I will give the Obama administration some credit for their flip flop on ''militarizing Syria'' as they were advocating just a few days ago,I guess the reports on Al-Qaeda supporting the old ladies and children that are carrying assault rifles and rpgs scared them off! The press really thinks people are idiots they are supporting the radicals in Syria! What a quartet Al-Qaeda,Msnbc,the muslim brotherhood and CNN. To me both sides are horiffic and the correct approach is just let them slug it out

If the Syrians are not happy with Ass-ad, it is their job to oust him, not ours.

Who's "we"? You go for it, djodjo8310. Leave our troops and taxpayer money out of it!

It is time to militarize the Syrian rebels against this Assad prick...seriously! and setup a no fly zone around the country like we did in Lybia. This is becoming a crisis of monumentous proportions especially if children are becoming the caualties of war, not because some kamikaze journalists got killed!

This should be about the women and children who are being bombarded in their homes, then no medicine or hospital to go to (most of these casualties are dying of gangrenous infections, septicemia, phantom severed limb pains with no drugs, anesthesia, no Doctors, no nurses, no pharmacies and no way to escape to get medical attention).

It's becoming a massacre...the world should take a closer look, something sinister is going on in Syria...In Lybia, families had a way of escaping shellings; in Syria families dont!!!

Syria is an extremely complicated matter: A formidable armed force, Hezbollah, Hamas, the proximity to Israel, and allied with Iran. America getting "directly" involved would be very complicating.

Those advocating our direct interference are not taking these serious issues into consideration (see: McCain's insistence on involvement). If you want a protracted war in the Mid-East (again) costing lives and fortune, and $10 a gallon gas prices, go for it. Otherwise, let the Arab League take care of their own backyard.

My condolences to there families. That's a very dangerous occupation.I really wish that we could get energy independent here and stay the hell out of those God forsaken hell holes.

A formidable armed force, Hezbollah, Hamas, the proximity to Israel, and allied with Iran. America getting "directly" involved would be very complicating.

Exactly. That's why the drones and journalism are important. If America could get involved (via NATO, America's international army) then he could do it... unfortunately that would mean everyone else would have to care. He already said before, "No more USA only wars"

DocHolliday - How many of your children and grandchildren are you willing to sacrifice to support Al- Qaeda and the Muslim Brotherhood in their quest to take Syria?? The reporters went willingly went into a war zone, no one forced them to go there. The Rebels (activist) in Syria attacked the ruling regime & the regime has every right to counter that attack. The Rebels started this Civil War. Like in Libya & Egypt, nations might not have liked those rulers, but they were a known and predictable leadership, now you have Islamic Terrorist Groups taking over Libya & Egypt. Giving arms to the Rebels is the same as arming Islamic Terrorist Groups. The U.S. and the other Western Nations should let the Rebels & their terrorist friends either win the battle they started, surrender or die. It is the Rebels (activist) in Syria that are using citizens as shields. The Syrian leadership is going after the Rebels from where ever they are attacking the Government of Syria. If Rebels (activist) in the U.S. started violently attacking our leadership, the response would be the same.

People forget these are the same insurgents that streamed into Iraq and fought alongside Sadaam Hussien and caused a big problem for us. For us to “militarize” them would be putting modern day weapons in the hands of potential re-insurgents. That is why we haven’t provided them with the weapons necessary to defeat the regime and in my opinion, they don’t deserve them.

They should have been looking inward a long time ago instead they spent their energy and many many lives fighting against the same people they are calling on for help now. Karma is a bitch.

I do think however that Syria is the keystone to bringing down Iran. Without their last ally in the region it would hard for them to sustain any real threat.

J Scott. I don't think women and children were streaming into Iraq. But the ones streaming into Iraq are likely killing the women and children.

Syria may just destroy itself and weaken itself to the point where it no longer is a threat tho.

Oh yes, and I well remember Pres. Bush declaring VICTORY aboard that acft carrier in San Diego Bay; that was approved by the Republican majority in Congress including Sen McCain. And now Sen. McCain says Veterans should pay more for their med. care. If he'll pay half of his senate salary towards his own med. care then maybe I'd go along with that. But back to Syria, if the foreign govts could just locate the hang-out for Bashar Assad and covertly drop a bomb or two on his hide-out by use of drones since I understand they're less noisy than normal acft.

Sounds to me as if there's war and upheaval going on in the Middle East.

I'm really getting tired of the "Middle East problem". Israel isn't negotiating in good faith with their Muslim neighbors and Iran and Syria are nothing but trouble and will be nothing but trouble from now until Armageddon (if you believe in such things).

In the late 70's when the Iranian "students" seized our embassy in Tehran and held our diplomats hostage I became frustrated with the situation as it drug on month by month. Sadly, it defined Carter's Presidency and I'm one of the few that thought Carter was a good man dumped into a no-win situation.

In total frustration I said I thought we should just nuke the Iranians back into the stone-age, thereby solving our middle east problem and giving us a place to store our nuclear waste. I was more than half serious.

My wife convinced me that I was wrong, that too many innocents would die and I was ashamed of my 'flippant' suggestion.

But now I'm having second thoughts about that.

Maybe we should move the entire Israelis and Lebanese to Montana, North Dakota and South Dakota, make them US citizens and then just nuke the hell out of Iraq, Iran, Syria and Afghanistan. Maybe Pakistan as well.

I guarantee the middle east problem will go away and we'll have a place to store our nuclear waste for the next one thousand years. The former Persian Empire and it's neighbors can become a nuclear waste dump.

I am a gentle and peaceful man who abhors violence. I am not anti-Islamic. There are two Mosques within a three mile radius of my house. I work with many people of Middle Eastern descent, my next door neighbor is Iranian, but folks, enough is enough.

As a wise man once said "This sh*ts gotta stop."

Put Syria and Iran on notice, last chance to talk, the next sound you hear from the west will be our ICBM's.

I'm not kidding, I'm tired of this crap.

