Re: Syrian story continues

If you're arguing for an invasion, you can hardly make the argument it can be done with rockets and low casualties. You cannot force a government upon people with rockets. You can only aid whatever radicals rise to power next, as likely worse than Assad as better.

[I wish I could obey forum rules]

Re: Syrian story continues

"If you're arguing for an invasion, you can hardly make the argument it can be done with rockets and low casualties."
I'm arguing it can be done with low investment of western lives. But I'm actually pretty sure, if it happens, a little support is enough to make the rebels win. So debating an invasion is premature.

"as likely worse than Assad as better."
How can they be worse? Ask a foreign nation to drop a nuclear onto the capital?

Re: Syrian story continues

If the rebels are only supported, you're simply trading one tyrant for another. How is that worth American lives, again?

How can they be worse? Read a little about history. Read a little about Middle Eastern cultures. Read about Middle Eastern criminal justice systems. Read about Middle Eastern crime and punishment. Read about female genital mutilation. Read about invasions of foreign nations. There's all kinds of worse.

[I wish I could obey forum rules]

Re: Syrian story continues

"If the rebels are only supported, you're simply trading one tyrant for another."
and yet you said we didn't know what regime would erupt. We can force that new gov to be democratic.

Re: Syrian story continues

You can't force that new government to be democratic with rockets. That requires an invasion and occupation. You claim we can force them. How?

You seem to have trouble understanding that we're talking about a foreign nation. It's real people in a real space on the earth. They don't care that you think they should have a democracy. You can't force anything on them by asking nicely.

Uncertainty does not mean we presume benevolence. That's just stupid.

[I wish I could obey forum rules]

Re: Syrian story continues

"You can't force that new government to be democratic with rockets. That requires an invasion and occupation. You claim we can force them. How?"
Its enough for a newly established regime to be threatened. You can blockade them economically and shoot it to ruin. If you only play dead serious about an invasion they will not risk it unless they have a powerful ally. The Libyan leader had no way out so he had to fight. He couldn't make it a democracy or he would be brought to justice. The new Syrian regime prolly has a choice.

"It's real people in a real space on the earth."
This comes from...mister Spock! tongue

update:
Latest numbers say libertarian family wins against Islamic influenced politicians in Libya with almost 50%. Soon we will see if they can keep up the lead.

107 (edited by V. Kemp 18-Jul-2012 12:40:08)

Re: Syrian story continues

But that's only conjecture. Cuba was threatened (and even invaded! kinda tongue) but didn't cave. They found powerful allies. Iran didn't cave. They found powerful allies.

It's not that I don't support people fighting for freedom against oppressive authoritarians, but I think we need to set a much higher threshold for killing foreign nationals than we have in decades.

We helped Afghanistan too. Before we invaded it. Our help didn't exactly produce ideal results.

I'll be very happy if Libya elects sensible people who don't seek tyrannical power like even most in the West do. tongue I wish them the best. But we know Egypt certainly didn't. I'm all for people having that choice, but I think we're pretty much always too quick to start meddling in other people's affairs.

[I wish I could obey forum rules]

Re: Syrian story continues

"But we know Egypt certainly didn't."
it took the western world almost a century to abandon the old regime even when they were long democratic. And its still not ideal as you point out. They will slowly adept and hopefully not fall into yet another totalitarian regime.