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Posted on 02/19/2012 6:49:38 PM PST by Hunton Peck
With the Syrian government continuing its deadly crackdown on its citizens, two senior American senators who were on their way to the Middle East spoke out strongly on Sunday in favor of arming the Syrian opposition forces.
¶ The senators, John McCain of Arizona and Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, both Republicans, laid out a series of diplomatic, humanitarian and military aid proposals that would put the United States squarely behind the effort to topple President Bashar al-Assad of Syria. The senators, both of whom are on the Senate Armed Services Committee, said that rebel fighters deserved to be armed and that helping them take on the Syrian government would aid Washington’s effort to weaken Iran.
¶ Syria relies on Iran for financial and military support, and the governments in Damascus and Tehran have sectarian ties as well: Iran has strongly backed the Syrian Shiite minority and the offshoot Alawite sect that makes up Syria’s ruling class.
¶ “I believe there are ways to get weapons to the opposition without direct United States involvement,” Mr. McCain said. “The Iranians and the Russians are providing Bashar Assad with weapons. People that are being massacred deserve to have the ability to defend themselves.”
¶ “So I am not only not opposed,” he said, “but I am in favor of weapons being obtained by the opposition.”
¶ Syria’s crackdown continued on Sunday, including action near the heart of Damascus, in the Mezze neighborhood near the presidential palace. A day after security forces opened fire on a large demonstration there, killing at least one person, residents reported a heavy concentration of troops throughout the city, apparently sent to head off another protest.
¶ At least 14 people were reported killed around the country, some by the government and some by armed opposition forces, according...
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
I think we should airdrop McCain and his lady friend into Syria and let them fix it.
Isn’t this the type of action that led to the Taliban formation?
Why are 2 US Senators and al-Qaeda on the same side in support of the rebels? What’s wrong with this picture?
Great! More idiocy from Capt Queeg and his sock puppet
Assad is a brutal thug who is no friend to the United States, to Israel, or to any other decent country or person. However, the opposition is likely to be far worse than Assad. Why would we spend our money and assets on making the situation more dangerous for decent people (a category that does not include either side in the Syrian uprising/civil war)?
Because you don’t know the history of Syria’s relationship and the United States.
How much do you think the average American citizen knows about the “below the radar” relationship between Syria and United States?
The Arab League needs to stop treating us like their paid mercenaries. They condemn the crap going on in Syria but won’t do anything about it.
Instead they apply pressure to us (The Saudis are cutting oil output) so we can go in and piss some more islamderthals off so they don’t have to feel the heat.
I agree with Polster. Look what the genius and the smartest woman on the planet accomplished in North Africa. They are returning us to the 15th Century. I wish we could toss them both out of an airplane into Syria.
arming Muslim Brotherhood side will result in escalating the civil war worse than it is.
Also with Russia and China supporting the government side , could well begin another WW which we don't want. (although it could fix our economy,(think 1941) but then it would give Obama another four years) Holy cow!! what am I saying???
my God
Now, the REPUBLICANS are supporting the MUSLIM BROTHERHOOD
If Assad holds out, Shiite Iran and Russia will be pleased and we are back to square one, with Syria being even more anti American.
If Assad is overthrown, the Sunnis , Al Qaeda , Saudi Arabia win, and Assad and his Alawites along with the Christians will get wiped out.
There is no good outcome for us. - Tom
Make them walk and swim instead.
I say we go for Operation Chaos - arm the rebels and keep this thing going.
I really despise McCain and the weak sister Lyndsay Graham and there ridiculous attempts to be relevant and “involved”. Now they want to support the side in Syria that has included in its many goals the MURDER & EXPULSION of the 10% of the Syrian population that is Christian. In 2014 we need to do whatever we can to rid our government of that South Carolina weak sister. His replacement with Congressman Tim Scott or (not as good as Scott but far better than Graham) Governor Nikki Haley whose term in office ends in 2014.
http://www.bosnewslife.com/20443-breaking-news-syria-christians-in-firing-line-hundreds-killed
Oh you SOB...I clicked on this thread solely to post the same comment...(fail for me!)
I have traveled to that part of the world, and I know a fair amount about our distant past and recent past with Syria. But you're right. If there is something in our history that says it's a good idea to replace Assad with the rebels, I don't know what that could be.
Get the Christains out through Israel then microwave some popcorn and the rest will take care of itself.
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