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War is hell; peace is sometimes worse

Reader comment on item: No to Bombing Syria
in response to reader comment: Brilliantly Overthought

Submitted by Michael S, Apr 10, 2017 at 11:04

Hello, Reality and Daniel

Moses meted out "Reality"'s sort of playground justice, when he killed the Egyptian taskmaster. God spared Moses' life, but consigned him to 40 years in exile. Both or you, then, have made valid points.

It's hard to give a good verdict, ruling the world from my desktop as I do. The Syrians were not only brutal, but utter fools, to taunt Donald Trump into humiliating them. And they WERE humiliated: the CO of the USS Porter, one of the two destroyers that sent the salvo of missiles into Assad's military heartland, was a woman. That same USS Porter, by the way, was buzzed by Russian jets in the Black Sea, two months ago. What the Porter did a few days ago, in the Eastern Mediterranean, was a measured response to Assad; but much more lethal than buzzing. The Russians too, then, were humiliated by the missile strike. Two big bullies, in Reality's terms, both got their "bricks in the head". That is the heart of what happened; and the US is big enough to shoulder whatever consequences may come its way.

Having said the above, favoring Randy's analogy, I concede this to Daniel: We have made things very complicated in Syria, because of what our President has done. The first thing that comes to my mind, is,

"How are we going to prosecute our attack on Raqqa, with hostile Russian aircraft and missiles getting in our way? Also, the Turks praised our missile strike; but they will quickly turn against us once more, as we fight alongside the Syrian Kurds (the Turkish President's most hated enemy) in taking the ISIS capital? Will we continue to resupply our men through Iraq, a Shi'ite controlled country which has condemned the missile strikes? These are roiling waters, and we are hopping from rock to rock, trying to keep ahead of the tide."

War is hell. Peace is sometimes worse, because of fiends like Assad and thugs like Putin. The situation in Syria is far from settled. Ultimately, I expect the Turks to team up with the Iranians to attack Israel; and I expect Israel to defeat them This could happen in the near future.

Shalom shalom :-)

Submitting....

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Reader comments (48) on this item

Title Commenter Date Thread
Trump correct to spank Assad for gas attack [72 words]Verner HornungApr 16, 2017 12:30238545
Not so sure, Mr.Pipes [191 words]SoloviewApr 12, 2017 13:38238456
ISIS' victims are generally anti-Israel countries [288 words]Michael SApr 15, 2017 01:12238456
Mixed Messaging of Confronting/Not Confronting National Security Issues [567 words]M ToveyApr 10, 2017 19:25238395
The world's policeman; Major Maintenance of world systems; The coming Pharaoh? [1051 words]Michael SApr 12, 2017 02:47238395
Courting Principalites and Strongholds - Which Will Fail First [246 words]M ToveyApr 17, 2017 18:50238395
No to Bombing Syria [43 words]Angel Oteros GonzálezApr 10, 2017 17:06238392
1Translation: Neither Assad nor Putin have scruples [110 words]Michael SApr 12, 2017 09:56238392
Who's Right... [69 words]Daren OlsinApr 9, 2017 22:33238371
I agree, but... [91 words]Kepha HorApr 9, 2017 21:41238370
Trump's ignorant actions [173 words]
w/response from Daniel Pipes
Jason PappasApr 9, 2017 08:32238345
There may be something positive though [244 words]JeffApr 8, 2017 14:59238316
2Brilliantly Overthought [113 words]
w/response from Daniel Pipes
Reality CheckApr 8, 2017 13:22238315
War is hell; peace is sometimes worse [368 words]Michael SApr 10, 2017 11:04238315
Minorities in Syria and Bashar al-Assad [149 words]dhimmi no moreApr 8, 2017 09:56238308
contradictory messages from MEF [19 words]
w/response from Daniel Pipes
henry m BoudinApr 7, 2017 22:49238305
is Pipes changing his vews ? [29 words]
w/response from Daniel Pipes
henry boudinApr 9, 2017 16:09238305
Trump policy changes, in Syria and elsewhere [542 words]Michael SApr 7, 2017 22:25238304
Michael S's analysis of Trump's decision to attack Syria. [100 words]PrashantApr 8, 2017 23:01238304
The Sheriff of the World [311 words]Michael SApr 9, 2017 05:33238304
What next, will Britain and France bomb America next time an untypically large number of civilians is killed in a nato attack? [70 words]AnonApr 7, 2017 21:36238302
Eisenhower, Bush, Trump ... more ignorant policy [168 words]Jason PappasApr 9, 2017 08:31238302
Agree [92 words]Jack LehrApr 7, 2017 18:56238296
Why not wipe out the entire Syrian Air Force? [104 words]SandraApr 7, 2017 16:01238289
Better diplomacy could have been employed in this missile strike [112 words]Solomon2Apr 7, 2017 15:49238288
2That's an immoral and unwise position [34 words]
w/response from Daniel Pipes
DanApr 7, 2017 15:00238287
Just a Little Reminded [60 words]RebeccaApr 7, 2017 14:25238286
not viewing this holistically. [27 words]Harvey L. PoppelApr 7, 2017 13:16238285
Today's Blog [59 words]
w/response from Daniel Pipes
Ari SigalApr 7, 2017 12:37238284
1"No" to bombing Syria? [118 words]dianne gallenApr 7, 2017 11:48238283
Missle response [150 words]Elizabeth ReissApr 7, 2017 09:48238282
To withhold is a virtue [65 words]KesselmanApr 7, 2017 09:09238281
a message to the public and Putin rather than Assad [237 words]mythApr 7, 2017 08:45238280
Syria. The Evil that will wax worse and worse. [604 words]Anne-USAApr 7, 2017 08:38238279
1Right [80 words]Peter NiedermannApr 7, 2017 07:05238278
1Yes To Bombing Syria [83 words]DaveApr 7, 2017 06:50238273
It doesn't have to be either-or [33 words]Dina GrossmanApr 7, 2017 05:05238272
I generally support this, but what's your thoughts on action against chemical weapons [15 words]
w/response from Daniel Pipes
JazzalohaApr 7, 2017 03:01238270
This limited strike sends a powerful message to all as to who is now in charge [16 words]BorisApr 14, 2017 13:00238270
This limited strike sends a powerful message to all as to who is now in charge [16 words]BorisApr 14, 2017 19:52238270
Syria Tomahawks [192 words]Geoffrey LuckApr 7, 2017 01:50238269
2Not to bombing Syria [184 words]Admiral Peter KikareasApr 7, 2017 00:29238259
Beg to Differ [226 words]lenApr 7, 2017 00:28238258
2NO, Dr. Pipes, we shouldn't arm ISIS! [89 words]
w/response from Daniel Pipes
UNCLE VLADDIApr 7, 2017 00:17238256
1Confusion: Aod Hitler vs. Stalin?! [230 words]DajjalApr 9, 2017 21:18238256
An Opinion [115 words]Andreas GeovanosApr 7, 2017 00:05238252
No to heavy involvement but there are limits. [53 words]EdApr 7, 2017 00:02238251
Trump is not involving the country in a new conflict. [14 words]stevenlApr 6, 2017 23:44238249

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