Hate to break it to you skip but uh... you can't just kill people because you're tired.

It is time to militarize the Syrian rebels against this Assad prick...seriously! and setup a no fly zone around the country like we did in Lybia. This is becoming a crisis of monumentous proportions especially if children are becoming the caualties of war, not because some kamikaze journalists got killed!

Yeah, okay- sure. Let's arm the Syrian "rebels". Let's arm the terrorists.....ahem..........excuse me........"freedom fighters"..... who will no doubt will be using these same weapons on our troops in another five to ten years because the dolts in Washington will no doubt send boots on the ground in THAT cesspool to "invade and occupy" and "liberate" a "poor, oppressed" people there, too. Let's set up a "NO FLY ZONE" where even MORE civilians will get picked off in Syria, too - while we're at it.

Yeah. That all worked out REAL swell in Lybia, Iraq, Afghanistan and Vietnam eh??

<*rolls eyes*>

Egad. Do you ever think about the krap you post???

What total drivel from many of you. The only thing I have to say to Jo An is that when you blindly support decisions regardless of the consequences and jump into armed conflicts, sometimes those decisions come back to haunt you - just ask any German over the age of 80! The fact of the matter is that Obama's approach to uprisings in the Middle East that are orchestrated by the Muslim Brotherhood and splinter groups like Hamas, Al Qaida, and Hezbollah that are intentionally designed to remove any opposition is deplorable. Much of the main-stream media continues to call these "democracy revolutions" and ignore the reality of another fundamentalist crusade in the worlds richest oil regions. Was this crap happening when Bush was President - hell no. It is happenind now because our REAL enemies, not guys like Gadaffi, see the current administration for what it is - a Paper Tiger than does not have the guts to nor the perserverance to confront them head on with something other than a drone or Hillary Clinton - another sort of drone. The answer to Syria is to ignore the situation and let Syrians or other countries in the region decide what to do, unless of course we want to add yet another country to the pack of jackals waiting to concentrate on the USA and it's allies. The day Obama says that Israel has our full, unconditional support in ANY action it chooses to take against Syria or any other threat to it's stability is the day that not only Syria, but also Iran will cease being a problem.

Why is Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, UAE, and the rest of them NOT sending their own troops to stop Assad? Are they to busy counting their oil dollars?

Jp, you seriously need a Q-Tip and then you need to turn off Fox so you can get some real news. Obama has stated MULTIPLE times that Israel has our unconditional support. You morons who think ignoring this is going to make it go away need to learn how to read, and then pick up a couple of history books. Ignoring a problem NEVER makes it go away, it makes it fester until it hurts you. I do not advocate arming that which is likely to turn on us, nor can I advocate turning a blind eye while Assad butchers his own people. We have enough technology now to hit this guy where it will hurt him and not risk a whole lot ourselves. That should be done in the cause of common decency.

OIL dollars are being counted by you and me. You and I only care that we don't pay 3 times the amount at the pump, otherwise you and I would actually do something about it. And note that we would then suddenly care about the babies and children dying (watch the video). But you and I don't because as one observer puts it, there's no oil.

The world is harsh. You and I are harsh. I only have a problem when people pretend that they actually posting here from a completely selfish viewpoint. Its THEN that they become Full of S**T.

And don't pretend you and I like or hate Obama because we are moral either. We didn't start becoming moral because we suddenly had issues with the President. And we won't have moral issues if the opposing cult, er, I mean party, gets elected either.

I think there comes a time when the "World" needs to decide when and IF to step into these Countries that decide to commit Genocide and slaughter their own citizens. There have been far too many Bosnians, Rwandans, Tibetans and others that are slaughtered for no other reason than that they are breathing. In Syria, I believe the same thing is occuring, and to the UN's credit they DID try to do something about it and were thwarted by Russia and China. When is enough, enough? The Worldl is becoming a huge Battle zone, and it is all for POWER and control of their Country's and the World. This has to end OR soon this World will be nothing but a DUST ZONE, uninhabitable by ALL HUMANS. 2012 is here.

and the beat goes on; a Mass Murder, is allowed to Continue his SLAUGHTER..the 1% of the World HAS HEART, the other 99% are apathetic..its NOT Your Children or Your families, so Who Cares, Right..just another day in this INSANE Life..STRENGTH is their only Answer, from Salvation of this BRUTAL REGIME.....

Skip, that makes you no better then Assad who wants to kill his people to make his problems go away. In the real world Adults use talking to solve their differences; a peaceful solution can always be found between those that seek to end hostilities. There are those in both the Iran and Syrian government that are tired of their dictator's bull@!$%# hysterics that will eventually lead the world to turning against them.

We know this because diplomats from both of these countries have been asking for talks with other nations. Both of their governments are like the GOP are right now: unfocused, no leadership within, and out of control. The people in charge want to take their countries one direction but the sane people who give that person their power are saying wait a minute.

Sooner or later both Assad and Iran's dictator are going to be assassinated, it is just a matter of time, sanction pressures, and the level of oppression they place on their people.

The people saying we should nuke the middle east or just ignore the fact that children and women are getting killed by the dozens have no grasp on what the word humanity means. As much as your choice of propaganda outlet wants you to think otherwise, Muslims are in fact people like your family. Imagine if our Government were doing these things openly to us and your family was killed. Now picture the situation in Syria where you cannot do anything about it because you cannot own a weapon and there are tanks pointing their cannons at you.

You should at least be able to generate some level of empathy if you are a human being even if these people cheered 9/11 or hate America.

so this administration is ready to arm the rebels.

again, WHO IS GOING TO BE IN CHARGE OF THE SITUATION ONCE IT IS RESOLVED?!!!

look at egypt, look at iraq.

there is noone incharge and there is a void that is causing a blackhole!!

at least in afganastan there was a chosen leader, no matter how good or bad he is.

in egypt Lamebama supported the rebels, the rebels won and the army took over, and now they want the army out!

way to go dunder and cheif!

its fine to support something, but this is like OWS!

they want something and have no way of getting the results they want. if Syria had a leader that was outspoken, that wants to take charge, then a change is needed.

but its a bunch of people running around at this point screaming.

it will turn out to be another egypt, then what?

