Posted on 02/18/2005 6:37:25 PM PST by Stoat
Sounds like more Blah, Blah, Blah to me.
The UN should be the ones to spew nothing but words.
The US should always be the one that acts!
Could be, but the sharpness of the rhetoric has increased exponentially just during the course of events today. This is the first time that Syria has been given a specific demand and consequence by the US....let's see if they blink.
Re your comment about the UN, I would only wish to suggest that they UN keep it's word as well, just as the US does.
Oh bother (as Pooh says). That will never happen.
Try reading a Security Council Resolution. You need a double PhD in Gobbeldygook. But they always end with Decides to remain siezed of the matter... or some such. All that to say "We're watching you!"
And, then, it only takes 10 years of repeated violations of UNSCR's before they decide to threaten a country. Not act, just threaten that next time they might have to warn you that there may soon be a serious threat.
I didn't mean to suggest that it was going to happen....only that keeping it's word is a standard that the UN should be held to.
Will this be a compound sanctioning going back to last last time they were going to face sanctions?
Asking Syria to 'help' investigate the assassination of Hariri is like asking Al Capone to assist in finding the culprits responsible for the St. Valentine's Day Massacre.
President Bush needs to call up Assad Jr. on the phone and tell him that while he hasn't had the opportunity to look into his eyes and determine what's in his soul, that if he doesn't straighten up and fly right, that he better give that soul to Jesus, because his ASS is going to be OURS!
Time will tell, although I would suggest that the words from today are likely more meaningful than those uttered in past times because:
1. It's essential that our new Secretary of State be shown as someone whose words carry the full weight and force of US policy, particularly considering the fact that Dr. Rice is a female dealing in this case with a horrifically oppressive, misogynistic Islamofascist "culture". I'm guessing that President Bush will back her up 100% and will not give an inch.
2. Following through with our demands is essential to moving forward in the war on terror. The Islamofascists will be constantly probing and testing us, looking for any weakness. Making threats and then backing down from them at this particularly tense moment in history would be disastrous for the entire war effort.
Agreed, and that's why the US is going to insist upon full disclosure from the Syrians...from the article:
"The call for Syria to join an investigation..."
We aren't about to sit back and trust the Syrians.....they will undoubtedly be required to participate in a multilateral investigation, where we will have an opportunity to see exactly how forthcoming they will be.
President Bush needs to call up Assad Jr. on the phone and tell him that while he hasn't had the opportunity to look into his eyes and determine what's in his soul, that if he doesn't straighten up and fly right, that he better give that soul to Jesus, because his ASS is going to be OURS!
In that phone call, it could be suggested that he speak with his 'good friend' Ghaddafi in Libya for a bit of insight into the persuasive measures that the US has at it's disposal :-)
Agree. Enough is enough. Of course, Syria will have to wait in line behind North Korea and Iran.
I'm in a grumpy mood, and if it came across as directed at you, I appologize.
LoL!
I don't think Syria is going to blink. They have the mad Mullah in Iran backing them up, plus a crap load of Saddam's various poisons. Santions won't work. Bush just needs an excuse, and that's what he'll push Assad for. I think that Israel will really come into play here somehow, if push comes to shove. Syria by the looks of things has some of their own chemical weapon facilities as well, protected by missle instalations. If they toss one at Israel, I think it will be game over for Assad, and possibly Iran at the same time.
Just speculation on my part of course.
I wonder....consider this if you would:
North Korea is a fortress nation that is a threat to a variety of major powers in it's region (China, Japan, South Korea, etc) and it has been Bush Administration policy to pursue six-way talks with them, despite NK's insistence upon one-way talks with the US. By keeping the diplomatic talks multilayered, it places a whole lot more pressure on the NK government....and NK won't be able to demonize the US as 'oppressing' it in the talks. My guess is that NK will be left on the back burner so that it can be settled in a regional way, which will allow all parties involved to 'save face'....so essential to many Asian cultures.
Iran is a massive country, half as big as Western Europe. Satellite imagery has shown construction of massive hardened underground nuke facilities, eighteen football fields in size, spread out all over the country. Iran has an insane government but a very pro-American and pro Western civilian population. Iran needs to be dealt with from the inside, as it will be an extremely hard nut to crack from the outside. Israel may, however, beat us to a first strike because Iran has been directing most of their venom at Israel.
I'm thinking that if Syria is dealt with first, it will send a strong message not only to the Iranian government but more importantly the Iranian people, that we are deadly serious and will keep our word, at least under this current Administration. If Syria falls as Saddam's Iraq did, it would not only send a very powerful message but would provide one less ally for Iran as well as as a very convenient staging area for a possible assault against Iran or a base for covert ops.
Just my thoughts :-)
My fear is they may become dangerously unpredicatable if Syria falls.
Could be much worse. They might be put on "Double-Secret Probabtion".
Release the hounds...
We are not THAT crazy, no one wants a war! =)
Besides, it didn't work for Delta House and I doubt it would work here!
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