Massive use of chemical weapons in Syria, 1,429 killed including 426 children

[Razgovory]

I'm honestly not seeing how any of the powers involved lose face.  Syrians threats were predicated on a US led attack.  If there is no attack there is no reason to follow through with the threats.

[alfred russel]

And to think, all this from an offhand remark, a gaf, spoken by Sec State Kerry! US State Dept quickly said that Kerry was just making a rhetorical statement but immediately the Russians jumped at the opening he made.

As for that, why didn't the President or someone on the staff or Sec State Kerry come up with this idea a few weeks ago, as a diplomatic settlement over the use of the weapons, instead of an attack?

Maybe I don't understand the details of the proposal, I haven't been following this too closely, but isn't it that some international force takes control of Syrian chemical stockpiles? If so, how is this going to be resolved? Presumably someone has to send units into Syria to accomplish that. I don't know who is up for that. I would think that the US is not.

[Maximus]

I think it was Colbert who made the analogy: It's like if you behead your coworker and they take away your axe. You get to keep your job and your hatchet.

[Razgovory]

I think it was Colbert who made the analogy: It's like if you behead your coworker and they take away your axe. You get to keep your job and your hatchet.

Kinda misses the point though.  We don't care that he's killing people.  It's that he's using gas to kill people.

[alfred russel]

I think it was Colbert who made the analogy: It's like if you behead your coworker and they take away your axe. You get to keep your job and your hatchet.

Better to go vigilante and blow up the guys home plus those of his friends. 

[Maximus]

Better to go vigilante and blow up the guys home plus those of his friends. 

Not sure I agree about the friends, but yea.

[Maximus]

I think it was Colbert who made the analogy: It's like if you behead your coworker and they take away your axe. You get to keep your job and your hatchet.

Kinda misses the point though.  We don't care that he's killing people.  It's that he's using gas to kill people.

That's the hatchet.

[Razgovory]

I think it was Colbert who made the analogy: It's like if you behead your coworker and they take away your axe. You get to keep your job and your hatchet.

Kinda misses the point though.  We don't care that he's killing people.  It's that he's using gas to kill people.

That's the hatchet.

I thought it was the axe.

[mongers]

Interesting report on the fighting over the Christian town of Maaloula:

The top video is worth watching, includes combat footage of the mainly local government militia trying to retake the town, most of whom appear to be Christians, one says
"Tell the EU and the Americans, we sent you St.Paul 2,000 years ago to take you from the darkness. And you sent us terrorists to kill us."

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-24051440

A BBC correspondent in Syria has said the battle for an ancient Christian town is continuing, despite reports that government forces had retaken it.

Jeremy Bowen said that a heavy gunfight with rebels was continuing in Maaloula, with smoke rising into the sky.

He added that he had not seen evidence confirming religious sites had been damaged by al-Qaeda-linked jihadists.

Fighting over the town, 55km (34 miles) north of Damascus, began last week after rebels attacked a checkpoint.

Free Syrian Army (FSA) units and members of the jihadist al-Nusra Front occupied Maaloula for several hours on Thursday before withdrawing when their positions were bombed by government warplanes

Government forces are in Maaloula, but there is still fighting going on. I've heard a lot of heavy fire and one or two large explosions as well. Their opponents from the al-Nusra Front - the armed rebel group that is allied with al-Qaeda - appear to still be in the town. I've seen about half a dozen wounded government soldiers driven back at speed towards their rear echelon.

I've spoken to some local members of the National Defence Forces, a pro-government militia. They say they are fighting for their town and the fact it was a place where Christians and Muslims once lived side by side. They say they are fighting against the people they regard as terrorists.

The town's residents fled in a hurry to Damascus when the rebels first moved in. They are very upset and angry about what happened. Some told me that when they left, the al-Nusra Front desecrated some of their churches. There is quite a bit of damage to the town, but I can't see considerable damage to the holy places. In fact, I can see a big statue of the Virgin Mary that is very much intact.
....

[Razgovory]

Wait, I thought St. Paul was from Tarsus.

[mongers]

Wait, I thought St. Paul was from Tarsus.

I think he was talking as a Christian in the middle east ?

edit:
And I guess me might have been meaning literally too, given St.Paul's 'road to Damascus' conversion as he neared the city; without Damascus no St.Paul, just Saul ?

[Razgovory]

Yeah, I thought about the road to Damascus but they didn't send him to or from Damascus and this is some small town 30 miles from Damascus.  Though I suppose "St. Paul stopped by here 2,000 years ago to pick up some ice on the way to to Damascus, you owe us", doesn't carry the same weight.

[Admiral Yi]

We didn't send shit to kill you, dickhead.  Try playing your guilt trip on some other sucker.

[Razgovory]

We didn't send shit to kill you, dickhead.  Try playing your guilt trip on some other sucker.

While I'm glad you aren't trying to kill me Yi, I don't know why you are hostile.

[jimmy olsen]

We didn't send shit to kill you, dickhead.  Try playing your guilt trip on some other sucker.

While I'm glad you aren't trying to kill me Yi, I don't know why you are hostile.