WILL SOMEONE PLEASE GET SOMEONE THAT WANTS TO BE INCHARGE BEFORE YOU UP END A COUNTRY AND ITS GOVERNMENT!!!

STOP SUPPORTING A CAUSE, AND SUPPORT THE LEADER OF THE CAUSE!!

BECAUSE HE WILL NEED TO BE BLAMED ONCE IT FAILS, THERE IS NO FACE TO THIS AND YOU CANT BLAME THE CITIZENS!!

skip,

I hear your frustration. I must admit that the same thoughts have crossed my mind. I would encourage us to look for alternative sources of power to the point were we are no longer dependent on their oil and turn the whole place into rubble pile (not that it isn't halfway there). Start in North Africa and raze the whole region all the way to Pakistan. Problem solved.

Then I remember that that's my frustration talking.

Absolutely terrible. May they rest in peace. Thank you jouranlists and photographers for your bravery and attempts to show us truth from a free press.

Syria should have been dealt with when assad's dad was in power.

"It's hard to find too much fault with Obama's foreign policy decisions, thus far!"

...hahahahahahahahah

and......hahahahahahaha

Harry Blank: What in the world are you talking about and cackling at pertaining to the tragic deaths of two journalists who were simply trying to bring light and truth to a strife ridden region. Its about people having lost their precious lives. May they rest in peace. I wish you peace and goodwill towards your fellow men.

When a Gov't uses military weapons indiscriminately on non-combatants like women and children, that is a war crime.

Can you imagine if you are neutral there, but the Gov't blows up your kid and your building because someone near there opposes them?

Are you all really going to side with China and Russia on this?

Countries that have killed millions of their own citizens in the past simply because they oppose those in power?

Are we Americans anymore?

We stand up against this brutality.

We need to let it be known (with all the other countries, many of them who are not even our allies) that you either stand with brutality or against it.

And aiding or abetting a war crime by defending those that commit them including arming them like Russia does - makes you an accessory to the crime.

This whole uprising started because the Syrian Gov't was torturing school children.

Can you imagine being a 8 year old who is being tortured to say something about their parents? As their finger nails are pulled out one by one - can you imagine knowing that if you say what the Gov't tells you, your parents will die? But if you don't, they will kill you?

We don't have to go into Syria - we have to let the leaders of their Gov't know that they will be hunted down if they do not cease the brutality. And we will be humane as we lock them away forever. That is the American way.

I hate to have to say this but look people, the CIA is systemetically eliminating ALL of Iran's allies in preperation for an invasion of Iran. The CIA sends special operatives into Taneisia and mix amoung the population to cause political upheval and it worked, then with this, they repeated the same strategy in Egypt and again in Lybia. Now with the Eastern countries in the mood for revolution, they slipped into Syria and are doing it again. The CIA calls this a jasmine revolt. The CIA first tried this is Iran but it didn't work so the CIA went to plan B and eliminated Iran's allies to isolate Iran. China and Russia will now protect Iran so the U.S. is doing the next best thing by isolating Iran and then doing strategic assasinations of their scientists and political figures. Why is America doing this? Simple, the U.S. wants to keep the price of oil as high as they can get it and to do that they must control the entire Eastern civilization by appointing puppett leaders after the CIA sponsored civil wars. Oil owns the U.S. Govt and the U.S. Govt owns the American people and its military backed by the Military Industrial Complex. Now is the time for a full scale revolution in the U.S. to stop this slaughter of innocent lives and to destroy the worlds need for any oil at all. The oil companies should be reduced to making vasaline, for eath other.

VonBraun: that is a highly complex and detailed theory with hugely complex information. You must have spent a great deal of time creating it. I'm sure the press would be interested in your valued sources so that perhaps they could shed some light on whatever you are saying. sheesh

"and lets not forget that McCain and Graham authored the NDAA which allows American citizens to be indefinitely detained in concentration camps. We are living the age of treason." -A Messenger-2926105

And the age of lies it would appear.

"Although President Obama indicated in a signing statement attached to the bill that he would not use it to indefinitely detain American citizens without trial, it was the Obama administration itself which requested that the provision be worded so it would apply to US citizens."

"As the bill’s co-sponsor Senator Carl Levin said during a speech on the floor in December, it was the Obama administration that demanded the removal of language that would have precluded Americans from being subject to indefinite detention."

“The language which precluded the application of Section 1031 to American citizens was in the bill that we originally approved…and the administration asked us to remove the language which says that U.S. citizens and lawful residents would not be subject to this section,” said Levin, Chairman of the Armed Services Committee."

What did Graham and McCain add to the law?

"section 1024 of the law, spearheaded by Senators John McCain and Lindsey Graham, provides detainees held indefinitely in Afghanistan with the right to a military defense lawyer and a neutral military judge to evaluate whether their detention is lawful and necessary."

Mmmmmmmm, research...

thought

I was retorting (the dictionary will help you with that one) to a claim from one of your libbie bretheren in an earlier post ...please try to keep up

and you have to admit , that is a pretty funny (in a stupid way) claim to make...hahaha...again

HarryBlank: Thank you for your sage advice, yet I am not in need of a dictionary as I am rather familiar with the English language yet thanks just the same. I'm sorry you felt the need for retort towards someone as that assumes retaliation in a very sharp manner. Personally, I'm not a retaliatory individual. By the by I am neither "libbie" as you phrase it nor conservative. I actually find the human race my "brehteren" I don't categorize as you seem to. I do a fairly good job from my perspective at "keeping up" as best I am able. I actually don't have to admit anything as I have nothing to confess I don't know what you are talking about Harry but thanks for placing the demand upon me. Again I wish you well.

good bye captain pirate..lol she could stay in usa and drink her beer, and play with dildo .

