Should we strike in Syria?
By Thom Hartmann A...
We may be only days away from launching an attack on Syria. On Monday, Secretary of State John Kerry said that the use of chemical weapon attacks on civilians was “undeniable,” and that the Obama Administration was prepared to hold the Syrian government accountable. On Tuesday, world leaders in the U.S., Britain, and the United Nations told Syrian rebels to expect an attack on President Bashar al-Assad's military forces.
In an interview with the BBC, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said that the United States military is “ready to go,” and said, “we are working with the United Nations.” At this point, military action in Syria seems all but certain, and air strikes could happen as early as Thursday according to senior U.S. officials. However, U.S. lawmakers are divided on how to proceed, and many are calling on President Obama to reconvene Congress ,and gain approval before ordering any military action.
Republican Senators Lindsey Graham and John McCain, along with Democrat Bill Nelson, support a military strike in Syria, but a large, bi-partisan group of lawmakers disagree. Democratic Congresswoman Barbara Lee said, “While the use of chemical weapons is deeply troubling and unacceptable, I believe there is no military solution to the complex Syrian crisis.” And, Republican Congressman Scott Rigell posed the question, “What does this look like a month out, six months our, a year out?”
This situation is evolving rapidly, and it's unlikely that these important questions will be answered before a decision is made about a military strike. There is no easy solution here, and it's likely that action against Assad could make matters even worse. All we can do now is watch closely, and hope that our elected leaders work together to agree on the best action. Keep an eye on this.
Comments
#2
It's not a surprise that "kill them all and let God sort 'em all out" Lindsay Graham and John McCain support killing more civilians in Syria. After all, they are as-of-yet unindicted war criminals left over from the Bush war criminal regime. Hopefully, one day that will change and we will indict those sick bastards...right along with those sick bastards in the Obama regime.
We, the US, are not, nor should we be, the world's policemen. But profit driven war criminals have scared gullible Americans with boo stories of WMDs and mushroom clouds. What did US war criminals know? That they had supported Iraq in using chemical weapons against Iran and that they might turn around and defend themselves against the greedy US in the event that the US continued their seedy and illegal control of the Middle East oil.
They really had no proof that Iraq still had WMD (chemical weapons...which get weakened and ineffective over time) and certainly no proof of nuclear weapons. We all know now that they not only grossly exaggerated but that they deliberately lied to us all.
The Obama administration has been playing the same game as the Bush administration...they continue to lie to the American people in order to push other countries around. And the US has continued to be guilty of continuing to mass murder hundreds of thousands of innocent civilians in the illegal Middle East wars of occupation and control of the oil. Surely, Americans are not going to fall for the same old, worn-out, lies that our Administration tells us.... to get us, yet again, tangled in another war...killing yet more civilians..probably way more civilians than has been killed already!
The US has used illegal and banned munitions like depleted uranium which contaminates the land causing gross birth defects for generations. And there had been reports, during the invasion of Iraq, of bunkers of chemical weapons that had markings on them that indicated they were made in the US..and may have dated back during the early 80s. They were too old to be effective any more as effective weapons of war. These were very likely the chemical weapons that Saddam got from the US to use against Iran back during the Reagan administration.
But in blowing up those bunkers, many US servicemen got very sick with strange diseases that ended up not only killing them but also passing on those diseases to their loved ones back in the US..causing birth defects there as well.
In past wars, like Vietnam, they used Agent Orange and other chemicals and carcinogenic materials that not only killed many innocent civilian and eventually US servicemen or birth defects ensued years later. The US used Napalm which was particularly cruel because once that jelly splatters on your body...it sticks and burns intensely. And now, the Israelis used White Phosphorus (also a banned weapon...and like Napalm burns intensely) dropped from helicopters in Gaza against the Palestinian civilians.
I still believe that the chemical weapon used in Syria was "Made in the USA" and used by the rebels at the behest of the US...or maybe even by CIA agents. Just another false flag operation in the attempt to steer us all, psychologically, into supporting their hegemonic goals.
The US is really not much different than Nazi Germany. Hitler meant to conquer all and so does the US. And the US plays the same false flag games as Hitler did when he sent German soldiers to pretend they were Polish attackers of the radio station. Same thing the Mormons did when they dressed up as Indians and attacked a wagon train in Utah. And that ploy goes way back into history.
Everything that great powers do should always be challenged by the people because history has proven over and over again that our leaders lie to us in order to get what they want. Peal Harbor, assassination of JFK, RFK, MLK, 9/11,WMDs, mushroom clouds, are just more recent examples. Now, they are about to add one more to that list in Syria.
What would the US leaders do if, or when, the people finally rebel against their corrupt government? Would our government knuckle under to their demands of ousting the crooked leaders? Or would they, at first, send out policemen with tear gas...then escalating to other more lethal forms of control? If things got so uncontrollable for them...would they resort to lethal chemical weapons? You don't think so? Hellfire missile carrying drones? You don't think so? Hollow-point bullets? You don't think so? Would our leaders be any more civil and understanding than President Bashar al-Assad? By the way.."al-assad" means the lion in Arabic.
