Naturally. He could have destroyed them in June 2014 too, didn’t bother. Just as Clinton could have killed Bin Laden.
Quote:The CIA in 2012 proposed a detailed covert action plan designed to remove Syrian President Bashar Assad from power, but President Obama declined to approve it, current and former U.S. officials tell NBC News.
It’s long been known that then-CIA Director David Petraeus recommended a program to secretly arm and train moderate Syrian rebels in 2012 to pressure Assad. But a book to be published Tuesday by a former CIA operative goes further, revealing that senior CIA officials were pushing a multi-tiered plan to engineer the dictator’s ouster. Former American officials involved in the discussions confirmed that to NBC News.
In an exclusive television interview with NBC News, the former officer, Doug Laux, describes spending a year in the Middle East meeting with Syrian rebels and intelligence officers from various partner countries. Laux, who spoke some Arabic, was the eyes and ears on the ground for the CIA’s Syria task force, he says.
I don't think removing Assad from power would have prevented ISIS. It would have created a power vacuum and there would have been factions fighting for control. It would have been a mess the same as it is today.
I don't give a **** about democracy in the middle east. Assad kept order in his country the same way Saddam and Gaddafi did. They might have been cruel, cold-hearted bastards to their citizens, but they were better than the cluster**** that is going on across the middle east now. If anything, we should have helped Assad crush the uprisings and keep the status quo.
I'd rather have a dictator that worships power and money than even a "moderate" group of Islam motivated rebels.
(04-02-2016 08:52 PM)Niner National Wrote: [ -> ]I don't think removing Assad from power would have prevented ISIS. It would have created a power vacuum and there would have been factions fighting for control. It would have been a mess the same as it is today.
I don't give a **** about democracy in the middle east. Assad kept order in his country the same way Saddam and Gaddafi did. They might have been cruel, cold-hearted bastards to their citizens, but they were better than the cluster**** that is going on across the middle east now. If anything, we should have helped Assad crush the uprisings and keep the status quo.
I'd rather have a dictator that worships power and money than even a "moderate" group of Islam motivated rebels.
(04-02-2016 08:52 PM)Niner National Wrote: [ -> ]I don't think removing Assad from power would have prevented ISIS. It would have created a power vacuum and there would have been factions fighting for control. It would have been a mess the same as it is today.
I don't give a **** about democracy in the middle east. Assad kept order in his country the same way Saddam and Gaddafi did. They might have been cruel, cold-hearted bastards to their citizens, but they were better than the cluster**** that is going on across the middle east now. If anything, we should have helped Assad crush the uprisings and keep the status quo.
I'd rather have a dictator that worships power and money than even a "moderate" group of Islam motivated rebels.
Completely agree. If anything can be learned from the past few decades is that dictatorships are the only way to control the Muslim populace. Complete totalitarian control is the only thing that can secure peace in the Middle East, and the rest of the world.
(04-02-2016 08:52 PM)Niner National Wrote: [ -> ]I don't think removing Assad from power would have prevented ISIS. It would have created a power vacuum and there would have been factions fighting for control. It would have been a mess the same as it is today.
I don't give a **** about democracy in the middle east. Assad kept order in his country the same way Saddam and Gaddafi did. They might have been cruel, cold-hearted bastards to their citizens, but they were better than the cluster**** that is going on across the middle east now. If anything, we should have helped Assad crush the uprisings and keep the status quo.
I'd rather have a dictator that worships power and money than even a "moderate" group of Islam motivated rebels.
Completely agree. If anything can be learned from the past few decades is that dictatorships are the only way to control the Muslim populace. Complete totalitarian control is the only thing that can secure peace in the Middle East, and the rest of the world.
is longer than decades en macro....but yeah....and that's where we as a super power have screwed that pooch....
religion on both sides prevents the real solution....it matters not whether one likes that or not....
Every single time we interject ourselves and meddle in another middle eastern countries internal politics it comes back to bite us in the ass with unforeseen circumstances. When will we ever learn? Every time.
(04-02-2016 10:52 PM)Machiavelli Wrote: [ -> ]Every single time we interject ourselves and meddle in another middle eastern countries internal politics it comes back to bite us in the ass with unforeseen circumstances. When will we ever learn? Every time.
one can only hope Mach....and is why Trump!
only Truman had bigger balls...
at some point you either submit or conquer....I choose the latter....
(04-02-2016 10:52 PM)Machiavelli Wrote: [ -> ]Every single time we interject ourselves and meddle in another middle eastern countries internal politics it comes back to bite us in the ass with unforeseen circumstances. When will we ever learn? Every time.
At least part of that is because all we've done is go in half-assed. Desert Storm we actually went in pretty much full bore. And stopping when we did was probably the right option too. Where we screwed that one up is that we didn't enforce the cease-fire agreement fully and completely.
(04-02-2016 08:52 PM)Niner National Wrote: [ -> ]I don't think removing Assad from power would have prevented ISIS. It would have created a power vacuum and there would have been factions fighting for control. It would have been a mess the same as it is today.