SAM, she looks bad-ass with that patch and I bet she had more balls that you.

What?? Every single day there's headlines and pictures of families being killed by Syrian troops and rebels fighting and bloodshed all around. MSNBC seems to be carrying the torch for some kind of intervention in that sand pit.

Keep our troops and taxpayer money out of it. Let the rich brats in charge over there fight it out amongst themselves. Frankly, I'd rather see "journalists" and "activists" get killed in Syria instead of US troops!!

Aren't the irate TeaWingers gonna be coughing up acidic hairballs when Assad's Syria also falls under President Obama's watch... ?

casual- I think rockme is being sarcastic.

Wow... People can't even understand a joke these days... (rockmebritney - Very funny BTW).

We definitely need to increase funding for education...

stonepipe, TiagoBr:

I concur! It's not that hard to cypher.

rockmebritney:

One vote for a two vote post.

Yes Rockme is correct: Add to that list N Korea, Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan and some others. We should all go hiking there soon!

For those of you that think 'rockme' is automatically being 'sarcastic' you obviously don't read many blogs. I have been absolutely appalled at the idiocy that is usual apparent in the blogs to any and all horrible situations. The crassness of people is unbelieveable. If you are being 'funny' in these situations you probably should put "sarcasm" and in some cases due to torture and deaths being perpetrated even then "sarcasm" is surely the last thing that is needed.

sarcasm is needed in every aspect of society and in every possible capacity in life. its a beautiful thing. people take every situation way too seriously these days. even in this situation, which is serious, a little sarcasm is needed. its not obvious that journalists, aid workers, etc are going to be killed while in syria? i live in the middle east. i need sarcasm or i wouldnt survive the day.

rockmebritney--are you insane? Assad is a murder--and Russia & China will be called to account for supporting this madman.

Sarcasm or not. You post is pathetic!

Your comment is shocking. This is absolutely not an isolated incident. She's the second US reporter to be killed in Syria in two weeks and the entire country is under attack by its own government. Doesn't sound like a fun assignment to me.

Oh, Diana-2844801, missed the mark by far, eh!

Holly SH*T... This actually became a discussion.

To all the rockmebritney haters:

Ahh, the perpetually outraged! What do you call those whose wit is dim?

Y'all need to take a chill pill.

Diana: Chill

I really hope that this doesn't affect my trip to Syria this month! I hear Damascus is lovely this time of year
Note to anyone who is taking offense to rockmebritney's post: Get the hell off the internet. If you can't take a joke...well there is no hope for you.

TiagoBr:

L'g-O-L and wetting myself!

There is not a rational reason in the world why we need to get involved in Syria in any way shape or form..........

Nor are they an ally, but they sure could be, eh?

Yes, just what we need, another "ally" like Pakistan. We armed rebels in Afghanistan against a Soviet invasion a while back. They were freedom fighters back then. They're the Taliban now. Stay out of it. Let someone else in the international community step up and stop this.

A witness contacted by Reuters from Amman said shells hit the house in the Baba Amr district of Homs in which they were staying and a rocket hit them when they tried to escape.

asshad has been saying that he was not bombing civilians. Well, this goes against his assertion. It is obvious he didn't want information going out to the World and this is how he accomplishes that. We must stay away from wars for quite a while.

Thank you Flbikerchick, thank you. Everyone like her comment. Id like it times 10 million if I could, and j burk....youve restored my faith in newsvine folk.

an ally is an ally. Every one knows that you can not fight al queda all dam day. These boys don't care about anything but being in control of there own destiny and this is worth dying for. If Al qudea had leadership and if we had leader ship that was willing to engage them more aggressively, and if we were smart and they were smart we can be like secret BFFs. However i think this may be the case already. Freedom for Syria i back John McCain and any move the white house makes on this issue.

Yes they were our ally. The first gulf war they were on our side. A history lesson for some of you. Also when George W asked princess Nancy not to go because they wanted to isolate Assad she went any way. Democrats were saying he is a reformer.

Why make it a conflict with the Russians? We should make it clear we could look the other way if they rolled in an took over.

You should try watching something other than Hannity, Mikey!

Mike T, you're right. America needs to sit this one out. The very, very wealthy brats in charge over there will NEVER get along. Why should we shed blood and treasure for them?

Mike,

Time will tell regarding Egypt and Libya. The US was a mess for years following our revolution.

If it weren't for oil, we wouldn't be involved in the Mideast. Afterall, hookahs and dates are commodities nations seldom go to war over.

You people who want to do nothing to intervene when women and children are being massacred would have sat by and said nothing during the Holocaust.

Stop burying your heads in the sand with your isolationism. The world is an interconnected place and genocides can't be allowed to happen in this day and age.

Dan:

No argument against your post...but we're 16 trillion in debt...can we agree to let the other nations foot the bill on this one?

Dan, what's the opposite of Isolationalism? Getting throwing our money at everyone's problems? Driving our debt up even more? People blame Bush for going to war and driving up our debt, yet people want more war? Cmon!

Stop burying your heads in the sand with your isolationism. The world is an interconnected place and genocides can't be allowed to happen in this day and age.

It's very simple - I don't want to pay for it. There is a harsh reality in the fact that we cannot afford to enter into another protracted conflict, against an ambiguous enemy, who can and will thwart the most technologically advanced armed forces in the world with homemade weapons. The card's already maxed out.

the weapons are not homemade. You have a good point though. Some people took the oath to join the military and that oath means more than you can understand. I do not think that god or whoever is our creator is gave us power to watch people die even if they hate us. Something should be done ...just think what if .... it was your family getting slaughtered...change of heart i hope if not you are a coward...and do not deserve to call your self an AMERICAN.

Dan:

How can you compare WWII and what is happening in Syria? WWII involved a dictator attacking and invading other countries. This problem in Syria is an internal struggle for power. It's up to them to fight it out. Why should we have a dog in that fight?

