U.S. Launches Millitary Strike Against Syria (merged)

Do you agree with Trump's decision to strike Syria?

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#301
#301
I'm surprised to see some of my Trump-supporting FB friends (and VN posters) turn on Trump over this. Regardless of what's right or wrong, I'm impressed...I thought he could do no wrong in people's eyes.
 
#302
#302
Orangedogsrule said:
Wut? Not many know the lingo.
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The strike came from 2 Arleigh-Burke Class Destroyers, the USS Ross (Did 11 months at sea with this ship during OEF/OIF) and the USS Porter. Both are the older Areleigh Burke Class Destroyers. They are not only equipped with offensive Cruise Missiles, they are also loaded down with S3's, SeaRAM, and CIWS....so they are rather protected against an attack from this Russian asset.
 
#303
#303
lawgator1 said:
None of that detracts from the fact that the GOP Congress, and Trump himself, decried THIS EXACT SAME ACT when it would have come from Obama.

You cannot dismiss the hypocrisy on that point.

Also, you are watching too much Shark Tank.
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It's hypocrisy, but honestly would you want your President to make a decision based on what he said in a Tweet 4 years ago? Or would you prefer he make the best decision for the situation at the time regardless if it shows him to by hypocritical?
 
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#304
#304
SergeantVol said:
Some additional food for thought.

Most standing armies that are considered near peer are largely made up of conscripts. Technologically, they are inferior. However, Russia has made strides with the development of new Main Battle Tanks and upgrading their Air Force. We still have the numbers advantage in platforms available and in Naval supremacy.
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I'd disagree on the MBT being that much of a threat compared to contemporary western designs, though they have made strides in quality over quantity.

But more importantly, they do have the BOG experience, at least from a Syrian perspective. We have somewhat of the same experience level, though our operations in that part of the ME are going on almost a decade old. Though that's not a bad thing as the lower enlisted and company grade officers that were in that part of the world the last time are now NCOs, SNCOs and field grade staff. And leadership can be highly helpful in this situation.
 
#305
#305
ClearwaterVol said:
Question - Many on this board questioned Obama's leadership as it relates to the Syrian cause. Putin was brought up many times as a great leader who would have had a stronger better reaction. It appears that Putin is not going to have a strong reaction to this incident besides running his mouth. What do you think of Putin now? Is he a paper tiger?
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Putin is a politician, just like any other. Politicians act when they are able to act, and they run their mouths when they are not able to act.

Obama had no move when the Russians moved into Ukraine, for example, so all he did was talk and tell them that they shouldn't do it. What is he going to do; put US troops in Ukraine to stop the Russians and risk starting WWIII? He couldn't do anything when the Russians moved into Syria for the same reason. Putin knew he could intervene in those situations with limited consequences for himself, so he did so.

The tables have turned now. What is Putin going to do; shoot the Tomahawks out of the air or shoot down a US jet fighter? Putin knows he has no move here, so he's going to talk.
 
#306
#306
Obsessed said:
Thanks.

I'm just trying to figure out if the Russian ship on its way there is to support us or deter us...
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Deter. Russia will not stand by for another "unwarranted" US attack on Assad's military assets used in opposition to the ISIL/ISIS/Rebel insurgency.

Ostensibly Putin/Russia sees a Syria controlled by any Assad or 'Alawite' regime as favorable over radical Sunni ISIS.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alawites

This preference is understandable as the Alawite are far more amenable to Western Civilisation than the Sunni.
 
#307
#307
Berry4Heisman14 said:
I just fail to see the point in us flexing our muscles. I wish we would just stay out of it for once. We don't need another war. And it's especially alarming for someone my age, 23 bc I'd in the age group to get dragged into war
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I am at the belief that we are also flexing our muscles for Russia's benefit, not just Syria. Have we so soon forgotten Russian planes buzzing our ships more than once and us not doing a thing about it?

When our last armor left the European theater, Russia invaded Crimea. In the 80's-90's, the US had 300,000 personnel in the European theater. Today we have 30,000.

There is a reason we are sending armor back over and setting up permanent equipment sites in eastern Europe. There is a reason my son's unit just got back from some eastern European countries (obviously can't/won't say where and what capacity). There is another reason my other son is training in Germany this summer. There is a reason there will be large scale exercises in eastern Europe this summer.

