The Free Syrian Army has received a shipment of Stinger missiles giving the rebels the ability to shoot down the Syrian helicopters and fixing wing jets targeting rebel positions and civilians, according a report on Al Arabiya News.
Sources cited by Al Arabiya claim the rebels acquired the 14 Stinger missiles through a delivery made along the Turkey and Syrian border. The sources claim the rebels have not yet used the Stingers to include the shoot down of the Syrian MiG-23 on Aug. 13. Syria claims the MiG crash because of mechanical failures.
Certain members of U.S. Congress have urged the Pentagon to intervene in the Civil War that has broken out in Syria following reports that Syrian President Bashar Assad’s military has targeted civilians. U.S. military leaders have warned about the consequences of arming the rebels or intervening with U.S. military forces.
The Pentagon worries that arming the rebels could lead to those weapons finding their way to terrorist groups similar to when the CIA armed Afghan rebels in their war against the Soviet Union. The Al Arabiya claims the U.S. knows about the delivery of the Stingers to the rebels, although the Pentagon has not commented on it.
The man-portable surface-to-air missile systems the Free Syrian Army claims to have acquired would pose a significant threat to Assad’s air force. The Stinger missiles are a relatively easy SAM system to operate. It’s also hard to destroy since it is so small and mobile. Most pilots don’t know a Stinger system is in the area until a missile is fired.
The Al Arabiya suggests the U.S. might have had a hand in organizing this delivery to the Free Syrian Army and suggests it could signal additional “involvement by the U.S. and NATO.”
{ 112 comments… read them below or add one }
About time Stingers were provided. Thousands of SA-7s were also captured in Iraq and some if those could be provided.
These weapons are going to come back and haunt us like they always do. Stupid Turks!
If we could just stay out of that asshole of the world it wouldn't matter.
Ditto. I’m not cool with this “Need to do something” disease. Not our show, or interest. The Mid East has enough toys floating arround.
Yeah, let's just hide!
Somethings are none of our fucking business.
Actually a lot of things are none of our fucking business but if we could establish this precedence in a few cases it would be a big step forward.
Your personal foreign policy of "none of our business" isn't and won't help anyone, in fact, it would make things worse. We are a superpower that uses our military only; when attacked, a country was invaded without that said country doing anything wrong, a tyrannical dictator (you know…like Assad) commits war crime after war crime just to stay in power.
We targeted Libya twice and both suffered no casualties (Except the one F-111 that was shot down in the first campaign). So ask yourself, if you are the leader of the free world and represent liberty…would you stand for a tyrannical dictator killing his own people who are trying to fight for freedom?
(Maybe this would change your mind too – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tpH5L8zCtSk)
Well we sold stingers to the Taliban, and yet only 20 helicopters where ever shot down during the course of this 11-year war, that's a REAL low number.
And none were by Stingers.
Dumb Americans should not reply to this Forum !…that includes you Clint
Dammed Iran and his counterfeit!!. To add in to anti-tank rocket launcher with "top attack" warhead. Google it to find how many rocket launchers, in production; have that kind of warhead. 2 USMC "predator" and Sweden NLAW. Looks like Nationals actors are sending weapons to rebels.
? Translation please.
There is no translation, just give him a negative rating, and move on. Don't go and waste a second of your life trying to comprehend him.
This is a internal reblillion which the lawful recognised Government is putting down. No laws are being broken. Syrians are dying? Who cares? The Obama administrations biggest feat in this term will be laying the foundation for the re-establishment of the Caliphate. This is not worth any American Treasure, Time and especially not even one American life.
Surely its the Arabs right to establish a nation from sea to shining sea if they so wish ?
"The Obama administrations biggest feat in this term will be laying the foundation for the re-establishment of the Caliphate"
Here I was thinking buying oil from the Middle East and bringing about the first hints of Middle Eastern power since the Mongols sacked Baghdad was going to do it….