I don't give a **** about democracy in the middle east. Assad kept order in his country the same way Saddam and Gaddafi did. They might have been cruel, cold-hearted bastards to their citizens, but they were better than the cluster**** that is going on across the middle east now. If anything, we should have helped Assad crush the uprisings and keep the status quo.
I'd rather have a dictator that worships power and money than even a "moderate" group of Islam motivated rebels.
I agree....
only Trump understands the real solution.....
Trump doesn't understand sh!t. He's an amateur and will get taken just as bad as the fool Obama.
(04-02-2016 10:52 PM)Machiavelli Wrote: [ -> ]Every single time we interject ourselves and meddle in another middle eastern countries internal politics it comes back to bite us in the ass with unforeseen circumstances. When will we ever learn? Every time.
Agree. Hindsight is always 20-20, but seems about the only guarantee is that for every U.S. action there's a reaction of some sort, and nobody knows for sure what that'll be.
Had President Obama done the opposite there'd be another group out there blowing **** up. Maybe not ISIS, but ISIS by another name.
And the peanut gallery would be posting how had President Obama NOT done this then everything would be hunky dory.
(04-02-2016 10:52 PM)Machiavelli Wrote: [ -> ]Every single time we interject ourselves and meddle in another middle eastern countries internal politics it comes back to bite us in the ass with unforeseen circumstances. When will we ever learn? Every time.
Agree. Hindsight is always 20-20, but seems about the only guarantee is that for every U.S. action there's a reaction of some sort, and nobody knows for sure what that'll be.
They only guarantee is that limited, half-assed wars never work. You go in whole hog--overwhelming force, wide open rules of engagement--or you don't go in at all. If you can't justify overwhelming force and wide open rules of engagement, then the proper solution is something other than military action. Nether Shrub nor Zero grasp that concept.
(04-02-2016 08:52 PM)Niner National Wrote: [ -> ]I don't think removing Assad from power would have prevented ISIS. It would have created a power vacuum and there would have been factions fighting for control. It would have been a mess the same as it is today.
I don't give a **** about democracy in the middle east. Assad kept order in his country the same way Saddam and Gaddafi did. They might have been cruel, cold-hearted bastards to their citizens, but they were better than the cluster**** that is going on across the middle east now. If anything, we should have helped Assad crush the uprisings and keep the status quo.
I'd rather have a dictator that worships power and money than even a "moderate" group of Islam motivated rebels.
I agree....
only Trump understands the real solution.....
Trump doesn't understand sh!t. He's an amateur and will get taken just as bad as the fool Obama.
you don't like the solution....but it's the only one....
everything else is fiddle faddle....
I guarantee if negotiate an agreement with china and russia to take out the northern region and divvy up the product, it would happen....
(04-02-2016 10:52 PM)Machiavelli Wrote: [ -> ]Every single time we interject ourselves and meddle in another middle eastern countries internal politics it comes back to bite us in the ass with unforeseen circumstances. When will we ever learn? Every time.
Assad is Alewite, which is a branch of Shia. The government of Iraq is now controlled by Shias, since we overthrew the Sunni Saddam. The people of western Iraq and eastern Syria are Sunni. What would you expect to happen? Duh?
(04-02-2016 08:52 PM)Niner National Wrote: [ -> ]I don't think removing Assad from power would have prevented ISIS. It would have created a power vacuum and there would have been factions fighting for control. It would have been a mess the same as it is today.
I don't give a **** about democracy in the middle east. Assad kept order in his country the same way Saddam and Gaddafi did. They might have been cruel, cold-hearted bastards to their citizens, but they were better than the cluster**** that is going on across the middle east now. If anything, we should have helped Assad crush the uprisings and keep the status quo.
I'd rather have a dictator that worships power and money than even a "moderate" group of Islam motivated rebels.
I agree....
only Trump understands the real solution.....
Trump doesn't understand sh!t. He's an amateur and will get taken just as bad as the fool Obama.
you don't like the solution....but it's the only one....
everything else is fiddle faddle....
I guarantee if negotiate an agreement with china and russia to take out the northern region and divvy up the product, it would happen....
nobody else has the balls to do that....
I should have been a bit more clear.
I believe that Trump has ideas regarding foreign affairs worthy of consideration and that on their face, seem logical. Why I question his positions (as I do on virtually everything) is that there seems to be no depth to his analyses. He suggests that negotiating with China and Russia would be no different than the Zoning Board of Atlantic City. And recall how another recent Presidential candidate staked his foreign policy plan on sitting down with Iran. How'd that work out?
Furthermore, he has as yet surrounded himself with any foreign policy advisers with measurable experience. It sounds more like he has a few "yes men" lined up. This is exactly like the current occupant of 1600 Pennsylvania Ave.
And General George Armstrong Custer had arguably the biggest set of balls in American history.
(04-02-2016 08:52 PM)Niner National Wrote: [ -> ]I don't think removing Assad from power would have prevented ISIS. It would have created a power vacuum and there would have been factions fighting for control. It would have been a mess the same as it is today.
