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Strawberry Alarm Clock
Supporter
Username: Strawberry
Post Number: 4532
Registered: 10-2001
| | Posted on Thursday, February 17, 2005 - 8:59 am: | 
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http://www.nytimes.com/2005/02/17/opinion/17friedman.html?hp
Very interesting take. This is a must read. |
Bobkat
Supporter
Username: Bobk
Post Number: 7623
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Thursday, February 17, 2005 - 9:13 am: |
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A good article. However, as Mr. Friedman points out, the Syrians are ruthless when provoked. Can the Lebanese throw them out with votes or are bullets also going to be needed? I rather expect the latter and don't know where the bullets are going to come from. I don't think we have a lot left. |
Strawberry Alarm Clock
Supporter
Username: Strawberry
Post Number: 4533
Registered: 10-2001
| | Posted on Thursday, February 17, 2005 - 9:14 am: |
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The UN must take the lead here. |
Debby
Citizen
Username: Debby
Post Number: 1682
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Thursday, February 17, 2005 - 9:40 am: |
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What do you mean by that - sanctions and resolutions , or armed forces? |
Strawberry Alarm Clock
Supporter
Username: Strawberry
Post Number: 4535
Registered: 10-2001
| | Posted on Thursday, February 17, 2005 - 9:42 am: |
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All of the above if required. |
Rastro
Citizen
Username: Rastro
Post Number: 719
Registered: 5-2004
| | Posted on Thursday, February 17, 2005 - 10:20 am: |
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Given your previous posts about the UN, I'm surprised you trust them to handle a situation as brutal as this. The UN has, in the past, been reluctant to put "their" troops in harms way, particularly in highly unstable situations, like the one this would quickly become.
While I do agree we should go down the path where the UN takes the lead initially, I'd think NATO and its individual members need to put pressure on Syria as well. the UN is notorious for being a paper tiger in the face of brtual regimes. Look at their success rate in Africa, for instance.
Unfortunately, I think Syria feels like they're in a "nothing-to-lose" situation. We've openly talked about invading them (or at least, not completely ruled it out). They've lost a protective border with Iraq, Iran is being threatened. Really, what do they have to lose by doing this? What I'd REALLY like to see is Saudia Arabia, Egypt, and Jordan telling Syria to cool it and putting some muscle behind it. But I just don't see those states rushing to Lebanon's rescue. |
Sgt. Pepper
Citizen
Username: Jjkatz
Post Number: 695
Registered: 12-2003
| | Posted on Thursday, February 17, 2005 - 12:09 pm: |
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They've lost a protective border with Iraq
As has Iran. And it wouldn't surprise me at all if that was the real reason we invaded Iraq, to give us a base from which to enter Iran and Syria. Of course that would never have flown with the UN, hence all the WMD BS. |
Strawberry Alarm Clock
Supporter
Username: Strawberry
Post Number: 4550
Registered: 10-2001
| | Posted on Friday, February 18, 2005 - 3:55 pm: |
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dumb...You forget the International community said Iraq had WMD'S.. That's why the UN wanted inspections, remember?
lbs.. |
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