Cunobelin wrote:Psamathe wrote:Cunobelin wrote:Arguably
A known violent individual walks into a pub with a knife
Someone takes the knife away
You cannot “prove” that this act saved lives, nor has it prevented them going home and getting another knife
All that can be said is that a particular knife has been prevented from causing any injury
... or you could have left him with the knife until he did injure someone
But by your analogy we (Trump/May/Macaroon) have not yet even established that he had the knife; the inspectors had only recently arrived in the area and were some way off reporting.
Ian
This guy has been involved in a dozen stabbings over the last year, and the children and witnesses from the family pub down the road where he has just stabbed more people..... he is known
As for the inspectors - here is another analogy (or two)
Police have evidence that the guy has stabbed someone and has a house full of knives and illegal drugs..... But he and a dozen of his mates stand in the door way and refuse to let the Police in.
The Police then apologise turn round and ask them when it is convenient for them to come back, and please don't destroy and remove the evidence before they do.
Guy gets caught drunk driving and he is mates stop the Police from doing a breathalyser.... so again teh Police just step back and watch the evidence disappear
The analogy is bogus. There is no police force that can properly investigate this case. The authorities on the ground are the alleged perpetrators and any investigators that might eventually be allowed in will see only what they are allowed to, and only when they are allowed to. At the very most they will be able to say that an offence occurred, but not who did it. And the alleged perpetrator cannot be arrested and dealt with in a court. There can never be "proof". Demanding proof is effectively saying that Assad can get away with using chemical weapons any time he likes.
I had to laugh when I heard Jeremy was suggesting any military action against Syrian targets should only come at the behest of the UN. Presumably he meant the Security Council, which will never sanction such action because Russia uses its position there to protect Assad.