So, Syria

[Dorothy Zbornak]

Jesus Christ, guys. Is the U.S. going in today? Obama is going to talk soon.

[Faevantastic]

My guess is yes.

[Dorothy Zbornak]

Aug 30, 2013 13:18:49 GMT -5 @therealmc said:

Can I get a job in Germany B? This country scares me.

Wanna hold my Diva Cup?

[creamsiclechica]

I'm watching patiently. John Kerry's speech a little while ago suggests yes, but it's an incredibly weighted decision. This has the potential to immediately become Iraq OR Afghanistan, and I think he's trying to avoid that political doom while trying to do the humane thing for the Syrian innocents.

That being said, I think he knows the type of strikes he can authorize alone without Congressional approval are not enough to topple Assad's regime the way it did in Libya.

I honestly don't know what's going to happen.

[Dorothy Zbornak]

Aug 30, 2013 13:22:16 GMT -5 @therealmc said:

Aug 30, 2013 13:20:14 GMT -5 Dorothy Zbornak said:

Wanna hold my Diva Cup?

Ha!  Does it come with alcohol?  In a different cup?

Whatever you need.

[shevacc]

Aug 30, 2013 13:21:37 GMT -5 creamsiclechica said:

I'm watching patiently. John Kerry's speech a little while ago suggests yes, but it's an incredibly weighted decision. This has the potential to immediately become Iraq OR Afghanistan, and I think he's trying to avoid that political doom while trying to do the humane thing for the Syrian innocents.

That being said, I think he knows the type of strikes he can authorize alone without Congressional approval are not enough to topple Assad's regime the way it did in Libya.

I honestly don't know what's going to happen.

Cream is very wise. From what I've heard of this really sad situation, I agree with her analysis. I would bet we will be intervening if I had to guess, though.

[Dorothy Zbornak]

Aug 30, 2013 13:21:37 GMT -5 creamsiclechica said:

I'm watching patiently. John Kerry's speech a little while ago suggests yes, but it's an incredibly weighted decision. This has the potential to immediately become Iraq OR Afghanistan, and I think he's trying to avoid that political doom while trying to do the humane thing for the Syrian innocents.

That being said, I think he knows the type of strikes he can authorize alone without Congressional approval are not enough to topple Assad's regime the way it did in Libya.

I honestly don't know what's going to happen.

This makes me so sick. This weeks "Der Spiegel" has so many pictures of dead children. I can't handle it. Over 400 children.

[creamsiclechica]

Aug 30, 2013 13:24:26 GMT -5 Dorothy Zbornak said:

Aug 30, 2013 13:21:37 GMT -5 creamsiclechica said:

I'm watching patiently. John Kerry's speech a little while ago suggests yes, but it's an incredibly weighted decision. This has the potential to immediately become Iraq OR Afghanistan, and I think he's trying to avoid that political doom while trying to do the humane thing for the Syrian innocents.

That being said, I think he knows the type of strikes he can authorize alone without Congressional approval are not enough to topple Assad's regime the way it did in Libya.

I honestly don't know what's going to happen.

This makes me so sick. This weeks "Der Spiegel" has so many pictures of dead children. I can't handle it. Over 400 children.

I know.  I'm trying so hard to watch, but fucking CNN and Fox keep double screening the politicians and dead children, and I feel like my insides are scraped out.  Especially because my little girl is running around happily, and my God.  I just, ugh.

[Faevantastic]

I've stayed clear of the images. I know it's a cowardly thing to do... But I don't think I can take it.

[Dorothy Zbornak]

Aug 30, 2013 13:26:29 GMT -5 creamsiclechica said:

Aug 30, 2013 13:24:26 GMT -5 Dorothy Zbornak said:

This makes me so sick. This weeks "Der Spiegel" has so many pictures of dead children. I can't handle it. Over 400 children.

I know.  I'm trying so hard to watch, but fucking CNN and Fox keep double screening the politicians and dead children, and I feel like my insides are scraped out.  Especially because my little girl is running around happily, and my God.  I just, ugh.

The other day when Showdogz said that she couldn't watch what was going on ... that's me, too. And I know that's wrong, so I am forcing myself to watch CNN now, and I will force myself to read that magazine, but having kids of your own brings something like this to whole new horrifying dimensions.

[katfco]

This is one of those times I'm glad not to be president. What a hard decision, and there really is no good choice. Do you ignore it, on the argument that it's "not your fight" and will cost too much money (and possibly lives)? Or do you try to stop the horror?

Personally, I think about Hitler, Pol Pot, and Darfur. What if we had intervened sooner in those situations?

[Dorothy Zbornak]

Aug 30, 2013 13:29:43 GMT -5 katfco said:

This is one of those times I'm glad not to be president. What a hard decision, and there really is no good choice. Do you ignore it, on the argument that it's "not your fight" and will cost too much money (and possibly lives)? Or do you try to stop the horror?

