What is going on with Trump and Syria tonight?

[The Mikado]

So...earlier tonight, there was this, from our UN Ambassador:

Nikki Haley (@nikkihaley)
Any further attacks done to the people of Syria will be blamed on Assad, but also on Russia & Iran who support him killing his own people.

Followed by this:



However, the US Military has no idea what Trump is talking about:

Bradd Jaffy (@BraddJaffy)
Officials at US Central Command told BuzzFeed News they have ‘no idea’ what prompted the statement” from the WH https://t.co/SeFPRMyfLq https://t.co/QtQLgKLE8o



So...Trump officially says that Syria is about to use chemical weapons and Nikki Haley says that Russia and Iran will be held accountable for Syrian war crimes, but Centcom has no idea wtf the Commander in Chief is talking about.

[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

Now would be the perfect time for ISIS to do a chemical weapons attack.

[Yank2133]

This is why you don't burn your credibility lying about crowd sizes.

[ProudModerate2]

This is why you don't burn your credibility lying about crowd sizes.

Agree.
But that is only one out of many things (lies) that the orange-haired clown has done, that have destroyed this administration's credibility.

Also, the fact that higher-ups in the military have no idea about this is not surprising. The severe day-to-day bumbling from this White House is just common (and incompetent) practice. Just one big circus.

[Antonio the Sixth]

This administration is a disaster. It's comfortable to blame it all on T***p, but the incompetence runs far beyond.

[ProudModerate2]

This administration is a disaster. It's comfortable to blame it all on T***p, but the incompetence runs far beyond.

But he is the one who hired all the other clowns.
He is to blame !
When you put a bunch of incompetent morons, who know nothing about running their departments, this is what you get. Some government experience is necessary.
trump knows nothing ..... his advisors know nothing .... his dept heads no nothing ..... the conclusion is easy to ascertain.

[The Mikado]

Vivian Salama‏
Verified account
 @vmsalama  44m
44 minutes ago
 
 
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It appears policy advisers at State were not briefed on WH Syria statement. Spoke to one senior official tonight who heard the news from me.



From the AP. Trump didn't bother running his war threat to State or Defense before issuing it.

[Crumpets]

This feels like the leadup to Iraq, but with Sarah Palin in place of George Bush and Boris Yeltsin in place of Colin Powell.

[Technocracy Timmy]

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Posturing.

[Antonio the Sixth]

This administration is a disaster. It's comfortable to blame it all on T***p, but the incompetence runs far beyond.

But he is the one who hired all the other clowns.
He is to blame !
When you put a bunch of incompetent morons, who know nothing about running their departments, this is what you get. Some government experience is necessary.
trump knows nothing ..... his advisors know nothing .... his dept heads no nothing ..... the conclusion is easy to ascertain.

Still, many of the people involved are career Republicans who could have landed a job in any GOP administration.

[pbrower2a]

This administration is a disaster. It's comfortable to blame it all on T***p, but the incompetence runs far beyond.

What a difference nine months makes! Had it been Barack Obama making such a warning, there would be no confusion in the rest of the world. He would have made the situation clear to leadership of every major power. There would be well-calculated plans in place.

Incompetent leadership at the top means incompetence near the top, too. I wonder whether the generals and admirals even understand what the President  wants them to do. With Obama that would be no problem.

[JA]

This administration is a disaster. It's comfortable to blame it all on T***p, but the incompetence runs far beyond.

But he is the one who hired all the other clowns.
He is to blame !
When you put a bunch of incompetent morons, who know nothing about running their departments, this is what you get. Some government experience is necessary.
trump knows nothing ..... his advisors know nothing .... his dept heads no nothing ..... the conclusion is easy to ascertain.

Still, many of the people involved are career Republicans who could have landed a job in any GOP administration.

It speaks volumes to the competence and quality of top Republican officials, doesn't it?

[ProudModerate2]

This administration is a disaster. It's comfortable to blame it all on T***p, but the incompetence runs far beyond.

What a difference nine months makes! Had it been Barack Obama making such a warning, there would be no confusion in the rest of the world. He would have made the situation clear to leadership of every major power. There would be well-calculated plans in place.