I think if we actually contracted with a country to take 70% of their GNP profits to pay for liberating them for the first couple of years or until the war is paid for, a lot less people would need help.

the weapons are not homemade. You have a good point though. Some people took the oath to join the military and that oath means more than you can understand. I do not think that god or whoever is our creator is gave us power to watch people die even if they hate us. Something should be done ...just think what if .... it was your family getting slaughtered...change of heart i hope if not you are a coward...and do not deserve to call your self an AMERICAN.

But it's not my family being slaughtered, and while I recognize that it is somewhat insensitive, even perhaps unpopular, it's not our problem. Even further, we do not know who the opposition even is.

I have read the US Armed Forces Oath of Enlistment, which dictates that those individuals under the Oath will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic under the direction of the POTUS, all appointed officials, and in accordance with the UCMJ. The internal conflict in Syria has nothing to do with this.

You're right, though, something should indeed be done, but it is not the case that we are standing idly by with the resources to do so. We don't have them. There are several other modern militaries in the world who can step in on the moral high ground. We're broke.

Syria has no wealth to repay anyone for their help and they wouldn't help us squdem

Leave the animals out of this. Its humans, humans, humans all way.

There's a fine line between "right" and "power". True "right" implies authorization; it also implies actions guided by a sense of morality and human decency. "Power"on the other hand simply implies the authorization to use force and access to bigger, deadlier weapons. In a civilized society, it is never "right" to use power to indiscriminately maim and kill innocent civilians: children, the elderly, women and men, who are not a part of the conflict, to achieve a political objective. Exercising the "power" to do precisely that is a violation of human rights, even if following orders of ones superior officer. The actions of the present Syrian regime and its armed forces have crossed the forbidden line into war crimes.

Why go to Syria and risk their lives? Money! Book deal! Period!

With any luck we can get the only GOOD man elected.....RON PAUL 2012

We SHOULD be just sitting by watching this. America is BROKE. We are war weary- do you want our sons and daughters to shed even more blood so the rich brats in charge over there don't kill each other off? I say let them do it. No more middle east intervention.

Chickens are good at cowering when faced with violence.

Syria is not Libya see the difference and being right smack dab in the middle of a 12 century mind warp I think we should stay away far far away from them nutt jobs in Syria arm them sure but not set foot on their land let them cule one and other as they have and will keep doing go figure

7.62 - and chicken hawks are good at talking a big game and then sending in other people's spouses and children to do the actual work and shed the actual blood.

goingmad....I think the word is "dithering"....not "talking".....

@Anita....M-O-S 13F10 at this end, and you?.

Not to mention the war crimes obama commited by going way beyond the UN authorised No-Fly Zone, and without Congressional approval.

oh brother and what does an Old vendetta have to do with Syria they would not receive that much support from US anyways go figure.......

Arob Kwol: I see you are applauding the acts of other murderous regimes while accusing those who stepped in to stop a murderous dictators perverse rape of his own people. I assume you to be a 'male,' I chose not to use the word 'man' because your comment is typical of spineless technocrats who play games with the lives of others.

I think I saw your ancestors overseeing NAZI deathcamps where paper pushing geeks murdered the helpless in a perverse slaughter.

You mention 'shame' and I ask where is yours? Go ahead and applaud the Chi-coms and the Russkies..maybe one day you can tell them face to face how much you admire them...but your type always says it from your knees.

bush went against the un,,thats how we got in iraq,,,now look at what it has cost us....the rich in the usa sending in the poor in the name of freedom ,,,,lol

David- we need to sit this one out, buddy. America can't keep being the referee to the very, very wealthy brats in charge over there who can just never seem to get along. let them kill each other off- it's high time we just sat back and watched from a safe distance for once!

No more wars in the sand kingdoms, let the wealthy elites over there kill each other off.

Norm - Bush didn't go against the UN - he lied to them (through Colin Powell who has never regained his stature in the world as a result) to get them to approve his and Cheney's war of choice.

That said, nothing is happening in the middle east that would not have happened eventually. Revolution, civil war and insurrection are messy, dangerous and deadly. The aftermath is just as messy. It takes years for a society to reconstruct itself. Why anyone thought the "Arab Spring" was a done deal because a couple of dictators and kings were deposed is beyond me. Once the unifying target of opposition forces is gone, they turn against each other in a play for power. It takes a long time for a clear winner to emerge and for the social and political structure to stabilize whether for good or ill. The US will have little to do with the outcome.

Please do not blame Powell as a military man you respect your commanders. Powell only had so much power. Was he supposed to go against our president in his position. Bush did what he thought was the best option for America I am sure. Remember 9-11 never for get.

I don't blame Powell for his presentation to the UN. As far as I can tell he was set up by the neo-cons as their front man because he had more prestige with the rest of the world than anyone else in that administration. What I do fault him for is sticking with his position as Secretary of State until after the 04 election when he by then knew he had been lied to and what the true nature of the Iraq War was about.

We should never forget 9/11, but we should also never forget that thousands of Americans died in a war in a country that had nothing whatsoever to do with 9/11. We should never forget that tens of thousands of our sons and daughters have been killed and maimed as the result of intentional lies designed to gain support for a war that had nothing to do with national security and everything to do with personal vengeance and greed.

We should also never forget the name of the President who crafted the lies leading us to Iraq, along with the name of the political party mainly responsible for electing and supporting him and his inexcusable war. But most of all we should never forget the number of American lives sacrificed in that unprovoked conflict and the names of our fallen heroes.

Well said, Diane! Couldn't agree more!

Diane, thank you. Finaly some one here who analyzed the situation and came to the rational conclusion that there are no "good" solution to the problem in Syria.

7.62,

Your ignorance and insensitivity are showing through. First, Obama did not commit any war crimes in Lybia. The only aircraft he sent there were unarmed drones. He let the U.N. do the military side of the mission. Second, these journalists are heroes who put their lives on the line everyday, and it's not for big money. It's about shining a light on the dark regions of the world to show all of us what is happening. If you watch any news, then you are guilty of enticing them to do so.

