re: US and "Partners" begin bombing Syria

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Officials say the coalition targeted about 20 sites, including command-and-control centers, training camps and weapons depots.

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So we hit about 20 sites? Ok. I saw a headline earlier that about 20 ISIS militants were killed in these attacks. If my math is right I calculate we killed about one person per target struck....


Not exactly shock and awe.

Well here we go

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Trading one Islamic fanatic for another could end up being just as bad.

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I hear ya, but it's the state actors behind the scenes who are actually worse. They are the people to focus on, not the guys making videos of themselves swinging across monkey bars.

At the very least, hopefully after this episode in foreign affairs nobody will ever take Ted Cruz ( LINK) or Rand Paul ( LINK) seriously again. The so-called realists are living in a fantasy land.

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ground troops is a viable option if the airpower fails

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hopefully with the YPG carrying the majority of that burden, if possible

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hopefully with the YPG carrying the majority of that burden, if possible

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One would hope, but as my Grandfather used to say - shite in one hand and wish/hope in the other and see which one fills up first...

The fact is, the Secretary of Defense has stated that troops will most likely be used if this campaign fails. When ISIS gets smart and start hiding, all of the airpower in the world isn't going to make a damn. Look for "advisors" first and then a gradual increase...

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The fact is, the Secretary of Defense has stated that troops will most likely be used if this campaign fails. When ISIS gets smart and start hiding, all of the airpower in the world isn't going to make a damn. Look for "advisors" first and then a gradual increase...

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That's how I see it. Although, I wish the UN would just establish a peacekeeping force for this region.

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That's how I see it. Although, I wish the UN would just establish a peacekeeping force for this region.

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UN peacekeeping force? Those words don't belong together...

I'd love to see NATO do something and see Turkey's face

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The fact is, the Secretary of Defense has stated that troops will most likely be used if this campaign fails.

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And Obama rebuffed him, which means that the #1 issue at the present moment is whether or not Obama is serious about these efforts, rather than just doing a little bit of short-term fireworks so he can throw his hands up and walk away, which we all know is what he really wants to do.

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When ISIS gets smart and start hiding, all of the airpower in the world isn't going to make a damn. Look for "advisors" first and then a gradual increase...

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Well it's not as if ISIS is a natural phenomenon. The people hate them, but side with them because they see that the U.S. sold out the FSA, and so the only 2 sides getting backed are Assad (by Russia and Iran) and ISIS (by various factions in Saudi Arabia and Qatar). This is what happens when the U.S. chooses not to intervene.

I would love to see a U.S. occupation of Syria in support of a government by the Free Syrian Army. If we are going to enter a new cold war with Iran, then we want to be able to isolate them as much as possible, and stabilizing Damascus will not only stabilize Syria, but will also stabilize the Sunni portion of Iraq, Lebanon, Jordan, & Israel. That's like 5 countries for one, all of which Iran has actively been seeking to destabilize or destroy for decades now.

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And Obama rebuffed him, which means that the #1 issue at the present moment is whether or not Obama is serious about these efforts, rather than just doing a little bit of short-term fireworks so he can throw his hands up and walk away, which we all know is what he really wants to do.

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Yep. Unfortunately, that is the sad state of affairs that will require a much bigger mess that will need to be cleaned up.

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I would love to see a U.S. occupation of Syria in support of a government by the Free Syrian Army. If we are going to enter a new cold war with Iran, then we want to be able to isolate them as much as possible, and stabilizing Damascus will not only stabilize Syria, but will also stabilize the Sunni portion of Iraq, Lebanon, Jordan, & Israel. That's like 5 countries for one, all of which Iran has actively been seeking to destabilize or destroy for decades now.

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Yep. But with the way Kerry is starting to make nuke concessions with Iran in order to get them to "help" with ISIS, things will only get worse. If that ends up happening, then that will be another can of worms.