Can you give me the Cliff's Notes version of the Syria fiasco?

I haven’t watched the videos of the dying babies but the President of Syria attacked his own people (rebels trying to overthrow the government) with sarin gas. Over a thousand people were killed, including more than 400 children.
Obama wants to do a limited strategic strike to let him know that the world will not accept chemical weapons use. He decided to ask congress for authorization per the constitution.
Russia vetoed a United Nations response.
Meanwhile, Putin has said that they will diplomatically work with Syria to get them to give up their chemical weapons. The president has asked congress to delay the vote until we see if the diplomatic measures work.

Conservatives are like Cartman from South Park. They like to run around and say “Respect my Authority”.

When Iraq used chemical weapons in the 80’s, nobody cared, because we were quietly allied with Saddam Hussein.

We are not allied with Syria. They used chemical weapons on their people, which conservatives here feel is illegitimate, because they are not allied with America. So they think Obama should punish Syria somehow, to prove that America will not allow gas attacks unless America agrees to it.

The Russians sell stuff to the Syrians, and think we are behaving absurdly. They have said “stop being absurd, we can talk them out of their crazy behavior”. Which makes your conservative friends 2x as crazy.

So as of tonight, not going to blow them up unless Russia fails… and then do we wait for Congress or is it all executive order stuff?

I think we would still wait for congress unless they do it again. I don’t think the president will wait for congress if they do it again.

The President threw it to congress. I think the president wanted to do something, but knew congress would beat him up either way. So he figured he would throw it to congress, and the conservatives would push it through.

Congress, turns out, is not that interested in going on record one way or the other, because Democrats don’t want to do anything, and Republicans don’t want to ever tell their voters they agreed with Obama.

So they are gonna vote no. And Obama knows if he does anything, it will be against the will of congress, and into setting a precedent, and open him up to a possible impeachment. So the Russians stepping in to defuse things is the best thing that ever happened to him.

Cliff notes version. Heads they win, tails we lose.

President is in a no win situation. If he bombs the chemical storage facilities he risks releasing the gas on the local residence. If this happens US will be blamed for breaking the containers, not Assad for having the stuff.

If he puts boots on the ground he risks American casualties and alienating yet another arab nation.

Political ping-pong yawnfest.

Cliffs notes, I’ll try.

The value of the dollar is based upon trading commodities.

Oil is traded internationally with the American dollar.

Assad wants to trade oil with his own currency.

Assad also wants a new pipeline to head East bypassing our interests and allies in the West.

Syrian rebels (good guys?) are backed by Al Q… who we have been fighting for years.

Russia and China are on Assad’s team.

China would benefit from a pipeline heading East.

Russia would benefit from (continuing to) have a naval port (Tartus) in Syria which Assad allows.

The “rebels” would hamper those plans.

If we agree to help the rebels they may agree to continue trading the oil with US currency.

Our financial system would more than likely collapse if oil is traded on the global market with a foreign currency.

Are we actively funding terrorists, yes. Only now they are called “rebels.”

We are stuck between a rock and a very, very hard place.

No one mentions the plight of the Syrian hamsters, they have rights too don’t they?
I hope the cute little buggers will be saved, all that bombing may well pop their tiny little ears.

@ucme You are silly but you made me laugh.

@DWW25921 I’m pleased for you, I really am :)

1. Arabs killing Arabs

2. US and the rest of the world dawdle for a couple of years

3. Arabs get real effective at killing Arabs

4. US and the rest of the world decide to finally do something

5. The world and the US Congress and the US population decide to let things slide after all.

@elbanditoroso I don’t think this one is going to be that simple… But it does seem to be our MO.

@dww – it’s still early, I only wrote the Cliff’s notes for Chapters 1–2.

@elbanditoroso I hope that’s where it ends. I need to stop looking things up. I just find things out and worry. Anyway, I’ve got to go to work here in a bit. :)

@Seek I respect that he’s willing to prevent more children dying. We so easily forget what gas can do apparently.

@KNOWITALL It is not that I do not care but I kinda feel that we need to get our own house in order before we go around trying to police others. Don’t you feel that it is extremely hypocritical to demand that Syria not have chemical weapons while we stockpile and maintain around 3100 tons of the stuff ourselves, not to mention the biological and nuclear weapons that we own.

They broke their promise when they used gas, we didn’t. We draw the line at gassing masses of people & kids.

When and how did they promise not to do it? They are not signatories to the Chemical Weapons Convention but you know who is? The US, and you know what the convention does? It “outlaws the production, stockpiling, and use of chemical weapons and their precursors”. Care to make a guess as to which of the two countries is actually in violation of the Convention they are trying to use to vilify Syria?

As I said, we need to be without sin before we cast the first stone.

My sister sent This video, *What We’re Not Being Yold About Syria today. I’m not sure if I believe it but SOME of it is probably true.

@rojo What’s holding you back, then/ Move to the paradise that is Syria and escape the evil Obama regime.

Ew. I know a guy from Syria. He says it’s hell. Like, rape isn’t a crime but a cashier can get his hand chopped off for giving incorrect change, hell.

Paradise nothing.

@ETpro I thought you better than that.

You have become rather petulant and less reasoned of late.

@rojo Obama said in his speech that they signed and promised, so if that’s not true, I’ll blame the Prez for misinformation. :)

@rojo, much of that inventory is chemical agents acquired from other countries that the US is destroying for them, Lybia’s stockpile for instance. Once it hits the US it becomes ours.

@Seek_Kolinahr I found the true clif notes version of our military threats against Syriy. Strange that it comes from a comedian who died well before the Syrian revolution began.