Quote wikipedia on Bashar al-Assad:
A 2007 law required internet cafes to record all the comments users post on chat forums.[32] Websites such as Wikipedia Arabic, YouTube and Facebook were blocked intermittently between 2008 and February 2011.[33][34][35]Human Rights groups, such as Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International, have detailed how Bashar's government and secret police routinely tortured, imprisoned, and killed political opponents, and those who speak out against the government.[36][37] Since 2006 it expanded the use of travel bans against dissidents. In that regard, Syria is the worst offender among Arab states.
So, how much different is it right here in the US? The NSA monitors everything we say on the internet and everywhere else...telephone conversations, etc. The US government does block a lot of content from the internet. The US does have "secret police" and they certainly have renditioned, imprisoned and tortured US citizens...murdered them. They have even, I believe, assassinated news reporters who have revealed too much. They have even assassinated Presidents...like JFK.
And the US also has travel bans for hundreds of thousands of US citizens all on no-fly lists because of their anti-government sentiments.
Is the US really much different than Syria or any of the other countries the US, hypocritically, condemns for human rights issues?
The biggest reason why the US is willing to lie again and attack Syria is because Syria dared to stand up to Israel. And we all know that Israel and the US are thick as thieves and sleeping together. One is always the other's whore. They take turns in that role.
#3
I am entirely aware that some people are too busy...or perhaps lazy...to read very much and will skip over my posts. That's perfectly ok...I expect that. But some may actually read my stuff....maybe not. But, you know...I am having fun and getting lots of practice in composing ideas and typing them. A great way to keep the old synapses in shape. I know I should probably go back to school to learn not to use so many commas or periods..or perhaps quotes and would probably do better to be way more concise. Naw...too late. And schools cost too much now..the tuition would kill me.
Yeah, that's right...we don't need no stinkin' phacts, right? Let's all just believe in our 'illustrious' leaders who just happen to continually lie to us and continually prove that they are not really representing those of us who voted for them.
#4
You know it is really funny(not) how Israel and the US can get away with war crimes...like using chemical weapons themselves and killing lots of civilians...but then turn right around and accuse someone else of doing it and then wanting to invade that country which would result in murdering many more civilians. Hypocrite war criminals!!
#5
Quote National Geographic-Chemical Warfare, From Rome to Syria. A Time Line.:
Nerve agents are the most lethal and quickest-acting category of chemical weapons. A single drop of sarin or the deadlier VX (the "V" in its code name indicates the "V-series," or venomous agents) can kill a person in minutes. Iraq became the first country to employ nerve agents on the battlefield when it released them as airborne chemicals, along with mustard gas, during the Iran-Iraq War. (Most nerve agents can also be administered in liquid form. They're tasteless in drinking water.)Though a party to the Geneva Protocol, Iraq began employing chemical weapons against Iran as early as 1983. By 1988, reports had surfaced of nerve agents being used against Kurdish Iraqis in the north; one detailed the Iraqi government killing up to 5,000 Kurds in a single chemical attack at Halabja, possibly including deadly sarin and VX.
Today, these two nerve agents are among the chemical weapons in Syria's suspected arsenal.
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2013/08/130822-syria-chemical-bi...
#6
As a Canadian we have been in Afganistan for 12 years now on a 5 year UN mission. We where suppost to be replaced by some other UN member. Of course it never happened. Thanks to Obama sending in 30,000 more troops a lot more Canadian soldiers are making it home alive. But isn't it time European countries or China or any body else did something. Do you thing Sweden and Finland could afford all there social programs if they chiped in like we have. I don't think so.
It is time we became energy self suffceint in North America and let the whole Middle East become a European/China problem. They would need the energy there not us.
Know one for the Middle East would give a rats ass about us if we where all here in North America minding our own business. It is so easy do do, we have plenty of resources here.
#7
And if we can't keep our synapses in good condition then there is always DARPA...
Quote DARPA:Systems of Neuromorphic Adaptive Plastic Scalable Electronics (SyNAPSE)Current programmable machines are limited not only by their computational capacity, but also by an architecture requiring human-derived algorithms to describe and process information from their environment. In contrast, biological neural systems, such as a brain, autonomously process information in complex environments by automatically learning relevant and probabilistically stable features and associations. Since real-world problems generally have many variables and nearly infinite combinatorial complexity, neuromorphic electronic machines would be preferable in a host of applications. Useful and practical implementations, however, do not yet exist.
The vision for the Systems of Neuromorphic Adaptive Plastic Scalable Electronics (SyNAPSE) program is to develop electronic neuromorphic machine technology that scales to biological levels. SyNAPSE supports an unprecedented multidisciplinary approach coordinating aggressive technology development activities in the following areas: hardware, architecture, simulation, and environment.
