You're right that no one has asked seriously whether Assad ordered the gassing or not. I don't think Obama and the other hawks want the question asked. But I have some questions I'd like you to answer, if you're up for it:
1) It's been stated that Assad has agreed to give up his CWs because the most powerful military in the world is breathing down his neck. But to believe that he ordered the attacks one would need to believe that he purposely painted himself into that corner. Why would he do that?
2) Why hasn't the findings of the German investigation been looked into more vigorously? They determined that the Saudis likely supplied the rebels with sarin and a subsequent accidental release was the purported "attack."
3) Why hasn't the UN investigator that determined that the previous gas attacks were (with near certainty) the work of the rebels been looked into more thoroughly?
4) Why did Kerry claim that Assad delayed authorizing inspections of the affected areas when it simply wasn't true?
As always, well conceived & well spoken. I just hope people will not fall prey to Obama's emotional call to American Exceptionalism. Howard Zinn said that every war has been preceded by lies. This seems to be no exception.
Mark, I don't think isolationist is the correct description, neutrality based foreign policy seems closer to what (imho) Washington was talking about. The foreign policy that you say Europeans as well as people from the Middle East region want, that is, constructive engagement without the imperialist bullying. The first thing that struck me about this is, why oh why do you think you should get what you want... hell, I am an American citizen and THAT is what I desperately want as well. No one is listening to me. Millions of Americans, at least those that are paying attention to the destruction wrought by American Empire, want THAT also. No one gives a tinker's dam what WE want. The corporatists will continue to use the American politicians with the help of the American military to extract every last resource that can be used to turn a profit until there is nothing left.
I don't know how to stop them and I'm not even sure if they can be stopped. I do know that they won't stop voluntarily. Maybe the Occupy movement can develop into a grand world movement capable of exerting enough pressure. Free market unfettered/unregulated capitalism is not compatible with life on earth.
I once heard an interview about the guy who invented the Monopoly board game. Apparently, he was asked if he invented the game to show how capitalism works. He answered that, No, I invented it to show how capitalism does not work. After all, one person ends up with everything and everyone else with nothing.
Brilliant idea to tie Washington's words to our present foreign policy foibles. Wise words that sadly are largely ignored or worse... knowingly disregarded.
Thanks
You're right that no one has asked seriously whether Assad ordered the gassing or not. I don't think Obama and the other hawks want the question asked. But I have some questions I'd like you to answer, if you're up for it:
1) It's been stated that Assad has agreed to give up his CWs because the most powerful military in the world is breathing down his neck. But to believe that he ordered the attacks one would need to believe that he purposely painted himself into that corner. Why would he do that?
2) Why hasn't the findings of the German investigation been looked into more vigorously? They determined that the Saudis likely supplied the rebels with sarin and a subsequent accidental release was the purported "attack."
3) Why hasn't the UN investigator that determined that the previous gas attacks were (with near certainty) the work of the rebels been looked into more thoroughly?
4) Why did Kerry claim that Assad delayed authorizing inspections of the affected areas when it simply wasn't true?
Just wondering...
As always, well conceived & well spoken. I just hope people will not fall prey to Obama's emotional call to American Exceptionalism. Howard Zinn said that every war has been preceded by lies. This seems to be no exception.
Mark, I don't think isolationist is the correct description, neutrality based foreign policy seems closer to what (imho) Washington was talking about. The foreign policy that you say Europeans as well as people from the Middle East region want, that is, constructive engagement without the imperialist bullying. The first thing that struck me about this is, why oh why do you think you should get what you want... hell, I am an American citizen and THAT is what I desperately want as well. No one is listening to me. Millions of Americans, at least those that are paying attention to the destruction wrought by American Empire, want THAT also. No one gives a tinker's dam what WE want. The corporatists will continue to use the American politicians with the help of the American military to extract every last resource that can be used to turn a profit until there is nothing left.
I don't know how to stop them and I'm not even sure if they can be stopped. I do know that they won't stop voluntarily. Maybe the Occupy movement can develop into a grand world movement capable of exerting enough pressure. Free market unfettered/unregulated capitalism is not compatible with life on earth.
I once heard an interview about the guy who invented the Monopoly board game. Apparently, he was asked if he invented the game to show how capitalism works. He answered that, No, I invented it to show how capitalism does not work. After all, one person ends up with everything and everyone else with nothing.
Brilliant idea to tie Washington's words to our present foreign policy foibles. Wise words that sadly are largely ignored or worse... knowingly disregarded.