Syria- The Great Big Syrian Civil War thread.

[roo_ster]

Obama Charlie don't surf.

FTR, Robert Duvall rocks.

[TechMan]

Obama Charlie don't surf.

FTR, Robert Duvall rocks.

I agree with that.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bPXVGQnJm0w

[Scout26]

And now they are playing on our "Look, they are down to slingshots and water balloons !!!  We have to help them.

What they don't realize is that there are quite a few people in this country that if push came to shove have not only the skills to make these improvised weapons, but even better stuff and more of it.

http://news.yahoo.com/photos/improvised-weapons-of-syria-slideshow/

[roo_ster]

And now they are playing on our "Look, they are down to slingshots and water balloons !!!  We have to help them.

Only if our aim is to prolong the fighting.

[Scout26]

Something to think about as Obama moves us closer to war in Syria.

http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/comment/does-obama-know-hes-fighting-on-alqaidas-side-8786680.html

[Jocassee]

We're going to have to invade Syria to find out what's in it.

http://www.caintv.com/obama-et-al-discuss-syria-on-f

[roo_ster]

Something to think about as Obama moves us closer to war in Syria.

http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/comment/does-obama-know-hes-fighting-on-alqaidas-side-8786680.html

I am sure he does and approves of the message.

[Lee]

http://www.cnn.com/2013/08/28/world/meast/syria-civil-war/index.html

"The West handles the Islamic world the way a monkey handles a grenade," Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin tweeted."

[TommyGunn]

http://www.cnn.com/2013/08/28/world/meast/syria-civil-war/index.html

"The West handles the Islamic world the way a monkey handles a grenade," Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin tweeted."

Rogozin has a gift for pithiness.      I think I will steal that!

[Tallpine]

http://www.cnn.com/2013/08/28/world/meast/syria-civil-war/index.html

"The West handles the Islamic world the way a monkey handles a grenade," Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin tweeted."

Oooh, racist!   

Too bad they don't have a leftist media over there to make him resign in disgrace. 

[Scout26]

And if we do go, we go alone.  Even the Brits ain't interested in getting involved in Syria.  If they aren't going, not one European country will go either.

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2013/aug/29/uks-cameron-loses-preliminary-vote-syria/

[Gewehr98]

Constant Phoenix is flying sorties vs. Syria right now.  That means the White House is looking for something (anything?) concrete...

http://theaviationist.com/tag/constant-phoenix/#.Uh_j9E3K6Hs

[Tallpine]

Constant Phoenix is flying sorties vs. Syria right now.  That means the White House is looking for something (anything?) concrete...

http://theaviationist.com/tag/constant-phoenix/#.Uh_j9E3K6Hs

Or they're expecting to trigger a nuclear war 

Although you would thing the bright flashes and big clouds would make it rather obvious 

[Fitz]

Constant Phoenix is flying sorties vs. Syria right now.  That means the White House is looking for something (anything?) concrete...

http://theaviationist.com/tag/constant-phoenix/#.Uh_j9E3K6Hs

Why is a nuclear detection plane useful for proving chemical weapons use?

[lupinus]

Why is a nuclear detection plane useful for proving chemical weapons use?

About as useful as Obama?

[Gewehr98]

My guess is they're looking for something, even a component molecule or precursor, if not an actual agent or decomposition product.

The Constant Phoenix has whole air and particulate collection suites.  Whole air isn't so great, because it uses engine bleed air, which itself is tapped off the 7th compressor stage in a P&W TF-33 engine. (HOT!)

The 13" filter papers, however, might gather something useful.  

My guess is the White House Situation Room called the JCS, and directed a sortie with expectations they might get at least some kind of evidence.  

They tasked us to fly after the shuttle re-entry accident, too.  We found a lot of burnt stuff floating in the air.  

[Hutch]

Why does Russia give a damn about Syria?  I could understand (maybe) if we were back in the bad ol' days, a bipolar world where proxies mattered more.  For the life of me, I can't imagine Bad Vlad making raising the stakes, knowing that jackass in the Whitehouse is gonna have us throwing punches PDQ.  Can anyone enlighten me? 

[Scout26]

Bidness.

Russia makes a metric buttload o' money selling arms and ammo to the Syrian .gov.

It's not about Ideology but about the Rubles.

[Hutch]

Bidness.

Russia makes a metric buttload o' money selling arms and ammo to the Syrian .gov.

It's not about Ideology but about the Rubles.

ain't enough bidness in that town to warrant that kind of risky stance.  JMHO.  I mean, it's not pricey aircraft, or sophisticated armor, or top shelf anti-air.  Most of what these savages are killing each other with are a glut on the market.  Syria is doesn't have a pot to piss in, or a window to throw it out of, anyway.

Otoh, I have no other plausible explanation.

[RoadKingLarry]

Syria give Russia a foothold in the region.

[dogmush]

Also, Syria is traditionally Russia's backyard. As they aim for renewed superpower status they put up with less crap in what they consider their turf.  We'd be torqued off if Russia or China decided to come over and get actively involved in a conflict in say...Honduras or Belize.

[agricola]

And if we do go, we go alone.  Even the Brits ain't interested in getting involved in Syria.  If they aren't going, not one European country will go either.

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2013/aug/29/uks-cameron-loses-preliminary-vote-syria/

To put it in context, that is the first time that any British government has lost a vote over going to or maintaining a war (which is what it was, however Cameron tries to pretend it was just a consultative motion) since North lost the vote in 1782 that ended the attempts to flog the dead horse of the Revolutionary War.   

Nor should it have been that much of a surprise to Cameron, given that the debate basically consisted of four or five hours of various senior Tory backbenchers lining up to give the measure a kicking, aided by the more usual Labour suspects and supported an overwhelmingly negative (especially amongst the ex-Generals and Admirals) Lords.   The debate ruthlessly exposed how mindless this proposed course of action is.

[mtnbkr]

Agricola, that's ok, we'll pick up the slack for your team. :(

Chris

[RoadKingLarry]

For once I'll agree with the Brit parliment. Sadly Obama will likely go ahead and do something stupid and make the mess even worse. My bet is before the long weekend is over.

[MillCreek]

Agricola, that's ok, we'll pick up the slack for your team. :(

Chris

You mean like the UK and NATO did for us in Libya?