Obama: Strike 'Absolutely' on Hold if Syria Abandons Chemical Weapons

ABC ^ | Sept. 9, 2013 | ABBY D. PHILLIP

[xzins]

If Syrian President Bashar al-Assad gives up his chemical weapons, a military strike would "absolutely" be on pause, President Obama said today.

"I consider this a modestly positive development," Obama told ABC News' Diane Sawyer in an interview at the White House when asked whether Syria's apparent willingness to relinquish control of its chemical weapons would prevent a U.S. strike.

"Let's see if we can come up with language that avoids a strike but accomplishes our key goals to make sure that these chemical weapons are not used," the president said.

Obama's comments come after the Russian foreign minister suggested today that Syria could avoid a U.S. attack by turning over its chemical weapons stockpiles over to international control and destroying them, a proposal the Syrian government "welcomed."

Obama said that Secretary of State John Kerry would pursue the proposal with Russia, an ally of Syria.

But at the same time, Obama said that a potential diplomatic resolution doesn't mean that Congress should withdraw the threat of military action.

"I don't think we would have gotten to this point unless we had maintained a credible possibility for a military strike and I don't think now is the time for us to let up on that," Obama said.

[Nita Nupress]

Interesting theory by Abrit.. Hmmm...

[My Favorite Headache]

He blinked.

[Ticonderoga34]

People need to chill out. What happened here was a game of chess. Kerry made the wrong move and now the backpeddling begins.

The o admin has used chem weapons as their excuse for bombing Syria. Do you folks really think that the Saudi’s were willing to pay for the US to start a war over some Syrian sheeple getting gassed?

I will say this, that is why dirtbag McCain and his poodle Linda wanted O to use regime change as the excuse. I bet Juan and Linda are horrified tonight. Obama is trapped because he no longer has his excuse to please the Saudi masters.

Of course, Obama is going to make himself look good to the lefties that were pissed as hell. They will probably bite. But the international so called community knows Barry got had. Assad stays, Saudis lose, Russians finish the 2nd pipeline and we are back at square one before the chem attack. Thing is, they can no longer use the chem weapon excuse. So what are they going to do next to justify attacking Syria? The drawing board is already out in the WH new bunker. LOL Look out, desperation is dangerous.

Bottom line is that the Saudis wanted rid of Assad and a Gulf State pipeline to run though Syria. Obama didn't deliver. The Saudis have a lot time, effort and money invested in Obama. Its going to be interesting to see what happens in the future if Obama throws the Saudis under the bus like he has his other former friends like Bill Ayers and the Reverend Wright.

[Marine_Uncle]

Putin and company gave the Kenyan usurper a way out of this deal. The Saudi in particular must be steaming mad. No gas pipe and oil pipe lines for them and Qatar to be had the way it is shaping up.
No potential take over of Syria by the Sunni goons as well.
A note I had sent to a few of Jim Robertson's post in effect.
It is going to be rather interesting to see how far the Ruskie are willing to go on their proposal. Are they going to be willing to put their troops in sufficient numbers in Syria to protect the UN inspectors that will roam about cataloging all the sites to where the in particular CW stores will be eventually removed and then destroyed.
What happens when the jihadist, Muslim Bros, other wild Islamic groups in Syria fighting the Syrian gov., start to shoot Russian soldiers.

Things are getting a bit interesting at this point.

[Greysard]

What happens when the jihadist, Muslim Bros, other wild Islamic groups in Syria fighting the Syrian gov., start to shoot Russian soldiers.

It will be bad weather for jihadists: Hail, Hurricane, Tornado ... and Obama will not dare to say a word.

[1010RD]

You’re not clear, at least to me. So far Obama’s gotten nothing. It’s all a distraction.

[Woodman]

” ....or are people stupid enough to take Assad and Putin at their word and they can just declare that the weapons have been turned over .....”

Not only that, even if Assad handed over all of Syria’s chemical weapons, the Brotherhood will likely stage another attack and we’ll end up bombing Assad anyway.

[dforest]

So far Obama has gotten nothing because Congress just returned this afternoon. Reid has already put off the Senate vote on Syria.

Do you think the GOP will do anything different than usual in the house?

I believe I heard Cantor say they will continue the continuing resolution keeping with the sequestration levels and that they would raise the debt ceiling

The best we can hope for is that the amnesty bill gets kicked down the road and that they vote no on Syria.

