What an amateur:
Before revealing he would seek approval from Congress, the President made clear that “we are prepared to strike whenever we choose.”
Strikes would be “effective tomorrow or next week or one month from now,” Obama said, adding that he is “prepared to give that order.”
So, while telegraphing to Syria and the world that we may do something, he is going to seek approval from Congress but reserves the right to go to war if he wants to even if they so no….
Is that about the gist of it?
See author page
Anyone having deja vu?
I remember when Clinton was under pressure over a scandal, he lobbed a few missiles and took out a aspirin factory, and probably a few camels. Look over here, not over there; old shell game.
Now Obama is seeing that he can only stand off the questions about the IRS, Benghazi, et al, for so long. What will distract the American people from all those scandals? WAR
What is the sole purpose of this entire “limited” action? We lob a few billion dollars worth of missiles toward Syria doing what? Does anyone think that Assad is so damn stupid he hasn’t realized that all he has to do is move his chemical weapons into populated areas? Are we going to bomb the residential areas of Damascus? I don’t think so. What happens when we have videos gone viral of women holding up their dead babies killed by American bombs? Anyone think that Al Jazeera is not going to [happily] air those videos all across the globe? And then what?
Where are the Democrats demanding an “exit” strategy?
I would remind all those who support this action against a nation that holds not one strategic value for the U.S. that the President already has a record on foreign policy: Honduras, Egypt and Libya. How did those work out?
Take a look at Iraq since he pulled out troops out; Iranian forces are crossing Iraq with ease, pouring into Syria, and Iraq is turning into another violent nightmare.
So now all the doves in the Democrat party have turned into hawks so they can try to save Obama’s face. Everyone of them that voted for this military action against Syria should be required to send their own children into the fray (isn’t that what the left said about the Bush twins?) because if you believe there will never be American boots on the ground there, you’re a fool.
@Richard Wheeler:
And Egypt has been a real Obama success story, hasn’t it? Just like Libya.
@retire05: No Marines lost there either. Semper Fi
Why is this always about Obama You all cry like the anti Bush crowd. Sad
@Richard Wheeler:
How many words are in your Thesaurus under the word “inept?”
@retire05: Same adjective used to describe “w” who went out at about 30% approval. Got anything more original? Who you like in 2016?
@Richard Wheeler:
Well, since Obama hasn’t (unfortunately) left office yet, why is it fair to compare Bush’s exit approval rate to Obama’s current approval rate? I would assume it is because you know that this far into both administrations, they are running neck and neck as far as disapproval ratings. Not as sneaky as you thought you were.
Got milk?
Anyone except a Democrat or a John McCain/Lindsey Graham RINO. Who do you like? Anthony Wiener?
@retire05: Weiner approval rating even lower than “W” though W set a new record low for outgoing POTUS. Nixon was close.
Actually I’m cool with W who has stayed away since his exit.Got some great laughs from your 3 day multiple back and forth with RedTeam. Thanks
BAN QI MOON IS NOT FOR THE ATTACK,
he said it can expand to more dangers,
@Redteam: You predicting or hoping Madman Assad will do as you suggest? Notice 05 suggesting the same sick actions.
@Richard Wheeler:
Too bad Democrats don’t act with that kind of honor. Carter, and Clinton, both seem to think that any rational thinking person gives a hairy rat’s ass what they think.
You didn’t get involved (since it started over a question to you) so keep your comments to yourself now.
@Richard Wheeler… I could care less how Obama “looks” in all this. What I was attempting to point out, that you so completely missed is the Obama Regime has no credibility; they wouldn’t know how to tell the truth about anything, to anyone; they have proven that repeatedly since he took office. Therefore, if he says attacking a sovereign nation, to “fire on across their bow” is a good idea, and not only does the majority of the country dispute that, but most of the other countries on the planet do as well, I have to believe it’s probably a bad idea. And looking at his track record, bad ideas seem to flow from him like water from an open pipe.
Maybe the VA can get you into some remedial reading classes…
There is little likelihood that Assad ordered the use of gas. I just don’t buy that balloon.
Could have been someone in his military who either is nuts or wants to shove a poker into the butt of the senior Assad hierarchy, or it could have been opposition forces, or it could have been Iran, but it makes no sense for Assad to have been responsible. This is a military dictatorship. Assad is a ruthless thug like Putin, but he’s not completely stupid. He doesn’t want to risk having missiles aimed at his head regardless what comfortable bunker he’s hiding in.
@Scott in Oklahoma:
It was a pretty bad omen when, at Obama’s very first break out of the gate, he got left in the dirt by a nation as tiny as Honduras.
