Top | Newest First | Oldest First
firefall · 61-69, M
Well, for any intervention, what's the end game? ISIS in control? Assad in control? There doesnt seem to be any good ending to this thats even slightly plausible (the pro-Western faction is so tiny as to be ridiculous, after they got hung out to dry by the USA last year).
Better to keep out of it, look after the refugees, and hope they come to a draw-by-exhaustion.
Better to keep out of it, look after the refugees, and hope they come to a draw-by-exhaustion.
NativeOregonian · 51-55
@firefall Except it's been going on for thousands of years, there will never be a draw.
firefall · 61-69, M
@NativeOregonian Sure there has. Syria was peaceful under the Ottoman Empire for at least the 500 years between Constantinople falling and WW1, and after WW1 it was relatively peaceful under the Mandate - and since WW2 it was internally peaceful until this civil war broke out - all its aggressions got poured out onto Israel, with remarkably little to show for it.
Handwaving all of history away and saying they've been doing this for thousands of years is only true if the 'it' you're talking about is 'war', at which point, sure, there will always be war, somewhere, but not all the time in one place.
As for hoping for a draw-by-exhaustion, that's pretty much how Lebanon wound up with a relatively stable (if unpleasant) government.
Handwaving all of history away and saying they've been doing this for thousands of years is only true if the 'it' you're talking about is 'war', at which point, sure, there will always be war, somewhere, but not all the time in one place.
As for hoping for a draw-by-exhaustion, that's pretty much how Lebanon wound up with a relatively stable (if unpleasant) government.
beckyromero · 36-40, F
@Cierzo Oh sure. Create the damn mess then say it's none of your business.
How come 'you break it, you fix it' never seems to apply to Europeans?
😉
How come 'you break it, you fix it' never seems to apply to Europeans?
😉
Cierzo · M
@beckyromero Create the damn mess? It is a civil war.
SandInMyShoes · 36-40, F
helenS · 36-40, F
I think we should intervene, but only by providing humanitarian help wherever we can. Floating hospitals, for example. We should save as many children and women and men as possible. It’s our duty to prove that there is an alternative to war and violence, that charity and friendship are not just illusions.
NativeOregonian · 51-55
firefall · 61-69, M
@NativeOregonian
they really havent. A couple of thousand years ago, the area was being hotly* disputed between the emerging Roman Empire and the remnants of the (greek) Seleucid Empire. A thousand years ago, the Byzantine Empire was disputing it with the Abbasids (or Fatimids depending where you draw the line). Three thousand years ago, the shreds of the Hittite Empire were trying to fend off the Egyptians and the Assyrians. Note that none of these are still around. Trying to pretend this is an eternal conflict is just a shitty way of pretending it's ok not to care about it.
*well not that hotly, the Romans kind of walked all over them
these conflicts have been going on for thousands of years
they really havent. A couple of thousand years ago, the area was being hotly* disputed between the emerging Roman Empire and the remnants of the (greek) Seleucid Empire. A thousand years ago, the Byzantine Empire was disputing it with the Abbasids (or Fatimids depending where you draw the line). Three thousand years ago, the shreds of the Hittite Empire were trying to fend off the Egyptians and the Assyrians. Note that none of these are still around. Trying to pretend this is an eternal conflict is just a shitty way of pretending it's ok not to care about it.
*well not that hotly, the Romans kind of walked all over them
Northwest · M
@NativeOregonian What FireFall said. The problems in the Middle East are more recent than that, and they're all connected to Western intervention. The events of the past 10 years, as well as the creation of ISIS, are all the result of our Iraq invasion.
Northwest · M
It's worth noting, that while the US and France are talking tough, they both said that they want proof first, that Assad used Chemical weapons.
In the past, the European/International reports stated that BOTH the opposition and the Syrian government, used chemical weapons.
While I believe Assad is capable of doing it, I also know that the opposition is also capable of killing Syrians, and blaming Assad for it.
In the past, the European/International reports stated that BOTH the opposition and the Syrian government, used chemical weapons.
While I believe Assad is capable of doing it, I also know that the opposition is also capable of killing Syrians, and blaming Assad for it.
QuixoticSoul · 41-45, M
A completely shameless and self-serving display from start to finish, hoopla over this latest very questionable incident included.
katielass · F
More than a little hypocritical. But what's new.