El Pibe

Solitaire - Live and Let Die? (a bit of a weak effort admittedly)

I never mentioned the beeb, but at least it is editorially independent, unlike most state media, from RTE, through TVE, through to your beloved Russians. Putin certainly has an axe to grind, do you honestly think the Irish do? And what of independent respected print media with integrity like El Pa?s, Le Monde, Die Spiegel, Haaretz, who report and great personal risk, not to mention the freelance photographers, are they all in on the conspiracy?

Dirk Struan, Taipan?

Suffering, that's just western Imperialist propaganda *loses will to live*. In future I'll be sure to use only information you can trust, like Russian state owned media.

A free and independent press from many countries has catalogued the many atrocities committed by the regime, but you seem intent on dismissing it as American propaganda, which leaves us at an impasse. We cannot discuss this reasonably if you are set on believing your position whilst dismissing any evidence to the contrary. I'm reminded of Galloway's defence of Saddam.

I'm confused you state that he's not a brutal dictator by comparing him to a bunch of other brutal dictators. I tend to think that ordering your army to shoot at and shell your citizens and your air force to indiscriminately bomb them pretty much fits the bills of dictatorial behaviour and brutality, you clearly have a higher tolerance threshold. The Assads do have form, daddy Assad crushed a rising in Hama with up to 40000 dead back in the 80s.. I get that people are distrustful of the "official " line, whatever that implies, but I get a sense of wilful obstinacy in your stance that smacks of denial.

Yay for the aquarian moonster.

It was a bit of a clue too ;)

gandalf was an Assyrian?!?!

He was caught in an enclosed loop.

Got very confused, thought you were talking about SimonM, I still miss him. But yeah, enjoyed the long haired rocker episode, made me chuckle. in nooooo way stage managed..

Nope

Aysh, it's hard to argue against the fact that the NATO types have long lost the moral high ground, but I don't think that should necessarily mean that they shouldn't try to do the right thing....whatever the hell that is.

He was an ancient Mesopotamian fighting a more modern conflagration.

:D Non!

Just for the record, because it grated, "You seem to have styled yourself as a self-appointed expert of the situation in Syria". I really haven't, I'm just interested and I read a lot around it. I'd say I'm better informed than your average Joe Schmoe, but that doesn't make my opinion any more valid than anyone else's. Feel free to disagree with me, as I do with you, but don't take it so personally.

they were all out to get him.

Ok "sheemy", I'll give you the benefit of the doubt. Barring my colonialist tendencies, what do you suggest and why?

So you are actually trying to tell me that he is not a brutal dictator? staggering.

indeed, and some people invest just enough to keep their pile of crap running. I know how they feel ;)

As usual i've gone for a west ham win and a liverpool defeat. I'm not sure at what point I became a liverpool loather. It wasn't the fa cup, it slowly happened later, and I think this thread (and it's maternal ones) have been a big influence. You are excepted in this otta, you're ok!!!

The general thrust I can agree with, the specifics I have difficulty with. In fact the whole red line thing seems a bit weird to me. Is it worse to be killed by sarin than to be in utter terror as militias enter your home, rape your mother and cut the throat of your father in front of you before raping you and slitting your throat. I thought the thing red line was crossed two years ago, but hey. Plus, given the choice, I reckon a good nuke death is pretty good, if you could make tiny ones they'd sell really well in swiss clinics.

The Dread Pirate!

More irony in that the FRench are going for it and we're not? What would be the English equivalent of freedom fries? Mind you the american people want no part of it this time, so I guess it's of no matter. An idiot friend of mine shared Palin complaining on facebook. The 16000 comments consisted of scarily ignorant stuff, mostly consisting of 'it's only happening cos obama is muslim/african/black/evil/commie [delete as appropriate]'

ha ha, too easy!!