Posted on 09/10/2013 5:46:26 PM PDT by Steelfish
September 10, 2013 Obama Rescues Assad The President lets Putin outmaneuver him on Syrian chemical arms.
What could be worse for America's standing in the world than a Congress refusing to support a President's proposal for military action against a rogue regime that used WMD? Here's one idea: A U.S. President letting that rogue be rescued from military punishment by the country that has protected the rogue all along.
That's where President Obama now finds himself on Syria after he embraced Russian President Vladimir Putin's offer to take custody of Bashar Assad's chemical weapons. The move may rescue Mr. Obama and Congress from the political agony of a vote on a resolution to authorize a military strike on Syria. But the diplomatic souk is now open, and Mr. Obama has turned himself into one of the junior camel traders.
What a fiasco. Secretary of State John Kerry, of all people, first floated this escape route for Assad on Monday in Europe where he was supposed to be rallying diplomatic support for a strike. The remark appeared to be off-the-cuff, but with Mr. Kerry and this Administration you never know. In any case before Mr. Kerry's plane had landed in the U.S., Russia's foreign minister had leapt on the idea and proposed to take custody of Assad's chemical arsenal to forestall U.S. military action.
The White House should have rebuffed the offer given Russia's long protection of Assad at the United Nations—a fact noted with scorn on Monday by Mr. Obama's national security adviser Susan Rice. Instead Mr. Obama endorsed the Russian gambit as what "could potentially be a significant breakthrough." The Senate immediately called off its Wednesday vote on the military resolution. By Tuesday Assad had accepted the offer that he hopes will spare him from a military strike.
(Excerpt) Read more at online.wsj.com ...
The WSJ Editorial Page is peevish because Obama ended up making them look like idiots as well. Here’s a lesson to be learned for Republican elites like those running the WSJ Editorial Page. Ally yourself with Obama and be prepared to get used as a speed bump for a big yellow bus marked Narcissist-in-Chief.
With a guy like this in the WH, looks a sure bet Jimmy Carter can occupy Mt Rushmore
That seems an appropriate job for our junior president.
(junior in terms of abilities, not responsibilities.)
Welcome to President Fiasco’s America.
Whenever I see the word “fiasco,” I think of William Agee and Mary Cunningham.
This was never really about gas. It was always about Iran and the need to alter the strategic equation. Iran now has access to Syrian forward bases. It can situate its mobile ballistic missile batteries and target Israel. While those batteries exist Israel cannot attack Iran’s nuclear facilities with impunity. It was thought that a hard “limited strike” would so weaken the Assad regime that the rebels would come to power and evict the Iranians. Obama and Kerry should have made it plain the real reasons and need for an intervention. They also should have addressed the legitimate concerns about the nature of the rebels, the anti Christian atrocities and the likely cost to the American people. Its been a disaster that is likely to result in Iran obtaining nuclear weapons. IMHO they will test a weapon in 9-12 months and the arguments will be over.
The time to devolve the Syrian military was when we went into Iraq.
“Ally yourself with Obama and be prepared to get used as a speed bump for a big yellow bus marked Narcissist-in-Chief.”
I believe that Zero rides in the short yellow bus.
Odumbass speaks/reads prepared statement about his fiasco!
If it is about Iran, why not let the Israelis go after Iran. That has the merit of going after the cause instead of the symptom along with the additional benefit of not involving us in a civil war.
Neo-con leftsts are embarrassed for sticking their noses up Buckwheat’s butt. Too bad, so sad.
Israel cannot go after Iran. As long as Iran has mobile missiles situated in Syria, Israel would suffer a devastating counterattack from those missiles if they attacked Iran. Iran has purchased state of the art Chinese mobile ballistic missiles which “Iron Dome” cannot stop. Also it is very doubtful that Israel has the conventional capability to effectively attack and destroy Iran’s nuclear facilities. Even if the US military were fully involved any attack would have the potential to be a US Navy disaster. The Iranians have fortified the Persian Gulf with shore to ship missiles. Our big blue water ships would be at grave risk in the narrow confines of the Persian Gulf. As terrible as it will be, IMHO Iran will now get its nuclear weapons.
LOL Priceless. Or at least worth the price of my monthly ComCast bill.
I refuse the premise...and am disgusted that the mainstream media does, too. Assad is a bad man, I agree; but there are reports that the rebels were the ones using gas to kill children they had kidnapped!
Why the hell should we believe Obama that the Assad regime was responsible for that gas attack??
Can we not remember that it was one year ago that Team AssClown was blaming Egyptian and Benghazi attacks on a youtube video?????
They are LIARS.
I have a feeling Kerry won’t be around long. I feel Obama will demand he resign as “ FAA guy” for his own stupidity
I thought Obama was going make that the thrust of his speech but, alas, it won't all fit on a bumper sticker.
According to the article General Eiland was referring to a purported plan scheduled in September 2012. Since then the strategic reality has changed. No one more than the Israelis themselves recognize the dilemma they face. Unless Assad is overthrown and the Iranians are forced out of Syria, an Israeli attack on Iran is not feasible. Also even if Assad is removed, The United States would probably still oppose an Israeli attack since it would be very difficult to defend the Navy ships in the narrow Persian Gulf. Also Israel would remain somewhat vulnerable to ballistic missiles launched from Iran, but “Iron Dome” would be more effective against those long range missiles. They could not defend however from short range modern missiles launched from Syria or Lebanon. Very difficult time in the Mideast with no easy solutions. However while Iran may have won this round, the Israeli are intelligent, innovative and resilient. There will be more to come.
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