Syria reported to have use Chemical Warfare

[The Good Reverend Roger]

So everyone wins then. Russia's embarrassed the US, the US has bought some time, Assad sticks around and the rebels crack on.

Business as usual, call the weapons inspectors and let them commence looking in empty sheds and shrugging.

Assad has said that he does in fact have manufacturing facilities, which are being shut down right now, and turned over alongside everything else.

He's not hiding that he has the shit.  He just denies using it.

[Junkenstein]

But will he turn everything over? How can we be sure? Best send troops to check.

[The Good Reverend Roger]

But will he turn everything over? How can we be sure? Best send troops to check.

To do that, after the Russians are there?

Not gonna happen.

[tyrannosaurus vex]

From an optimist's perspective, this could be a rare example of diplomacy actually beating war to a solution. Thank god I'm no optimist.

[Junkenstein]

Sorry I'm getting the future confused again.

The routine is something like:

Publicly remove some arms or capacity to make arms.
Declare that's all you've got.
Wait for the next cache to be revealed.
Promise that's totally it
Wait for them to leave.
Wait for US invasion because intelligence says you've still got arms.


I'm starting to suspect the 2 man con works with nation states too.

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

I suspect a 2 man con, but maybe of a different sort.

[Suu]

From an optimist's perspective, this could be a rare example of diplomacy actually beating war to a solution. Thank god I'm no optimist.

"Supreme excellence consists of breaking the enemy's resistance without having to fight."

I read this in a book once. It was by a man named Sun Tzu. Smart guy.

-Suu
Actually has a fair amount of The Art of War memorized.

[tyrannosaurus vex]

Have any of you considered that to discuss "current events" in this manner is to buy into the manufactured illusions presented as truth, to become entangled in the samsaric web of lies, and to be carriers for the memetic virus sometimes called "consensus reality"? Is it not better to construct one's own reality, manufacture more pleasing illusions and thereby become the masters of Maya rather than its slaves?

I have considered that, but then I graduated high school and had to move out of my Dad's basement. The world is a different place when you have to live in it.

[The Good Reverend Roger]

Have any of you considered that to discuss "current events" in this manner is to buy into the manufactured illusions presented as truth, to become entangled in the samsaric web of lies, and to be carriers for the memetic virus sometimes called "consensus reality"? Is it not better to construct one's own reality, manufacture more pleasing illusions and thereby become the masters of Maya rather than its slaves?

Yeah.  Then I quit smoking pot.  That would have been in 1986 sometime.

Fucking hippies.

[Q. G. Pennyworth]

I have considered that, but then I graduated high school and had to move out of my Dad's basement. The world is a different place when you have to live in it.

Yeah.  Then I quit smoking pot.  That would have been in 1986 sometime.

Fucking hippies.

I love you guys.

[tarod]

Have any of you considered that to discuss "current events" in this manner is to buy into the manufactured illusions presented as truth, to become entangled in the samsaric web of lies, and to be carriers for the memetic virus sometimes called "consensus reality"? Is it not better to construct one's own reality, manufacture more pleasing illusions and thereby become the masters of Maya rather than its slaves?

That's cool and all, but illusions don't change really real reality. Which is the only reality I care about.

[Kai]

Have any of you considered that to discuss "current events" in this manner is to buy into the manufactured illusions presented as truth, to become entangled in the samsaric web of lies, and to be carriers for the memetic virus sometimes called "consensus reality"? Is it not better to construct one's own reality, manufacture more pleasing illusions and thereby become the masters of Maya rather than its slaves?

You can try to slide belief past reality but you can't keep it from kicking you in the balls.

[LMNO]

[Cain]

-

[LMNO]

Not much to say about this, but...

http://www.buzzfeed.com/susannahgeorge/syria-researcher-elizabeth-o-bagy-fired?s=mobile

A young researcher whose opinions on Syria were cited by both Senator McCain and Secretary of State John Kerry in congressional testimony last week has been fired from the Institute for the Study of War for allegedly faking her academic credentials