The initial phase of SyNAPSE developed nanometer-scale electronic synaptic components capable of adapting connection strength between two neurons in a manner analogous to that seen in biological systems and simulated the utility of these synaptic components in core microcircuits that support the overall system architecture.
Continuing efforts will focus on hardware development through microcircuit development, fabrication process development, single chip system development, and multi-chip system development. In support of these hardware developments, SyNAPSE seeks to develop increasingly capable architecture and design tools, very large-scale computer simulations of the neuromorphic electronic systems to inform the designers and validate hardware prior to fabrication, and virtual environments for training and testing simulated and hardware neuromorphic systems.
http://www.darpa.mil/Our_Work/DSO/Programs/Systems_of_Neuromorphic_Adapt...
One step closer to Robocops and the elite being able to not go senile because only they will be able to afford such technological medical operations.
#8
You can practice anywhere Palin. I like your posts but too many words only equals too many details only equals too many little devils. I'd like to see us support the Thom Hartmann show and not use it as a mere platform to stand and whine off of. Especially if only for practice. If you want to practice something; practice how to get as many readers to read you as possible, not top your plate with as many pizza slices as possible from a buffet which isn't likely to close any year soon. Support and gain support. Grandstand and stand alone, until gravity kicks in, then comes an awkward fall. You know what the painter says, "The top step is always the smallest to stand upon, especially if no one's there to hold the ladder.
#9
Kend: So, you are saying the the US, and it's war criminal accomplices, should share all that fun with the Far East or Sweden? The fact that the Western war criminals are there to begin with is to control the oil so that they can more easily control prices (keep oil prices high); but, more importantly...hold that leverage over China and the others. Why would they want China in on what they are trying to control against unless they connived a very bad deal for China or the others? Also, the more the leading war criminals can entice or blackmail other countries to join in their crimes, the more they can claim unanimity in justifiable acts of violence against those they want to control.
#10
Dear Palindromedary,
My first wish would be to be granted a million wishes.
One of those million wishes would be to know everything about every nation's major governing body's true agenda, as you do.
Then I would wish for the truth about what every major national leader on our planet is Really thinking about!
I would like to thank you in advance for granting me this wish since someone obviously granted this wish for you; I can only hope to gain such divine powers from your likeness.
And if you refuse me such amenities, then might I at least be fortunate enough to ask you what it's like to view our entire planet Earth from the perspective of an orbiting and all-knowing god like podium.
Please have patience with my mere mortal inquiry. For I do suffer flaws like the rest of us mortals.
Need you a sacrifice for me to display my devotion ?
#11
Well, I'm not the one who has, apparently, had way too many pizzas. You, perhaps, should have worn a shirt. And as for "whining"..one could say that many of us...including Thom Hartmann has done nothing but "whine"...if that's what you want to call it. You remind me of the Republicans who had a popular saying when Democrats expressed their discontent with the Bush administration..."Just get over it!" Remember that? Well, did you just get over it? Oh, that's right, you was a Republican back then, huh? I sure didn't get over it and I won't until the system changes back to where we all have more equal rights and a more just slice of the pie and a government that stops murdering civilians in unjust wars and stops lying so much to us all. Your Liar and Thief President that you love so much is part of the problem. As far as I am concerned he joined the forces of the dark side (no pun intended). And you can try to belittle me by saying that I "whine" too much. Whatever! I don't care a whit! You think that some of the non-sense you have typed is understandable? I don't think so! It's like...what the hell did he just try to say? Duh! Sorry...just sayin'!
#12
Quote Gulf War Vets website:On July 24, 1997, the Pentagon increased the number to 98,900. "An estimated 98,900 troops were in the path of a plume of nerve gas unleashed when U.S. combat engineers blew up the Kamisiyah ammunition depot in southern Iraq in March 1991, shortly after the war. That represents almost one-seventh of all Americans who served in the war.It is estimated there are now more than 80,000 veterans suffering from Gulf War Syndrome, many still on active duty. Reports from the U.K. indicate there are thousands of British veterans with the syndrome.
In many cases, Gulf War Syndrome appears to be transmissible. In addition to the 80,000+ veterans who are sick, there are thousands of spouses, parents, and children who are also suffering from the same debilitating illnesses -- and in the case of a disproportionate number of newborns, birth defects and physical abnormalities.
The Department of Defense, the Central Intelligence Agency, and the Department of Veterans Affairs have been lying to the U.S. Congress, Gulf War veterans, and the American people about coalition forces' exposure to chemical and biological agents during the war.
This criminal, reprehensible, shameful, dishonorable, and egregious act on their part has caused incalculable pain and suffering, caused many who risked their lives for our flag to die, inflicted severe financial hardships, caused many veterans' children to be born deformed and disabled, caused many veterans' children to become diseased, destroyed marriages and families, and eroded the trust of the American people in the institutions they once revered.
