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2013/08/26 22:14:07
Subject: Hundreds (allegedly) dead in Syrian chemical weapons attack
djones520 wrote: You can't just turn away. You can't be everywhere at once, but you can't just turn away from atrocities such as this.
It only emboldens them onto far worse.
Agreed. And I'll be blunt: poison gas HURTS Not "I've been stabbed/shot" hurt. It's 'I've been dumped in hydrochloric acid' hurts. Calling the spams you experience from a nerve agent 'the funky chicken' just goes to show an utter lack of understanding of what those people are going through. Picture vomiting so hard you're breaking bones. And then there's that terrifying drowning sensation as you're lungs begin to fill with a pulmonary edema. Personal opinion, I'll gladly take being stabbed again over chlorine gas again any day. I don't even want to think about something like Sarin.
Yet more fun. SoS Kerry has deemed the latest gas attack a 'moral obscenity'. Really, it took this for the Syria situation to be a moral obscenity to you, John?
This message was edited 2 times. Last update was at 2013/08/26 22:48:39
Fate is in heaven, armor is on the chest, accomplishment is in the feet. - Nagao Kagetora
2013/08/26 22:52:50
Subject: Hundreds (allegedly) dead in Syrian chemical weapons attack
Well there wont be an UN force moving in, so if anything would happen it will be on humanitarian grounds.
Article of the BBC about the international situation surrounding Syria. Some interresting points: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-23831696
Spoiler:
Syria attack may force search for peace
The apparent use of chemical weapons in the suburbs of Damascus, killing hundreds of civilians, has clearly lifted the Syrian conflict to a yet higher level of crisis.
With the US stiffening its military posture in the eastern Mediterranean and the Russians continuing to defend their only staunch Arab ally, the dire predictions made months ago by some regional analysts that the situation could spiral rapidly into World War III are starting to look a little less fanciful.
Conversely, and for that very reason, there are those who believe that the level of tension that has now been reached may force the unblocking of the process to find a political settlement of the crisis.
Pressure to co-operate
Out of the chaos and confusion of the past few days, several things have emerged clearly.
Even the regime itself and its closest allies, Russia and Iran, do not dispute that chemical weapons were used in the eastern and south-western suburbs of Damascus early on Wednesday morning.
The evidence from a huge flow of distressing amateur video is too massive to dismiss.
Medecins Sans Frontieres says 3,600 patients with neurotoxic symptoms were treated at three hospitals and that at least 355 of them died.
That may not be the whole picture.
The Violations Documentation Centre, the most measured and least sensationalist of the organisations logging casualties in the conflict, listed the names and details of 457 people it said died of chemical poisoning in eight Damascus suburbs on Wednesday. That too is likely to be a minimum figure.
While acknowledging the event, Russian and Iranian officials have either adopted the Syrian government line that the attacks were carried out by armed rebels, or left the issue of responsibility open.
In any event, with UN chemical weapons investigators already in Damascus on a prior mission, the pressure to allow them to examine the affected sites is hard to resist.
Both Moscow and Tehran have said they are urging the Syrian authorities to co-operate with the inspectors, and the Iranian foreign minister has quoted his Syrian counterpart, Walid Muallem, as saying the government is in discussion with the UN team and preparing the conditions for a site visit.
The situation also prompted a rare direct contact between Mr Muallem and the US Secretary of State, John Kerry.
Obama reluctant
With combat continuing on the ground in the affected areas, there is clearly scope for prevarication and delay, although Western patience is short.
But at least an appearance of regime willingness to co-operate may for the moment let the US and its allies off the hook.
For one of the other elements that has become clearer than ever in the past few days is the great reluctance of President Barack Obama and others to plunge into an embroilment that would be hard to get out of, and which would carry a very high risk of aggravating the situation even further.
For the West, an almost irresistible sentiment that something has to be done is colliding with the reality that there is no course of action that is attractive or even acceptable in terms of that risk.
Mr Obama also knows that his own public does not want another costly, open-ended adventure in the Middle East.
Limited options
Any military action would immediately bracket the West with Israel, whose air and missile strikes on Syria this year have been held up by the regime as evidence that its internal troubles are part of a Western-Zionist-Salafist plot to destroy a citadel of resistance to Israel.
Even the most minimalist response - stepping up arms and training to opposition forces - does not really amount to much of an option.
The Western powers have never wanted the rebels to win.
Their strategy has been to redress the balance so that the regime came under such pressure that it would cave in, dump the Assad leadership and negotiate a transition that would exclude the inner ruling circle while preserving stability and state structures.
