Consolidated Syria Conflict Thread

[Pete Dero]

Speculation from talking heads on CNN and online. When you stop to think about it, it kind of makes sense too. Assad and the Russians pretty much had the war going their way. The White House even begrudingly accepted that Assad would remain the Syrian leader, publicly. So then the Syrians/Russiana launch a chemical attack? Makes no sense.

Or you think you can get away with it now, because the US stated Syria should decide the fate of Syria.
Maybe he wanted to see how far he could go after that White House statement (this is how our local news is reporting on it) and maybe he didn't expect a 180° turn in one week by the US.

[Gusington]

^I can buy that, I suppose. Maybe Assad and the Russians are not that bright after all or thought they could walk all over Trump.

[OJsDad]

Speculation from talking heads on CNN and online. When you stop to think about it, it kind of makes sense too. Assad and the Russians pretty much had the war going their way. The White House even begrudingly accepted that Assad would remain the Syrian leader, publicly. So then the Syrians/Russiana launch a chemical attack? Makes no sense.

Or you think you can get away with it now, because the US stated Syria should decide the fate of Syria.
Maybe he wanted to see how far he could go after that White House statement (this is how our local news is reporting on it) and maybe he didn't expect a 180° turn in one week by the US.

I'm wondering if the back channel discussions that went with the public statement was an agreement that Syria/Russia wouldn't use chemical weapons.  I wonder also if Russia pushed to use the chemical weapons as a test of Trump to see how much they could push him.  If he hadn't done anything except some strongly worded press release, they may think they can get away with whatever they want else where.  Now, they may have to rethink any reneging on agreements. 

[OJsDad]

Trump has now sent a letter to congress explaining his actions.

http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/trump-sends-congress-letter-explaining-syria-strike/ar-BBzzAO4?li=BBmkt5R&ocid=spartanntp

President Trump on Saturday delivered his justification to Congress for ordering a missile strike on Syria this week, saying in a letter to congressional leaders that the U.S. was prepared to take further military action if necessary.

"I acted in the vital national security and foreign policy interests of the United States, pursuant to my constitutional authority to conduct foreign relations and as Commander in Chief and Chief Executive," Trump wrote.

The letter was addressed to House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) and Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah), the Senate president pro tempore.

"The United States will take additional action, as necessary and appropriate, to further its important national interests," Trump wrote.

Under the War Powers Resolution, the president is required to submit an explanation for the use of force within 48 hours after military action is taken. The deadline for Trump to do so would be Saturday night.

Trump's letter echoed his comments delivered roughly an hour after the strikes on Thursday night, when he characterized the strikes as in the "vital national security interest" of the U.S.

"It is in this vital national security interest of the United States to prevent and deter the spread and use of deadly chemical weapons," Trump said at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida, where he was hosting Chinese President Xi Jinping.

[Sir Slash]

I wouldn't believe CNN if they said the sun will rise tomorrow in the east.

[bayonetbrant]

http://ig.ft.com/sites/2015/isis-oil/

[bayonetbrant]

http://www.duffelblog.com/2017/04/syria-issues-travel-ban-u-s-missiles/

[mirth]

http://www.duffelblog.com/2017/04/syria-issues-travel-ban-u-s-missiles/

"This impacts the most vulnerable group in America today: the Navy's surface fleet," said Neill O'Connor, a spokesman for Amnesty International. "All these poor sailors want to do is feel like they're actually part of a war and tell their sweethearts how much danger they're in before going back to the galley for mid-rats."

:DD

[mirth]

http://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/9089/americas-tomahawk-missile-attack-on-syrias-shayrat-air-base-was-a-sham

[JasonPratt]

n effect, by sending throngs of TLAMs against hardened aircraft shelters and the like, commanders are knowingly putting the missiles to work in a symbolic gesture, with limited expected results.

We've been thinking the same thing, of course: it's a symbolic reprisal, meant to state that we could do more damage if we wanted to, so cut out doing X.

But is it even serving that function? I opined way back at the start when we first heard news about the strike, that the locals would see it as an impotent gesture. The floundering political fallout looks like it could be even worse.

[steve58]

Trump just fed ISIS a MOAB.  O0 Apparently this was the first time the MOAB was used on the battlefield.

...oops.  Sorry target was in Afghanistan, not Syria  :-[

[bayonetbrant]

There's ISIS guys in Afghanistan?  Isn't the second "IS" for Iraq & Syria"?

[Barthheart]

In Afghanistan...  ???

[steve58]

Haven't lots (many, some?) radical Islamic terrorist cells pledged allegiance to ISIS?  So "ISIS" can be spread pretty wide.

[Barthheart]

I thought Afghanistan was mostly Taliban turf.. and they don't like ISIS at all.