Gulf War veterans are truly the victims of patriotism. What they have suffered is the great American tragedy.
Those who have perpetrated and perpetuated this lie must be held fully accountable.
----
There is increasing concern that before the Gulf War, the U.S. secretly provided Iraq with chemical weapons AND the technology and materials to manufacture their own -- to use against Iran. A Marine Corps EOD (explosive ordnance disposal) specialist discovered and photographed chemical munitions with U.S. markings and lot numbers in an Iraqi bunker. (Note: Five United Nations reports have confirmed the use of chemical warfare agents in the Iran-Iraq War.)There is also concern that we, the United States, the principal signatory to the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC), had chemical weapons in the Gulf and used them.
In his January 28, 1991 interview with Saddam Hussein, CNN's Peter Arnett asked specifically about chemical weapons. (Note that many attacks and confirmed detections made by Czech, French, British, and U.S. forces occurred before this interview. The air war started on January 16, 1991.)
http://www.gulfwarvets.com/arison/gws.htm
This was written in 1991 and updated in 1997 by the gulfwarvets website. Since, we know a lot more about how criminal our government has been...thanks, in part to people like Assange, Manning, Snowden and all the other whistle blowers.
#13
Quote GeorgeWashingtonUniversity:Document 1: United States Embassy in Turkey Cable from Richard W. Boehm to the Department of State. "Back Up of Transshipment Cargos for Iraq," November 21, 1980.Shortly after the beginning of the Iran-Iraq war, the U.S. embassy in Ankara reports that Turkish ports have a backlog of goods awaiting transshipment to Iraq, and that a substantial amount of Israeli goods transit Turkey for "Islamic belligerents," including Israeli chemical products for Iran. It remarks on "Israeli acumen" in selling to both Iran and Iraq.
The Iran-Iraq war was a tragedy for Iraqis and Iranians, resulting in hundreds of thousands of casualties and immense material damage. It was sustained by an arms bazaar made up of a broad spectrum of foreign governments and corporations: British, Spanish, Italian, French, German, Brazilian, Argentinean, Chilean, North Korean, Chinese, South African, Eastern European, Israeli, American, etc., who found both combatants eager consumers of weapons, ammunition, and military technology. Iran needed U.S.-origin weapons compatible with the military infrastructure created by the U.S. during the shah's reign, could not buy them directly, and had to rely on third-party suppliers like Israel.
-------------
Document 15: United States Interests Section in Iraq Cable from William L. Eagleton, Jr. to the Department of Commerce. "Helicopters and Airplanes for Iraqi Ministry of Agriculture and Agrarian Reform," September 20, 1982.Iraq's director of agricultural aviation invites U.S. crop-spraying aircraft manufacturers to provide information about helicopters and pilot training, noting problems with its existing equipment because pilots have been inhaling insecticide fumes.
Iran was reporting chemical weapons use against its forces by this time. According to a 1991 article in the Los Angeles Times, American-built helicopters were used by Iraq for some of its chemical weapons attacks; according to the Central Intelligence Agency, Iraq experimented with using commercial crop sprayers for biological warfare.
Source: Declassified under the Freedom of Information Act
http://www2.gwu.edu/~nsarchiv/NSAEBB/NSAEBB82/
note: there are a lot of these unclassified documents at this web site...I have not been able to read them all...but some look pretty condemning of the USG.
The damn crapitolists don't care who gets murdered by their weapons just as long as they get their money and control over whatever or whomever is left.
#14
Ok, now I'll give someone else a chance...I gotta go...more important things to do for now...have fun!
#15
No Palin, We (Canadians) are there to help the Afgan's make a living by supplying them with irrigation systems, schools etc to help them survive without bad guy money. Crazy but young girls can go to school there now, Thats the real threat to them, It is changing there way of life. . America is in the middle East to stabilize the area to keep the oil prices low so industrial nations can carry on with our wonderful perfect life we have. Coming from a oil producing area I would benifit a lot if the whole Middle East was in turmoil, oil prices would sky rocket and I would make out just fine. China is laughing there head off that the US for spending all that borrowed money from China to keep oil prices down for the Chinese.
I like you though do not want any one there. Let them work it out themselves. I am tired of watching my brave soldiers come down the "highway of heros" with our flag over thier coffins. Unlike America who hides all the bodies coming home with media blackouts we proudly honor our hero's. In my mind there is no greater hero than one who leaves the greatest place on earth to go to the worst place on earth to help people they don't even know. Remember we don't just go to oil producing countries. We where the only country left in Rwanada when the shit hit the fan and stayed to the bitter end. Well after the rest of the world bailed.