There has never been evidence to suggest such an approach might work.
The signs have always been that the regime would pull the whole house down around it before capitulating, and also that its strategic allies, especially Russia, Iran and Hezbollah, would not allow that to happen.
In addition, the West faces the reality that the moderate opposition elements it has been trying to boost have proven neither cohesive, credible nor effective on the ground.
Instead, the running has largely been made by Islamist factions, many linked to al-Qaeda.
Political movement
As happened in Iraq, intervention by the West risks fragmenting the country further, creating an uncontrollable situation and handing large parts of it to forces it regards as its enemies.
To that extent, there may be more common ground between Washington and Moscow than meets the eye.
The Russians, traumatised by Chechnya, are also mesmerised by the prospect of a radical Islamist takeover in Syria.
That is why some observers believe there is still a measure of understanding between the Russians and Americans, whose foreign ministers decided in May to work together to bring about the political settlement that everybody agrees is the only solution, but which is proving devilishly difficult to get under way.
So it is not out of the question that the huge pressures exerted on all parties by the chemical weapons attacks might just be enough to pop the cork and force movement towards negotiations, with the latest speculation focusing on Geneva in October.
Any such prospect, distant though it may seem, would clearly be set back by Western military action.
An eventual formula where regime forces join with elements of the Free Syrian Army to expel or crush the Islamist radicals is not beyond imagination.
The alternatives to political movement are starker than ever.
But that has always been the case, and it has not prevented the crisis from moving from one worst-case scenario to the next.
Sorry for my spelling. I'm not a native speaker and a dyslexic.
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2013/08/26 23:11:37
Subject: Re:Hundreds (allegedly) dead in Syrian chemical weapons attack
Waiting for my shill money from Spiral Arm Studios
Obama's probably doing a lot of squirming right about now.
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djones520 wrote: You can't just turn away. You can't be everywhere at once, but you can't just turn away from atrocities such as this.
It only emboldens them onto far worse.
Agreed. And I'll be blunt: poison gas HURTS Not "I've been stabbed/shot" hurt. It's 'I've been dumped in hydrochloric acid' hurts. Calling the spams you experience from a nerve agent 'the funky chicken' just goes to show an utter lack of understanding of what those people are going through. Picture vomiting so hard you're breaking bones. And then there's that terrifying drowning sensation as you're lungs begin to fill with a pulmonary edema. Personal opinion, I'll gladly take being stabbed again over chlorine gas again any day. I don't even want to think about something like Sarin.
Don't break an ankle as you jump off that high horse. I know exactly what Sarin and other agents do. Spent too much time training how to fight in dirty environments and understand indicators of their use and treatments for folks that got slimed. And every Bugs and Gas guy I worked with called it the Funky Chicken.
Every time a terrorist dies a Paratrooper gets his wings.
2013/08/26 23:12:17
Subject: Re:Hundreds (allegedly) dead in Syrian chemical weapons attack
Nothing will happen in the UN because Russia will veto it. Their getting mad fat rich off of Syria buying their gak. Same reason France raised a hissy fit over Iraq. It cut off their cash cow weapons dealing.
It baffles me though that EVERYONE was gung-ho about going into Libya, even the Danes were ready to load their longboats up with Vikings and pillage the gak out of Tripoli. But your just seeing a lot of foot shuffling about Syria, which is much worse on the scale of atrocities.
Full Frontal Nerdity
2013/08/26 23:15:22
Subject: Hundreds (allegedly) dead in Syrian chemical weapons attack
djones520 wrote: Nothing will happen in the UN because Russia will veto it. Their getting mad fat rich off of Syria buying their gak. Same reason France raised a hissy fit over Iraq. It cut off their cash cow weapons dealing.
It baffles me though that EVERYONE was gung-ho about going into Libya, even the Danes were ready to load their longboats up with Vikings and pillage the gak out of Tripoli. But your just seeing a lot of foot shuffling about Syria, which is much worse on the scale of atrocities.
Did the US put Assad in power? If not, there's your reason.
2013/08/26 23:16:37
Subject: Hundreds (allegedly) dead in Syrian chemical weapons attack
CptJake wrote: I'm okay with sitting back and doing nothing until our politicians explain EXACTLY what our objectives are and go through the formal process of having congress fund the operation.
We have stayed out of a LOT of bloody civil wars over the last several decades and let lots of children die absolutely horrible deaths. This is no different.
