Bombing Syria off the table-- for now

[VoluntaryAmerican]

GENEVA — The United States and Russia reached a sweeping agreement on Saturday that called for Syria’s arsenal of chemical weapons to be removed or destroyed by the middle of 2014 and indefinitely stalled the prospect of American airstrikes.

The joint announcement, on the third day of intensive talks in Geneva, also set the stage for one of the most challenging undertakings in the history of arms control.

“This situation has no precedent,” said Amy E. Smithson, an expert on chemical weapons at the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies. “They are cramming what would probably be five or six years’ worth of work into a period of several months, and they are undertaking this in an extremely difficult security environment due to the ongoing civil war.”

Although the agreement explicitly includes the United Nations Security Council for the first time in determining possible international action in Syria, Russia has maintained its opposition to any military action.

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/15/wo...anted=all&_r=0

[BlackTerrel]

Well this is good news.

[BlackTerrel]

Well this is good news.

I guess good news doesn't generate a lot of comments.

[Carson]

Well this is good news.

It sort of makes me wonder though.

"The United States and Russia reached a sweeping agreement"

On someone else's business.

Still I can't imagine this being the end of it. Those that wanted their way still have the ability to fire up the fake money presses to dictate their will.

[thoughtomator]

I guess good news doesn't generate a lot of comments.

What else can you do here but wait and see?

[BlackTerrel]

What else can you do here but wait and see?

A few days ago there were many posts predicting this was the beginning of WW3 and massive bloodshed. That being averted should be a good thing.

[helmuth_hubener]

If this war does, in fact, end up being prevented -- and that is looking more and more likely -- then even if Rand Paul does nothing else, his political career will have been worthwhile. Not that he did it single-handedly, but... kind of.