This man is unbelievable.

[BeardyMan]

(12 November 2012, 21:12)Pagan-Mist Wrote: I hope so in the long I can only see us dragged into something that's nothing to do with us like iraq and afghanistan and it will be our lads left to pick up what's left after the yanks have pulled out and as weapons of mass destruction I'd look to iran not syria so much, iran now has nuclear capabilities and a nutjob for a president I'd be more worried about that

Syria has chemical / biological WMDs. One of the biggest stores around iirc. Far more worrisome than the percieved threat of nukes from Iran

[Pagan-Mist]

I stand corrected shows how little of the news I actually listen to about syria after the bbc showed the so called masacre by rebel troops but turned out to be from iraq. I know atrocities have been commited by both sides but I still stand by my earlier statement that iran is a menace to be watched syria will use these weapon against their own and countries close by but iran will use theirs against anyone in their way the US and the uk

[In the Dark]

I'm not the best informed historian, but it seems to me that every time the west has assisted an Islamic country in the overthrow of of its government its ended badly for us e.g. the Shah of Iran -> the Ayatollah =death to the unbelievers. Afganistan help chuck out the USSR = Mujihadeen=> Taliban => death to the west
Libya get rid of Gaddafi => lets attack the US embassy & blow up the Ambassador.
If it was up to me I'd let them get on with it its not worth British money or lives.
Those brave freedom fighters in Syria seem to have a habit of murdering any Christians they encounter. Doesn't bode well for us when they take over does it? History suggests these guys don't appreciate any assistance its a mistake to think we can dabble & get favours later on. Its just naive thinking.

[BDG]

With Turkey to the North and Israel to the South, it is in our interest. Turkey is a NATO member and our friend. They are a stable democracy and could influence others in the region to become the same. Israel has nukes and if, in the dying days of the Syrian regime, outside forces decided to send chemical or biological weapons out of Syria and into Israel, you can bet your arse the Israelis would send nukes back.

The only time in world history nukes were used, only one country had them. Do we want to find out what happens when nine other countries have them and at least one who had them in the past out of four who no longer has them still has the technology to make them (although this could take some time)?

For the cost of some cold war small arms that are floating around and some comms equipment (which we will be able to listen in on which is worth it in itself) we get to put a helping hand in the above, opening up a country potentially for further arms sales and remove a Russian military base and customer of the Russians.

Should we really get involved? No, but while we have the political system we have and the requirement to maintain the position in the world we hang onto, we have to.

Power and influence has to come from somewhere old boy and a lot of the time it comes from turning a blind eye to your better principles.

[In the Dark]

Still think they'll end up bombing us anyway at the end of the day we are still infidels
Its just a repeat of misguided intentions we've tried before
(Accept your point about the Russians though)

[Paul]

Who cares.
Arm everyone, both sides, then sell first aid kits to both of them.
Make some bloody money out of the mess.
If we don't cash in quickly, someone more intelligent will.

Will it come back to haunt us?
When doesn't it?