Chemical weapon are a special thing with me. You can hide from bullets, you can run from machetes, you can take cover from bombs. The gas will get you though. There is no way at all for the civilian populace to defend themselves from that.
Use of such weapons is the ultimate evil in my eyes, and should be treated as such. Call me an idealist if you want. Even if they still hate us afterwards, I think at the least going in, and destroying their ability to use such methods of warfare, while delivering a black eye or two, is still the right thing to do.
After seeing that video...
I agree. Damn you for turning me into a bleeding heart liberal? (wait... wut?)
If it's beyond the shadow of doubt... man, you really have to think about whether if this something you'd look the other way or not.
Also, keep in mind who's watching... (Iran)
Exactly, Iran is watching, AND expending resources to keep Syria in the game. Let them. Let them also build a nice animosity between the Sunni rebels that believe a different type of Islamism than the Shia Iranian gov't, and let them duke it out for a while and further weaken Iran.
It isn't our fight at this point.
Every time a terrorist dies a Paratrooper gets his wings.
2013/08/26 23:17:56
Subject: Hundreds (allegedly) dead in Syrian chemical weapons attack
djones520 wrote: Nothing will happen in the UN because Russia will veto it. Their getting mad fat rich off of Syria buying their gak. Same reason France raised a hissy fit over Iraq. It cut off their cash cow weapons dealing.
It baffles me though that EVERYONE was gung-ho about going into Libya, even the Danes were ready to load their longboats up with Vikings and pillage the gak out of Tripoli. But your just seeing a lot of foot shuffling about Syria, which is much worse on the scale of atrocities.
Did the US put Assad in power? If not, there's your reason.
The US had nothing to do with Qaddafi taking power in Libya. Unless you blame his predecessor being allied with the West as a reason.
Full Frontal Nerdity
2013/08/26 23:18:39
Subject: Hundreds (allegedly) dead in Syrian chemical weapons attack
CptJake wrote: I'm okay with sitting back and doing nothing until our politicians explain EXACTLY what our objectives are and go through the formal process of having congress fund the operation.
We have stayed out of a LOT of bloody civil wars over the last several decades and let lots of children die absolutely horrible deaths. This is no different.
Chemical weapon are a special thing with me. You can hide from bullets, you can run from machetes, you can take cover from bombs. The gas will get you though. There is no way at all for the civilian populace to defend themselves from that.
Use of such weapons is the ultimate evil in my eyes, and should be treated as such. Call me an idealist if you want. Even if they still hate us afterwards, I think at the least going in, and destroying their ability to use such methods of warfare, while delivering a black eye or two, is still the right thing to do.
After seeing that video...
I agree. Damn you for turning me into a bleeding heart liberal? (wait... wut?)
If it's beyond the shadow of doubt... man, you really have to think about whether if this something you'd look the other way or not.
Also, keep in mind who's watching... (Iran)
Exactly, Iran is watching, AND expending resources to keep Syria in the game. Let them. Let them also build a nice animosity between the Sunni rebels that believe a different type of Islamism than the Shia Iranian gov't, and let them duke it out for a while and further weaken Iran.
It isn't our fight at this point.
This isn't anyones fight at this point. So, let's just enjoy watching all the deaths right?
2013/08/27 00:35:41
Subject: Re:Hundreds (allegedly) dead in Syrian chemical weapons attack
Went and watched all the videos I could find, about 70 plus of them.
NONE of them show people dying from Sarin gas....or bodies that would have shown the effects of death by sarin gas.
Most looked bogus and staged. The one with the doctor who personally moved 50 dead children who dies of sarin gas and was still alive to talk on camera was a particularly low point for medical ethics...
A whole lot of controlled twitching, legs twitch but not neck or fingers and not a one with the involuntary diarrhea or urination that always occurs even in low dose exposure to home made sarin like the Japanese subway attacks.
A few real videos showed some dying from what looks like chlorine gas poisoning...
I suspect many who are claiming the infamous pinpointing of the pupils so it must be sarin do not know what pinpointing of the pupils really looks like or are hoping those viewing their video do not...
How do we assess for “pinpoint” pupils?
Recall that the pupil should be mid-range and reactive under normal lighting conditions. When subjected to bright light, the pupil will constricted to reduce the volume of light entering the iris. In darkness the pupil will dilate to allow as much ambient light in as possible. Pupils smaller than 2mm in diameter under normal lighting conditions can be considered “pinpoint”. Any pupil that responds to changes in lighting conditions with 1mm of movement or less can be considered minimally reactive or nonreactive.