Who cares? Libya wasn't worth it either. None of it is. Bombs away! What do we risk at this point in a good old fashioned pile on? The precedent was already set with Libya. "R2P" remember? Just decimate whats left of the military forces and government buildings with air strikes. Take everything off line. Let them rebuild it themselves. Let them hate us, then do it all again in 20 years. Syria has a lot of fresh American and NATO blood on its hands from the last decade.
It would be great to send a message to Iran that their stooge has been dicimated.
The people of Syria clamorinng for reform have been thru hell on Iran and Russia's behalf. Quds force IRGC and Spetznas are all on the ground. Europe is on the ground. Turkey is on the ground. Pick a side: The people slaughteriing the civilians or the people defending the civilians. Then like I said… Bombs away! If they go Muslim Brotherhood, thats their decision. Better the movement peaks and fizzles sooner than later. We dont want the "intrigue" of the (inept) Muslim Brotherhood simmering in the region for multiple decades. Lay the conditions for it to peak and ultimately fizzle out in warfare or domestic failure.
The only current sensetivity is that the Russians are piloting the Syrian choppers and tanks. It would be great to expose their role for all to see but the US is adrift right now with no leadership. Say we impose a no fly zone and take down a Syrian gunship with an RU crew… what if the rebels expose who the pilots are? Do the Russians retaliate or tuck tail because they have been exposed as indiscriminate killers of civilians?
This is Russia's baby. And Iran, dont forget. This is the world stage and this is what they stand for. I think its well past time someone from the west stand up and call Putin and say "Sorry, we are going to start bombing the Syrian government in 48 hours, get your people out of there. We wont touch any of your bases. You can resume the status of your bases with the new regime."
The entire world has pulled out but Russia. All embassies are closed. It is a complete war zone. And there is Russia, sending in troops to bolster the dictator.
"The only current sensetivity is that the Russians are piloting the Syrian choppers and tanks. It would be great to expose their role for all to see"
Until someone takes out a tank and captures a live Russian tanker…
Is there's any proof of the Russia's direct participation in the military actions?
Has the Syrian army lack of its own pilots and tank crew members?
There are numerous reports of Russians in the bunkers manning and overseeing weapon systems they have sold to Syria. They see it as fulfilling a training or advisory agreement (if not alliance) to a client state with the added benefit of keeping buffer states between its potential enemies and self.
As far as the latter…have you payed any attention to the defections? The Defense Minister has been killed… Check this chart below. Turns out the security apparatus don't all agree with slaughtering their countrymen. And this is only the leadership:
http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/interactive/syri…
So no. No proof of Russians directly participating in military actions. Maintaining equipment? Yes. Overseeing bases? Yes.
Manning weapons systems in bunkers? Source. please.
Well I guess the so called Neo cons have been replaced by the Neo Libs……..
We could do it all with cruise missles.
Has been replaced with we can do it all with Hellfires from UAVs.
Possible but I dont think we have the raw numbers in UAVs… plus I dont think Predator style drones can survive in even the low threat environment.
Youre an ASSHOLE !!!…robert fritts
I would be more OK with us sending in clandestine special forces to use AA missiles than I am just giving AA missiles to guys that promise to be our friends.
If we are going to send in commandos how about a team to just quietly put a bullet in Assad's head and save a lot of lives and money.
I second that idea
Took forever to get OBL down, we still need intel…
GREAT!
Arm and support these radical Islamic terrorist groups supported by Saudia Arabia!
Because supporting radical Islam turned out great with Afghanistan!
Saudi Arabia has really cracked down on the stuff. They knew there was a problem and they snuffed it out. Pakistan is the problem right now.
heheheheheh
No these are freedom fighters! I heard that on Fox. They are not terrorists at all. No !
North America has more oil than we could ever use. We even export the stuff. Why we buy it from the Arabs is beyond me.
The problem is that is isn't "North America:" that has it, it is the corporations. There is no North American oil depot where it all goes. So one side of the continent needs it and the other has it but it gets sent to Argentina, haha.
