POFO Anything Goes Thread. ((Warning do not enter if you can't handle fire))

[Spesh]

I was at my parent's house for my niece's birthday yesterday, and he showed me a video from Syria. It was a group of Assad's soldiers brutally torturing some civilians. It never says who the civilians are, but I suppose its possible they were rebel-sympathizers. For 5 minutes, these soldiers are stabbing and slashing these 2 men. Then to end their lives, they smash rocks over their heads. Not once, because the first doesn't kill them, but multiple times. It was brutal.

I have a hard time agreeing with non-interventionism when I see that. If Obama showed me that video and then said this is why he is sending troops in Syria. I would stand up and shake the man's hand. Money be damned, I can't bear to think innocent people are being tortured to death somewhere and we just sit here and let it happen...

I understand and agree with your emotional response to that, but we also have to be practical. Where would we start and stop? How about any of the genocides that have been going on in Africa? Should we go to war with North Korea over their human abuse? How about China?

Im willing to judge every situation differently, my current line for Syria is hold off until they unleash weapons of mass destruction.

Being the world police hasnt worked for a variety of reasons. In my opinion, the only way for these people to achieve some sort of peace is to overthrow their own government, much like Syria is attempting to do.

[Locke]

I understand and agree with your emotional response to that, but we also have to be practical. Where would we start and stop? How about any of the genocides that have been going on in Africa? Should we go to war with North Korea over their human abuse? How about China?

Im willing to judge every situation differently, my current line for Syria is hold off until they unleash weapons of mass destruction.

Being the world police hasnt worked for a variety of reasons. In my opinion, the only way for these people to achieve some sort of peace is to overthrow their own government, much like Syria is attempting to do.

I think we help where we can. Obviously it's not feasible to go into North Korea or China. But we could definitely save lives in Syria. I see where you're coming from, though. We can't be everywhere, and how do we decide where to help? Makes me glad I'm not the person who has to make that call...

[TheWalrus]

I would shoot Assad in the head if I got the chance, and I don't mean that flippantly. I'm absolutely ready to murder him.

At the same time, though, the rebels aren't good guys either. They've stated their intention to commit genocide against Syria's Alawite population. I can't lend my support to a rebel group with that kind of intention, no matter how many innocent civilians are caught in the middle.

It's shocking how many of the problems in the Middle East can be traced back to Western Europe's arbitrary drawing of lines and divvying up of natural resources. Ethnic groups were mixed that really should not have been mixed. Iraq is the poster boy for this but Syria has been damaged by it also. A shame really, not just for the obvious toll in bloodshed but for the damage done to Damascus, which is one of the world's historical treasures.

[Locke]

I would shoot Assad in the head if I got the chance, and I don't mean that flippantly. I'm absolutely ready to murder him.

At the same time, though, the rebels aren't good guys either. They've stated their intention to commit genocide against Syria's Alawite population. I can't lend my support to a rebel group with that kind of intention, no matter how many innocent civilians are caught in the middle.

It's shocking how many of the problems in the Middle East can be traced back to West Europe's arbitrary drawing of lines and divvying up of natural resources. Ethnic groups were mixed that really should not have been mixed. Iraq is the poster boy for this but Syria has been damaged by it also. A shame really, not just for the obvious toll in bloodshed but for the damage done to Damascus, which is one of the world's historical treasures.

Agreed. I certainly didn't mean for it to sound as if I was pro-rebel. Regardless of who you support, no one should be brutally tortured and murdered that way. Your wish for Assad is going to happen, and unluckily for him, probably not as quick. It will be similar to Libya when they finally got overran the loyalists and got Gaddafi. That ******* died in a way perfectly fit for the way he treated people. Assad will be joining him...

[TheWalrus]

Agreed. I certainly didn't mean for it to sound as if I was pro-rebel. Regardless of who you support, no one should be brutally tortured and murdered that way. Your wish for Assad is going to happen, and unluckily for him, probably not as quick. It will be similar to Libya when they finally got overran the loyalists and got Gaddafi. That ******* died in a way perfectly fit for the way he treated people. Assad will be joining him...

I'm not so sure as you. The situations in Libya and Syria are/were monumentally different... politically, organizationally, religiously and geographically. Much easier for rebellion to take hold in Libya.

[Locke]

I'm not so sure as you. The situations in Libya and Syria are/were monumentally different... politically, organizationally, religiously and geographically. Much easier for rebellion to take hold in Libya.

Yeah, that's definitely true. I guess if I'm being realistic, that may be more of a wish than anything, but I do think it's going to happen. I can only hope they have it on camera if it happens. Thousands of families will deserve to see the man die with their own eyes...

[Locke]

I threw down TheWalrus and Spesh as best of PoFo for last year. I think my run as title holder in that category is done after 2 years. I haven't been as involved in the debates this year as you 2, and certainly much less versed in most of the topics. Glad you two showed up to add some much-needed knowledge and level-headedness to the forum. Both extremely deserving...

[rob19]

Best of pofo is a tough one.

Spesh & Locke nominations are well deserved. Buddy & Spyder I'd nominate but I think they came in a little late in the year, but by the looks of it so far this might be Walrus' year.

[tylerdolphin]

I nominated Walrus, Spesh and Dovah, but Im thinking I may have to revise if rob19 is still looking shaky and Walrus and Spesh seem like locks. To me, best POFO poster encompasses the science and religion forums as well and rob has always managed to post interesting stuff there along with the POFO stuff.

I know Im nominating the people's leader Dovahkiin. Gotta decide which one out of Spesh and Walrus to axe off my ballot
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[tylerdolphin]

Also, I kinda chuckled at rob nominating me. I have my brief moments of clarity, but by and large Im learning from the ideas you guys put forward here and not the other way around
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