Clouds of Witless 0

Afterthought:

It is certainly difficult to find sympathy for Assad.

Nevertheless, I doubt that raining robotic death from the skies in a fit of pique will make a difference.

I use the term “fit of pique” quite intentionally. Here’s a bit of commentary from Josh Marshall (full article at the link):

I do not suggest here that it is obvious what the right thing to do is. But military action should only ever be taken with a clear goal and a serious weighing of the probable and conceivable repercussions. As I wrote yesterday, I think the administration’s volte-face on Syria is not only tied to the attack itself but what appears to be a major rolling shake-up at the White House (one that I suspect has only begun). Still, as we know, Donald Trump is the ultimate TV President. It sounds like hyperbole but it’s not hyperbole to say that many or most of his key actions are driven not by the counsel of key advisors or intelligence briefings but by things he sees on TV. Often things idiots say on TV. That makes these horrific pictures perhaps more influential than they might be with another President.

The United States has a history of over-estimating its ability to change by force what’s happening in other countries. If you don’t remember the war in Viet Nam, I do. More recently, we have ventured into Afghanistan and Iraq. Viet Nam was a failure wrapped in lies; Iraq and Afghanistan have become quagmires and will likely end in failure, if they have not already achieved that status–I think they have–if one defines “failure” as “not achieving stated goals” (as good a definition of failure as there is); no goals have been achieved and they go on and on, bloody soap operas of death.

Last night I was reluctantly discussing politics with an acquaintance of mine. Almost my last statement in that discussion was, “How long till a war?”

Guess I got my answer.

Image via The Bob Cesca Show blog.