You are the ignorant one. Just like a dem you have selective memory of whos missles were lobed into Lybia, and whos aircraft was bombing buildings, other ground targets, and troops that had nothing to do with AAA or radar installations. Now please prove me wrong.

Although I admitt I'm not a sensitive person.

1) If no journalists entered these war zones, how would the World know the truth? For some it's about the fame and money; but most field reporters just want to expose the truth to the World. Thank God for them.

2) NATO command doesn't use the can without an "ok" from the US. The US may not have been involved in Lybia as extensively as Iraq and Afghanistan; but the fall of Lybia was materially supported by the Obama administration.

7.62x39mm:

The US action in Libya was justified and legal. We are a permanent member of the UN Security Council. The council authorized the action 10-5 (5 abstentions, 2 by permanent members Russia and China). There was no abuse of power by the west. Our actions in Libya while carrying the banner of UN authority (of which I am extremely proud) saved the citizenry of Benghazi and Libya as a whole. History was made by the Obama administration and his actions will be forever praised in high school and university textbooks.

The other stuff you are quibbling about with the ordnance, munitions and planes - much of the hardcore combat was carried out by US aircraft (carrier based and land based) as well as perhaps 200 cruise missles - particularly in the first ten days of the conflict before supervisory role was assumed by NATO and coalition partners. Anyone that attempts to counter that is just wrong. They aren't necessarily lying, just the standard uninformed American that doesn't read or write very well but still has an opinion. The US had a very active role in the Libya conflict at all levels. Our role was deliberately obscured to prevent the proverbial US stamp from tainting the conflict as a GW Bush type mission in the region.

But your greater point on this board is too complain about the president (this, that, whatever, anything...). That is all the intellectually inferior types of your calibre can do. The Syria conflict is very complex. There is excellent reporting on the BBC, NPR, CNN and MSNBC that illustrates the regional, ethnic, religious and political complexities of this nation on a daily basis in the press and countless other resources in your local bookstore. The problem is Americans like yourself and the other fools that you attempt to argue with that don't know the history of the region or much of anything for that matter.

I'm no expert, but I've invested the greater part of 20 years (since my first undergraduate degree) studying the region with particular emphasis on the Kurdish issues in Syria, Turkey, Iraq and Iran. No point in conversing further. You are correct that the US role in Libya was decisive with munitions and air support. You are correct that the US should not intervene in Syria (its complex, but I won't waste words with a non-expert). But you are a fool if you think that Mr. Obama has done anything wrong. As I watch what happens in this world, I am more and more grateful every day that we have such a true and strong and intelligent leader in the WH that we do.

Keep clamoring for Ron Paul. He'll get 10% in the primaries and perhaps 1-2% in a General election as a libertarian-independent if he is lucky.

Yeah, it would be much better if all the journalists just stayed home. Then, the only information we would have would be government statements, and you we can trust those.

Seriously, your statement is one of the most profoundly ignorant things I've ever read on the internet, and that's saying something.

Sense when did the UN gain controll of our military?. The UN can make sugestions, however; it's up to the president to take action on it, and unless the president is a dictator the pres. needs to seek congressional approval before taking any military action.

@dan...Those reporters were there to help beat the drums of war, so if you want to advocate intervening join the military, and put your life on the line. What's the point in our troops dieing for people that hate us.

The US action in Libya was justified and legal. We are a permanent member of the UN Security Council. The council authorized the action 10-5 (5 abstentions, 2 by permanent members Russia and China). There was no abuse of power by the west. Our actions in Libya while carrying the banner of UN authority (of which I am extremely proud) saved the citizenry of Benghazi and Libya as a whole. History was made by the Obama administration and his actions will be forever praised in high school and university textbooks.

If I enjoyed childish popularity contests, I’d give your entire post 1,000 points if I could.

The situation in Syria is complex beyond words or words that will fit in a headline or a 30 second blurb on TV at least. But what disturbs me most in these discussions & those following reports of atrocities anywhere in the world other than here in the USA is the lack of humanity those discussions demonstrate.

Humanitarian reasons for acting in cases of mass suffering throughout the world exist regardless of the political/religious alignment of those being massacred by those with the power or simply by mother nature. At the core of humanitarian actions lies the very basic allegiance shared by every individual on the planet, that of being a member of the human race.

To stand idle while a bully obliterates those with lesser power & those with no power at all, infants & children, is to become something willing forfeit one's membership in the human race & become something less than human.

To step back & weigh the options & try for a peaceful resolution is the action of a wise man (or woman). But peaceful resolutions are not always possible & standing by as willing onlookers to murder without extending a hand to try & help prevent it makes one an accomplice to the crimes being committed.

An infant has formed no allegiances & bears no blame. But its blood will forever stain the hands of all those bearing witness to its murder & feeling nothing more than they would should they watch someone swat a fly.

There are many reasons to fear for the future of "humanity." But certainly the spreading epidemic of apathy & isolationism shares a spot near the top.

Perhaps if we were all more willing to lend a helping hand when one is needed without regard for whether or not the one being helped is one of our own, the world might gradually heal itself. Not a blind & foolish hand of help. I certainly wouldn’t watch a home invader struggling with the safety on his gun & tell him “here, take mine; it’s ready to fire.” But one extended with good intentions & good will none the less.

Why aren't the Arabs lending a helping hand? Why aren't the Israelis lending an helping hand? Are young American soldiers, most of them barely out of their teens, the only expendable ones for you?

The rich brats in charge in the middle east will never get along. If they want to exterminate each other, let them. We are broke, we are tired of cleaning up after these guys.

Arabs are expert at playing the West for "Suckers".

Why aren't the Arabs lending a helping hand? Why aren't the Israelis lending an helping hand? Are young American soldiers, most of them barely out of their teens, the only expendable ones for you?