Bonehead and Cantor aren’t interested in defunding Obamacare.

[popdonnelly]

The Democrats are absolutely bizarre. They truly believe Obama can do no wrong, that he was sent by Providence or something. Even after watching this circus of the last few days, they still think the Obama Administration is just great.

[1010RD]

They face a dynamic political reality.
America elected Obama twice. The electorate gets the government they want, the government they deserve.

We don’t have a conservative majority in America. It’s not realistic to pretend we run the country.

[dforest]

I agree with that.

[TexGrill]

I’m ok with Obummer acting like a weasel again. Wasn’t in the mood for a Nuke Winter anyways. What’s funny is that we got Hildabeast going on-the-record to support the Syrian War, which could make for some interesting negative campaign ads.

[Marine_Uncle]

So what. Three military ground combat systems that in large numbers if the Russian's where for some strange reason want to invade and destroy the puppet state for the past some fifty years they have held in their pocket, would fine some geopolitical advantage in carrying out is a bit beyond me.
I'm sorry. But your examples in no way impress me in the least.
I do hope in your response, it include the complicated geopolitical moves such government states often take, such as in this case, to simplify a bit, where this will lead in how Russia can manage to keep the Saudi and Qatar nations from obtaining future deals with surrounding nations to install gas and oil pipe lines to Meditorian ports verse Russia with the help of Syria primarily in simple terms within the big equation, prevent them from doing so, and help to support the ongoing deals the Russians seek in this region to establish their preferences for natural gas, primary but not limited to, that benefit their goals on their continent to gain from oil and gas resources.
For me. There are many very complicated ramifications being deliberated in many nations as this crap plays out.
Sorry if I introduce some of the real concerns.

[Hoodat]

So how many years do you think it will take before Syria accounts for all its chemical weapons? At least Saddam gave us a list back in 1991. We have no such list from Assad.

[willywill]

“He’s weaseling. Well, if that means the USA stays out of Syria then I’m fine with it.”

hey, we got a twofer. not only do we stay out of Syria, but everyone knows he weaseled.

[rcrngroup]

“I bet the White House is fuming behind the scenes and trying to figure out just how to go forward with a strike.”

I rather think so too. Obama didn't sound as happy as he should have been about this. Note if Assad handed over his chemical weapons, the strike would only be “on pause”, not called off. I also see that Obama still wants congress to approve use of force.

You may be right, but I have a different opinion. Having pushed our country to the brink of war, because of 0dumb0's rash choice of words and his bruised narcissistic ego, I believe that 0dumb0 was desperately looking for a way out. I think the House would not have approved his congressional mandate to go to war, and 0dumb0 knew that and therefore this gets him off the hook.

That being said, I hope the GOP (and even some DemoRATs) in both the Senate & the House continue to shoot down any go-to-war authorization for the commie muzlim pig 0dumb0, just so he can't claim that Congress gave him the authorization (and bragging rights).

In fact I think it is a strong possibility that neither the Senate or the House will be inclined to vote on this. DemoRATs are not anxious to take the mantle of "War Party" away from the Repub neocons.

[servantboy777]

These people occupying the white house are embarrassing.

Kerry is a complete idiot.

[penelopesire]

Seems like a good way for Russia and the democrats to hide the fact that Syria had Saddam’s WMDs all this time too. Russia helped move them before Iraq War and quite a few powerful dems were in on it IMHO. Sure were a lot of them visiting Syria during that time. Just speculating of course.

So now, Russia goes in and ‘secures’ Syria’s chemical weapons. The war is postponed.... for awhile. The Iraq war meme of no WMDs is safe from prying eyes. Win/win for the statists and commies.

[Hoodat]

You're fooling yourself if you think Russia is going to do that. Here's how it will play out. Syria will invite bungling UN inspectors into the country and show them a couple of warehouses full of out-of-date chem warfare relics from the 1950s. They then suggest other possible places that chemical weapons could be, sending UN inspectors on a wild goose chase for years. At some point, Assad will kick the UN inspectors out of the country, claiming that there are no weapons left, and some later Administration will have to deal with it. John Kerry could not possibly have played it more wrong than he did.

I will post a story that explains it much better and ping you on it.

[MichaelCorleone]

“Good. Now can we talk about Obamacare and Benghazi again?”

Don’t forget amnesty.