No matter who was/is President of U.S, a very strong response was necessary

[Stuart G]

Poison Gas has been outlawed in war many years. It's use in World War I, was horrific. Using it now is insane. Bashar al-Assad used poison gas on his own people and no matter who is President of the United States, a strong response was necessary. Therefore, if Hillary was President a strong response was necessary. If Obama was President a strong response was necessary. If Biden was President a strong response was necessary.

I hate the current President. Nevertheless, this action yesterday was made with Britain and France. Those two countries also participated in World War I, and had countless lives taken from poison gas. I believe yesterday's response was correct. Even a broken clock is correct twice a day. Yesterday's action was a strong response to the use of poison gas. Someone had to say it, so it has been said.

(There are many books available to read about the use of poison gas in World War I. Someone here can recommend some. Thanks to those who respond with names of books and sources on poison gas in war. )

[Sherman A1]

1. I agree that the use is of chemical weapons is and must be unacceptable

I do also believe that this latest round was bungled by Mr Trump. The strike was too well telegraphed and should have happened much more quickly.

[Stuart G]

3. Thank you for your post.

Yes, the strike was "telegraphed." It was obvious that there was going to be a response. Still your first sentence is truth..I agree that the use is of chemical weapons is and must be unacceptable Thank you for saying this.

[Sherman A1]

14. Really not an issue as that is my belief

Yes, Mr. Trump should have consulted with Congress or at the very least Congressional leadership and hopefully that was the case.

As to the use of these chemical agents, there is I believe a line that must not be crossed. This was agreed to almost a century ago by nations and had been pretty well followed (not perfectly to be sure) for the most part as the world and it’s occupants are not perfect.

The retaliatory strikes are likewise not a perfect answer, but one has to ask what else can or should be done?

[NCTraveler]

2. We have done precision strikes there in the past.

What’s the game plan? We have left a void there for a year. In that time they have acquired military equipment and strengthened relationships with a couple of allies.

I fully agree with your general thought. Still, cowboy diplomacy will go down as the greatest failure of the generation currently making its way out the door(last of the generation is holding power now).

[oberliner]

4. Why not wait for the OPCW to inspect and report?

[Trust Buster]

5. Not without congressional approval it wasnt.

[Ferrets are Cool]

16. Ding Ding

[rgbecker]

6. It's a waste of the nation's resources. Nothing will come of it.

Several hundred million dollars worth of missiles, for what? The Russian backed Assad will continue to put down the rebels however necessary, just as your local police with the help of the National Guard and US Army would put down any uprising right here in the United States. As we spread land mines all across the world, so others will use outrageously inhumane methods.

Unless we are willing to take on the Russians, Iran and run their countries like Hitler did in Poland, France etc. why bother with the show.

[Stuart G]

10. I disagree. A strong response was necessary. That is my belief.

I wanted to express my opinion here in this forum. After all, this is a General Discussion (Forum) ... I hope the discussion stays civil and reasonable. Thank you for your point of view.

[atreides1]

15. It was a telegraphed response! That's my belief!

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-mideast-crisis-syria/us-uk-france-strike-syria-in-first-coordinated-action-against-assad-idUSKBN1HJ0ZS


“ABSORBED THE STRIKE”
But the Western powers were at pains to avert any further escalation, including any unexpected conflict with their superpower rival. French Defense Minister Florence Parly said the Russians “were warned beforehand” to avert conflict.

A senior official in a regional alliance that backs Damascus told Reuters the Syrian government and its allies had “absorbed” the attack. The sites that were targeted had been evacuated days ago thanks to a warning from Russia, the official said.

“If it is finished, and there is no second round, it will be considered limited,” the official said.

[mr_lebowski]

7. I dunno ... in the rare instances I've entertained thoughts of planning my own demise ...

Some form of pois*ning was pretty much always at the top of my personal list.

Conversely, I really can't recall a single time when I thought 'you know, dropping a b**b on myself ... that really sounds preferable!' ... call me crazy. I probably am, after all.

BTW, how is it we execute people on death row 'humanely'? Was it explos**ns? Or Pois*ns? Refresh my memory?

Then again, missiles and b**bs involve some tidy corporate profits for shareholders and execs at defense contracting companies ... as opposed to chems which involve a few hundred bucks worth of materials to accomplish the same task that otherwise requires millions of tax $$$ to do 'conventionally' ...

Problem is likely just that my priorities are all screwed up ...

[malaise]

12. Shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh! n/t

[malaise]

8. There are many books about Vietnam as well and Iraq

and then we have Japan. Apparently laws and rules only apply to some folks.

[Voltaire2]

9. Nope. Not for us.

We have refused to sign numerous treaties restricting various types of weapons and we are not part of the ICC. We are engaged in a brutal war in Yemen that has killed tens of thousands of civilians.

[Vinca]

11. Why are there no responses for the bombings that happen on a daily basis?

Dead is dead whether it's by nerve gas or bomb. Most of the time the world turns a blind eye.

FYI - 4,024 gun deaths in the U.S. in 2018 so far. (82 Syrian nerve agent attacks.)

http://www.gunviolencearchive.org/

[Stuart G]

17. "Dead is Dead...Most of the time the world turns a blind eye." I agree completely.

....No matter how, why, when or where.........dead is still dead.

[walkingman]

23. Agree 100%, this is political theater for those that drink the koolaid.

[OliverQ]

13. This wasn't a strong response.

Assad moved things out of the way with the multi-days notice he got about these strikes and help from Russia. This was a $224 million fireworks show that knocked Trump's scandals out of the news.

[blueinredohio]

18. When you tell your enemies you're coming and where you're going to bomb

is not an attack. Trump could care less about Syrian people, don't forget they didn't my any Syrian refugees. It's a distraction.

[Norbert]

19. In this case I'm not buying it

-Stormy wants her story out
-Mueller gathering even more information
-Comey on prime time Sunday
-Sordid Cohen stories coming to light

This is simple a Wag the Dog response. trump don't give a shit about the people in Syria. Had the above not been out there the bombbing would have never happened.

[wasupaloopa]

20. It is not up to us to police the world.

It should be left up to the United Nations. If the US or some other country vetoes an action let the countries who support it make a coalition and do what is needed.

[KG]

21. it's all okay it seems as long as all the correct people get kilt. thoughts and prayers for

the collaterals. seems nothing is ever learned.

[Stuart G]

22. It is not ok to kill......Some kind of respose was necessary in my opinion.

Whether a response involves killing people is not up to me. Bashar al-Assad is a killer and has killed many people. His own people.. Stopping someone like that is extremely difficult. No, I don't know what the answer is...I do think some kind of response was necessary.