We are flexing our muscle for Putin's benefit. Telling him to "slow his roll" in the grand scheme of things.

It may be scary because of your age, but there are scary actors in this world and someone needs to be able to stand up to them or it could get ugly for us all. I am proud that my sons have carried on the family tradition of serving in our armed forces.
 
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#308
#308
lawgator1 said:
None of that detracts from the fact that the GOP Congress, and Trump himself, decried THIS EXACT SAME ACT when it would have come from Obama.

You cannot dismiss the hypocrisy on that point.

Also, you are watching too much Shark Tank.
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But wait! There's more!

Mr. Obama overruled the advice of many of his aides who worried about just such a defeat, and Republican Congressional officials said Saturday that if a vote were taken immediately, the Republican-controlled House would not support action. Interviews with more than a dozen members of Congress made clear that the situation was volatile even in the Senate, where Democrats have a majority.

As Syrian forces braced for attack, the president’s decision effectively put it off for more than a week, since Congress is not due back in Washington until Sept. 9. Mr. Obama did not push for Congress to come back sooner, and House leaders opted to keep to their schedule. Senate leaders set committee hearings to begin on Tuesday with a floor vote “no later” than the week of Sept. 9.

Senator Bob Casey, Democrat of Pennsylvania, said public opinion would pose a challenge for the president and Congress. “I’d be very surprised if the position of going forward with the strike would reach 50 percent in our state,” he said. “I don’t think it would get to 50.”

Even allies like Senator Tim Kaine of Virginia, one of Mr. Obama’s earliest supporters for president and his handpicked Democratic Party chairman, publicly argued that he had to go to Congress for permission. “The worst thing we can do is put people out on that limb and ask them to potentially risk their lives based on equivocal political support,” Mr. Kaine said.
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And we aren't done with this special offer!

But some argued that Mr. Obama had blinked in the face of a tough choice and possible backlash, and abdicated responsibility. “I strongly believe that the commander in chief has the absolute right to take military action,” said Representative Peter T. King, Republican of New York. “The president seems like he’s weak at every level.”
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#309
#309
CABVOL said:
I am at the belief that we are also flexing our muscles for Russia's benefit, not just Syria. Have we so soon forgotten Russian planes buzzing our ships more than once and us not doing a thing about it?

When our last armor left the European theater, Russia invaded Crimea. In the 80's-90's, the US had 300,000 personnel in the European theater. Today we have 30,000.

There is a reason we are sending armor back over and setting up permanent equipment sites in eastern Europe. There is a reason my son's unit just got back from some eastern European countries (obviously can't/won't say where and what capacity). There is another reason my other son is training in Germany this summer. There is a reason there will be large scale exercises in eastern Europe this summer.

We are flexing our muscle for Putin's benefit. Telling him to "slow his roll" in the grand scheme of things.

It may be scary because of your age, but there are scary actors in this world and someone needs to be able to stand up to them or it could get ugly for us all. I am proud that my sons have carried on the family tradition of serving in our armed forces.
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Much respect to your sons. But I'm in no way ashamed to say it isn't for me you couldn't pay me to go to war not gonna happen. Much respect to your children
 
#310
#310
lawgator1 said:
None of that detracts from the fact that the GOP Congress, and Trump himself, decried THIS EXACT SAME ACT when it would have come from Obama.

You cannot dismiss the hypocrisy on that point.

Also, you are watching too much Shark Tank.
Click to expand...

The tincture of time often requires changing one's position with respect to similar, but actually different, circumstances and current exigencies.

That is called flexibility, growth, and maturation counselor. Something I'm sure your employers wish for in you. Go on, suprise them...and us.
 
#311
#311
Berry4Heisman14 said:
Much respect to your sons. But I'm in no way ashamed to say it isn't for me you couldn't pay me to go to war not gonna happen. Much respect to your children
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Didn't mean to imply disrespect to you if it came across that way. My apologies if it did.
 
#312
#312
BearCat204 said:
It's hypocrisy, but honestly would you want your President to make a decision based on what he said in a Tweet 4 years ago? Or would you prefer he make the best decision for the situation at the time regardless if it shows him to by hypocritical?
Click to expand...


