The Syrian "Revolution": A Farce from Beginning to End

[Captain Kremmen]

It isn't hard to deactivate. Caustic soda would do it.

The P-F bond is easily broken by nucleophilic agents, such as water and hydroxide. At high pH, sarin decomposes rapidly to nontoxic phosphonic acid derivatives. It is usually manufactured and weaponized as a racemic mixture—an equal mixture of both enantiomeric forms—by the alcoholysis reaction of methylphosphonyl difluoride with isopropyl alcohol:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sarin

 

[quinnsong]

Awww. Someone already got to this article. P-brane raises a good point: what protocols exist for this? Then again, Iraq did fly a lot of its air force to Iran during the first war, didn't they? And then again, it would be novel to transport a huge CW arsenal. They could pull a Yes, Minister: announce that such a move is in the undertaking and then bury good and deep with the civil service.

If American intelligence determines that indeed the Syrians buried their CW's good and deep, then what? Is it back to the Military strike option?

 

[Captain Kremmen]

They would need to allow the UN unrestricted access, facilities, powers to sequester.

 

[quinnsong]

This is just a ploy. The protocols for doing this don't exist and it seems unlikely any could be agreed on.

What a perfect opportunity to create those protocols then! Wouldn't you agree?

 

[Billy T]

Re Dresden Interesting subject for another thread.
I refer you to the wiki article http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bombing_of_Dresden_in_World_War_II

Thank for link. I find it interesting that the book Fire and the Air War is not among the 153 references given. This is the part of Wiki's article I find most important:

" A number of factors have made the bombing a unique point of contention and debate. These include the beauty of the city, and its importance as a cultural icon; the deliberate creation of a firestorm; the number of victims killed; the extent to which it was a necessary military target; and the fact that it was attacked toward the end of the war, raising the question of whether the bombing was needed to hasten the end. "

The only brief admission in that long article that the firestorm was carefully planned for one of Europe's most beautiful cities and cultural centers done when the war was essentially over. More details, not provided by Wiki, are in post 836. I had forgotten that the raid was in two waves, with the second three hours after the first - to kill as many fire fighters, doctors, etc. helping the injured as possible.

 

[GeoffP]

If American intelligence determines that indeed the Syrians buried their CW's good and deep, then what? Is it back to the Military strike option?

Oh sorry - no I mean like buried it in paperwork. "Oh, we're working on that right now", etc.

 

[quinnsong]

Oh sorry - no I mean like buried it in paperwork. "Oh, we're working on that right now", etc.

Ah yes, when bureaucracy works as it is intended. Gotcha!

 

[Captain Kremmen]

What a turnaround!
This may give Obama the votes he needs to get his motion through.
If the plan is working, voting against it makes no sense.
Today's events have changed my opinion on what should happen next.
In order to set time limits, the US now needs to maintain pressure on Assad.
They can't back off.

If Russia is playing some game, they've made some bad moves today.
They have vindicated Obama.
Let's hope everything is as it seems.

 

[GeoffP]

This may give Obama the votes he needs to get his motion through.
If the plan is working, voting against it makes no sense.
Today's events have certainly changed my view.
In order to set time limits, the US needs to maintain pressure on Assad.
If Russia is playing some game, they've made some bad moves today.
Let's hope everything is as it seems.

I can't figure out what the hell the Russians are up to. I mean, I just assume it's a sop to deflate public opinion further... at least for those that could take note of this over Myley Cyrus' breasts or something[/quote]. I haven't yet accidentally stumbled on what twerking means and please don't explain it to me.

In other news: Remember when I said that little bit about MB affiliates dumping all over this no matter what the US does? Sometimes, it's [url=http://www.memri.org/clip/en/0/0/0/0/0/0/3973.htm]bad to be right. Hertzlich vorzeitigen Schadenfreude!

 

[quinnsong]

This may give Obama the votes he needs to get his motion through.
If the plan is working, voting against it makes no sense.
In order to set time limits, the US would need to maintain pressure on Assad.

This makes perfect sense, but with all the yahoos in Congress that would rather vote to undermine Obama than vote for a common sense solution, I have my doubts.

 

[Captain Kremmen]

Maybe you are right.
People are saying that it may decrease the intervention vote.

Makes no sense to me.
If the threat of intervention is getting results, why take away the pressure?

@Robitty
Another chicken leg has disappeared.

 

[Robittybob1]

Maybe you are right.
People are saying that it may decrease the intervention vote.

Makes no sense to me.
If the threat of intervention is getting results, why take away the pressure?
@Robitty
Another chicken leg has disappeared.

Pirates may not have heard of compassion.

You should lock your chicks up at night.
You are giving them too much freedom.
What John Kerry let slip reminded me of Ronald Reagan telling Mikhail Gorbachev to "tear down that wall".
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YtYdjbpBk6A

 

[CptBork]

Assad has already agreed to this, because its a win-win situation for Syria. The government never ordered the chemical attacks, these were carried out by the rebels. Using any further chemical attacks as a proposition for war with Syrian government will be denied if such chemical weapons will be in U.N. hands.

The real question is WHY DID USA DECIDE TO LAY LOW ON ITS OBLITERATING MILITARY CAMPAIGN AGAINST SYRIA?
1) Syria defenses are not your Libya or Egypt or Afghanistan.
2) Not enough support in US government and international arena.

I agree with your assessment. Assad permanently giving up the most lethal component of his military capabilities would be a great victory for Syria and for Hezbollah. May they surrender to another 1000 victories hence!

 

[milkweed]

power grab, obviously. Just look at Libya and Egypt.

Libya had a split army, Egypt had an army stand down, refusing to attack its citizens. Neither sides general went on to take power.

Please explain what you see as obvious.

 

[youreyes]

I agree with your assessment. Assad permanently giving up the most lethal component of his military capabilities would be a great victory for Syria and for Hezbollah. May they surrender to another 1000 victories hence!

surrender what?

chemical weapons are not used by Syrian government. Chemical weapons are just used as a pretense to attack the country by foreign entities. No wonder US is "skeptical".

 

[wegs]

I can't figure out what the hell the Russians are up to.

I want to believe things will pan out peacefully, but I can't help but be sightly skeptical as you are. I wasn't always so jaded.

 

[youreyes]

If American intelligence determines that indeed the Syrians buried their CW's good and deep, then what? Is it back to the Military strike option?

If American Intelligence determines that Syrians have WMDs, obviously we would believe them just like we did in Iraq.

 

[youreyes]

I want to believe things will pan out peacefully, but I can't help but be sightly skeptical as you are. I wasn't always so jaded.

No doubt you are jaded, Russians have always been the scapegoats of evil for American media and politicans alike. Now, they are doing the right thing...why? Because Obama needs to save his face so having Russians save the day is the price to pay. I am sure US will pin up something new to cast aside this "friendship" with the "peregruzka".

ref: http://globalvoicesonline.org/2009/03/13/russia-us-peregruzka-perezagruzka/

 

[wegs]

Hmmm...I wouldn't go that far, youreyes.

Anyway...

Sooo...Should we trust Russia? :shrug:

 

[youreyes]

Hmmm...I wouldn't go that far, youreyes.

Anyway...

Sooo...Should we trust Russia? :shrug:

Look back and see the history of a genocidal ethnic cleansing war of a democratic country, abundance of slavery, and the only use of nuclear weapons on civilians citizens. That is U.S. and we...trust it, but verify nevertheless.

So, should we trust Russia? As much as we trust US.