we're so enamored with isn't quite as good as most American's think. We never get to see the malfunctions and assorted fuck ups, just the perfect shots. Better now than even Desert Storm, but not perfect. Thus, people are bound to get killed and collateral damage is still an inevitability. If that collateral damage includes Russian service personnel, we've just started another shit storm.

Simply punching holes in runways has only a very shot term impact. A few bulldozers, some gravel and concrete and boom...runway fixed. Patching damaged airfields has been just a part of fighting a modern war since WWII. Long term impact comes from destroying aircraft, hangers, fuel dumps, material storage and maintenance facilities. But do that, and the death toll is sure the climb.

Lastly, gaming out what could happen after smacking that hornets nest is next to impossible. Too many unknown, unknowns. Using Libya as an analog for military action in Syria even more unnerving.

Clinton knows all this and I do wish she would be more forthcoming with the fact that a few airstrikes will probably not give the desired affect and could easily make things far worse. Sure, it feels good after the gas attack, but what feels good is rarely the wise course. ISIS is on its last legs now, so lets keep militarily to that course and clear some of the complexity from Syria. Then work on what to do with Assad and the multitude of various and sundry rebels.