Expendable for me? A rather bizarre interpretation of my post. It was intended to point out only that we all share membership in the human race & that we all ought to not only be willing but want to lend a hand when we see our fellow man (or woman) in extreme distress. I said nothing about limiting assistance to Americans or a particular sex or age or job status.

But it has to start somewhere. If we're going to sit around pointing fingers & asking why someone else isn't helping, then we'd better turn that finger on ourselves if we're not lending a hand either. Asking why someone else isn't doing something that ought to be done is just a way of trying to shift the focus & escape blame for not being ready & willing to step up to the plate & start the ball rolling.

Even speaking up publicly in favor of our country’s leadership going forward with efforts to resolve the conflict in whatever manner appears to have the best chance of success is important because it sends a message & when our leadership receives enough messages, they tend to become more proactive on the issue than they otherwise would.

I never limited the helping hand to military action & the violence that often involves. I’m not an expert in evaluating how to best approach the matter & wouldn’t pretend to know how to do so. But I do think the situation is dire enough & has enough atrocities taking place to deserve someone taking the first step & thus encouraging others to step forward as well with a shared interest in ending the suffering and assisting the citizens of that country to choose their own path & leadership.

Just because we may not agree with their choices in leadership & beliefs, whatever they might be, is no reason, in my opinion, for sitting around watching a country spiraling out of control & unspeakable acts being committed upon innocents.

Why get in the way of population control?.

they would never dirty their hands

great question. There are several major associations that could and should get in there. The ARAB League is first. But other than following Islam in its many variations, when was the last time you heard of a any country in the region unified for any purpose ? They have been unified many times over the centuries but always under a strongman who brutalizes them into submission until they can't stand it then they rise up, civil war and chaos ensues until a new strongman gains power and they do it again. It's all they know. Just a short hop skip and a jump from there democracy was invented 2,500 years ago. They could always look around on their smartphones and read about how it works. then try an experiment. But it's alwasy guns and bombs aimed at children with these folks. They just hate each other. Hate, hate, hate. It's all they know. They have scores to settle. Today's raid, last years, the one ten years ago, one hundred years ago, 300 years ago. They just hate and are always trying to settle scores. Even Cairo a year after Mubarak is still dangerous. How do you get a handful of those countries to agree on something like this ? well the US can bribe them with payments - that's one way. But that puts the burden on us- again. IF we intervene the violencedoesn't stop. It's just our people that need burying as well as theirs. And they hate us times ten because our bombs also kill children. Violence begets violence. IT's not our fight. They are going to have to learn to live without us. Horiible to watch, but should some kid from the US go get killed for peace that isn't going to happen.

You don't want people shooting at you, don't start a civil war.

Good point.

Way too many 'peacefull' protesters in Arabia these days.

tom in nh

think about history when have arabs contributed to the common good in the last 1000 years. At one time they were the keepers of many historical records and other things which enriched civilization. they went from the carriers of water to the drinkers.

its a civil war let the syrians figure their own country by themselves. If any other country gets involved it will be much worse and chaotic.

Here is some videos of civilian protesters. Proudly made by themselves.

ht tp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lJqoE3uE5aI

Your dog is about to bet wagged, comrade!

Ain't THAT the TRUTH!

LOL

Jo I hate to say it, but I think I'd push the "button" just to get some peace&quiet.

That is his M.O. Ruling the world's greatest superpower is a little more difficult than organizing the wards of Chi-town.

He thought he could walk onto the world stage and invite it to a picnic and we would be wooed by his charismatic charm. But the world exists outside of his 'Star-Trek' mentality and he found out some would rather slit another persons throat than sit down for a fireside scat...eh...er...chat.

Now I see he has abandoned the 99% and is giving 'corporate' AmeriKa a tax cut...where is your rage?!?!?!?!?

Stone. He is not a king. He can only pass legislation the house and senate pass. And it comes down to give all a break or road blocked by the right who hold the country hostage. For someone so unorganized as you say. He seems to have done a dam good job fixing the 8 years left behind. Bin Laden dead. Iraq troops home. Libya done without a single loss, Jobs finally coming back. He has got more bad guys then Bush in 8 years. He doesn't run in shoott first and ask questions later. He has to balence the world and issues that you cant comprehend. All while one side will go against him no matter what even if they agree cause they hate him. I would say putting people like Hillary as SOS was brilliant. No one can prepare for the job of POTUS. Its something you can only learn on the job. He has done a pretty good job in fixing our bleeding, Getting us hopefully o the right track. Have options if needed in places like Iran and a lot of backing if something is needed. Has shown will use force when necessary. But tries to do things without WAR WAR WAR.

I think he walked on the stage and told the world that the guy who was in charge for 8 years was not true representation of what Americans are. we are not all dumb Texas rednecks

ObMama didn''t have any trouble committing an illegal and unprovoked attack on Libya, why all of a sudden the the inept megalomaniac need congressional approval?

...if I read and understood correctly the tax cut would be coupled with closing of most tax loop holes with a net benefit of increased revenues for the nation...

net benefit of increased revenues for the nation...

Which nation?

Lucien, you and all your friends, liquidate everything you have, buy weapons and training, travel over there, join the rebels. Make it stop. Please, make it stop. Oh..... I see............ You wanted me and my friends to go there while you what ? Stay here in the AC, playing computer games and sippin buhtlaht ! Nobody should go there from the US execpt at at their own expense. IT is not a US National Defense issue.

Ireadyou

I agree. I was in Afghanistan. I left the military in 2003. I hate when people push for war not thinking of who has to fight it. I was not going to go to Iraq so I did not re-enlist. I wanted to go to Afghanistan.

