"The self-defense strike occurred after the mobile multiple rocket launchers fired rockets in the vicinity of MSS Euphrates and mortars were fired toward U.S. forces,"
"Yes, they fired mortars in a westerly direction, and we all know the US is 6,891 miles west of Syria therefore we see this as a direct attack on the US and will deal with it harshly."
Highly doubt that Syrian army were interested in opening a front with the strongest military in the world, when they're getting pounded by Al-Qaeda on the other side of the country.
The tactic that is done all the time and has been since the first hominid saw the other hominid from the group on the other side of the hill running at them with a rock and decided to throw their spear before the rock got to be a threat is indeed famous.
This has nothing to do with their justification and everything to do with your suggestion that attacking what you believe to be a credible threat in self defense isn't a thing.
I didn't say it wasn't a thing. I'm saying that anything involving "defensive" and a Middle Eastern country from the US military is a damned lie right now.
Way to derail the conversation about Syria with a country way that has little to do with it. (yes even if OP said middle east)
Even with Yemen, the United States started. The yemeni rebels fought against an oppressive government, and the United States had to intervene in the interest of Saudi for many years before the yemenis ever responded. So your example does not disprove the claim.
Therefore, according to you, since you have now confirmed that the words you write are exactly what you mean, no military group in the Middle East ever fires at the U.S. military first.
Read those words, all of them, with equal weight. Maybe you just need some contextual editing and a rephrase to grasp this.
Right now, statements from the US military involving both the words "defensive strike" and any Middle Eastern country are extremely dubious and should not be trusted.
You have now shown that your previous statement was false:
Because this:
Right now, statements from the US military involving both the words âdefensive strikeâ and any Middle Eastern country are extremely dubious and should not be trusted.
And this:
I didnât say it wasnât a thing. Iâm saying that anything involving âdefensiveâ and a Middle Eastern country from the US military is a damned lie right now.
Do not mean exactly the same thing. There is a wide, wide gulf between "damned lie" and "extremely dubious."
I really don't think anything more needs to be done to demonstrate that you are being wildly inconsistent and quite dishonest, so I think I'll move on.
I'm not going to play this game of semantics. You're right, they aren't exactly the same. Because I rephrased it for clarification I thought was missing. They mean the same thing. If you want to argue that removing heated language in the name of understanding fundamentally altered what I have to say, then that's your deal. I want productive conversations, not word lawyering. I get enough of that from fighting work with my union.