To assess for pinpoint pupils we need to subject the pupil to darkness by asking the patient to close their eyes or covering the patients eye. When we return the light source to the pupil we expect the pupil to be larger and rapidly return to its original size. If the pupils remain <2mm in diameter through the changing light conditions we have a “pinpoint pupils” finding. The fancy medical term for this phenomenon is abnormal miosis.
- See more at: http://theemtspot.com/2009/04/23/rapid-diagnosis-pinpoint-pupils/#sthash.3JYfKUtA.dpuf
Show me a video with pupils at less than 2mm and I will look at it...
Someone who thinks they have a video with all the required symptoms present and I will look at that also..
Again, have not seen one yet pointing to sarin gas and a simple blood test off a body would conclusively prove if the person died from sarin gas by the presence of Organophosphate.
An easy test and yet why has not the result of a positive test been published yet?
Did a lot of people get poisoned in Syria, probably.
Are a lot of folks taking advantage of it to make fake videos for their political cause, absolutely.
Do i think this was weapons grade Sarin, not a chance.
If I was vain I would list stuff to make me sound good here. I decline. It's just a game after all.
House Rule -A common use of the term is to signify a deviation of game play from the official rules.
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2013/08/27 00:40:37
Subject: Hundreds (allegedly) dead in Syrian chemical weapons attack
It's obvious your mind has already been made up that this is just a master mind plot by a bunch of backwoods rebels to sucker us into supporting them, thereby fooling the intelligence agencies of the most advanced countries in the world... but here you go anyways.
Baron. I find it hard to believe in the capacity your in and with a prior background you never heard of "Funky Chicken or Kickin Chicken" when someone reacts to a nerve agent. Pretty much how we in the military describe the spasms from a nerve agent.
Does Syria have blood agents? Now that's a royal screw over because that will eat through a NBC filter in like two hours max.
Edit
Google
"Kurds, Iraq, Sarin gas" make sure you have it in "Image" mode
This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2013/08/27 00:57:27
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2013/08/27 01:02:27
Subject: Re:Hundreds (allegedly) dead in Syrian chemical weapons attack
Jihadin wrote: Baron. I find it hard to believe in the capacity your in and with a prior background you never heard of "Funky Chicken or Kickin Chicken" when someone reacts to a nerve agent. Pretty much how we in the military describe the spasms from a nerve agent.
Does Syria have blood agents? Now that's a royal screw over because that will eat through a NBC filter in like two hours max.
Edit
Google
"Kurds, Iraq, Sarin gas" make sure you have it in "Image" mode
From what I've read, they don't have the capability for that. Producing Sarin is about the extent of the capabilities.
Full Frontal Nerdity
2013/08/27 01:06:01
Subject: Re:Hundreds (allegedly) dead in Syrian chemical weapons attack
If they were smart. If it was Assard using it. They be using Saddam stock pile if they have it first
As long as they stick with Sarin and not screw around with Anthrax/Blood/and any other horrible way of opting someone out via chemical then we're good. As long as it is not persistent
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2013/08/27 01:06:45
Subject: Hundreds (allegedly) dead in Syrian chemical weapons attack
A few real videos showed some dying from what looks like chlorine gas poisoning...
Yes, because neutral non-profits like Doctors Without Boarders are really big on lying about using up their stockpiles of atropine and ordering tons more. If it was chlorine, not one of those poor bastards would have responded.
That's what's used to safely respond to victims. Safely. I'll add that it's entirely possible that the heat and arid environment combined with poor quality control during manufacture degraded it's effectiveness. (further, he might have been in contact with them after they died. It takes about a half an hour, supposedly, for Sarin to work it's way out of their clothing) One thing that has not been mentioned is if and how many hospital staff had to be treated for contact.
As far as showing the tests: sadly, no, organophosphates are not 100% proof of sarin (and let's be honest, even if they did post the results, if it was positive you'd claim they faked it) could be tabun or soman too, for example. Or environmental contamination.
Automatically Appended Next Post:
Ouze wrote:
djones520 wrote: thereby fooling the intelligence agencies of the most advanced countries in the world...
These are the guys who were totes sure that Iraq was developing nuclear weapons and other WMD, right?
Point of fact, actually no, these are the intelligence agencies who were not convinced it was real. The one's htat were sure of Saddam's WMDs are the ones still skeptical of Syria.
Jihadin wrote:Baron. I find it hard to believe in the capacity your in and with a prior background you never heard of "Funky Chicken or Kickin Chicken" when someone reacts to a nerve agent. Pretty much how we in the military describe the spasms from a nerve agent.
