Obama's handling of the Syrian Issue.

[Bob Hubbard]

Person on my FB list made this observation. Reposting here with permission.

He makes some interesting points and observations.

So, for those that still don't get it, allow me to explain:

1) One year ago, the President draws a "red line" in the sand, essentially saying that America won't condone Genocide, perpetrated by means of chemical weapons which are against International Law.

2) This month, the President confirms that Assad has, in fact, used chemical weapons against his own people.

[note: I say "confirmed" as opposed to President Bush who surmised that Hussein had WMDs and sent the Secretary of State to the U.N. to lie and say that it was essentially confirmed]

3) President THREATENS targeted military strikes, clarifying that he does not intend to put American boots on the ground and then moves our military into position to create the real threat of imminent force.

4) President vows to go through proper political channels and seek endorsement/approval of proposed strikes, by Congress.

5) In the interim, President enlists help of those whom we never believed would ever join us against Syria - and sends the Secretary of State to meet with Russian delegation to firm up support.

6) Gets Assad to admit use of chemical weapons

7) Vows to keep military forces in place, to keep pressure on Syria to avail itself of diplomatic solution, thus avoiding any actual military action.

Announces that he intends to ask Congress to hold off on voting on military force (while keeping the military pressure in place) to allow diplomatic measures to work.

IF any of you (Republican, Democrat, Conservative or Liberal) STILL think that he hasn't handled this brilliantly, you really have zero understanding of military and political strategy.

If you're a conservative and think he did something wrong, it's simply because you're trying to figure out a way that President George W. Bush doesn't continue to be viewed as an idiot who forced us into an unnecessary war, costing billions of dollars and thousands of American lives, . . . in a hunt for weapons that didn't exist.

If you're a liberal and think he did something wrong, it's because you're upset that President Bush's buddies, the military contractors, are going to benefit from any potential military action and because you somehow feel that true liberals NEVER want to go to war.

Watching a madman GAS his own people and doing nothing is precisely what millions of Germans, Europeans and the rest of the world did 80 years ago. How'd THAT work out?

Bottom line: If you have viewed the President's actions over the past few weeks and STILL think he didn't do this right (so far) - you're really just someone who is incapable of viewing it objectively and who already made up your mind that you don't like him. Period.

 

[jks9199]

Sorry, I disagree. Especially at this point, we've got no business even threatening as minimal a strike as a paper airplane made out of Presidential letterhead with a cherry bomb attached, or a kick in the shins by some surviving WAC.

Is it likely that Assad used gas? Of course. It's possible that someone else did it -- but it's not likely. He had the gas, he had the delivery system, and we know he sent rockets that way.

But Obama is lucky at this point that Putin and Assad decided to do this weapons turnover. They saved him from himself.

Despite the recent denials, Obama created the mess by defining his own red line of using WMDs. His words, his mess. Now HE looks ineffectual since he's discovering that the US is freakin' war-weary. (And if he thinks we can shoot some missiles and not end up with boots on the ground at some point, his military advisers need to have a serious damn talk with him.) In his speech, he outright admitted that the Congress has allowed the Presidency to gain power and usurp their authority, and that they need to take that power back... but, pretty please, not 'til after I threaten military action without Congressional support. And he only considered getting Congressional support when he looked around and realized that he wasn't getting any support from the world. (Oh, wait, there are all those secret supporting countries...)

All the rest of the stuff (admissions of having them, "peaceful" resolution, etc.) are dumb freaking luck. All Assad really had to do was sit back on his own, and wait. If we unilaterally bombed him -- we look like bullies. Obama had NO strategy or plan; he was basically ******** bricks over the gas and the expectation that we'd do something.

Bottom line: we have no compelling US political, military, or strategic interest in the freakin' Syrian CIVIL war. Obama painted himself into a corner, and is probably sending Putin a big thank-you card for getting him out of it.

 

[James Kovacich]

Putin backed himself into a corner too. He threatened to back up Syria and **** his pants when he realized he was going to have to back up his words. 2 days ago Assad still denied having chemical weapons to Charlie Rose. Now as of today, Assad is an admitted liar on the subject.

Putin could of done a year or 2 ago what he's done the last couple of days. Why did he wait so long? Our Presidents job isn't easy.

Sent from my DROID3 using Tapatalk 2

 

[ballen0351]

Putin is killing Obama politically
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/12/o...ution-from-russia-on-syria.html?src=twr&_r=3&

The potential strike by the United States against Syria, despite strong opposition from many countries and major political and religious leaders, including the pope, will result in more innocent victims and escalation, potentially spreading the conflict far beyond Syria’s borders. A strike would increase violence and unleash a new wave of terrorism. It could undermine multilateral efforts to resolve the Iranian nuclear problem and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and further destabilize the Middle East and North Africa. It could throw the entire system of international law and order out of balance.

Syria is not witnessing a battle for democracy, but an armed conflict between government and opposition in a multireligious country. There are few champions of democracy in Syria. But there are more than enough Qaeda fighters and extremists of all stripes battling the government.

 

[granfire]

Obama is on his last term, does it matter?

 

[Bob Hubbard]

Depends. He can pass an executive order making himself PFL, or suspend elections, or allow himself a 3rd term. I mean, since it's proven that he doesn't need to conform to a strict interpretation of the Constitution, or bother with Congress.

 

[ballen0351]

Obama is on his last term, does it matter?

It does to the military members that will need to back up his big mouth

 

[granfire]

Depends. He can pass an executive order making himself PFL, or suspend elections, or allow himself a 3rd term. I mean, since it's proven that he doesn't need to conform to a strict interpretation of the Constitution, or bother with Congress.

Not that he set the precedence first...

 

[Takai]

Not that he set the precedence first...

True but he doesn't seem the least bit concerned with running with the ball when it suits his purpose. Just like every other politico out there.