[quote=livinincali]
I tend to agree that I’m not sure that Assad was responsible. Obviously that’s a pretty large point when it comes to punishing responsible parties. Just another reason that maybe we should wait for some more evidence before making a knee jerk reaction to this incident.
I think there’s a fair amount of proof that a chemical weapons were used. I don’t think there’s a ton of supporting evidence that the weapons use was ordered by Assad. Certainly there’s other parties like the rebels and Saudi Arabia that would like the US to strike Assad military forces. They might be just as likely or perhaps more likely to use those weapons in an attempt to bring the US into the mix.[/quote]
Generally, I agree here….a few points….
I’ve read dozens of articles purporting to tell the “real truth” with “evidence and stuff”. Some of them present compelling arguments, but not a single one of them has shown me actual proof of who was responsible for the chemical attacks. (At this point, i’m pretty convinced they did occur.) And this goes for arguments going both ways, both that the Assad regime was responsible or some other party was responsible. Videos showing what appear to be low tech rockets aren’t terribly compelling. There is no way I can know if they’re authentic. I’ve seen videos from that part of the world that show people being shot and killed, and a week later videos of the very same dead guy, purporting to show him rescuing a wounded child. Wearing the exact same clothes he was wearing a week earlier when he was shot dead. The fake video industry is alive and well in that part of the world. And those fake videos could come from either side.
I’m not sure it’s meaningful whether Assad either ordered or had knowledge, if in fact, the weapons were used by the Assad regime. If they came from the Assad regime, his government is responsible, irrespective of whether he was directly involved.
The argument “why would they do it” is just as compelling from either side. Would rebels kill their own? It’s conceivable.
Right now i’m leaning towards accepting they came from the Assad regime, but with not much more than a 60-40 confidence level. But even if it was 100%, I’d be opposed to US involvement. That could change. More shit could happen.