Which corporations? The ones that own the mineral rights? The ones that explore and extract? The ones that refine and sell product? Which corporation do I need to be blaming? Or is it all of them?
I believe south park addressed the hippy vs corporation problem quite well.
Blame reality. Look: Western Canada exports its oil to the US to be refined, while Eastern Canada imports oil from Europe and the US to be refined. Why not send the Western oil to Eastern Canada? Because it's not cost-effective. Simplistic solutions aren't solutions because the world isn't simple. It's a huge, complicated mess, and if it wasn't we'd be wallowing in our own filth and forraging for mushrooms in the wood. I'll take the overly complicated mess any day.
We actually get a vast majority of our oil from Canada. The rest of the world's oil travels through the Middle East. In fact, the Middle East is China's life line to oil. If that oil flow stops mass chaos might ensue. That is why we keep stability in the Middle East. Not for us, but for the E.U. and the Chinese.
Exactly Owl. It’s a world oil market.
True most oil comes from CA now but your politicians are doing there best to curve that.
In fact the talk to the north now is a pipeline to BC so it can be shipped to China.
That's because there's going to be more domestic oil from within the US, not because they're going to get more middle-eastern oil. Canada's output is going to keep increasing, while they're starting to do more fracking in the US, so the market price in the US will drop, so Canada's looking to China.
Yes we have all the oil we could ever use. . . And we have more ECO-NUTs than anyone can stand! We've got to get the tree huggers out of their seats of power, then we can get back to why this country became Great to begin with. If we were energy independent; we could tell those in the Middle east to go sell their oil to some one else. The Arabs have been fighting with each other for over 3 thousand years. I don't think we are going to stop that any time soon. The Syrian people are fighting to throw off Assad; I have no problem sending them a limited amount of weapons to do that. But no U.S. troops. They need to do this for themselves. If they own it; they should appreciate it more. . . NUFF SAID. . .
Cheers
We were great because…we made stuff in America and workers were paid for it.
A minor side-consequence of this is what are today's Superfund sites, but you have to break eggs to make omelets. And it's not like people are going to live on top of waste sites…oh wait.
We can only live on past greatness for so long.
No, it doesn't. Not unless you count oil shale which is neither oil nor shale, so don't. There is a lot of oil in the tar sands, but they'll never exceed a couple million barrels per day out of that mess. Alaska's North Slope has been exploited and is well into decline.
This is the wrong website to post that type of comment, this is a war website, not a oil website.
Readers, keep in mind that "stinger" is a blanket term by the media for MANPADs. More than likely, they have been armed with SA-7s. SA-7 isn't as sexy as reading Stinger so the media sticks to simple, dumb people terms.
Stinger type assault missiles, oh em gee!
We shouldn't be sending Syrian rebels American-made weapons – we should be sending them Russian (if anything).
Who said that the US provided the missiles? Stingers are manufactured in Turkey by Roketsan.
Obama Ok’d covert action a few months ago.
when these get discovered in a terrorist safehouse 5 years from now (if we are lucky) would an 'told you so' be out of line?
Maybe but keep in mind the stingers need maintenace and batteries. The batteries are one use and need special equipment to recharge.
reason I said five not 25. The batteries will be plenty good for quite a while. As for maintaining the things…operators manuals can be had online or via amazon.
Tend to think with the airstrikes going on there aren't going to be many of those 14 missiles left even 6 months from now but it would be silly to not be concerned
If another country (most likely Turkey) is supplying them then it's out of our hands.
Roketsan builds stinger *parts*. http://www.roketsan.com.tr/products_eng.php?id=12
Why do we believe that the rebels have have Stingers.
1. The rebels say they have Stingers.
Now why would the rebels say that?
1. They have Stingers! But then why tell the Syrian forces that, why not let them find out by shooting down helos and aircraft. Additionally, they could take countermeasures, rendering your missiles less effrective. .
2. Alternatively it could be propaganda!
a. targeted at the people of Syria (We have strong allies, join us!)
b. targeted at the Syrians (don't fly against us, we will shoot you down).
c. targeted at the world community (we have stingers already, why not give us some more cool stuff.)