#16
I do not understand why Congress is not being called back into session. Impeachment's "high crimes and misdemeanors covers allegations of misconduct peculiar to officials, such as perjury of oath, abuse of authority, bribery, intimidation, misuse of assets, failure to supervise, dereliction of duty...."
So how are Boehner and Reid not guilty of a dereliction of duty for not getting Congress involved with this exceptionally dangerous decision to attack another country?
Only Congress can tell Obama that his red line was a dumb line, and pull us back from the brink of another conflict, very possibly with Russia and Iran. See:
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/2013/08/26/320593/us-bankster-have-syria-in-sights/
#17
The two most useful things I've read so far about the Syrian situation are these: www.atimes.com/atimes/Middle_East/NI28Ak03.html and www.opednews.com/articles/Syria-Another-Western-War-by-Paul-Craig-Robert....
What I've been yowling for a couple of days at my supposed representatives in Washington is this:
How is it just to find endless money for military aggression and defense profiteers, but none to create jobs for suffering Americans and save our collapsing cities?
How is it just to call meddling in the Syrian conflict a "moral" issue, while the real moral issues facing our country are violated -- by actions like taking food and early education away from children, ripping off college students, having a minimum wage lower than it was in 1968, swiping pensions from private and public employees, attacking Social Security and subsidizing devious banksters who practice debt extortion all over the world to rob communities and nations of their revenues and treasures?
Thank you, Thom, for your marvelous programs. You and Bernie are among my favorite people.
#18
Yikes, before I go, I have to express dismay at seeing a Victoria's Secret ad here. From what I've read, they use prison labor, paying Americans pennies an hour. I wouldn't take home anything from them, if they were giving it away.
#19
If there is anything the American government can do to make it even more hated by the rest of the world, by God, that's exactly what they'll do.
Sorry, Syria, but it looks like you're the next one to get stepped on by Americans stomping their way to global domination.
Beam me up, Scotty...this planet sucks!
#20
It doesn't make sense to me why Assad would launch such an attack just after a group of inspectors enters Syria to research chemical weapons use. Why would he risk outside intervention - especially from the US? There are plenty of people who want to get involved in Syria, and by extension, Iran. Like a lot of Republicans. How do we know this wasn't done by the CIA to pull us in? I'm suspicious.
#21
"It's a slam dunk, Mr. President."
#22
I've already gotten several e-mails asking me to sign petitions against attacking Syria, but none of the petitions has been to encourage Congress to take their power to declare war back from the President.
Whisky Tango Foxtrot?
#23
The Twain Report
All The News That Mark Twain Says He Would Report If He Was Alive Today
8-28-2013
In keeping with the tradition started by George Bush when a bunch of Arabian citizens attacked the World Trade Towers on 9-11 and Bush responded by invading Iraq, the Twain Report suggests that because Syria's Assad (or the Syrian rebel forces, or the CIA, or someone else) has apparently used chemical weapons against the Syrian people, we should invade Turkmenistan.
But why Turkmenistan, you ask, when it was Syria's Assad who apparently used the chemical weapons? And of course the answer is, what's the matter with you, I thought you were a patriot.
And let's not cherry-pick here. If Obama is going to continue in his efforts to be a more erudite but otherwise perfect carbon copy of George Bush, Obama will now go to Syria and have photos taken of him walking around holding hands with Assad and kissing him on the lips. THEN we will invade Turkmenistan.
The Twain Report can hardly wait for our patriotic war against all those freedom haters in Turkmenistan to start. Hopefully this will be a fair and balanced war, with hundreds of thousands of innocents being killed. And let's not forget the equally important total destruction of Turkmenistan's hospitals, schools, water supplies, and roads, because that's how you convince freedom-haters to become freedom-lovers. And the pallet-loads of billions of dollars in cash being "misplaced" in Turkmenistan.
Ever the patriotic congressman, John McCain has followed the leadup to our latest patriotic war with one hand on his computer mouse, the other hand in his pants, and a glazed look in his eyes, chanting, "Bomb-bomb-bomb, Bomb Turk-menistan!"
The Twain Report just loves the smell of jingoism in the morning- it clogs the sinuses and enhances selective memory. And it guarantees that Obama will go down in history as our first warmongering black president.
A famous Ivy League alumni who asked to remain anonymous said, "Look, it's fine for Bush to behave that way, it's expected of people who cheated their way through Yale. But Obama pretended that he knew better."
Obviously Obama does not know better. But at least now we know what he will do when he leaves the White House. He will do naked paintings of himself in the bathtub.
And the biggest question on everyone's mind is whether Michelle will go along with Barack's plan to change her name to Laura.
#24
I was shocked, but sadly not surprised to hear an NPR interviewer today ask a former weapons analyst if he could say with certainty that the Syrian government wasn't the party that used the chemical weapons. Remarkably poor question in America where we supposedly demand proof beyond a shadow of a doubt prior to convicting someone. The question should be, "How can Obama be sure that Assad ordered the attack and that it was made by the government?" And, if he is sure, "Why isn't he giving us the proof?" Shouldn't the standard be at least as tough as our own standard for criminal convictions, before we start bombing some other country and killing more people?
