Sanctions lift deal already in the works.

[AntonToo]

Developments on Syria are strange to say the least.

1. Assad had few reasons to risk resorting to chemical weapons while his regime was solidly en-route to permanency.

2. Trump admin suddenly does a total 180 on Syria and I don't for a second believe Trump gives more shit about Syrians than he does about holding hands with Putin.


Having spend some time thinking about this, here is the only explanation that makes total sense to me at this point:

Trump's hands are completely tied on Russia and his popularity is sinking. At the same time Putin is getting antsy about lack any foreseeable progress on lifting of sanctions.

Enter the solution: With sudden urgency on Syria Trump gets a distraction from the 24/7 RC controversies, possible upside for his popularity (he just can't stand to see the kids suffer, how humane!) and most importantly gives an easy cover to finally get to negotiating table with Russia where lift of sanctions can finally be "traded" for Assad with side of Nuke deal.

This way Trump can finally get around to do what he has always set out to do, settle favors with Putin and boast about what a brilliant deal maker he is and how he saved the Syrian people from a bloodthirsty dictator and made Russia our besty.

Like everything else about the Obama presidency, the sanctions were just a pointless political gesture that did nothing to change Russia's actions, so if the President can trade the sanctions to settle the war in Syria it's win for everyone. Well, . . . it's a win for everyone except the whiny Obamabots.

Regardless of the merits of a Russian deal, I'm saying that this context is so far the best explanation of Syrian events.

I understand what you're saying: regardless of the merits of the deal, the really important thing to you is to slander Trump.

I'm just trying to make sense of what is going on with Syria and to date I have not seen a single credible explanation.

Have you?

Why would Assad use chemical weapons after finally settling the uncertainty around his regime remaining in power and his head remaining on his neck?

Why would Trump do a total 180 here? What is in it for him suddenly that wasn't there before?

 

[toomuchtime_]

Developments on Syria are strange to say the least.

1. Assad had few reasons to risk resorting to chemical weapons while his regime was solidly en-route to permanency.

2. Trump admin suddenly does a total 180 on Syria and I don't for a second believe Trump gives more shit about Syrians than he does about holding hands with Putin.


Having spend some time thinking about this, here is the only explanation that makes total sense to me at this point:

Trump's hands are completely tied on Russia and his popularity is sinking. At the same time Putin is getting antsy about lack any foreseeable progress on lifting of sanctions.

Enter the solution: With sudden urgency on Syria Trump gets a distraction from the 24/7 RC controversies, possible upside for his popularity (he just can't stand to see the kids suffer, how humane!) and most importantly gives an easy cover to finally get to negotiating table with Russia where lift of sanctions can finally be "traded" for Assad with side of Nuke deal.

This way Trump can finally get around to do what he has always set out to do, settle favors with Putin and boast about what a brilliant deal maker he is and how he saved the Syrian people from a bloodthirsty dictator and made Russia our besty.

Like everything else about the Obama presidency, the sanctions were just a pointless political gesture that did nothing to change Russia's actions, so if the President can trade the sanctions to settle the war in Syria it's win for everyone. Well, . . . it's a win for everyone except the whiny Obamabots.

Regardless of the merits of a Russian deal, I'm saying that this context is so far the best explanation of Syrian events.

I understand what you're saying: regardless of the merits of the deal, the really important thing to you is to slander Trump.

I'm just trying to make sense of what is going on with Syria and to date I have not seen a single credible explanation.

Have you?

Why would Assad use chemical weapons after finally settling the uncertainty around his regime remaining in power and his head remaining on his neck?

Why would Trump do a total 180 here? What is in it for him suddenly that wasn't there before?

lol Tell the truth, you're just trying to find a pretext to slander President Trump with Obama's Russia hoax.

First, the issue in Syria hasn't been settled. Despite sustaining heavy losses from the bombing, the fighting continues, and if Russia should ever decide to pull out, Assad would quickly be overrun by the rebels.

Second, while the world has become complacent about hundreds of thousands of civilians being slaughtered by barrel bombs and the rebels have learned to adapt to the bombings, chemical weapons, inexplicably to me, are uniquely horrifying and demoralizing to an enemy population.

Third, after eight years of a wishy washy American president who didn't seem to have any foreign policy and the seeming indifference of the Trump administration, Assad came to believe there were no red lines he couldn't cross with impunity.

Fourth, Secretary Tillerson has suggested Russia may have been complicit in the attack, perhaps in the hope the demoralizing effect of the attack would enable it to further draw down its participation in this expensive, unpopular war.

So why did President Trump do a 180 on Assad? Because the audacity of this attack convinced him he had made a mistake in not taking issue with the horrors Assad was perpetrating in Syria.

That's what an explanation looks like when you are not just looking for a pretext to slander President Trump.

 

[JohnnyApplesack]

Developments on Syria are strange to say the least.

1. Assad had few reasons to risk resorting to chemical weapons while his regime was solidly en-route to permanency.

2. Trump admin suddenly does a total 180 on Syria and I don't for a second believe Trump gives more shit about Syrians than he does about holding hands with Putin.


Having spend some time thinking about this, here is the only explanation that makes total sense to me at this point:

Trump's hands are completely tied on Russia and his popularity is sinking. At the same time Putin is getting antsy about lack any foreseeable progress on lifting of sanctions.