Given they gain nothing by saying they have stingers but aren't using them, I tend toward 2.
That would, of course, mean taking a much more active role in the action than we want to.
About time I say! We need to support those terrorists with all the weapons they need. Oh sorry this an american website. I mean support the freedom fighters of course. And there are more freedom fighters close by in Iran after Syria. Just waiting for americans to support them with freedom tools suck as missiles and bombs
What are you sending? Croissants or white flags?
Enemy of Enemy = Friend. Support the mayhem. f@#$ Syria.
Who was the enemy here again? Greetings from Germany!!
Iran and Syria itself to lesser degree.
Damnit when are people going to learn. I Hate the chinless shit head but arming the rebels will just arm the radicals and terrorist.
Would have been better to sen in 2 carrier strike groups run the train on assad and end the damn war quick. No ground troops. Then leave.
We don’t even have a budget for next year & you want to burn up cash shooting up Syria? Since when do we we even like Syria? Send in the Expendables!!!! If they can stop Van Damme they can do this…..
Since when did we like Libya? We hated Libya and we hate Syria. Its not about helping them. Its about punishing them for their role in the Iraq war and their status as a stooge client of Iran.
I bet we would save money by expending the munitions on levelling Syria when compared to cost of the care and then dismantling of them in 30 years when they need to be disposed of, unspent, whatever. I kid I kid… but no seriously, I'm not really kidding.
What do we really lose by bombing the place. The government there has really been doing terrible things. Indefensible things. True atrocities. I hate Syria and I hate the people for turning a blind eye for so long but they finally are waking up to break the chains of their masters and the masters are slaughtering their defensless cattle. Why not give them weapons at least? I'd be having cargo drops round the clock! Land mines, grenades, machine guns, rifles, motorcycles, 4 wheelers, anything I could fit on a pallet that would cause chaos.
Syria piled on and piled on for 9 years in Iraq, doing nothing to improve the situation and everything to hinder it. I say lets repay Syria by turning it into a great expirament in chaos and revolution. Precisely because we DONT care about them.
Some people just have shit coming.
"Some people just have **** coming."
What's instore for you I wonder?
You can't shoot down a mig with a stinger, it would have to be special circumstances like landing approach, a high speed pass would make the jet invincible to the stinger.
How do you suppose the Russians learned that in Afghanistan?
Yes, of course, Soviets learned in Afghanistan about the MANPADs threat . Special ifrared countermeasure (IR-jammer with counter decoy flares) system "Lipa" had been rapidly deployed on a Mi-24 / Mi-8 helicopters. After that, the helicopters losses (due to MANPADs) went down to the lowest notch.
Today, Russian military-industrial company offering unique anti-MANPAD system, which is able to defeat the most advanced MANPADs (with most modern seeker heads) such as Igla-S (SA-24). "President-S", AFAIR.
It will force the jets to stay above 10k feet where they will be way less capable. A jet below 5k without countermeasures is a grape for a Stinger even an old one. The Syrians don't have a jet that can out run a Stinger and neither do we.
Stinger (just like any other MANPAD) is a much less capable. Check your figures.
would it be that hard to include some kind of remote switch on weapons given to "dangerous" allies?
when the civil war is over and the good guys have won you send some kind of radio/satellite/whatever signal that burns something in the weapon system rendering it useless.
ok, they would still have the weapon and some of the technology but, even if Libyan rebel showed everybody they can be pretty inventive, it would still take some time for them to repair a stinger and make it usable.
I like your idea, the Libyan rebels did use cleaver ideas like using door bells to launch rockets and using romot control toy cars as unmanned ground vechiles.
And Iraqi insurgents used garage door openers and washing machine timers for triggering IEDs…
Big mistake… when this mess is over, they will use this weapons against US, Israel…
a matter of time..