Incompetent leadership at the top means incompetence near the top, too. I wonder whether the generals and admirals even understand what the President  wants them to do. With Obama that would be no problem.

Yep.
If our top military commanders didn't even know about this, then more than likely our allies know nothing also. And I agree that this would have been handled 99% more professionally and properly under Obama.

trump is basically threatening (nuclear) war with Russia, here !
trump is making a threat on Russia and putting it out there for the whole world to see/hear. I can't recall a recent US President doing something like this.
This is not only absurd, but extremely dangerous. A simple air-to-air confrontation between the US and Russia over Syria, in where they are physically very close to one another on an almost daily basis, could spell disaster.
If trump and his clowns really felt that this "style of discussion" was necessary with Russia, it could have been handled better if it was done behind-the-scenes.

[Matty]

You can't simultaneously scream to high heaven that russia committed an act of war against the US when they "hacked" our election, and then melt down when we talk tough with them on the international stage.

What is it going to be? Or are you guys just going to complain about everything trump does because your a-priori mindset is soaked in hatred of him?

[ProudModerate2]

You can't simultaneously scream to high heaven that russia committed an act of war against the US when they "hacked" our election, and then melt down when we talk tough with them on the international stage.

What is it going to be? Or are you guys just going to complain about everything trump does because your a-priori mindset is soaked in hatred of him?

Where have you been ?
We (the USA) have already been "talking tough with the Russians on the international stage."
Actually, much of the free world has been talking tough.
We have sanctions, the Europeans have had sanctions, we again may add more sanctions on Russia.
There is "talking tough" and then there is making "threats" (especially against another nuclear power).
Big distinction here.

Besides, I like how you skipped over the main story in the OP. It's about this administration's incompetence about informing the military about "this new (Yuge) policy." Do you think to the average American that this just might add to the "mindset of hatred" to a president who runs our nation like a circus ?

[The Mikado]

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Posturing.

Given that Assad is more than willing to use chemical weapons, as we know by now, saying that we'll hold Iran and Russia to account for Assad's use of them is wildly irresponsible, as it'll lead to one of two things:

1. When Assad does use chemical weapons again (he's Bashar al-Assad, of course he will), Trump will be boxed into declaring war on Syria and taking various punitive steps towards Iran and Russia which could lead to broader war.
2. When Assad uses chemical weapons again, Trump can do another flashy nonresponse and shoot some missiles into the desert and the whole world will know that American threats have no strength behind them.

This is the same f**king trap Assad caught Barack Obama in and it's why you don't give ultimatums.

[Person Man]

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Posturing.

Given that Assad is more than willing to use chemical weapons, as we know by now, saying that we'll hold Iran and Russia to account for Assad's use of them is wildly irresponsible, as it'll lead to one of two things:

1. When Assad does use chemical weapons again (he's Bashar al-Assad, of course he will), Trump will be boxed into declaring war on Syria and taking various punitive steps towards Iran and Russia which could lead to broader war.
2. When Assad uses chemical weapons again, Trump can do another flashy nonresponse and shoot some missiles into the desert and the whole world will know that American threats have no strength behind them.

This is the same f**king trap Assad caught Barack Obama in and it's why you don't give ultimatums.

He is boxed into 3 things at this point, he invades Syria and Iran, he gets cucked and continues to cede Republican ground on Security, or he just keeps sounding like the Kims.

[TheSaint250]

Please don't bomb Syria.

[SoLongAtlas]

Pasting from my thread on this, deleted it since this thread is talking about the same thing.

(Previous comment) Yes, if it's true and if he will actually do it. Strategically, would he just be able neutralize that threat?

(My take on it) It depends on what the threat is. If this is soldiers/SOF delivering it and running away, hard to pinpoint unless we have them in LOS via a drone, etc., if it is fighters dropping CBW bombs like last time (more likely), he could order the airbases and any jets in the air (potentially) to be taken out via Tomahawk strikes and our fighters in the area. It depends on how he wants to play this. If you play your CONOPS heavily, it opens the door to Russian retaliation on US and allied forces in the region in which we might have to respond to them in kind. (Russia really put the screws to planning once they jumped right over Obama's red line).