No, I'll be honest, never heard it called that before. Only thing I ever heard it called was the 'shakes' or 'twitchin' though one guy called it 'dancin' (which, on reflection, could have been short for 'dancing the funky chicken' but I had always figured he was comparing it to Saint Vitus Dance). Also note that a lot of the guys I know are not American. The guy that delivered my (limited) knowledge of neurotoxins did so with a very heavy brogue. On the up side, my knowledge of Irish Gaelic is improving.
This message was edited 2 times. Last update was at 2013/08/27 03:24:28
Fate is in heaven, armor is on the chest, accomplishment is in the feet. - Nagao Kagetora
2013/08/27 03:20:28
Subject: Hundreds (allegedly) dead in Syrian chemical weapons attack
djones520 wrote: Now we wait to see if the world says it's ok for us to do something. *insert rolling eyes*
Uh...
Do you think Obama could get Congressional support?
Bush sought and received an authorization for the use of military force in Iraq from Congress, as the constitution requires.
I don't remember Obama getting congressional approval for Libya. o.O
What it all boils down to is this... all this previous anti-war rhetoric was really for political gain... and that's a shame.
Anytime a President want's to engage our military on some mission (will explicit goals), it should be debated/approved by Congress. Do it publically... so that the target is aware... maybe that'll get them to say no mas', we're fini... we don't want da 'Murricans here.
Automatically Appended Next Post:
djones520 wrote: Nothing will happen in the UN because Russia will veto it. Their getting mad fat rich off of Syria buying their gak. Same reason France raised a hissy fit over Iraq. It cut off their cash cow weapons dealing.
It baffles me though that EVERYONE was gung-ho about going into Libya, even the Danes were ready to load their longboats up with Vikings and pillage the gak out of Tripoli. But your just seeing a lot of foot shuffling about Syria, which is much worse on the scale of atrocities.
I agree...
Something isn't squaring up here... (must be because the Russian/Iranian influences over Syria).
I do believe the POTUS can authorized military action for up to thirty days without Congress approval. Anything after that needs Congress support. I could be totally wrong here on this.
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2013/08/27 03:37:08
Subject: Hundreds (allegedly) dead in Syrian chemical weapons attack
I don't remember Obama getting congressional approval for Libya. o.O
The President has 60 days to get Congressional support, and if he doesn't, has to withdraw within 30 days, under the law. This was set up so that in the event that Congress was in recess, etc, that the President wasn't hampered in responding to an emergency. Point of fact, he doesn't have to get Congressional approval to launch nuclear weapons either.
Remember kids, Duck and Cover, and listen in to 640 and 1240 CONELRAD for your up to the minute coverage of World War 3.
This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2013/08/27 03:41:24
Fate is in heaven, armor is on the chest, accomplishment is in the feet. - Nagao Kagetora
2013/08/27 03:38:04
Subject: Re:Hundreds (allegedly) dead in Syrian chemical weapons attack
Jihadin wrote: I do believe the POTUS can authorized military action for up to thirty days without Congress approval. Anything after that needs Congress support. I could be totally wrong here on this.
You are correct. Some of the more ardent Obama haters were trying to go after him on this with Libya. I imagine whatever actions we end up taking, will involve a couple of weeks at the most.
Full Frontal Nerdity
2013/08/27 03:41:40
Subject: Re:Hundreds (allegedly) dead in Syrian chemical weapons attack
Jihadin wrote: I do believe the POTUS can authorized military action for up to thirty days without Congress approval. Anything after that needs Congress support. I could be totally wrong here on this.
You are correct. Some of the more ardent Obama haters were trying to go after him on this with Libya. I imagine whatever actions we end up taking, will involve a couple of weeks at the most.
Ah... then, I stand corrected then.
Carry on fellas.
Live Ork, Be Ork. or D'Ork!
2013/08/27 03:43:50
Subject: Re:Hundreds (allegedly) dead in Syrian chemical weapons attack
I'm trying to figure out how killing a load of civilians with chemical weapons is a great atrocity that demands we must act, but killing the same number with high explosives isn't. I mean, if dead civilians demand an international response, does it matter if they were killed with chemical weapons or just regular murderous devices?
I'm not saying anything about whether or not we need to intervene*, it just seems weird that chemical weapons have some magic extra evilness to them. "Oh sure, if you kill civilians with artillery and rockets fired from helicopters that's pretty awful but we won't do anything, but kill some with gas and that's totally unacceptable.
