All holy hell has broken loose in Syria.

[Brigid]

It's worse than ever today.

http://news.blogs.cnn.com/2012/02/07/slaughter-in-syria-rocket-attacks-blood-in-the-streets-and-a-relentless-fight-for-freedom/?hpt=wo_c1

Video at cnn.com and youtube -- if you can stomach it.

[Cleita]

1. The Russians had sent an emissary today to talk to Assad and to tell him to stop

killing his people. I guess it didn't go so well.

[YellowRubberDuckie]

2. Russia is supporting them.

He probably said that's what they were doing, but they probably went to help.

[TheWraith]

6. Yeah, it's more of a PR thing.

"Oh hey, would you mind not killing your own people?"

"Sorry, I have to."

"Okay, that's cool. Just checking."

[Drale]

3. If we where not already at war in Afghanistan

I think I would support Military intervention in this case, and I still think the UN should get militarially involved in this situation. If they don't there maybe no population in Syria to send aid to in the future.

[Old and In the Way]

4. There needs to be another UN vote...and Russia/China needs to get behind it. nt

[RKP5637]

5. This guy and his regime need to be removed. n/t

Last edited Wed Feb 8, 2012, 12:21 AM - Edit history (1)

[leveymg]

7. The Shi'a regime is a 25% minority - this is a religious war. The real bloodshed would follow

regime change. This has been going on, on and off in Syria for decades. But, the media won't give you that context.

[TheWraith]

12. No, it's not.

It's a dictator massacring people who are tired of living in a dictatorship.

[David__77]

10. Nukes, chemical weapons? Any means at all, huh?

How about Putin? I mean he killed lotsa Chechens, right? Gotta "remove" him too, by "whatever means?"

This is imperial hubris in the extreme.

[RKP5637]

16. Yep, you're correct, the "by whatever means IMO" was over the top! I removed it!

[SoCalDem]

8. "Civil" wars are anything BUT.

Most of the time, one side is heavily armed and the other is barely armed.
And, once they start, it only gets uglier and uglier until one side gives up and retreats, to harbor ill-will for generations.


Our own experience with Civil War is pretty ugly..

from wiki:


Our civil war dead:
http://www.civilwarhome.com/casualties.htm
Casualties in the Civil War

At least 618,000 Americans died in the Civil War, and some experts say the toll reached 700,000. The number that is most often quoted is 620,000. At any rate, these casualties exceed the nation's loss in all its other wars, from the Revolution through Vietnam.

[RainDog]

9. k&r n/t

[WCGreen]

11. Jesus....

The Chinese and the Russians are still pro strongman it seems....

How can we engage with China while they support such brutality.

[Odin2005]

13. Thanks Russia and China. You guts have blood on your hands.

[quinnox]

14. There are many killings going on all over the world

that are much worse in pure numbers, such as in Africa.

[Joe the Revelator]

15. I'm glad you said that, we should definitely ignore Syria.

[David__77]

17. Paying attention doesn't mean intervening.

Is the US "ignoring" every country with human rights problems if it is not actively intervening in the situation. The US has played its cards under the norms of international relations: condemnations, sanctions, and withdrawal of representatives. That is not "ignoring." "Not ignoring" does not require intervening, bombing, handing out weapons, sending in spies, or anything of the like.

[Marrah_G]

18. I feel so badly for all those families