wide spread attack, that it is not even going to be a strategic attack. it is going to really advance the cause of weakening assad's military force. so this is what we have seen the united states do in the '80s and '90s, lob a few missiles into a foreign country to send a message. but as richard wolf says the only message we send is that the united states isn't capable of doing anything but sending a message. if all we are going to do is send a message why do anything at all? >> i think this might be a little bit different, joe, from the other instances you cited in that the setup for this with all of the information coming out of washington is to when this attack might take place, where it might take place, what the