Why are we willing to gamble that the Russians won’t use nukes over Syria?
Why is Syria so damned important? Why aren’t you asking that question?
Syria wasn't important until Obama drew that Red Line.
And the Russians have been nose to nose with US Special Forces for a couple years now in Syria and no nukes deployed.
Too much bedwetting around here.
What is good to realize is that Syria is considerably more important to Russia than to the US, so they will bid higher, likely all the way to global thermonuclear war.
A Russian retreat on Syria means increase of US pressure on Russia itself, all the way to break up of Russia. Thus, Putin retreating is not a likely option. A strike outside of the region that would lead to too fast an escalation is not likely either. Thus, in case of a US missile attack on Syria, retaliation will likely be done against US Navy And/Or bases in Syria (At Tanf) And/Or bases in nearby countries, like US bases in Romania or UK bases on Cyprus.
However, we may not have a GTW this time around, latest from Donald: White House comments on Syria - number of options besides missile strike
>Why are we willing to gamble that the Russians won’t use nukes over Syria?
>Why is Syria so damned important? Why aren’t you asking that question?
This. What’s in this for us? I’m not seeing an upside. I hope Trump isn’t thinking he has to be tough with Syria and Russia to fend off Mueller’s BS investigation. And what’s the deal with telegraphing that you’re gonna attack? I thought that was a dumb move when Obummer did it, and I’m not sure why it’s okay now other than Trump is doing it.
WHO it is (Syria, in this case), is almost irrelevant. If it had been, oh, say, Cambodia using chem weapons repeatedly, and continuing to do so after warnings and even a retaliatory strike, then they would be equally deserving of being hit, and hit hard.
If you do not understand the “why” of this, you need to study up before making further comments. And no, I am NOT saying that in a “mean” way. About 80% of all FReepers do not seem to understand the history and the grave risks of not stopping chem weapons use before it gets out of hand.
Now, if you wish to argue that the Syrians did not do the deed, then I will listen. However, as Mark Levin pointed out this evening, it appears this was an air drop, and who else in the area has the air drop capacity? Do you think the Israelis would do it? Us? The Russians themselves?
As for retaliation, Putin might try to shoot down “incoming”, but will not go nuclear, strike our ships, etc. He is pragmatic, and there is no possible upside or profit in it.