Syria

[Paul6754]

Going to be interesting to see how the American Congress vote and if Obama actually takes any notice of it. The average Joe in the USA wants America to stay out of it.

[JOHNNYAITCH]

The average Joe in the USA probably thinks Syria is the latest car from Ford!!! :)

[Santa]

I was reading an interesting article last night (I've lost the link now though) about where Syria fits in with the politics of Middle Eastern oil and natural gas, and allowing pipelines to run through the country.

 

It was a bit conspiracy theory-ish but it claimed that Russia and Gazprom are close to getting through to a huge amount of natural gas in the Middle East that would significantly weaken the Dollar and the influence of OPEC.

 

It also claimed that the run on the banks in Cyprus earlier in the year was created in order to destabilize Russian interests. Not sure about that one though.

[JOHNNYAITCH]

All the above is possible in my book

[Warren]

Syria is now the country in the world with the most displaced people - about half the population have left their homes and 5 million have left the country for refugee camps. Roughly.

[Warren]

I was reading an interesting article last night (I've lost the link now though) about where Syria fits in with the politics of Middle Eastern oil and natural gas, and allowing pipelines to run through the country.

 

It was a bit conspiracy theory-ish but it claimed that Russia and Gazprom are close to getting through to a huge amount of natural gas in the Middle East that would significantly weaken the Dollar and the influence of OPEC.

 

It also claimed that the run on the banks in Cyprus earlier in the year was created in order to destabilize Russian interests. Not sure about that one though.

 

The Greek part of Cyprus is insolvent, the Turkish part is not. The insolvent part of the country lived beyond its means and has a genuine sovereign debt crisis. It has also been harmed by being a place where wealthy people have stashed the cash and of course they ran away when the walls started tumbling including the Russians.

[For Us All]

The US timetable for action was probably driving the urgency in Cameron's recall of Parliament. He has though been very undermined by the Americans not sharing intelligence because what they revealed yesterday and the narrow proposal of their response may have turned the vote. The narrow response possibly heads off the escalation risk in region which is a major concern in people's mind.

 

Ed Miliband is a lapsed Jew. As someone coming from that background he should be more aware than most of genocide and the way events like this can escalate and play out. I believe he played politics with his unsettled response designed to cause a Government defeat and division with the US. He is now blamed in the US for what happens and if he ever becomes PM his standing in Washington will be junk. He really is as unfit as it is possible to be as Labour Leader on this score and almost every other one. He can't even manage to appear sincere on TV.

 

Ed definitely played party politics judging by the amount of cheering that went on by Labour front benchers when Cameron lost the vote.How can you cheer when young children are getting attacked with chemical weapons?

[Andyregs]

Is it only me that it strikes as odd that if it was normal bombs blowing a few hundred people up, it wouldn't have been such a big deal than if chemical weapons killed a few hundred? Does it matter how you murder someone?

[For Us All]

Is it only me that it strikes as odd that if it was normal bombs blowing a few hundred people up, it wouldn't have been such a big deal than if chemical weapons killed a few hundred? Does it matter how you murder someone?

 

Yes it does,have you not heard of the Chemical Weapons Convention?

Unfortunately,Syria haven't signed up.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chemical_Weapons_Convention

[Andyregs]

Yes it does,have you not heard of the Chemical Weapons Convention?

Unfortunately,Syria haven't signed up.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chemical_Weapons_Convention

 

I understand that, and my reaction was the same as most others to the use of chemicals, it's just that when you think about it, is it morally any different?

[Warren]

Human shields are moving to be near potential sites. They seem to be doing this voluntarily as government supporters. In any event many military installations and other targeted assets are deliberately located near civilian sites. So taking military action is going to have a lot of downside unless they bomb a grass field.

[For Us All]

I understand that, and my reaction was the same as most others to the use of chemicals, it's just that when you think about it, is it morally any different?

 

Not really but rules are rules I suppose.

[Andyregs]

Not really but rules are rules I suppose.

 

That's another thing that seems bizarre. Having rules for war? Like its a game.

[For Us All]

That's another thing that seems bizarre. Having rules for war? Like its a game.

 

When you think about it,it is really,just like a game of chess with people as the pawns.:(

[Andyregs]

When you think about it,it is really,just like a game of chess with people as the pawns.:(

 

I know, bits its bizarre to expect a country who we go to war with for doing some sort of atrocity, to suddenly start playing ball once war is declared.