[Comrade Funk]

Please don't bomb Syria.

Maybe you shouldn't have voted for an irrational moron who contradicts himself everyday?

[TheSaint250]

Please don't bomb Syria.

Maybe you shouldn't have voted for an irrational moron who contradicts himself everyday?

*sigh*

Maybe you shouldn't have the sign of someone who has no idea what Aleppo is?

[Person Man]

Pasting from my thread on this, deleted it since this thread is talking about the same thing.

(Previous comment) Yes, if it's true and if he will actually do it. Strategically, would he just be able neutralize that threat?

(My take on it) It depends on what the threat is. If this is soldiers/SOF delivering it and running away, hard to pinpoint unless we have them in LOS via a drone, etc., if it is fighters dropping CBW bombs like last time (more likely), he could order the airbases and any jets in the air (potentially) to be taken out via Tomahawk strikes and our fighters in the area. It depends on how he wants to play this. If you play your CONOPS heavily, it opens the door to Russian retaliation on US and allied forces in the region in which we might have to respond to them in kind. (Russia really put the screws to planning once they jumped right over Obama's red line).

Doesn't it seem likely that the size of the engagement would be broad because we could never be sure he isn't about to gas people again or that if left in place, he wouldn't just gas as a form of culling the next challenge?

Obama was behind the 8 ball with both paleoconservatives and the left wing uniting against his authorization. Trump would probably have to do either  this on his own or with the cuckholding of Rand Paul.

[vanguard96]

US mainstream media refused to publish this piece by Seymour Hersh who uncovered the My Lai massacre and the issues at Abu Gharaib prison and has won numerous journalistic awards.

My bolding below.

It's typical the war-hawks at the Washington Post and NY Times would avoid this like the plague - and I am sure they did not like the mention of their papers in the article. It definitely further demonstrates Trump's judgment on top of his lack of experience. Likewise it further damns mainstream media's largely blanket acceptance of the conventional wisdom to fit certain political narratives.  

https://www.welt.de/politik/ausland/article165905578/Trump-s-Red-Line.html

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[Yank2133]

This administration is a disaster. It's comfortable to blame it all on T***p, but the incompetence runs far beyond.

But he is the one who hired all the other clowns.
He is to blame !
When you put a bunch of incompetent morons, who know nothing about running their departments, this is what you get. Some government experience is necessary.
trump knows nothing ..... his advisors know nothing .... his dept heads no nothing ..... the conclusion is easy to ascertain.

Still, many of the people involved are career Republicans who could have landed a job in any GOP administration.

Doubtful.

Most of these people are third rate Republicans. Trump couldn't draw and top tier talent, so he had to settle for these clowns.

[SoLongAtlas]

Pasting from my thread on this, deleted it since this thread is talking about the same thing.

(Previous comment) Yes, if it's true and if he will actually do it. Strategically, would he just be able neutralize that threat?

(My take on it) It depends on what the threat is. If this is soldiers/SOF delivering it and running away, hard to pinpoint unless we have them in LOS via a drone, etc., if it is fighters dropping CBW bombs like last time (more likely), he could order the airbases and any jets in the air (potentially) to be taken out via Tomahawk strikes and our fighters in the area. It depends on how he wants to play this. If you play your CONOPS heavily, it opens the door to Russian retaliation on US and allied forces in the region in which we might have to respond to them in kind. (Russia really put the screws to planning once they jumped right over Obama's red line).

Doesn't it seem likely that the size of the engagement would be broad because we could never be sure he isn't about to gas people again or that if left in place, he wouldn't just gas as a form of culling the next challenge?

Obama was behind the 8 ball with both paleoconservatives and the left wing uniting against his authorization. Trump would probably have to do either  this on his own or with the cuckholding of Rand Paul.

Yes, that's why I thought Trump would take out all or most of the SAF's airbases to nip it in the bud completely. He can't do that however without royally ticking off Russia and/or killing Russian forces in the process. Syria has turned into a catch-22 for most things and it makes for horrible planning.