Guest cartoonist and close friend Juan Caruso offers his appraisal of developments now captivating the media:
US vs. Syria: What to Expect and Why by Juan Caruso
Russia last
week sent an anti-submarine ship and a cruiser to the zone.
“CBS News correspondent David Martin reports
two submarines — one
American, one British — are in the eastern Mediterranean along with four
American destroyers and a fifth on the way — all armed with cruise
missiles. That’s more than enough firepower for a strike Pentagon
officials say would be limited to fewer than 50 targets.”
Frightening news? No, but the U.S. mainstream media presentation of political posturing is calculated to be as alarming as possible without appearing irresponsible. Attracting more attention to the Middle East simply snares more readers, viewers, and listeners, which sells more advertising.
Drastic military action has neither been in the cards nor has it ever been the objective of the "red-line" warning President Obama believed he would never have to enforce. Now, Obama needs a minimalist action, convincing symbolism, if you please, as a last-resort follow through on a U.S. promise.
Putin has both publicly warned Obama and advance positioned ASW ships
in the zone in which our missile launchers would operate. He would
leave egg on Russsia’s face if he failed to interfere with a U.S. cruise missile attack.
Putin does not suffer embarrassment any more lightly than Obama. For
that fact alone, we may also conclude that the two leaders have already
agreed on a token strike on a token target that would count more
toward usual mainstream propaganda in the U.S., and less for factual
substance for Russian allies.
Obama may accomplish his limited objective with a
drone strike or two on a Syrian military officer with an impressive
rank and little fame, and another strike on an empty Syrian military
facility. Putin, may have obtained and sent Obama the name and location of an unfortunate Syrian officer with Assad’s blessing. Putin would gladly allow the US to proceed with a few hated drones as indications of how weak and
powerless the U.S. is --- a
paper tiger.
Over the last 5 years President Obama has sent innumerable drones attacks targets (primarily terrorist assassinations) on two continents without declarations of war against against the host countries (think
Pakistan and
Somalia). Why are U.S. cruise missle ships pre-positioned,off Syria then? There are three C.Y.A. reasons:
- Military Symbolism
- Political Decoys
- Plausible Deterrence
Still don't believe me? Wait and see for yourself; time will tell.
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Submarines are always silent and strange.
Labels: Assad, C.Y.A., cruise missiles, declaration of war, drones, Military Symbolism, Obama, Pakistan, paper tiger, Plausible Deterrence, Political Decoys, Putin, Somalia, submarines