Syrians who aren’t rabid fundamentalists have joined the sea of transplanted people looking for a new homes called “refugee camps.” One or two years ago was different. Now, removing Assad, just helps the Muslim radicals.
Stay out.
Muslims, All Muslims, fundamentalists or NOT, automatically turn against anyone attacking another Muslim. That’s why Saudis will do NOTHING, and neither will any other Muslim nation – they watch their own neighbor dictators kill hundreds of thousands of Muslims, and DO NOTHING.
Stay out.
You have absolutely no facts on which to base that statement, Richard. None. If you are using the truth according to Kerry and Obama, well we have a problem, Houston. One of the most obvious is the wide discrepancy of deaths, depending upon the source. What’s notable is, the more vested the source in the outcome, the higher the numbers climb.
This is a source I’m sure you can easily find… Wiki’s page on the Ghouta attacks. All the reference numbers below lead to their links for the source at the bottom in the footnotes.
355 died in 3 hospitals (MSF claim)[1]
494 killed (The Damascus Media Office claim)[2]
502 killed (SOHR claim)[3]
588 killed (VDC claim)[4]
635 killed (SRGC claim)[5]
1,222 killed (HRO East Ghouta claim)[6]
1,300 killed (SNC claim)[7]
1,338 killed (LCC claim)[8]
1,429 killed (United States estimate)[9]
1,729 killed (FSA claim)[10]
Oddly enough, the ones on the ground, actually treating the population affected, are the ones with the lowest number.
I’d say that the truth is quite elusive at this moment, and there is a strong resistance – even by you – to simply consider that the *other* bad guys may have been the perps because they are the only ones who had anything to gain, and nothing to lose. That is backed up by the evidence of both weaponry and supply by outside forces to the rebels.
Truth, my butt. This is called a song of propaganda, played against the sounds of war drums.
@Redteam: ” Americans in Syria fighting for Al Queda” You’re deranged. Anyone—other than Bees–think that’s a possibility. Pls speak up.
Semper Fi
OBAMA IMAGE REFURBISHING STRATEGY:
“Get me a WAR. Soon. Not TOO soon, but soon. Allow enough time to pass so that the memories of Benghazi, NSA, IRS, all wither and die.”
@MataHarley: Where we differ IS I believe the POTUS over a mad, merciless Dictator.
Must say I did the same with W vs. Iraq’s mad Dictator.
Right now http://www.nationalreview.com/ has a slideshow:
Photoshopping POTUS.
It is all about Obama and Syria.
Worth all the clicks involved.
@Richard Wheeler:
Why was it always about Bush? Sad. You don’t answer questions well do you? I’m guessing that if the US missiles lobbed across the bow happen to kill some women and children, it’ll all be because it was Bush’s policy they were following.
Is it ok with you if the target in Syria is hospitals, schools and churches, all populated with CW and women and children? How many innocent women and children is it ok with you, to be killed in this foolish notion?
You don’t think any Americans have been killed on the ground in Libya? Short memory.
Ten years after, and some people think current events are all about vindicating George W Bush—with the added element, of course, of somehow destroying Barack Obama. Neither of which adds a bit to understanding what’s currently going on with Syria.
@retire05:
LOL, Retire, you may be onto something there…
@Scott in Oklahoma: Scott, you hit it down the middle on this one. Obama and Kerry have about the same amount of credibility, zero.
I do understand that there is a course especially tailored to former Marine officers that couldn’t read well enough to avoid the Liberal pitfalls. RW, you get that?
@Richard Wheeler: #121
RW, please post your own statement as to who, exactly, will benefit by US strikes on Assad. There is certainly not one American that will benefit by it, though all the talk about it is helping to keep the news from talking about the fiasco of Obama, Obamacare, BenGhazi, Egypt, and on and on and on. And I strongly suspect that is the main reason for all the coverage.
But, back to my request: please post your own statement as to who, exactly, will benefit by US strikes on Assad. If Assad’s forces are damaged, will al qaeda benefit? Is al Qaeda a friend of the Obama administration? Will Obama do their bidding and attack al qaeda’s enemy? Give us an answer.
RW, did you get your adjectives in the proper place? And just what is it about POTUS that you believe?
@Redteam: As mentioned I’ll believe any POTUS including w and bho over any mad genocidal dictator. Do you believe otherwise? Semper Fi
Richard, where we differ is you are choosing to believe what you want, based on character analysis of Obama or Assad.