Personally, I think about Hitler, Pol Pot, and Darfur. What if we had intervened sooner in those situations?

I totally agree that something needs to be done. I was just wondering why something didn't happen like two years ago there. It has been known forever that Assad is nuts.

OK, so I'm going over to the neighbor's now to watch soccer, like a good concerned citizen.

[creamsiclechica]

Aug 30, 2013 13:29:06 GMT -5 Dorothy Zbornak said:

Aug 30, 2013 13:26:29 GMT -5 creamsiclechica said:

I know.  I'm trying so hard to watch, but fucking CNN and Fox keep double screening the politicians and dead children, and I feel like my insides are scraped out.  Especially because my little girl is running around happily, and my God.  I just, ugh.

The other day when Showdogz said that she couldn't watch what was going on ... that's me, too. And I know that's wrong, so I am forcing myself to watch CNN now, and I will force myself to read that magazine, but having kids of your own brings something like this to whole new horrifying dimensions.

No, there's nothing wrong, in my opinion, with not being able to watch and handle these types of images.  I think it's cruel manipulation by the media to broadcast it.  It's a real shame how in order to keep up to date on the situation, you have to be bombarded by the visual of the atrocities.

I've been reading a lot more on NPR and other news sources all week, where I can either scroll quickly or read text only, because it's awful and very unbearable.

I did get mad in that thread, not at the sentiments showdogz and others expressed about it being hard, but as an excuse to just ignore and not know what's going on completely.  Our country is on the cusp of WAR; it's your duty as a citizen to at least know what's sort of going on.  At least that's what I think.  It affects our economic, political, and national future. 

[orriskitten]

I wish I could move to Iceland tomorrow. I am so torn in how I feel about the whole situation. The responsibility vs. the repercussions of acting and all that. Its just a no-win situation.

I was joking with DH last night and saying "Can't we just send in the SEALS to take the bad guys out?" and he asked which ones and I said "Fuck it, all of them." I wish something like that were possible, but there is no clear cut good rebel in this situation as I understand. Its just so sad.

[katfco]

Aug 30, 2013 13:31:25 GMT -5 Dorothy Zbornak said:

Aug 30, 2013 13:29:43 GMT -5 katfco said:

This is one of those times I'm glad not to be president. What a hard decision, and there really is no good choice. Do you ignore it, on the argument that it's "not your fight" and will cost too much money (and possibly lives)? Or do you try to stop the horror?

Personally, I think about Hitler, Pol Pot, and Darfur. What if we had intervened sooner in those situations?

I totally agree that something needs to be done. I was just wondering why something didn't happen like two years ago there. It has been known forever that Assad is nuts.

OK, so I'm going over to the neighbor's now to watch soccer, like a good concerned citizen.

How do you decide when to step in? I mean, think about all the atrocities happening around the world. It's impossible to step in in all cases. There has to be a line, and it seems like in this case, the line was set at chemical weapons.

[tuck]

I don't know if acting is in the best interest of the United States, but I do think it's in the best interest of the world. I still don't know what we should do.

[rjamz]

Aug 30, 2013 13:33:45 GMT -5 creamsiclechica said:

Aug 30, 2013 13:29:06 GMT -5 Dorothy Zbornak said:

The other day when Showdogz said that she couldn't watch what was going on ... that's me, too. And I know that's wrong, so I am forcing myself to watch CNN now, and I will force myself to read that magazine, but having kids of your own brings something like this to whole new horrifying dimensions.

I did get mad in that thread, not at the sentiments showdogz and others expressed about it being hard, but as an excuse to just ignore and not know what's going on completely.  Our country is on the cusp of WAR; it's your duty as a citizen to at least know what's sort of going on.  At least that's what I think.  It affects our economic, political, and national future. 

Me too. I can't imagine not being as informed as possible. I wonder if it's because I grew up in a news family, but I watch the local, national and BBC every day (just in case the national missed something).

I wish the UK were with us on this. I find it interesting that France is (partially bc of their history in Syria). But we can't go in with just France. I did hear that he said there will be no boots on the ground. But then, like you said, is what he's going to do be enough? And if it won't be enough, is it worth it to put our allies in the region at risk? Israelis have stocked up on gas masks as far away as Tel Aviv.

[monkeybabe]

Ugh. This whole situation is shit. I did read that there will be no boots on the ground, but will it be worth what we do do? I feel like we might be opening another can of worms here. Maneuvers from the sky aren't exactly great at not accidentally killing civilians on the ground.

[DesertMoon]

I have a Syrian friend, her fb had a status she posted about how dare the us who have used chemical weapons in Vietnam fallujah and uranium in the gulf war, how dare they get so miffed about Syria using it or something...ugh this is just all around scary for all people.