With that said. I think Libya taught us we can do things without taking major chances. I really don't want to be involved in other countries civil wars. that all hate us anyway no matter what we do. And its something that really should be dealt with by the people outrages right in the area. But at same time. I am sickened by total indiscriminate killing of civilians, women and children, begging the world for help and a blind eye is turned for the same politics that leave us out. Mass murder is mass murder, I have mixed feelings. I don't want to send our people to fight other countries problems which has happened since the dawn of time with countries fighting each other. But I do think in todays age sending some drones up there that moniter and wipe out some tanks that are just firing into cities and helping some of the outraged people there at least stop the fighting and stop mass murdering may not be the worst ide ever. Just sickening when its not war just murder. Hitler was left alone to deal with his own people, none of this is Hitler scale. But when wiping out a city is it just a body count number or is mass murder mass murder.

The always in place dilemma, the 21st ceturay world where everyone knows everthing and wars and fighting in countries they may not have even heard of 30 years ago. Its what really changed he world

We can't keep being the world's police. We're broke. Our troops shouldn't have to shed more blood because the rich brats in charge over there can never get along. Time to sit this one out, sorry David.

I agree in part, the U.S. can assist without taking the lead. Others with a more vested interest should lead this charge.

If we keep the journalists out of Syria, guess what, there will be no deaths. If these idiots want to die let them, don't praise people for doing the wrong thing. We put people in jail for doing the wrong thing every day, put these journalists in jail if they keep doing the wrong thing. Dave Stone, do you remember when the US government started with the genecide of the Native Americans and today at this time in history we have almost succeeded. Who was there to stop the genecide of the American Indian by the US government.??

...and the French did not help us solely out of altruism. Less than a generation before, England had kicked the French out of Canada in the 7 years war.

1776 was payback time.

Nations seldom offer more than minimal help to other nations, except when it is in their own interests.

Simply put, there is not enough at stake in Syria for the U.S. to take the risk of deeper involvement.

dman,

What you have stated is a fundamental principle of human behavior. I couldn't agree more that the US does not have enough at stake in syria to engage militarily HOWEVER, we should be doing all we can diplomatically and through "back channels" to support the "moderate" Arab world and Israel. Their very survival depends upon stopping asssad. That should be our contribution to this cause, There are many ways to solve problems. Many of them exlude the use of guns.

who cares supply weapons to both side, less we will have to take care of later.
Any one that wants to help, feel free to go to Syria, use your time, your money and your life, leave us alone.

dman got the history right. Thanks!!!

Meg - I agree with your assessment too. We do need to be involved in world-wide efforts to manage this crisis, not out of naive altruism, but rather out of enlightened self-interest.

What happens in Syria affects the entire Middle East, and as Iran's closest ally in the region (or one of them). Since we are concerned about this region, for multiple reasons, we should keep our finger on the pulse of the situation. We cannot ignore it.

I'm not advocating armed intervention. But... I would support minimal participation in enforcing a NATO no-fly zone, as long as European and Arab nations pony up and play their part too.

you are very Miss guided creature steven buddy go back to your Cave...........................................

LOL

Syria has oil Like Iraq we would control it if we went in in the name of freedom they actually have all the freedom to slaughter one and other

Norm...since you so hate America why not do yourself a favor and go somewhere that meets your ideal of a great country. Let me recommend North Korea, Iran...Mexico.

I see the education system failed you or is English just not your 1st language?

we didn;t get oil or anything from iraq but the bill and a lot of dead and wounded people

dave this usa is stolen land ..so kiss my indian ass and u get the hell out.......and to say something about my writing ,,wellll jackasss u got the point....

norm- I agree with your America first spirit (if not your spelling). We should sit this one out- we can't keep making the very wealthy brats in charge over there get along.

LOL

hey norm if you dont like it here then get the F out. no one including the "usa government" is stopping you from returning to your 3rd world craphole country of origin.

hey norm, I'm part Native American and you my sir are a jackass. you must be one of the killer tribes that would go around and decimate the farming community tribes.

Hey Norm...the US isn't rich as we are how many Trillion in debt????? So it would be the poor sending the poor......

How's that looks to me like the rich are the ones ll you entitlement set folks want.to sc#ew over

Wait...WHAT? Your Engrish is terrifyingly horrible! Nobody likes you, Norm. Don't hate on people who have no say about where the GOVERNMENT sends our young soldiers. Don't hate an entire country over the decisions of a FEW fat-bellied politicians in DC.

Syria has oil Like Iraq we would control it if we went in in the name of freedom

Just like we control the oil in Iraq.

Ok, seriously? The indians got their asses kicked like so many other civilizations throughout time, cept those others are no longer here to complain. Get the @!$%# over it already. Just as bad as blacks complaining about slavery 200+ years ago. NO ONE here today has or had ANYTHING to do with kicking indian ass or black slavery. Get over it.

If there weren't people willing to put themselves in harms way, we would have no world at all, so, your cold comment about these journalists "knowing they were going into a war zone" is a pointless. Of course they knew. Every time they went out, they were targets. If they didn't go when we stayed home, the world would never even know about the behavior of tyrants like assad. I agree something has to be done about him. The "moderate" Arab world needs to do it. What none of us need, is people who have no idea what they are saying, making snippy remarks. These two journalists have families and friends who are mourning them. What they did demands our thank an most of all respect. RIP.

Owner of the "Sunday Times", Rupert Murdoch's statement on the death of Marie Colvin:
It is with great sadness that I have learned of the death of Marie Colvin, one of the most outstanding foreign correspondents of her generation, who was killed in Homs in Syria today while reporting for The Sunday Times.
She was a victim of a shell attack by the Syrian army on a building that had been turned into an impromptu press centre by the rebels. Our photographer, Paul Conroy, was with her and is believed to have been injured. We are doing all we can in the face of shelling and sniper fire to get him to safety and to recover Marie's body.

Marie had fearlessly covered wars across the Middle East and south Asia for 25 years for The Sunday Times. She put her life in danger on many occasions because she was driven by a determination that the misdeeds of tyrants and the suffering of the victims did not go unreported. This was at great personal cost, including the loss of the sight in one eye while covering the civil war in Sri Lanka. This injury did not stop her from returning to even more dangerous assignments.

Our immediate thoughts are with her family.