Has the "Red Line" been crossed?

[PLATO]

(CNN) -- The specter of chemical weapons attacks in the Syrian civil war emerged Tuesday, with the government and rebels each blaming the other for using such munitions.

The embattled government of President Bashar al-Assad accused rebels of a deadly chemical weapons missile attack. At least 25 people died and dozens more were injured Tuesday in the town of Khan al-Asal in Aleppo province, Syrian state media said, quoting government figures. Rebels rebuffed the claims and blamed the regime.
.......

http://www.cnn.com/2013/03/19/world/meast/syria-civil-war/index.html?hpt=hp_bn2

If true, what should the response be? Will the West take military action? Will Russia stand by?

[DinoDoc]

Did you seriously believe Obama's claims of Red Lines?

[loinburger]

If both sides are accusing the other of using chemical weapons then it will probably be business as usual.

US: Assad is using chemical weapons, let's bomb the government forces.
Russia: The rebels are using chemical weapons, let's bomb the rebel forces.
US: Welp, I guess let's agree to do nothing then.
Russia: Works for me.

[PLATO]

Did you seriously believe Obama's claims of Red Lines?

Not at all. Obama is all hat and no cattle.

If it is true that the Syrian Government is using chemical weapons then this is a great opportunity for Obama to show our allies that his words are just hot air.

[Hauldren Collider]

Ah hell. Syria's ****ed six ways from Sunday no matter what we do. At least the more they use their chemical weapons, the less they have to sell to Hezbollah, and the less that gets dropped on Israel.

[MichaeltheGreat]

25 dead and dozens injured sounds like business as usual. Not exactly something to get worked up about.

[Nikolai]

The West is in too deep everywhere now. That is, America is. Obama should keep out and pressure some of his weak willed European allies into doing something, with his support. He cannot afford to join in directly.

[Ben Kenobi]

pressure some of his weak willed European allies

Maybe they can steal 20 percent of everyone's bank accounts to fund an invasion of Syria.

[Dinner]

If both sides are accusing the other of using chemical weapons then it will probably be business as usual.

US: Assad is using chemical weapons, let's bomb the government forces.
Russia: The rebels are using chemical weapons, let's bomb the rebel forces.
US: Welp, I guess let's agree to do nothing then.
Russia: Works for me.

Sadly, without definitive proof that's what I see happening.

[MichaeltheGreat]

Maybe they can steal 20 percent of everyone's bank accounts to fund an invasion of Syria.

It's not 20% and it's not really "stealing" when the entire banking system is set up to facilitate money laundering, foreign tax evasion and banking for criminal enterprises. It's just making the money launderers pay for their host's bailout. If they don't like it, why don't they chip in directly?

[PLATO]

25 dead and dozens injured sounds like business as usual. Not exactly something to get worked up about.

It is if it is chemical weapons being used on the population if for no other reason than the "red line" statement by Obama.

[Ben Kenobi]

It's not 20% and it's not really "stealing" when the entire banking system is set up to facilitate money laundering, foreign tax evasion and banking for criminal enterprises. It's just making the money launderers pay for their host's bailout. If they don't like it, why don't they chip in directly?

Which is why Cyprus attempted to steal 6.7 percent from every single secured bank account?

[PLATO]

It's not 20% and it's not really "stealing" when the entire banking system is set up to facilitate money laundering, foreign tax evasion and banking for criminal enterprises. It's just making the money launderers pay for their host's bailout. If they don't like it, why don't they chip in directly?

It is not the issue of if Cyprus' system should have the tax...it is the precedent that it sets for insured accounts in the EU that will have reprecussions.

[MichaeltheGreat]

Not really, since Cyprus set up a system to be the offshore bank *****es for the Russian mob and just about every other dirty operator in that part of the world. Including some CIA (and undoubtedly everyone else's intel agencies') front companies. There's no other place in or connected with the EU (since those micro-countries like Monaco and such don't count) with that degree of distortion in their tax systems such that their bank holdings are predominantly foreign money. They want a bail out, ask their mafia buddies in Moscow, or else pay the piper in Germany.

[MichaeltheGreat]

Which is why Cyprus attempted to steal 6.7 percent from every single secured bank account?

Taxation isn't theft, by definition. So which is it, 20%, or 6.7%? It's not like they could target foreign owned accounts only, because most of the dirty foreign money is tied up in accounts of nominal Cypriot companies that are nothing more than money laundering shells.