Iraq 2 Redux. There is no legal, moral, practical, or intelligent basis for attacking Syria. Two legal wrongs don't make it right. Two immoral actions don't make it moral. Come up with a much better plan.
#25
"All we can do is watch.... and hope..."????
No, we need to object!
The inspectors are still on the ground. We don't have the support of key countries (eg: Russia). Does this sound familiar?
#26
Quote Palindromedary:I still believe that the chemical weapon used in Syria was "Made in the USA" and used by the rebels at the behest of the US...or maybe even by CIA agents. Just another false flag operation in the attempt to steer us all, psychologically, into supporting their hegemonic goals.The US is really not much different than Nazi Germany. Hitler meant to conquer all and so does the US. And the US plays the same false flag games as Hitler did when he sent German soldiers to pretend they were Polish attackers of the radio station. Same thing the Mormons did when they dressed up as Indians and attacked a wagon train in Utah. And that ploy goes way back into history.
Palindromedary ~ You are spot on correct! Oh, how we do love to cherry pick the innocent civilians whose life's matter and those who don't. And oh, how short our memory is. Hitler would be turning green with envy at this point.
I might support invading Syria, but for only one reason. The more "domino's" this corrupt and evil fascist government of ours knocks over in the middle east the more of a threat they become to China and Russia. At this rate it is only a matter of time for these two super powers to get fed up, join the forces of the oppressed, and put a final end to this nightmare. The people in this country could never hope to overthrown anything. They might succeed politically; but, even then the odds are stacked against them. Even thought possible it would take more time than it will take to invade the middle east. There is a faster way.
The only real way to end this campaign of evil quickly is through outside superpower intervention. You know, the same way the Syrian rebels are about to do it. Remember the propaganda dished out in Russia and China don't need to make stuff up to rally their peoples against the United States. Like FDR did in the 1930's. All they have to do is tell the people the truth and share the stories of the US victims that is conveniently blocked from the American media. They will not have to be told what they need to do they will know instinctively.
#27
However horrible it is that waring factions use chemical weapons, dead is dead and this is not a football match. If we bomb the established leaders in Syria, we will kill, with our authentic non-chemical bombs, numbers of children and women and citizens and they will be dead as also only dead can be dead.
We have great opportunities in the world to come up with ways to solve problems without having to make dead as a resolution.
We have no business being in Syria nor had we business to be in any mid-east country. If we cannot forward fund these war games the way Republicons want to forward fund the post office, we cannot afford the activity. If we cannot afford to help our own impoverished people in our own country, nor have a Medicare-like public funded health care system for all our citizens, nor fully fund our Social Security without WEP & GPO, nor offer free college educations for those who have the talent and interest, nor numerous other activities that we say we can't afford due to the heavy costs of our war games, then we are one lost nation, one lost society.
We cannot afford aide and armaments to other countries when we cannot afford to help our own citizens. Good will starts with good will at home, in our own families, in our own hearts and minds, in our own actions.
Greed, Anger, Delusion currently inspires our actions and it only takes one of these to be heading down the wrong path. We are guilty of all 3.
May we wake up, may we truly wake up.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#28
I'm sorry but all these "wars" in the middle east are only important to America because of their oil. Rather than intervene constantly, couldn't we just let them do what they want like we have done in all those non-oil countries in Africa and let them fight it out? Then we can make our bargin with whatever new devil ends up running their country. All these wars in the middle east are one faction of Islam against the other. These countries are not civilized enough to appreciate democracy. They just want their dictator that's the same sect as theirs. We can do humanitary help, but using the military in those countries doesn't seem to be good for anyone.
#29
I'm on your team!
#30
Quote Ronaldo7:However horrible it is that waring factions use chemical weapons, dead is dead and this is not a football match. If we bomb the established leaders in Syria, we will kill, with our authentic non-chemical bombs, numbers of children and women and citizens and they will be dead as also only dead can be dead.
Ronaldo7 ~ Well said! However, there is one small difference between the dead victims. One set will be covered in detail on the American propaganda machine, the other will be blanked out and only portrayed as a number--"collateral damage"
They should include as well all the collateral damage this is done in the brains, hearts, and souls of the American populace who fall for all this smoke and mirrors when the truth is finally revealed to them.
#31
Unfortunately, the "supposedly" is the problem.
#32
who do we think we are? stay home. mind our own business. get our economy moving. improve our education/schools. focus on the chicago killings. if we must get involved outside of U.S., 1-drones... 2-drop a bomb (like Truman). 3-take over the country/control it. it's ours. now if we don't like that -stay home. mind our own business !
