Posted on 09/09/2013 3:26:33 PM PDT by 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.
(Excerpt) Read more at abcnews.go.com ...
His threat was not credible. It had no popular support, no international support, and hence would have been rejected by Congress. It was stupid and half cocked in the first place, and Kerry would have made an ass of himself, if he weren’t already one to begin with.
Having gone out naked in his new suit, the emperor took the first exit offered, and the Russians would now believe Obama’s a chump, if they didn’t already know it.
Bottom line, Syria will promise to give all its chemical weapons to the Russkies, and then keep them, with a nod and a wink from Putin. Obama will declare victory. Nobody will really know who used the Sarin gas, and this whole scenario will repeat itself every six months.
I believe Obama is mad that he hasn’t been able to launch some cruise missiles or some bombers like that eeeeeevil war criminal Bush. It’s just not fail he can’t ,are things go boom.
Well, I don't have all the information. Nobody has. However it's probably safe to say that Russia does not want Jihadists to have Syria. It would immediately mean new terrorist training camps right in the middle of the zone that is hot enough already; it would mean a new threat to Israel (about 1/3 of Israel's population speaks Russian,) and it would mean that Syria becomes a huge - and untouchable - weapon depot for every terrorist that comes along and asks for a gun or a mine or a bomb.
Assad was a good enough client even before. But now he will be an excellent client. If not, he will be replaced, just like Hafizullah Amin was. That was done by old USSR, they were afraid of rocking the boat and they had serious and strong opposition. Today Russia's leadership is younger and much more decisive; at the same time the opposing power has decayed significantly. Russia could have conquered entire Georgia if they wanted to.
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
As usual, by solving one problem at a time. Making Syria safe for select businessmen and select projects is one of those offers that are hard to decline. There isn't much of new land showing up on Earth - you have to reuse what is already out there.
There are many very complicated ramifications being deliberated in many nations as this crap plays out.
I hope so. But I don't see Russia as too pacifist. They weren't all doves when they clashed with Georgia. Russian generals have nearly continuous battle experience since Chechen wars (I don't count Afghanistan, it was too far ago.) They may not mind a few thousand boots on the ground, because when one pair of boots lands any quantity of most advanced military hardware may immediately follow - hardware that Syria cannot buy. Most importantly that means radars and SIGINT; then air defense; then safe zones. In the end rebels will be isolated, marginalized, and defeated by lack of supplies. That's not impossible if you own the sky.
So let's wait a bit and see what happens. That's the most reliable way to learn the future :-)
What’s another word for kitty?... starts w/a P.
Kitty-In-Chief
They’re all bumbling idiots BUT at least Kerry, who I detest, put on a good show, acting more Presidential than his kid boss...
“Our Itsy Bitsy Teeny Weeny Strike will show the world they cannot mess with America”
“Pssst... they didn’t mess with America”
Bu bu bu but but what about the 1400 people died ba ba ba ba ....
Bu bu bu but but what about the 1400 people died ba ba ba ba ....
I’ve been thinking about this all night...It doesn’t make sense. Putin is very very quick to offer the INternational control of weapons IMMEDIATELY after Kerry’s faux Pax.
The administration at first says it’s rhetorical, but then pundits spin this to sound like Obama got the Russians to do this. I say BS.
Let’s think this through. WHy would Putin make this offer, unless his intelligence was clear that Obama is using the chemical weapons as a pretext to bomb Syria and support the MB?
Now the ball is back in Obama’s court and the media should be thinking there is no longer an issue. Game should be over, right?
WRONG. The Saudi’s, Obama etc want regime change in Syria. It’s not about dying babies and chemical weapons. It’s about regime change and support the MB.
Boy, I agree with you and would think Obama is fuming about this.
The Russians can spin this all for as long as they want.
BOTTOM LINE NOW IS THAT THE CONGRESS CANNOT BE DUPED INTO VOTING FOR BOMBING UNDER ANY CONTINGENCY. IN OTHER WORDS THIS SHOULD NOT CHANGE THE VOTE. BOEHNER SHOULD NOW CALL A VOTE ON THIS.
“What’s another word for kitty?... starts w/a P.
Kitty-In-Chief”
Just call a spade a spade and a pussy a pussy!
Obama failing to back up his 2012 “red line” ... His answer is both immature and petulant, saying “I didn’t set a red line. The world set a red line.” equals “I didn’t break the windowpane, Mommy, the kids of the neighbor did it”
Just like Iraq did for years. It will be interesting to see how the UN inspectors will be able to do anything with a civil war going on as well.
Yes, I agree about the Sunnis need to take a Saudi pipeline out of Iranian threat.
Is Obumma a mooslimb or a commie? Will he dance for Putin or Allaaaah?
I think this is easy to understand... There is no doubt in my mind that Obammy has purchased this outcome. We’ll give billions of dollars to various countries, including russia. He used our tax dollars to buy his way out of this mess. And he gets to pretend like it was tough negotiating etc that made it happen. You can bet the house we paid for this outcome.
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