America can never learn from the past mistakes. Once Talibans (moslems) used those American stingers to bring down Soviet flying machines, today they are bringing down America's flying machines. Once PAKIstan and Iran were America's "most trusted allies", today they LOVE Americans so much :-D that you can hear this chant in every house in those countries "death to America".
Nixon & Kissinger were another two idiots, who propped China against Soviets, today China …. well what can I say?
:-)
There is no use in replying since they censur and remove whatever that is not in view with their own opinions here at this website.
Unfortunately there are no other similar websites.
arming Muslims is NEVER a good idea
If they feel that the stinger missiles could have a negative effect it should have a some sort of lo jack or tracking device. After the war they could always be collected or it it falls in the wrong hands.
Fast & Furious ring a bell?
Guns don't require BCU chemical batteries that are expended with each missile loading.
Once you run out of BCUs, then you have to reverse engineer them, which would require nation-state effort.
Good thinking.
The last thing we, the US needs to do is get involved with another middleast civil war. Syria is not our friend, and this may shock the liberals, but the rebels are not our friends, either. Didn't we learn anything during the "arab spring" last year? The "muslium brotherhood" has turned a friend of ourd, Egypt, into an enemy. The same thing happened in Lybia, although they were not our friends. But now we have our friends, the Turks, giving our weapons to the rebels, and for what? To have one regime who already hates us replaced with another one to hate us? Al this just to make our own liberals feel good?
None of them are our friends.
Apparently everyone that has even abit of "liberal" thinking is evil.
Even liberal muslims.
When do we invade Canada?
You jump to a lot of conclusions. As your name implies, you are just not that smart.
Guamvet, you are wrong, the FSA ( free Syrian army ) are our friends. And Egypt is still an ally. As well as Libya now. The only uprisings being made by the bade guys are only in 4 central African countries. And the Syrian rebels will be demacratic after they get rid of Al-Assad. The Libyans ( for example ) have already made a congress with the majority of it's members pro-western. Though I am consered that it could become another 1980s Iran, where the Iranian dictator was overran by a more brutal and dangerous dictator, though it did help the U.S.A. realise who they're suporting.
If the FSA are really our 'friends', then why are we looking for which group we, the US, can support and trust?
If a number of players can pretend to be a unified Free Syrian Army, how do you pick the good guys and the bad guys?
Against the Soviets, we funneled weapons to the mujahideen (sic). We ignorantly did not realize that Pakistan would pick its favorites, and so instead of equally supporting Dostum, the Hazaras, Shah-Massoud, Haq, Haqqanis and Hekmatyar, Hekmatyar got most of the equipment and money, and as long as the Soviets were dying we didn't care so much.
That Assad i'm so Bad,Must fall,But those stingers worry me a bit.
MIGHT HAVE?
Great!
Because when we armed the mujahadeen in Afghanistan it turned out so well!
Actually it turned out great.
For us or for Afghanistan?
It was definitely low cost to transport weapons paid for by petrodollars, then pick Hekmatyar and the Haqqanis over Massoud, then let the place tear itself apart.
And we're still looking at Hekmatyar and the Haqqanis. Except now they're our enemies.
We picked the people that could best accomplish the broader goal of denying the Soviets another client state. The Haqqanis are warlords, why would we ignore their presence?
It was a win for us and for Afghanistan. We repelled a Soviet invasion. An invasion in the true, classic, old Soviet style. The USSR expended massive amounts of capital and eventually it's command and control economy collapsed under the weight of sustained war operations in Afghanistan. The communist regime collapsed and Afghanistan was left to its own devices.
Afghanistan was free and they are right where they want to be. Some people choose to live simple lives. Are they really "our enemies" or simply the enemies of anyone in their territory? "If you cross this river our tribe will war with you" type deal. I doubt the Haqqanis really care about the US cultural influence on the mid east or basing agreements between Arab governments and US forces… Afghanistan played the unfortunate role of fostering Al Qaeda type radical Islam and now had to deal with the consequences of geo-politics and their own bad decisions. Lets not forget, Al Qaeda + Taliban = <3 .
The US has its own goals and moves independently of international opinion, as well as it should.