#33
The first thought that comes to mind is: What about Agent Orange in Vietnam? What about nuclear grade weapons used against the Iraqi people in the first Iraqi war (maybe the second as well). Do we know? We do know that the Vietnamese people, the Iraqi people continue to suffer from the hellish circumstances we brought to their lives... horrendous birth defects. Unspeakble crimes perpetrated by us. The US. Now the United States with shameless audacity takes the high ground to talk about unconscionable acts of aggression using chemical warfare "against one's own people." I guess we're supposed to understand that it's OK to use chemical warfare against defenseless people if they're not your own people... Your own people? We kicked 9/11 under the carpet and now, from the self-righteous bully pulpit made possible by a vast and indefensible amnesia we prove again that the only right there is is the one that comes at the end of the biggest stick. If Obama makes one move against Syria, he should be impeached.
#34
We definitely should NOT strike in Syria. There are several great articles on Common Dreams today. One is "Killing Civilians to Protect Civilians in Syria," and the other one is an article with a video about a Syrian father who was reunited with his young son after the two were separated in the chaos of warfare. I hope everyone gets to see today's Common Dreams.
#35
KERCHING! That's the sound of the cash registers ringing up more war profiteering for the military industrial complex. As one war looks like being wound down, the war materiel industry will be pushing for yet another one to keep those profits flowing. Any congressman who stands in the way will be steamrolled with attack ads and tsunamis of funds for their opponents.
#36
I agree, may we truly wake up and ask.....why do we kill people to show people who kill people that killing people is wrong?
I know the bumper sticker has been around forever, but it's timeless, and the best one I've ever seen.
One peaceful solution would be to get congress involved as the decider. We know they will do the opposite of what Obama wants to do......so in other words do nothing.... they're pretty damn good at that.
#37
Palin -- Wait a minute. In Iraq we fought the war and China got the oil.
#38
TOK -- I have never seen a Victoria Secrets ad here. Those are targeted ads.
Do you think if we spend money on a war it will have any effect on how much we spend on headstart? Due to the complex way economies work spending money on a war could provide more spending on SNAP, schools etc. As an example, the effect of the huge debt generated by WW II. I should mention I am totally against war as a stimulus, and I only like to point out how weird the economy is.
#39
Whatever -- Unfortunately, the repug house will impeach Obama if he doesn't make a move on Syria.
#40
DR Olorun is the only Dr who could ever get my HIV-AIDS cured with his healing spell, i have tried almost everything but i could'nt find any solution on my disease, despite all these happening to me, i always spend a lot to buy a HIV drugs from hospital and taking some several medications but no relieve, until one day i was just browsing on the internet when i come across a great post of !Michelle! who truly said that she was been diagnose with HIV and was healed that very week through the help of these great powerful healing spell doctor, sometime i really wonder why people called him Papa olorun, i never knew it was all because of the great and perfect work that he has been doing that is causing all this. so i quickly contacted him, and he ask me some few questions and he said a thing i will never forget that anyone who contacted him is ! always getting his or her healing in just 6 hours after doing all he ask you, so i was amazed all the time i heard that from him, so i did all things only to see that at the very day which he said i will be healed, all the strength that has left me before rush back and i becomes very strong and healthy, this disease almost kills my life all because of me, so i will to hospital to give the final test to the disease and the doctor said i am HIV negative, i am very amazed and happy about the healing Dr Olorun gave to me from the ancient part of Africa, you can email him now for your own healing too at: Olorunoduduwaspiritualtemple@gmail.com or call him on +2348165219949
thank you sir for healing me from HIV, i am Matilda Morgan
#41
Our country is falling apart while this so-called 'Democrat' president (actually a Republican Trojan Horse) wages endless war. I can't remember the last time this nation wasn't at war. Over a decade now. Why? Let other countries solve their own problems. I want my taxes to go to creating a universal health care system, to support higher education for all who are qualified, for affordable housing and improving our infrastructure, thus providing jobs for many Americans. NOT for bankrupting America while further enriching warmongers. But who is listening to anyone but the filthy rich?
#42
No the United States should not. Until the government will provide free 4 years of college, no interest home loan and free healthcare.
#43
Abolish Corporate Personhood...NOW!
Do You want to end profit motivated war?
movetoamend.org
Do You want a better public education system?
Do you want affordable education?
movetoamend.org
Do You want a People before Profit ideology?
movetoamend.org
Do You want fair wages...One that at the very least meets the basic cost of living?
movetoamend.org
Do You want to take back our Corporate highjacked Government?
movetoamend.org
Do You want Green Energy Policies?
movetoamend.org
Do you want affordable Health Care?
movetoamend.org
Do you want a diplomatic foreing policies over a military one?
movetoamend.org
Do You want a Democratic Government System that was intended to be; Of, For, and By the People?
movetoamend.org
Do you want a Government that upholds and protects the Equal Right to Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness?
movetoammend.org
In my opinion the simplest and most affective solution to all our social woes, both foreign and domestic, is to get money out of politics, and over turn the Supreme Courts ruling that corporations are a people and money is their voice.
