Gary Varvel for August 29, 2013

I agree with McCain and Graham, that we should not wait for the UN. We should immediately bomb Syria, Libya, Egypt, Iran, Somalia, Darfur, Yemen, Venezuela and Hoth, until they adopt the American system of government, making it easy for old white men to vote and making students, women and other minorities jump through hoops and pay a poll tax in the form of special IDs.

Once more we ignore history and let the ego and vanity of our leaders prevail. In recent history we have never been able to peacefully broker or violently force a peace in the middle east. We see the inhuman atrocities committed and make retaliatory threats that sound menacing but that lack substance. More likely we will shoot a few hundred missiles, destroy a lot of Syria’s military hardware and likely kill a few thousand more of the Syrian people as collateral damage.

The bitter truth be known, the American people, the British people, Germany etc are thoroughly sick and tired of being involved in the middle east. It is painfully obvious to those who honestly assess our efforts that they don’t sustain a lasting peace and our investments in nation building seems to readily get torn down by the enemies to peace. Al Qaeda is a patient enemy and coupled with the mullahs in Iran, the obstruction of Russia and China as they wait in the wings makes the prospect for peace nigh on impossible.

Unfortunately what we generate are enemies who murder and destroy in our country and rationalize their actions by our involvement in the middle east. Add to that the deafening silence by the Muslim community in the United States regarding the atrocities committed in the U.S. Sadly I come to the conclusion that the terrorists, Assad and his type will continue to rely on terrorist actions and a complete disregard for human life to maintain their grip on power. It seems to be the situation of trying to kill the multi-headed snake.

Time to start a land war in russia !!!!

Bush the lesser didn’t, Eisenhower, Kennedy, Johnson, Nixon didn’t, Bush the elder didn’t. I guess the common denominator is that no one thinks of the consequences.

“You don’t think Syria will use nerve gas again.”

Untrue. I was merely asking a question because I wanted to better understand what you were implying.

I am well aware of the effects of nerve gas, mustard gas, nuclear bombs and other examples of man’s inhumanity to man. And I am not naïve enough to believe that mankind will choose to limit how inhumane it can be.

Although crucifixion is no longer mainstream, I won’t believe it will never be used again. And I don’t believe that the US has stopped torturing people. Should someone invade the US as a pre-emptive strike?

To quote from the latest Huffpost poll:“The new poll, conducted after U.S. officials claimed Syria’s government killed thousands of civilians with chemical weapons, shows 25 percent of Americans now support air strikes to aid rebels in Syria, while 41 percent said they are opposed. Another 34 percent said that they’re not sure.”

Haven’t you been paying attention. That’s why the cons are up in arms. Apparently the President they’re used to didn’t think things through. He just “went with his gut”.

Sarin has been proven to be often survivable. VX however, will kill in less than 5 seconds in even small doses, so, different story. Which, what IS the real story on who actually used chemical agents, and when, and how is it more violent than bombs, mortar rounds, artillery, RPGs, or bullets??

Even if they DID use Sarin, not cause to enter into another idiocy in the MIddle East.

PEOPLE from many nations, including ours, are against getting involved, but, those “persons” recognized by SCOTUS in “Citizens United”, DO see a profit potential in ANY military involvement of the U.S., so are all for it!!

I’m all for the United States minding its own business for a change.

Night-gaunt: Sarin (GB) IS an organophosphate NERVE AGENT, mustard is a blistering agent. Sorry, but I was a CBR and training NCO (among other things) in the Army.

Night-gaunt: Sarin (GB) IS an organophosphate NERVE AGENT, mustard is a blistering agent. Sorry, but I was a CBR and training NCO (among other things) in the Army.

I’ve never seen so many hawks suddenly turn chicken.

Varvel does a fine job here of showing the complexity of this issue. Our President needs to ensure that his choices do not make matters worse. Rather than simply acknowledging that he should never have made those red line threats, he seems to be gearing up for a tragic act without considering the implications.