Back to the old ME - Page 2

GePap · April 9, 2003, 16:45

From were would an attack against Syria be based? Cause if you think all those non-democratic arab states that based our troops for this war will do so for another war, this one against Syria, well, then you have issues.

Andrew1999 · April 9, 2003, 16:52

Quote:

Originally posted by GePap
From were would an attack against Syria be based? Cause if you think all those non-democratic arab states that based our troops for this war will do so for another war, this one against Syria, well, then you have issues.

Well, let's see. There's one country on the Mediterranean that's our ally and wants to go to war with Syria anyway and has done so successfully several times. Then there's that other country we've got a bunch of troops in to the east and south of Syria. I think between the two of them the US could get in, and none of that annoying "asking for access" nonsense.

gsmoove23 · April 9, 2003, 16:57

Oh yeah, go to war with Syria with the help of Israel. That would cure the whole terrorism thing.

GePap · April 9, 2003, 17:13

Quote:

Originally posted by Andrew1999

Well, let's see. There's one country on the Mediterranean that's our ally and wants to go to war with Syria anyway and has done so successfully several times. Then there's that other country we've got a bunch of troops in to the east and south of Syria. I think between the two of them the US could get in, and none of that annoying "asking for access" nonsense.

Asking Israel's permission to go over them to attack Syria..yeah, why not just paint a "we are doing it for the Zionists" sign over the WH just so that the Arabs don;t have to make up too much.

Shi Huangdi · April 9, 2003, 17:18

Well I would guess Bush is going to try awfully hard to reach some kind of a compromise solution with Sharon. It'd be difficult for him to get in a confrontaion with Israel though due to his power base coming from the Christian Right. On the other hand, Bush is rather indebtted to Blair, and if his popularity is high enough he may well gamble and try to get ME peace back on track.

Andrew1999 · April 9, 2003, 17:22

Quote:

Originally posted by GePap

Asking Israel's permission to go over them to attack Syria..yeah, why not just paint a "we are doing it for the Zionists" sign over the WH just so that the Arabs don;t have to make up too much.

I think that would probably happen anyway. Turn it around: If the US attacked Syria (and Lebanon) I don't think there's much chance that Israel would sit quietly in the corner as they have during the fighting in Iraq.

BTW, I think attacking Syria would be a terrible idea; I'm just trying to show that it is possible.

Az · April 9, 2003, 17:30

weird thread. It's not an ME thread. It's something ....different.

Ben Kenobi · April 9, 2003, 17:32

Attack Syria, and what happens in Pakistan?

Musharraf's hanging by the thread.

ALL the muslim countries are going to feel as if this is a crusade.

Hold the war to Iraq.

GePap · April 9, 2003, 17:36

Quote:

Originally posted by Azazel
weird thread. It's not an ME thread. It's something ....different.

It will become an ME htread once the road-map fireworks begin.

Az · April 9, 2003, 17:41

Did anyone hear about Sharon's announcement of a partial removal of settlements from the Gaza Strip? if so, this would be a great thing to do, and an excellent timing, as well.

GePap · April 9, 2003, 17:46

Quote:

Did anyone hear about Sharon's announcement of a partial removal of settlements from the Gaza Strip? if so, this would be a great thing to do, and an excellent timing, as well.

Sharon evacuating his babies? Would he also leave Tel Aviv?

Az · April 9, 2003, 17:52

Guess you don't know Sharon very well, then.

Ned · April 9, 2003, 18:40

Quote:

Originally posted by Azazel
Did anyone hear about Sharon's announcement of a partial removal of settlements from the Gaza Strip? if so, this would be a great thing to do, and an excellent timing, as well.

I don't recall that the Bush plan has been published. Is what Sharon is doing required by the plan?

gsmoove23 · April 9, 2003, 18:43

Its sort of more like a What if thread I guess.

If by some chance Sharon agreed to pull back settlements the question is what the Likud and other allied parties would do.

Ned · April 9, 2003, 18:47

As to Syria, I think we will continue to conduct polite diplomacy so long as they remain cooperative on Bush's ME plan. If they become hostile and escallate terrorism, them we will escallate as well.

If there is a settlement between Syria and Israel, I believe that Syria's support for terrorism will end. They may even be willing to hand over any accused Iraqi war criminals to Iraq for trial.

In the long term, the people of Syria will demand more rights or else they will overthrow the government themselves. But that, I believe, is several years, and maybe even decades in the future.

spiritof1202 · April 9, 2003, 18:59

Syria also need to fess up to any chemical weapon labs or Iraqi Ba'athists stashed in their territory, also.

At this point though, I wouldn't be in favor of invading them.

I am a little tempted, though...

Edan · April 9, 2003, 20:57

Quote:

Originally posted by Azazel
weird thread. It's not an ME thread. It's something ....different.

A Middle West Thread?

Six Thousand Year Old Man · April 9, 2003, 21:15

The sad thing is, there are actually people who believe invading Syria is a good idea. Good grief... are you trying to make everyone pissed off at you?

Ned · April 10, 2003, 00:16

Six, So long as Syria ends terrorism and cooperates on ME peace, they will have earned the right to be ignored. If they continue their policy of aggression, they will provoke a war - most likely with Israel.

If the Arabs want Israel to stay out of it, well ....

But is Assad as stupid as Saddam?

Ted Striker · April 10, 2003, 00:25

Quote:

Originally posted by MichaeltheGreat

You're not supposed to interject reality, you're just supposed to

because (some) of the Iraqis are doing that in (some) parts of Baghdad, and all our problems are now solved, since we've given Iragi Freedom^TM

Afghanistan isn't newsworthy, because the flash and bang are done with, and who cares about the dirty little details of what happens in crappy little excuses for third world countries?

This is the war on terrorism, that'll last as long as we say! We're liberating people left and right, so don't be party poopers!

In other words, don't expect anything other than the same old BS in US foreign policy in that part of the world.

Well, you gotta admit though, with this Iraq thing FINALLY clearing out of the way, it's going to free up alot of other resources to go after these problems.

I believe the Israeli-Palestinian issue will be dealt with next.

Az · April 10, 2003, 02:45

Quote:

I don't recall that the Bush plan has been published. Is what Sharon is doing required by the plan?

Actually, no. a preliminary step demanded by the Road map is the freezing of the construction of new settlements, Not the evacuation.

I heard it over on TV. for some reason, everyone talks about the new economic plan, and the war on iraq now, so noone cares here.

Zevico · April 10, 2003, 03:31

Assad is quite similar, IMO.