Enter the solution: With sudden urgency on Syria Trump gets a distraction from the 24/7 RC controversies, possible upside for his popularity (he just can't stand to see the kids suffer, how humane!) and most importantly gives an easy cover to finally get to negotiating table with Russia where lift of sanctions can finally be "traded" for Assad with side of Nuke deal.

This way Trump can finally get around to do what he has always set out to do, settle favors with Putin and boast about what a brilliant deal maker he is and how he saved the Syrian people from a bloodthirsty dictator and made Russia our besty.

Like everything else about the Obama presidency, the sanctions were just a pointless political gesture that did nothing to change Russia's actions, so if the President can trade the sanctions to settle the war in Syria it's win for everyone. Well, . . . it's a win for everyone except the whiny Obamabots.

Regardless of the merits of a Russian deal, I'm saying that this context is so far the best explanation of Syrian events.

I understand what you're saying: regardless of the merits of the deal, the really important thing to you is to slander Trump.

I'm just trying to make sense of what is going on with Syria and to date I have not seen a single credible explanation.

Have you?

Why would Assad use chemical weapons after finally settling the uncertainty around his regime remaining in power and his head remaining on his neck?

Why would Trump do a total 180 here? What is in it for him suddenly that wasn't there before?

lol Tell the truth, you're just trying to find a pretext to slander President Trump with Obama's Russia hoax.

First, the issue in Syria hasn't been settled. Despite sustaining heavy losses from the bombing, the fighting continues, and if Russia should ever decide to pull out, Assad would quickly be overrun by the rebels.

Second, while the world has become complacent about hundreds of thousands of civilians being slaughtered by barrel bombs and the rebels have learned to adapt to the bombings, chemical weapons, inexplicably to me, are uniquely horrifying and demoralizing to an enemy population.

Third, after eight years of a wishy washy American president who didn't seem to have any foreign policy and the seeming indifference of the Trump administration, Assad came to believe there were no red lines he couldn't cross with impunity.

Fourth, Secretary Tillerson has suggested Russia may have been complicit in the attack, perhaps in the hope the demoralizing effect of the attack would enable it to further draw down its participation in this expensive, unpopular war.

So why did President Trump do a 180 on Assad? Because the audacity of this attack convinced him he had made a mistake in not taking issue with the horrors Assad was perpetrating in Syria.

That's what an explanation looks like when you are not just looking for a pretext to slander President Trump.

who would need a pretext to slander Trump?

 

[toomuchtime_]

Like everything else about the Obama presidency, the sanctions were just a pointless political gesture that did nothing to change Russia's actions, so if the President can trade the sanctions to settle the war in Syria it's win for everyone. Well, . . . it's a win for everyone except the whiny Obamabots.

Regardless of the merits of a Russian deal, I'm saying that this context is so far the best explanation of Syrian events.

I understand what you're saying: regardless of the merits of the deal, the really important thing to you is to slander Trump.

I'm just trying to make sense of what is going on with Syria and to date I have not seen a single credible explanation.

Have you?

Why would Assad use chemical weapons after finally settling the uncertainty around his regime remaining in power and his head remaining on his neck?

Why would Trump do a total 180 here? What is in it for him suddenly that wasn't there before?

lol Tell the truth, you're just trying to find a pretext to slander President Trump with Obama's Russia hoax.

First, the issue in Syria hasn't been settled. Despite sustaining heavy losses from the bombing, the fighting continues, and if Russia should ever decide to pull out, Assad would quickly be overrun by the rebels.

Second, while the world has become complacent about hundreds of thousands of civilians being slaughtered by barrel bombs and the rebels have learned to adapt to the bombings, chemical weapons, inexplicably to me, are uniquely horrifying and demoralizing to an enemy population.

Third, after eight years of a wishy washy American president who didn't seem to have any foreign policy and the seeming indifference of the Trump administration, Assad came to believe there were no red lines he couldn't cross with impunity.

Fourth, Secretary Tillerson has suggested Russia may have been complicit in the attack, perhaps in the hope the demoralizing effect of the attack would enable it to further draw down its participation in this expensive, unpopular war.

So why did President Trump do a 180 on Assad? Because the audacity of this attack convinced him he had made a mistake in not taking issue with the horrors Assad was perpetrating in Syria.

That's what an explanation looks like when you are not just looking for a pretext to slander President Trump.

who would need a pretext to slander Trump?

Do you understand what the word, slander, means?

slan·der
ˈslandər/
noun
LAW

1. 1.
   the action or crime of making a false spoken statement damaging to a person's reputation.
   "he is suing the TV network for slander"
   • 
     
     

verb

1. 1.
   make false and damaging statements about (someone).
   "they were accused of slandering the head of state"
   synonyms: defame (someone's character), blacken someone's name, tell lies about, speak ill/evil of, sully someone's reputation, libel, smear, cast aspersions on, spread scandal about, besmirch, tarnish, taint; More

 

[AntonToo]

Second, while the world has become complacent about hundreds of thousands of civilians being slaughtered by barrel bombs and the rebels have learned to adapt to the bombings, chemical weapons, inexplicably to me

It is inexplicable to you, because it doesn't make much sense. People get scared when people get killed, exactly how is very secondary.

Your comment "Third, after eight years of a wishy washy American president who didn't seem to have any foreign policy" is HALLARIOUSLY crazy considering that the ONLY policy Trump has had up to last week on Syria is LEAVE IT ALONE OBAMA! And the policy Obama consistently stuck to was that Assad must go.