Ironically, because of the fact that Trump says something contradictory pretty much every moment of every day, he has set the bar for consistency for himself so low that it is impossible for him to screw it up even more.

What seems to be happening with this GOP Congress is something I think a lot of GOPers on here would agree with. Other than a few of the usual players, e.g. MCCain and Graham, most of them are oddly silent on the wisdom of this (they are rah on the troops, but not really commenting too much on whether this is a good or bad thing).

I think they are hedging their bets. If we get a week out or so with no major disaster, they will buy in, and laud it. But if it goes South, they will complain that he should have checked with them first. Scum, all of them.
 
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#313
#313
CABVOL said:
I am at the belief that we are also flexing our muscles for Russia's benefit, not just Syria. Have we so soon forgotten Russian planes buzzing our ships more than once and us not doing a thing about it?

When our last armor left the European theater, Russia invaded Crimea. In the 80's-90's, the US had 300,000 personnel in the European theater. Today we have 30,000.

There is a reason we are sending armor back over and setting up permanent equipment sites in eastern Europe. There is a reason my son's unit just got back from some eastern European countries (obviously can't/won't say where and what capacity). There is another reason my other son is training in Germany this summer. There is a reason there will be large scale exercises in eastern Europe this summer.

We are flexing our muscle for Putin's benefit. Telling him to "slow his roll" in the grand scheme of things.

It may be scary because of your age, but there are scary actors in this world and someone needs to be able to stand up to them or it could get ugly for us all. I am proud that my sons have carried on the family tradition of serving in our armed forces.
Click to expand...


Within the next 2 years, we will have 4 times the force in Europe that we currently have. It's even got a catchy name, European Reassurance Initiative (ERI).
 
#315
#315
lawgator1 said:
Ironically, because of the fact that Trump says something contradictory pretty much every moment of every day, he has set the bar for consistency for himself so low that it is impossible for him to screw it up even more.

What seems to be happening with this GOP Congress is something I think a lot of GOPers on here would agree with. Other than a few of the usual players, e.g. MCCain and Graham, most of them are oddly silent on the wisdom of this (they are rah on the troops, but not really commenting too much on whether this is a good or bad thing).

I think they are hedging their bets. If we get a week out or so with no major disaster, they will buy in, and laud it. But if it goes South, they will complain that he should have checked with them first. Scum, all of them.
Click to expand...

Oh, don't even play partisan politics with this. You damn well know the DNC would be neck deep in such finger pointing if something really bad happens.
 
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#317
#317
BearCat204 said:
Within the next 2 years, we will have 4 times the force in Europe that we currently have. It's even got a catchy name, European Reassurance Initiative (ERI).
Click to expand...

I hadn't read an amount, but I knew of the rotating deployments that would soon start to ramp up. Officials believe it's more cost effective to rotate units out every so many months than to reopen closed posts/bases and begin PCS's again.
 
#318
#318
CABVOL said:
I hadn't read an amount, but I knew of the rotating deployments that would soon start to ramp up. Officials believe it's more cost effective to rotate units out every so many months than to reopen closed posts/bases and begin PCS's again.
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Lol, I just typed and deleted and typed and deleted something about 4 times on what we are currently doing and prepping for in that Theatre. Thought it was best that I probably don't post specifics lol.
 
#320
#320
BearCat204 said:
Lol, I just typed and deleted and typed and deleted something about 4 times on what we are currently doing and prepping for in that Theatre. Thought it was best that I probably don't post specifics lol.
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Haha. Yeah. My sons won't tell me specifics over the phone or through texts. Best not do it here either. :)

I just got some basic info from them and read the rest on militarytimes.com.
 
#322
#322
CABVOL said:
Haha. Yeah. My son's won't tell me specifics over the phone or through texts. Best not do it here either. :)

I just got some basic info from them and read the rest on militarytimes.com.
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Prayers and safe thoughts for your Warfighter Son.
 
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#323
#323
Grand Vol said:
Oh, don't even play partisan politics with this. You damn well know the DNC would be neck deep in such finger pointing if something really bad happens.
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True. And other than a couple of muted calls for Congressional confirmation next time, they are largely in wait and see mode before they pick a side. Also scum.
 
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