France Suggests Use of Force in Syria

[Burhead]

BBC News - France moots Syria use of force

Wonder how this will play out when Sarko loses in the second round of the Presidential election?

[milohimself]

I think there's a good probability that Hollande wins, at which point France will become more insulated.

[volinbham]

When France is more hawkish than the US something strange is going on

[Weezy]

Isn't the whole concept of liberals being anti-war relatively new? Not really a history buff here.

[Burhead]

Originally Posted by milohimself

I think there's a good probability that Hollande wins, at which point France will become more insulated.

When Hollande wins next month it will end end 17 years of center right rule in France. He will also be only the second center left President to be voted into office since the Fifth Republic came into being. The first being François Mitterrand.

[milohimself]

Originally Posted by volinbham

When France is more hawkish than the US something strange is going on

There has been a surge of right-wing nationalism in France of late.

And there has actually been a pretty strange cultural shift in France in general. People across the spectrum there are gravitating towards isolationism. I have a feeling that it's a cultural issue, as France IMO has been the cultural and social epicenter of the western world from about three hundred years ago to recent decades. I'm wondering if it's a giant shock.

[Weezy]

There seems to be a lot of pull back from North African immigration, and by pull-back I'm looking for a word to describe natives not being too happy about the culture and massive influx of them. Muslim culture is probably a 180 to France's more liberating culture.

[Burhead]

Originally Posted by milohimself

There has been a surge of right-wing nationalism in France of late.

Just like the rest of Europe. Marine Le Pen polled third behind François Hollande and Sarko with nearly 18% of the vote.

[volinbham]

Syria is getting really bad. It's clear that Russia is arming them. I'm surprised we haven't canceled our contract with the Russian helicopter company as some form of protest.

The imminent slaughter of innocents in Libya was enough to use military force. The actual slaughter of innocents in Syria continues to get stern language.

[lawgator1]

Originally Posted by volinbham

Syria is getting really bad. It's clear that Russia is arming them. I'm surprised we haven't canceled our contract with the Russian helicopter company as some form of protest.

The imminent slaughter of innocents in Libya was enough to use military force. The actual slaughter of innocents in Syria continues to get stern language.

The US isn't the only country to decline to use force there to date. Something going on behind the scenes, I am sure.

[volinbham]

I'm not ready to get involved but it just doesn't appear much at all is going on. Perhaps an arms embargo or at least not sending money to Russia for copters when the very same company is shipping copters to Assad.

[milohimself]

Originally Posted by volinbham

Syria is getting really bad. It's clear that Russia is arming them. I'm surprised we haven't canceled our contract with the Russian helicopter company as some form of protest.

The imminent slaughter of innocents in Libya was enough to use military force. The actual slaughter of innocents in Syria continues to get stern language.

Think the difference in geography has anything to do with it? The Rebels in Libya had a "home base" of sorts well away from the capital, and in a place where it was easy to land. Syria seems to be a hodgepodge of militias intermixed with Assad's forces in the various cities, aka massive clusterfudge.

[volinbham]

Originally Posted by milohimself

Think the difference in geography has anything to do with it? The Rebels in Libya had a "home base" of sorts well away from the capital, and in a place where it was easy to land. Syria seems to be a hodgepodge of militias intermixed with Assad's forces in the various cities, aka massive clusterfudge.

Plenty of factors make it different. Libya was an easy one.

I'm more reacting to our overall actions (or lack of) given the reasons given for jumping into Libya.

[milohimself]

Geopolitical influence, easily. I don't think anybody of geopolitical stature gave a damn if Gadhafi got taken out. Assad is caught in international spiderweb of cluster****, I have to think that there is a high potential for blowback with removing Assad.

[Burhead]

France has called on the UN today to enforce the Annan plan via a Chapter 7 UNSC resolution which will be vetoed.