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Edited by Mrph1 on Nov 30th 2023 at 11:03:59 AM

AmbarSonofDeshar Since: Jan, 2010
#238701: Apr 13th 2018 at 6:20:09 PM

Syria is 100% a hill Russia will start WW 3 over. It's one of their only warm water ports and the launching point for all their operations in the Middle East.

No. It's not. It's an issue where, if the Americans give them enough provocation, they might be prepared to start a localized war. But that's not World War III.

Russian troops are not going to invade Eastern Europe or Alaska because America bombed a Syrian airbase. Putin isn't going to up and nuke Washington because he wants a warm water port.

If this situation goes badly, you could see direct conflict between America and Russia on the ground and in the air in Syria. Which would not be a good thing. But it would not be World War III either.

Rationalinsanity from Halifax, Canada Since: Aug, 2010 Relationship Status: It's complicated
#238702: Apr 13th 2018 at 6:20:59 PM

CNN reports that the UK and France are also striking Syria with the US.

Politics is the skilled use of blunt objects.
kkhohoho (4 Score & 7 Years Ago)
#238703: Apr 13th 2018 at 6:21:17 PM

This is... honestly a surprisingly reasonable response. At least compared to what could have happened.

fruitpork Since: Oct, 2010
#238704: Apr 13th 2018 at 6:21:57 PM

Why wont they just make it into their colony or something under the pretense of intervening in the government? It would save them a whole lot of trouble.

megaeliz Since: Mar, 2017
#238705: Apr 13th 2018 at 6:22:42 PM

I swear, today has been a week. How many news cycles have we gone through today, again?

edited 13th Apr '18 6:25:44 PM by megaeliz

LeGarcon Blowout soon fellow Stalker from Skadovsk Since: Aug, 2013 Relationship Status: Gay for Big Boss
Blowout soon fellow Stalker
#238706: Apr 13th 2018 at 6:23:32 PM

Why do that and take on all the burdens of actual governance when they can just get a puppet to keep the area stable and give them access to all their facilities?

Oh really when?
megaeliz Since: Mar, 2017
#238707: Apr 13th 2018 at 6:28:20 PM

What's frustrating about this, is that aimless air strikes won't actually solve anything.

What we need is an actual long term plan, instead of aimless reactivity. (that's not a bad description for Trump's presidency, actually.)

edited 13th Apr '18 6:29:58 PM by megaeliz

archonspeaks Since: Jun, 2013
#238708: Apr 13th 2018 at 6:32:36 PM

Well, provided they're actually doing what they're saying they're doing this is a decent response. We'll find out more from the Pentagon briefing in half an hour.

The question now is what Russia and Syria are going to do.

They should have sent a poet.
megaeliz Since: Mar, 2017
#238709: Apr 13th 2018 at 6:39:51 PM

So, in light of this, anyone care to guess how many Syrian Refuges we have admitted this year?

note 

edited 13th Apr '18 6:41:11 PM by megaeliz

archonspeaks Since: Jun, 2013
#238710: Apr 13th 2018 at 6:46:53 PM

So from what we're hearing out of Syria so far it sounds like this could be the start of a full scale air campaign. Two rounds of missile strikes on Damascus so far and uncertain word of strikes in Hama and Homs. Nothing on the Russian response yet.

They should have sent a poet.
megaeliz Since: Mar, 2017
#238711: Apr 13th 2018 at 6:53:36 PM

[up] I'm also seeing that it was also ordered unilaterally, without any congressional input.

edited 13th Apr '18 6:54:39 PM by megaeliz

Kaiseror Since: Jul, 2016
#238712: Apr 13th 2018 at 7:00:53 PM

Goddamn it!

edited 13th Apr '18 7:01:18 PM by Kaiseror

archonspeaks Since: Jun, 2013
#238713: Apr 13th 2018 at 7:01:56 PM

[up][up] Not that I want to defend Trump here, but in this case that's unsurprising. That's how it would have happened regardless of who was in the Oval Office.

They should have sent a poet.
Wyldchyld (Old as dirt)
#238714: Apr 13th 2018 at 7:08:24 PM

edited 15th Apr '18 5:10:41 PM by Wyldchyld

If my post doesn't mention a giant flying sperm whale with oversized teeth and lionfish fins for flippers, it just isn't worth reading.
Wariolander Since: Nov, 2017
#238716: Apr 13th 2018 at 7:16:41 PM

From what I'm seeing, it looks the strikes are over for now, and were aimed at research facilities.

archonspeaks Since: Jun, 2013
#238717: Apr 13th 2018 at 7:25:00 PM

Mattis just warned against a Russian disinformation campaign in relation to the strikes in his press conference. He also confirmed that strikes are over for tonight, though left it open ended as far as a follow up.

edited 13th Apr '18 7:27:09 PM by archonspeaks

They should have sent a poet.
CharlesPhipps Since: Jan, 2001
#238719: Apr 13th 2018 at 7:33:19 PM

I imagine Putin will eventually toss Assad aside.

Because Trump would gladly let Putin decide who will next rule.

Author of The Rules of Supervillainy, Cthulhu Armageddon, and United States of Monsters.
kkhohoho (4 Score & 7 Years Ago)
#238720: Apr 13th 2018 at 7:34:32 PM

So Mattis just said that the strikes are currently a one-time deal and will only be used again if Syria uses more chemical weapons. It's basically a conditional sort of thing.

megaeliz Since: Mar, 2017
#238721: Apr 13th 2018 at 7:35:06 PM

[up][up][up] As I said:

Reports on Tomahawk intercepts by S-3/400 and S-1 systems, seeming to be pushed exclusively and hard by Russian accounts and Russia MAGA sockpuppets. Methinks they dost protest too much.

I doubt they shot down any. But even the claimed number is low, 7-10

Syria is saying they shot down 13, which is certainly not true.

edited 13th Apr '18 7:40:37 PM by megaeliz

archonspeaks Since: Jun, 2013
#238722: Apr 13th 2018 at 7:45:18 PM

Russia appears to be threatening retaliation.

Based on the targets hit I find it hard to believe this was really a “one-shot op” but if that’s what they’re going with...

They should have sent a poet.
fruitpork Since: Oct, 2010
#238723: Apr 13th 2018 at 8:16:04 PM

God damn it Russia. A warm water port is not worth a war.

Wariolander Since: Nov, 2017
#238724: Apr 13th 2018 at 8:39:05 PM

Breitbart, r/thedonald and even Alex Jones are all pissed at Trump over this.

edited 13th Apr '18 8:39:27 PM by Wariolander

megaeliz Since: Mar, 2017
#238725: Apr 13th 2018 at 8:41:55 PM

[up] r/thedonald is also filled with Kremlin Propaganda trolls.

I haven't seen this much coordinated activity by Kremlin Bots on twitter in for a while, probably not since #ReleaseTheMemo

edited 13th Apr '18 8:57:34 PM by megaeliz


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