I'll believe Corporations are a People when Texas executes one!
#44
Now your digg'in where there are taters KEND!
Yes Kend, I agree it is time for North America to become energy self-sufficiant. And the United States can start by writing and funding Green Energy solutions, i.e. Wind, Wave, Solar, and BioFuels.
We have over 3+ decades of scientific proof that the formentioned resources are effective in supplying clean and efficent enegy all while reducing waste & pollution.
Now Kend, before you start going off on some pro Oil Industry propaganda rant...I understand that the excistence of todays modern world is relient on a variety of Patrolium Bi-Products (plastics). However in the arena of Enegy; Solar, Wind, and Wave technology can provide effective and efficient enegy to run our house holds and commercial buildings, and biofuels can reduce air pollution brought about by gas powered vehicles and machinery.
Time to change our way of thinking so that people and planet last.
#45
Nachos, I don't care how we do it, it just has to be done. If Americans are willing to pay 5 or 10 times more for air, wind and solar energy instead of oil and gas, all the better. Lets just get the hell out of the middle East.
#46
I remember seeing in the 2008 Presidential campaign a young white girl on TV holding up a banner with the picture of President Obama sporting a Hitler mustache and hair style. I remember thinking to myself and commenting to friends how stupid and racist that girl was.
Now in retrospect I regret those comments and sentiments. I may have accidentally insulted a Prophet of God. May God forgive me. I do apologize to that little girl--where ever she may be. I hope she forgives me as well. I was wrong.
#47
Bravo nachos!
#48
Why do we care if North America is energy self-sufficient? I want the US to be energy self-sufficient. Charter mongering amongst the states is bad enough, but to include other nations seems disastrous.
#49
Welcome to planet Earth PalinDrone. We hope you enjoy your stay.
#50
That's the problem KEND...You and many many others like you just "don't care" how something gets done or where it came from and the destructive wake it leaves...It's a capitalist mentality (creedo if you will) of Profit before People...Get the job done "by any means necessary...the ends justify the means". Collateral damage is just part of the "profit game"...Just as long as you yourself, or maybe even your kids, don't end up as collateral damage.
My wife has worked in the solar industry for 8 years now, the solar company she works for has been opperating since 1986...She would disagree with your ingnorant statement that solar, or wind, energy would cost 5-10 times more that oil and gas...So would the several European, Asian, and South American countries that 20+ years ago begain writing and funding Green Energy policies.
Time to change our way of thinking...You can ignor reality, but you can not ignor the consequences of reality.
Thom's Blog Is On the Move
By webmaster
Hello All
Thom's blog in this space and moving to a new home.
Please follow us across to hartmannreport.com - this will be the only place going forward to read Thom's blog posts and articles.
Images of Thom
Mueller's favorite place to pray (written about in "Prophet's Way"), and the roof of the room where the Last Supper is reputed to have happened.
Thom & Louise at a "private audience" with His Holiness Pope John Paul II at his summer palace, Castle Gandolfo, Italy
From The Thom Hartmann Reader:
"Through compelling personal stories, Hartmann presents a dramatic and deeply disturbing picture of humans as a profoundly troubled species. Hope lies in his inspiring vision of our enormous unrealized potential and his description of the path to its realization."
From The Thom Hartmann Reader:
"Thom Hartmann channels the best of the American Founders with voice and pen. His deep attachment to a democratic civil society is just the medicine America needs."
From Screwed:
"I think many of us recognize that for all but the wealthiest, life in America is getting increasingly hard. Screwed explores why, showing how this is no accidental process, but rather the product of conscious political choices, choices we can change with enough courage and commitment. Like all of Thom’s great work, it helps show us the way forward."
Lil early to get that wordy Palindromedary. Don't you want people to read your stuff or is there some other reason for the whole TV guide you posted? We don't need more phacts guys. All they do is phatten us up with lead bullets made of plastic.
We need the right questions. Is there anything, outside of current events, that president Bashaar could do which Would justify a military strike?
If so, and our capitol already knows about it, would they want to tell us the whole truth about it? What if the white house truely believes that they have to decide immediately whether or not they should assassinate the next modern Stalin or Hitler?
Why would the white house not want the public to know? What happens when you deliberately take out someone who represents a mass of people, even a mass of people you don't agree with?
Is president Bashaar doing all of this on his own?
Why would our president make the 'fine line' declaration against chemical weapons in the first place?
What if you actually can't find the real answers to these questions on your petty laptop?
What if our president is in fact acting directly on his conscious even though he knows he must sacrifice his image in order to do so appropriately?
And finally, what if you were president?
This one I'll answer for myself; Who cares, it'll never happen unless your as cute as my baby cat Rockabye!!