Whatever your thoughts about the parallels between the US and USSR "invasions" of Afghanistan, it is obvious that the US has "won" in the sense that the capitalist system has proven that it can allow for perpetual warfare on the scale of decades without causing collapse of the financial system or economy. Truth be told the US economy is just fine and it can go to sleep for another 4 years if necessary. When annual GDP is $14 Tn you can afford a $500bn war.
The Haqqanis don't. But by skewing the balance of power in Afghanistan, we destabilized it post-war, leading to the present chain of events.
I imagine if we had funded all groups equally Afghanistan would have Balkanized instead…and the Tajik/Hazaras would have stood a chance against the Pashtuns, especially since the latter are more populous, had the money from the Mideast and the support from Pakistan.
we are people freaking out?
they only have 14, they'll run out by the end of their war.
They do only have 14-24, but more can be delivered to the free Syrian army ( FSA ). I am happy though that this hapend, if the FSA could shoot down 4 helicopters and a Jet in a 40 day period using machine guns, then they could shoot down many aircraft using stinger and other anti-aircraft missiles, as well as the dozens of big anti-aircraft guns ( like the ZPU-4 and ZU-23 ).
Please take it easy. I like comedy but I was not expected to find such great piece of comedy here. I laughed so hard when I read your text I literally fell of my chair. So take it easy !
I really honestly feel sorry for all you people. I really do. I like you so much. You are just like my cat or my dog. When you come with opionions like the above like 90% av americans I just feel so sorry for you I want to give you a hug. It's so stupid that it almost makes it cute in a way. Like when my dog runs around and tried to chase his tail.
I just feel exactly the same. Honestly!
This is not a political site and I hate politics. With that being said, guys I live in Europe and not in a dictatorship and I still have these opinions like the rest of Eu about americans. You might want to start thinking a little and see the wider picture.
The rest of the world don't think of you as a super power. We dont even want you to act as a super power. Yes that is true!
If it looks like a duck, sounds like a duck and walks like a duck then ffs it is a duck.
US is in war all the time. Don't you for once think that maybe just maybe there is something wrong here?
Only 5% of americans have passport. You don't know shit when it comes to foreign policy. Every time some president candidate opens his/her mouth it's comedy time for us in europe.
Just focus on rebuilding your military instead of starting wars who make a few people rich and a hole bunch of people dead.
This way you dont need to be scared every time there is a decision about the US military budget or new photo of China new airplane.
Well i was going to rant and put you in your place but I'll just say this and be done with it. If the US isn't a super power why is it we have the largest military on this planet (Source- http://www.globalfirepower.com)? That when Gaddafi refused to step down from power who was the leading force in bringing him down back to hell? When Europe was being threatened by the Soviet Union who was Europe's greatest ally?
To say that you speak for EU on your view of Americans proves my point that you have no idea what you are talking about. You are showing me that you are just ignorant and legitimately wrong. I'm not even going to make an argument over the fact at how ignorant you are.
There are TWO Super Powers…USA and Great Britain !….when we get involved the dictatorship is screwed !…..take a look at the "Money Masters" to see who controls the world !
LOL
Gaddafi refused to step down? Again you are so cute with your opinions from Fox/abc/cnn/etc…
So cute! Don't you just love american opions about the next to be invaded oil country. So lovely!
Yes yes and what is this dictator of oil country doing to his country? Ah I understand they are rebels and not terrorist this time. And we need to support the people by rebuilding the country after we bombed it to stone age? Yes yes ofc. We can help with our american companies.
You dont even have to worry about paying back. We take care of that with a little oil.
Please please don't stop writing. This is so fun! Keep the comments about your almighty responsibility to save the world aka bomb and start war every other year.
/love and hugs from Europe
Well now that you are talking about oil i definitely know you are just stupid you are. But nice try troll, your not getting me.