*I've read a few pieces from people who know what they're talking about, and they're pretty divided on whether such an intervention would help so I'm certainly not going to claim I know.
“We may observe that the government in a civilized country is much more expensive than in a barbarous one; and when we say that one government is more expensive than another, it is the same as if we said that that one country is farther advanced in improvement than another. To say that the government is expensive and the people not oppressed is to say that the people are rich.”
Adam Smith, who must have been some kind of leftie or something.
2013/08/27 03:44:41
Subject: Re:Hundreds (allegedly) dead in Syrian chemical weapons attack
Whembly...at times your "innocence" makes me chuckle and be jealous of you
Proud Member of the Infidels of OIF/OEF
No longer defending the US Military or US Gov't. Just going to ""**feed into your fears**"" with Duffel Blog Did not fight my way up on top the food chain to become a Vegan...
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2013/08/27 03:46:56
Subject: Re:Hundreds (allegedly) dead in Syrian chemical weapons attack
Jihadin wrote: Whembly...at times your "innocence" makes me chuckle and be jealous of you
O.o
You're welcome...
Automatically Appended Next Post:
sebster wrote: I'm trying to figure out how killing a load of civilians with chemical weapons is a great atrocity that demands we must act, but killing the same number with high explosives isn't. I mean, if dead civilians demand an international response, does it matter if they were killed with chemical weapons or just regular murderous devices?
I'm not saying anything about whether or not we need to intervene*, it just seems weird that chemical weapons have some magic extra evilness to them. "Oh sure, if you kill civilians with artillery and rockets fired from helicopters that's pretty awful but we won't do anything, but kill some with gas and that's totally unacceptable.
*I've read a few pieces from people who know what they're talking about, and they're pretty divided on whether such an intervention would help so I'm certainly not going to claim I know.
I see where you're coming from, but "regular murderous devices" compared to chemical/biological warfare is completely different. Hence, it's WMD classification and using Chem/Bio WMD, especially where civilians are involved just takes it up another notch.
This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2013/08/27 03:49:09
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2013/08/27 03:54:21
Subject: Re:Hundreds (allegedly) dead in Syrian chemical weapons attack
sebster wrote: I'm trying to figure out how killing a load of civilians with chemical weapons is a great atrocity that demands we must act, but killing the same number with high explosives isn't. I mean, if dead civilians demand an international response, does it matter if they were killed with chemical weapons or just regular murderous devices?
I'm not saying anything about whether or not we need to intervene*, it just seems weird that chemical weapons have some magic extra evilness to them. "Oh sure, if you kill civilians with artillery and rockets fired from helicopters that's pretty awful but we won't do anything, but kill some with gas and that's totally unacceptable.
*I've read a few pieces from people who know what they're talking about, and they're pretty divided on whether such an intervention would help so I'm certainly not going to claim I know.
Well, partially it has to do with the laws of war. (Yes, there are such things) The reason is that it's only real use is as a weapon of total war. Like nukes and napalm and Agent Orange. It's sole purpose is to kill every last living thing in an entire area. And since most soldiers get protective gear etc, the only real use for it is as a terror weapon on unprotected civvies (see Iraq for Saddam using it this way). It can stay in an area for years, depending on the agent used. Throw in that it's one of the most horrific, agonizing, ways to die you will ever hear of, and yeah, there's the reason.
Fate is in heaven, armor is on the chest, accomplishment is in the feet. - Nagao Kagetora
2013/08/27 05:25:00
Subject: Re:Hundreds (allegedly) dead in Syrian chemical weapons attack
BaronIveagh wrote: Well, partially it has to do with the laws of war. (Yes, there are such things) The reason is that it's only real use is as a weapon of total war. Like nukes and napalm and Agent Orange. It's sole purpose is to kill every last living thing in an entire area. And since most soldiers get protective gear etc, the only real use for it is as a terror weapon on unprotected civvies (see Iraq for Saddam using it this way). It can stay in an area for years, depending on the agent used. Throw in that it's one of the most horrific, agonizing, ways to die you will ever hear of, and yeah, there's the reason.
Napalm ain't 'illegal' to use in warfare.
But in broad strokes, you're correct. We take a hard line on chemical/biological/nuclear weapon employment even in isolated instances because we do not want to creep towards consistent widespread deployment of any of them. It's basically a zero tolerance policy to ensure that nobody ever goes, "Well, the Syrians got away with X amount, so we'll use just a little bit more this time."
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(wait... wut?)
If I was vain I would list stuff to make me sound good here. I decline. It's just a game after all.
