Monday, August 26, 2013

The Syrian Mess


                      —   you berks.   



Make New Globes

Make New Globes

 
AS THE civil war in Syria has dragged on, the rebels have become more Islamist and extreme.
  • Jabhat al-Nusra (Victory Front) is the biggest worry. Its global jihadist ideology justifies violence to bring about a nation where all Muslims unite.
  •  The Farouq Battalions, whose territorial reach goes from Homs to Hasaka in the north-east, is another mixed bag, ranging from Islamists to people with no particular ideology.
  • The Supreme Military Command, led by General Salim Idriss, a Sunni defector from President Assad’s army, includes some able commanders but still lacks the cash and arms to match either the regime’s forces or Jabhat al-Nusra, which ignores the military command.
  • Ominously, rebels from more secular-minded or more moderately Islamist groups speak openly of a second war to come—against Jabhat al-Nusra. See full article. [Full article]
If you understand who's who in Syria, I tip my hat to you.  This deal has more factions and intrigue than the Spanish civil war.  But here's one thing we can take to the bank.  The United States will never again win any war that Democrats have any part of, and I include congressional  influence.  Look at this mess; why bother?

ASSAD’S FRIENDS

The Islamic Republic of Iran - a Shiite Muslim regional power - is a staunch ally of the Assad government and has been providing arms, military training and cash. If Assad falls, Iran will be deeply wounded.

Iraq
After American troops toppled Sunni Saddam Hussein in 2003, Iraq’s Shiite majority became dominant. With this shift came regional alliances with Shiite countries including Iran and Syria.

Russia
One theory for why Russia has been so resolute in its backing of Damascus is to ensure continued control of its only Mediterranean naval base, which is in the Syrian port of Tartus.


ASSAD’S FOES

Saudi Arabia

It is a follower of the strict Wahabi branch of Sunni Islam. In backing anti-Assad forces, Saudi Arabia is challenging its main regional foe, Shiite Iran. Some experts believe the Sunni-Shiite divisions are being exaggerated for political reasons.

United States
Until June, the administration was opposed to providing any lethal assistance to Syria's rebels, but in June it said it was moving ahead with sending weapons to vetted members of the opposition. What are "vetted members?"  Honest Syrian military rebels have been shoved aside by al Qaeda and the Muslim Broterhood.  Can you say "Egypt's Arab Spring?"

Turkey
Formerly a close friend of Syria, Turkey’s moderate Islamist government has become a supporter of the rebels and supplying them with arms,

Jordan
Allows American troops to train Syrian rebels on its territory and F-16 jets are positioned there.

Hamas: The Palestinians

Israel
Believed to have carried out three bomb strikes this year in Syria targeting Hezbollah weapons caches but refuses to confirm or deny whether it was responsible. Were Israeli bombers flown by Hamas?

Drudge is reporting that Obama's DOD "will only follow the International community" (UN?) into  Syria.  Nope, can't be the UN; Russia would veto.  So,  international community means the US, Code Pink, and a bunch of token bit players from France.  The answer to this mess is of course to take out Iran, and enjoy the peace.

The tree falling with nobody to hear it option
The other thing to do is simply never again acknowledge that there is a Middle East.  Replace maps and globes with Ocean.  Nobody will ever know, or care. We have as much oil in the ground as they do, so screw'em.




8 comments:

Steve in Greensboro said...

In any policy debate, you cannot go too far wrong by applying the Costanza-Opposite Rule to Obama’s position. Whatever Obama thinks we should do, we should do the opposite.

In the case of Assad, since Obama wants to overthrow him, we should support him. But how do we know this isn’t the one chance in a billion that Barky is right – the exception that proves the rule.

As in investing, we look for confirming indicators and in the case of Assad we have a confirming Costanza-Opposite indicator. John McCain thinks we should overthrow Assad too.

We should stay out. Let the 7th century barbarians kill each other.

TimO said...

This country needs a Manhattan Project-style push to develop a permanent fuel solution (growing algae or bacteria in tanks that poop gasoline is working on a small scale and only needs to be ramped up.) Shouldn't take more than a decade or so.

Then let the Middle East go back to what it was before 1940; a vast wasteland of useless nomads with nothing and no money to push the rest of the world around....

Emil Nytraht said...

"We should stay out. Let the 7th century barbarians kill each other."

I agree!... I wish there was a way to help the innocents, but I don't believe that's possible. Assad is not our friend nor a friend of his people and neither is Al Qaeda and the rebel Muslim brotherhood.I believe that either side is capable of gassing civilians and attempting to blame the other.
When Egypt was embroiled in their "revolution" I said we would regret getting involved and I feel the same way about Syria. It is NOT in our interest whichever of the band of thugs and western hating bastards wins this slaughter...... Let them the hell at it!

bocopro said...

Since the oil-rich Arabs are filthy with dollars and we're broke, and since the oil-rich ones don't like the non-Arab ones very much anyway, I say let the oil-rich fucks handle the problem. Time someone else stood a few Globocop watches anyhow.

Besides, they truly ENJOY slaughtering each other, so let 'em. We can make a pile selling weapons to 'em, on both sides. Let's face it: the world is in absolutely no danger of running short on bipedal hairless primate assholes, so loss of a few million in and around the Eastern Med and Red Sea areas wouldn't put humanity in extinction jeopardy. Or Christianity, either, for that matter.

Make 'em happy. Let 'em fight it out for their 72 Virginians and their archaic, bloodthirsty moon god.

Steve in Greensboro said...

"...a Manhattan Project-style push to develop a permanent fuel solution..."

Already done that, twice. The solutions are 1)fracking and 2)Canada tar-sands plus the Keystone Pipeline. Why aren't they being more widely developed? Progressives.

What would happen if your gasoline-excreting bacteria were gene-spliced into existence? The same thing that happened to fracking and the Keystone Pipeline.

Emil Nytraht said...

Great globe above, and I just love the "happy little (Bob Ross) accident", that the oil rigs turned out looking like camels!

Anonymous said...

Indeed, Steve, all we have to do is kick the Democrats in the nuts and go get our own domestic oil. If the muzzie death cultists are content with slaughtering each other we should leave then to do so. It's common sense which is so rare these days it seems like a super power. "My Common Sense is tingling."
GrinfilledCelt

iri said...

St. Ann had it right. We need to invade their Homeland, kill their leaders and convert the remainder to Christianity. I'd add two things, we need to steal their oil and we should start in Washington DC.

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