I don't give a **** about democracy in the middle east. Assad kept order in his country the same way Saddam and Gaddafi did. They might have been cruel, cold-hearted bastards to their citizens, but they were better than the cluster**** that is going on across the middle east now. If anything, we should have helped Assad crush the uprisings and keep the status quo.
I'd rather have a dictator that worships power and money than even a "moderate" group of Islam motivated rebels.
I agree....
only Trump understands the real solution.....
Trump doesn't understand sh!t. He's an amateur and will get taken just as bad as the fool Obama.
you don't like the solution....but it's the only one....
everything else is fiddle faddle....
I guarantee if negotiate an agreement with china and russia to take out the northern region and divvy up the product, it would happen....
nobody else has the balls to do that....
I should have been a bit more clear.
I believe that Trump has ideas regarding foreign affairs worthy of consideration and that on their face, seem logical. Why I question his positions (as I do on virtually everything) is that there seems to be no depth to his analyses. He suggests that negotiating with China and Russia would be no different than the Zoning Board of Atlantic City. And recall how another recent Presidential candidate staked his foreign policy plan on sitting down with Iran. How'd that work out?
Furthermore, he has as yet surrounded himself with any foreign policy advisers with measurable experience. It sounds more like he has a few "yes men" lined up. This is exactly like the current occupant of 1600 Pennsylvania Ave.
And General George Armstrong Custer had arguably the biggest set of balls in American history.
key words...."logical" and "yet"
what other candidate has laid out anything other than attempting to jump on the back of the trump train...
did cruz come out fighting the border issue? did cruz come with using nukes as an option?
you don't like how I present, nor do you like how he thinks.....
oh wellzy.....it's better just to leave it at that....
(04-02-2016 08:52 PM)Niner National Wrote: [ -> ]I don't think removing Assad from power would have prevented ISIS. It would have created a power vacuum and there would have been factions fighting for control. It would have been a mess the same as it is today.
I don't give a **** about democracy in the middle east. Assad kept order in his country the same way Saddam and Gaddafi did. They might have been cruel, cold-hearted bastards to their citizens, but they were better than the cluster**** that is going on across the middle east now. If anything, we should have helped Assad crush the uprisings and keep the status quo.
I'd rather have a dictator that worships power and money than even a "moderate" group of Islam motivated rebels.
I agree....
only Trump understands the real solution.....
Trump doesn't understand sh!t. He's an amateur and will get taken just as bad as the fool Obama.
you don't like the solution....but it's the only one....
everything else is fiddle faddle....
I guarantee if negotiate an agreement with china and russia to take out the northern region and divvy up the product, it would happen....
nobody else has the balls to do that....
I should have been a bit more clear.
I believe that Trump has ideas regarding foreign affairs worthy of consideration and that on their face, seem logical. Why I question his positions (as I do on virtually everything) is that there seems to be no depth to his analyses. He suggests that negotiating with China and Russia would be no different than the Zoning Board of Atlantic City. And recall how another recent Presidential candidate staked his foreign policy plan on sitting down with Iran. How'd that work out?
Furthermore, he has as yet surrounded himself with any foreign policy advisers with measurable experience. It sounds more like he has a few "yes men" lined up. This is exactly like the current occupant of 1600 Pennsylvania Ave.
And General George Armstrong Custer had arguably the biggest set of balls in American history.
So far none of the past presidents have had a good answer for the Middle East. And we were better off before we went into Iraq in 2003, nothing the next president could have done could undo that fiasco.
Trump doesn't understand sh!t. He's an amateur and will get taken just as bad as the fool Obama.
you don't like the solution....but it's the only one....
everything else is fiddle faddle....
I guarantee if negotiate an agreement with china and russia to take out the northern region and divvy up the product, it would happen....
nobody else has the balls to do that....
I should have been a bit more clear.
I believe that Trump has ideas regarding foreign affairs worthy of consideration and that on their face, seem logical. Why I question his positions (as I do on virtually everything) is that there seems to be no depth to his analyses. He suggests that negotiating with China and Russia would be no different than the Zoning Board of Atlantic City. And recall how another recent Presidential candidate staked his foreign policy plan on sitting down with Iran. How'd that work out?
Furthermore, he has as yet surrounded himself with any foreign policy advisers with measurable experience. It sounds more like he has a few "yes men" lined up. This is exactly like the current occupant of 1600 Pennsylvania Ave.
And General George Armstrong Custer had arguably the biggest set of balls in American history.
So far none of the past presidents have had a good answer for the Middle East. And we were better off before we went into Iraq in 2003, nothing the next president could have done could undo that fiasco.
sand to glass....
he'll go Truman with this one....
that's what people are fearful of....
it's why he wants to negotiate with the powers.....
you gotta toss all the bs out the door with the litter....
![[Image: cia.jpg]](http://s13.postimg.org/5bcbmtsqv/cia.jpg)