I base my belief on strategic motivation, increasing intel about meetings, weaponry and supplies, and capability of both to pull off the CW deployment. I’d say that the foundation of my belief is on far more solid ground than your more emotional one.
@MataHarley: Time will tell who is right. It’s true I turned out to be wrong in supporting the Bush claim of WMD’S..Glad Hussein went down but the cost was enormous.
Apparently this admin, along with all of Congress – both sides of the political aisle – don’t want to wait the time to find the truth, or who’s right. It’s more important to let loose the dogs of war. This is okay with you? It’s okay to ignore the Convention’s procedures and have the US just pompously assume the authority to pick the way to enforce that treaty, without the input from the fellow members and the OPCW/UNSC?
Parallel universe…. I have to be living in a parallel universe. Those one world’ers who must have UN approval now discard it. Me, who hates the UN, says that if you signed the Convention and want to use that as an excuse, follow the rules. You made that bed… now sleep in it, or get out and book a motel room. One pill makes you larger… one pill makes you small. Pass the pipe. LOL
As far as anyone worrying about this as a partisan issue. I’ll only say to all of you – both sides – we peon citizens who don’t support this in overwhelming numbers ( all parties) will be dragged kicking and screaming into WWIII with Syria/Iran/Russia/China/North Korea… all because of some vain “credibility” BS. Neither political party will, or should, escape their culpability for this nonsense. The GOP is all for this military action. They just want it on their own terms… bigger, and with regime change. That’s not an improvement. l
Nor should we have been “active” as opposed to “inactive” the prior two years. Bush was wise not to expand to Syria in his term. We shouldn’t have expanded into Syria two years ago any more than we should expand into Syria today.
@Nan G: Nan G. Great slide show at Nat Review. I’m quoting some of their statements and ad-libbing some for the hilarity of them.
“I have a high degree of confidence in Chemical attacks—–Still thinks Ben ghazi was caused by You Tube video”
“Obama will seek congressional approval–translation—looking for someone else to blame”
“I don’t always fund al Qaeda, but when I do I call them ‘rebels’ ”
“Is Obama performing background checks on rebels he is supplying arms to in Syria?”
“Know all about chem weapons attack in Syria——no clue about BenGhazi”
“Can’t fix Detroit———Can fix Syria”
“We kill people who kill people because killing people is wrong……or something”
“We need to end a civil war that is killing people——-I know, let’s bomb them”
“Help! Syrians are being attacked, let’s help them——-attack them”
There were several more, but it’s funny how many of them, meant as jokes, are dead on….
Whatta you think, RW?
Redteam, if that’s all original stuff, you missed your calling as a conservative comedy writer, or ‘toonist. LOL
@Richard Wheeler: @Richard Wheeler: RW ” any mad genocidal dictator”
maybe it would help if you identified who that is. I don’t think you have any solid intel that Assad is ‘mad’ or ‘genocidal’, but please post it if you do.
@Richard Wheeler: @Richard Wheeler:
RW, the hilarity of your statement should be obvious. You ‘thought’ Bush was right that Iraq had WMD but now you realize he was wrong? Just where do you think the WMD in Syria came from?
@Redteam: @MataHarley: Original stuff. You gotta be kidding Mata. RedTeam with a sense of humor??
Solid intel that Assad is mad or genocidal. Now that’s funny. It’s O.K. You keep right on defending him. Dr. J did the same with the Mad Colonel.
According to Israel, who monitors them closely, Syria has had WMD capabilities since mid 80’s.
I didn’t click on the slide show since I wasn’t interested. So I have no idea if it was original or not, Rich. But regardless of my political leanings, I can laugh at comedy directed at either political party. You might want to acquire that skill.
That’s not far fetched at all, Rich. There have been three instances of reported CW use, started in March of this year, with Syria. The very same moment in time that Assad called ki-Moon and asked for an investigation. There is no solid intel of Assad being either genocidal or mad. Nor has Assad threatened the US or directly attacked Israel.
You are still on thin ice until you can show some Assad genocidal or mad activities that exist as proven and documented events, and not just the latest propaganda tool. I’ll give you a hint… even as of today, the latest documented/proven CW violation is from 1995 in the Tokyo subway.
I, personally, request you back up your comment with some facts with official agencies that monitor this very activity.
@Redteam: ding ding ding… we gots us a winner!
the rebuilding of SYRIA, 70 BILLION DOLLAR,
WHAT WILL THEY BE BREAKING OVER THERE WHEN THEY START,
AND FINISH AFTER THE SO CALLED 3 DAYS,
GEEZ, GOD CREATED THE WHOLE EARTH FOR NOTHING,