Do you support the missile strikes on Syria?

[Atlas Has Shrugged]

The mission was executed flawlessly, I'll concede, but I still oppose it. I'm worried that the President who said the new policy of the land is "America First" now suddenly is embracing internationalism because of media pressure. To me, that is the most frightening aspect of this, followed by the fact that Russian troops are also operating on the ground.

[Atlas Has Shrugged]

I will say that this exercise did manage to relieve one of my bigger fears I had about Trump, which was his competence as a Commander-in-Chief. I think the operation was a stunning success based on the initial reports, which is reassuring. Worst case scenario, we'll have someone who knows how to deal with the generals.

[Atlas Has Shrugged]

I don't like letting tyrants commit mass-murder in complete impunity. I guess that makes me a TERRIBLE NEOCON or something.

A reckless foreign intervention based on idealistic principles of muh democracy and muh human rights? Sounds like neoconservatism to me .

[Atlas Has Shrugged]

We can't be world policemen, and expect to solve every problem in the world, or even get involved in everything in the world. But when something reaches a certain magnitude with an immediate crisis, we need to do something. When it became clear years ago that tens of thousands (even without WMDs) were dying in Syria, we needed to do something.

And with hindsight, it might have also prevented ISIS from filling the vacuum, the international refugee crisis stemming from Syria, and the xenophobic/isolationist/anti-Muslim backlash that has rushed the Nationalist Right to power across Europe and the United States.

I'm not passing final judgment on this yet... but from what we know so far, I support it. It was limited, precise, and relatively fast in response to the chemical attack. It attacked the specific airfield that was used in the chemical attack, it seems. I need more information. Right now, it seems like a good move. We need to stand up to mass murder. Hundreds of thousands have died in Syria. The victims are as human as you and me. My empathy doesn't end at our borders. Assad has attacked his own people unchallenged for too long.
 
 

Mine does. I have too much to worry about in my own family. My brother didn't survive heroin addiction only to get drafted and killed in a third world war that I know you're too chickenshit to fight.

Absolutely not. The U.S. does not engage in military action for humanitarian reasons.

Humanitarian is about as legitimate a word as "bipartisan" in American parlance. What this is (not through Trump, but from the broader, established foreign policy elites) basically amounts to colonialism.

Why aren't we bombing the hell out of Saudi Arabia? They literally funded, aided, and abetted 9/11. Why aren't we invading Equatorial Guinea? Does Blue3 even know about the Great African War that has been underway for decades?

[Atlas Has Shrugged]

Humanitarian is about as legitimate a word as "bipartisan" in American parlance. What this is (not through Trump, but from the broader, established foreign policy elites) basically amounts to colonialism.

Why aren't we bombing the hell out of Saudi Arabia? They literally funded, aided, and abetted 9/11. Why aren't we invading Equatorial Guinea? Does Blue3 even know about the Great African War that has been underway for decades?

Well, most people can't correctly name the deadliest war since WW2.

Well, most people don't care about black people. It's a sad reality but institutionalized racism in western culture isn't just a SJW talking point (though it is often used as one to blunt free speech). I'd be happy to take in Congolese refugees for the very reason that we have nothing to do with that conflict overtly (we did kill Lumumba or whatever his name was, backed Mobuto, etc) and thus the grudge isn't as strong as it is in Syria.

Look at that six year old on Twitter, the media's darling, six year old Bana. Cute kid. My heart bleeds for her. All of the tweets from her mom are angry tirades about how it's our fault that Syrians are dying for not doing anything. If she hates this country (the mom-the girl doesn't know what the hell is being done with her obviously) so much, why should we resettle her? We didn't start it and we have no reason or right to end it.

[Atlas Has Shrugged]

Humanitarian is about as legitimate a word as "bipartisan" in American parlance. What this is (not through Trump, but from the broader, established foreign policy elites) basically amounts to colonialism.

Why aren't we bombing the hell out of Saudi Arabia? They literally funded, aided, and abetted 9/11. Why aren't we invading Equatorial Guinea? Does Blue3 even know about the Great African War that has been underway for decades?

Well, most people can't correctly name the deadliest war since WW2.

Well, most people don't care about black people. It's a sad reality but institutionalized racism in western culture isn't just a SJW talking point (though it is often used as one to blunt free speech). I'd be happy to take in Congolese refugees for the very reason that we have nothing to do with that conflict overtly (we did kill Lumumba or whatever his name was, backed Mobuto, etc) and thus the grudge isn't as strong as it is in Syria.

Look at that six year old on Twitter, the media's darling, six year old Bana. Cute kid. My heart bleeds for her. All of the tweets from her mom are angry tirades about how it's our fault that Syrians are dying for not doing anything. If she hates this country (the mom-the girl doesn't know what the hell is being done with her obviously) so much, why should we resettle her? We didn't start it and we have no reason or right to end it.

I'm not particularly familiar with this girl or her mother, but much of (not all, but much of) the criticism made against the United States for inaction is rooted in the West's responsibility in destabilizing these countries in the first place.  That's why it is absurd for Trump to deny people refugee status while perpetuating the conditions which started the migrant crisis.  The West, and the United States in particular, have ceded any credibility they might have had over matters pertaining to war and peace, and that's why any 'good-intentioned' attempt by the United States to make nice overseas deserves to be challenged and questioned.