P.S – Gaddafi did refuse to step down so i just know your trying to troll. You couldn't be anymore ignorant/wrong. The only thing that is bugging me, is the fact at how WRONG YOU ARE.
hahahahahahahaha. This is 2 much! LOL
Dear little Chris:
There is something called "Realpolitik" and pragmatism, the US is a master at both. "Free World, Human Rights?" My dear child, the US has supported more tyrannical regimes than the the USSR, let me tell you of some: Mubarak in Egypt, Pinochet in Chile, the oppression of the Palestinian Peoples, the Shah of Iran and so on…
The US is a GREAT POWER not a SUPERPOWER, were you a superpower as you claim, you wouldn't be knee-deep owing everything to China now, would you? If you were a superpower you would've gone to Iran but since Russia is willing to jump in the fray too, well fear strucked.
Oh dear Chris I could go on many aspects of US tyrannical role in the world, and your little warped mind would not comprehend most of them, less understand the importance of good analysis and investigation techniques, son you can go and continue playing CoD, perhaps then you'll join the Marines and die gloriously for a war decided by an oligarchy.
Well said !
Just Because we don't want to go and invade Iran for no reason because Russia might do something doesn't mean were no a superpower, its called being careful. If Iran where to set off one nuke we would be all over them. Just because China owns a lot of our debt doesn't make us a great power.
I doubt you even know the definition of a superpower-
"generally this term was used to signify a political community that occupied a continental-sized landmass, had a sizable population (relative at least to other major powers); a superordinate economic capacity, including ample indigenous supplies of food and natural resources; enjoyed a high degree of non-dependence on international intercourse; and, most importantly, had a well-developed nuclear capacity (eventually normally defined as second-strike capability)."
If we supported Mubarak in Egypt, why would we have supported the idea that he leaves, unlike how Russia supports Assad for years. You get your opinions from little conspiracy theories and paranoid people like you.
Case and point, you describe us as an oligarchy, when an oligarchy is a group of people who have power based off of money, royalty, family ties so on. If that is true we wouldn't have elections, random people stepping up to be a politicians. Your ignorance and paranoia offends me.
Ohhh so you think Obama has a choice, and your sacred right to vote is held sacrosanct?
Loved your wikipedia definition on superpower, shows how much effort you put at investigating facts. Now as for conspiracy theories, please do check that it wasn't until the last minute when Mubarak's fall was certain that the US started supporting the rebel faction, moreover the State Department is scared the Muslim Brotherhood gets a true hold on power, but then again I'd have to go back to Sadat's regime and so on, you can check on them on Wikipedia.
Militarily speaking the US has the most powerful army, yet history has shown us "there are no invincible armies" Let us go to the oligarchy status, time to teach you some ancient greek history, you can thank me later mate.
Athens: After the fall of the tyranny and the victory at marathon, athenian democracy proved strong, and it was constituted as a republic, most republics are based on military values like honor, discipline, group over the individual and so on.
Tell me now if some great corporations in America have no power over political decisions, mmm yes that would explain the forming of lobbies, I trust you know there are tons of lobbies back there in Congress. Should you wish it I would elaborate more and even in more simple terms.
Your thinking is cold-war, that's cool mate nationalism is the lack of intelligence and arguments to embrace and analyze reality. Perhaps that why I have a scholarship (founded by an american corporation nonetheless) to study my Master's at what you people call and Ivy League University (come visit me at Washington please) , in the end you lack proper methodology and information and speak based on a few news outlets that strongly support conservative ideas, well keep on thinking you are a superpower and the world trembles at your wake and your economic output is like that after WWII over 50% of the world economy. In the end it's guys like me who are getting paid to keep you from falling, once my debt to our proud sponsors at the Wilson Center is done you'll have to go overseas again to pick a guy that gives ideas on how to delay your fall.
As a farewell gift let me give you some authors that may help you broaden your "viewpoint". Go read some Paul Kennedy, Alexander Duguin, Barry Buzan. Norman Finkelstein. Hell, read your own Council on Foreign Affairs to know where you actually stand (and that's being far too optimistic).
Cheers!
GB is not super power by any means