Who is right? Obama or Putin?

Djen, your own thoughts would be better than constant quotes from sources
Such as newspapers or social media.
What exactly are you advocating?

When I say ' better' of course, I mean preferable to simply dredging up endless quotes.

When I quote, it's because I agree, as I said.

I don't mind following links and often do, but I do like to think for myself and form my own opinions.

You are allowed to. I do not tell anyone they have to read my links or quotes. I put them on because I think it is interesting to find out what people who are involved in any particular area think.

I do not know or pretend to know whether Obama or Putin is right. I think they are both wrong, and I said so in my first post on this thread.
I am in CND and anti-war, not because I do not know anything about warfare, but I've said all that before.

If somebody important says something I agree with, I like to disseminate the information or opinion.
Since when was that disallowed on GN?
Since when did the roses become the arbiters of what is allowed or not?

You do not have to read them, agree with them, or comment on them.
I like to think for myself and form my own opinions. I find it heartening when others agree with them, whether on this site, or on any other site I read.

Since when did the roses become the arbiters of what is allowed or not?

Excuse Me? What does that mean?

I just said that I do often read them - they are links to things I may not otherwise know about therefore interesting.

I read the newspapers too, and don't always agree with a lot of what is written in them.

theconversation.com/how-syria-is-becoming-a-test-bed-for-high-tech-weapons-of-electronic-warfare-48779

This is why we should not send refugees back.
Obama and Putin are using Syria to test new weapons, just like 1984.

Having watched Iraq and Libya, I've come to the conclusion that it's easy to get all self righteous about human rights and democracy when you live in a politically stable country, but it appears that it takes a dictator to keep control when you're lumbered with a load of fanatics and nutcases.

I think the best thing for Britain and possibly Syria as well would be if Putin succeeds in wresting back power for Assad.

I recall an Iraqi on Newsnight a few years ago:

"Life under Saddam wasn't that bad as long as you kept your nose out of politics, but now you can't even queue for a loaf of bread without running the gauntlet of the suicide bombers."

Did anyone else see this article about Putin and Assad? I thought it made a lot of sense.

I agree with you crun, as you say, we who live in politically stable countries really haven't got a clue when it comes to the governance of more volatile nations, when the only way to keep the peace, is by a strong dictator! I know we all want our democracy in these countries, but the bare facts are that it just isn't going to happen, and perhaps we in the west are being a little presumptuous thinking that people of different cultures and outlooks to ours actually want our brand of doing things. Rather like missionaries who were convinced that their ways and beliefs were totally right and should be imposed on other people whether they liked it or not. If ever there was a way to hell paved with good intentions, our adventures in the Middle East certainly take first prize! Leaving countries alone to evolve in their own way might be a good start! The ladies of those countries may be perfectly happy living life as dictated by the customs of their culture? Who are we to tell them differently? Just because we adhere to a certain way of life doesn't mean that others want to. Why is it that we in the name of democracy try to foist our ideas and attitudes on others who are probably perfectly happy as they are. Why are we so right and they so wrong?!

So it's okay for Assad to carry on killing his own people with chemical weapons, is it? So long as it doesn't impinge on our way of life?

I read that article, bags, but it wasn't in the Spectator. Not that that matters. It's a hard thing to say that Putin might be right, though. I still think what they are doing is testing weapons in a place where nobody cares about what's happening. It's been going on for over four years. Britain sold weapons to Assad before Russia started to be interested.

No one has said that dj, of course it's not right, neither is the tyranny in North Korea, China, (think of Tibet) Russia, think of Crimea and Ukraine among other things. Zimbabwe, The Congo, Thailand, Burma, and a host of other countries where their leaders are pretty grim, but we don't go roaring in to any of these trying to overthrow their governments in this self righteous way, I wonder why not?!!! At least minorities under Assad before this awful war were relatively safe; Now they are in mortal danger and have suffered dreadfully under IS,or perhaps this is unimportant?! Quite frankly if the Russian input with Assad, when all else has so dramatically failed, is what it takes to restore some sort of order in Syria then regretfully the sooner it happens the better.

There'll be no people left in Syria to restore order to.

No people, no problem. Somehow I doubt it'll get to that and I hope, for Syrians' sake, that it doesn't.

act.thesyriacampaign.org/go/164?t=9&akid=262.124249.3Z_0br