Well, yes, Iraq was the genie that flew out of the uncorked the bottle, but if we start letting Bana's mother walk over us because of Bush's lie than God knows what else we'll have to let slide.

The mother is a very popular Twitter star who exploits her traumatized little girl with political messages. CNN in particular hangs on their every word.

[Atlas Has Shrugged]

Nope. The United States is not the global sheriff.

If the US is going to go isolationist (worked so well in the past, right?) and give up its spot as the most powerful nation in the world, please do tell us before so that we can ally Russia or China.
Sincerely, your endangered allies.

"Endangered allies" or parasites who are almost as bad as the Russians when it comes to meddling in other countries?

We can't be world policemen, and expect to solve every problem in the world, or even get involved in everything in the world. But when something reaches a certain magnitude with an immediate crisis, we need to do something. When it became clear years ago that tens of thousands (even without WMDs) were dying in Syria, we needed to do something.

And with hindsight, it might have also prevented ISIS from filling the vacuum, the international refugee crisis stemming from Syria, and the xenophobic/isolationist/anti-Muslim backlash that has rushed the Nationalist Right to power across Europe and the United States.

I'm not passing final judgment on this yet... but from what we know so far, I support it. It was limited, precise, and relatively fast in response to the chemical attack. It attacked the specific airfield that was used in the chemical attack, it seems. I need more information. Right now, it seems like a good move. We need to stand up to mass murder. Hundreds of thousands have died in Syria. The victims are as human as you and me. My empathy doesn't end at our borders. Assad has attacked his own people unchallenged for too long.
 
 

Mine does. I have too much to worry about in my own family. My brother didn't survive heroin addiction only to get drafted and killed in a third world war that I know you're too chickenshit to fight.

Absolutely not. The U.S. does not engage in military action for humanitarian reasons.

Humanitarian is about as legitimate a word as "bipartisan" in American parlance. What this is (not through Trump, but from the broader, established foreign policy elites) basically amounts to colonialism.

Why aren't we bombing the hell out of Saudi Arabia? They literally funded, aided, and abetted 9/11. Why aren't we invading Equatorial Guinea? Does Blue3 even know about the Great African War that has been underway for decades?

There's not going to be a Draft or World War III from this. Jesus, calm down. You're acting unhinged.

There were Russian ground troops there an hour before the strike asshole. You have to be a sociopath. Why are you allowed to educate children? You can't even cite a source properly on the forum and now you seem to be completely enthused by a conflict that doesn't have to occur.

[Atlas Has Shrugged]

violated a standard that even Pol Pot and Idi Amin dared not violate.

That's... not the way too look at this.

I think Pol Pot would have had a lot of use with a can of sarin.

[Atlas Has Shrugged]

Absolutely not.  Syria did nothing to threaten the US.

it threatens US allies. that must be worth something.

Yeah. If you do not think that the US should honour its alliances, you should advocate for withdrawing all alliances. Let's see how will the US economy do then.

Let's see how Estonias economy does when half the country is absorbed into Russia or when the Israeli settlers are forcibly expelled. I think you'd have more to worry about then us. American lives are worth more than the economy. These are life and death matters.

[Atlas Has Shrugged]

Absolutely not.  Syria did nothing to threaten the US.

it threatens US allies. that must be worth something.

Yeah. If you do not think that the US should honour its alliances, you should advocate for withdrawing all alliances. Let's see how will the US economy do then.

I take serious offense with this post. I'm glad to know that most Israeli's don't think like you do, because if they did, I'd support pulling the carpet out from under them. This is now how allies treat the only country keeping the hordes at the gates out.

I'm pro-Israel. I believe in Israel's right to exist, I believe in their right to have nuclear weapons, and I believe that they have the right to what is necessary to ensure the survival of the Jewish state. Even when the UN adopted that resolution against the settlements (which I supported in spirit), I opposed it out of disgust at Obama stabbing Israel in the back. If he wanted to take action on it, he should have done so in 2009, and not in 2016 when Trump was about to take office. It was wrong, repulsive, and shameful to do that over a personal grudge with Netanyahu. But this attitude among a very small slice of Israeli's that America's purpose is solely to protect Israel ever becomes prevalent, than it's time to end it. I'd say the same thing to the South Koreans or the Canadians.

[Atlas Has Shrugged]

Absolutely not.  Syria did nothing to threaten the US.

it threatens US allies. that must be worth something.

Yeah. If you do not think that the US should honour its alliances, you should advocate for withdrawing all alliances. Let's see how will the US economy do then.

Let's see how Estonias economy does when half the country is absorbed into Russia or when the Israeli settlers are forcibly expelled. I think you'd have more to worry about then us. American lives are worth more than the economy. These are life and death matters.

And in turn this will ruin our economy.

I'm so glad the price of milk and health insurance matter more to you than the life of a soldier. I'd rather live through the Great Depression and come to the brink of starvation than see more Americans killed. I suppose a lack of respect for human life extends beyond abortion with you people.

[Atlas Has Shrugged]

Can we end this misconception that we somehow "lost" the war in Vietnam?