Tag: Armed Response

Send in The Clowns (For Syria)

Holy Crap!  This is my 6000th post…..that explains the cracked cuticles and stubby fingers…..LOL

I watched the opening salvo of the entrance exam for clown college…..the Senate Hearing on Syria…..it was a typical meeting of professional clowns….lots of praise and false humility…..and then the inquistion began and we got to watch the game of political positioning begin…….

(Newser) – John Kerry and defense chief Chuck Hagel were on Capitol Hill today making the case for a military strike on Syria. “This debate is about the world’s red line,” said Kerry. It is “a red line that anyone with a conscience ought to draw.” Some of their arguments, via CNN, the New York Times, and AP:

  • Hagel: “There are always risks in taking action, but there are also risks with inaction. The Assad regime, under increasing pressure by the Syrian opposition, could feel empowered to carry out even more devastating chemical weapons attacks.”
  • Kerry: “This is not the time for armchair isolationism. This is not the time to be spectators to the slaughter.”
  • Hagel: “The Syrian regime’s actions risk eroding the nearly century-old international norm against the use of chemical weapons,” a norm that has kept America safe.
  • Kerry: “I remember Iraq. Secretary Hagel remembers Iraq. … We were here for that vote. And so we are especially sensitive, Chuck and I, to never again asking any member of Congress to take a vote on faulty intelligence.”
  • Hagel: “The use of chemical weapons in Syria is not only an assault on humanity, it is a serious threat to America’s national security interests and those of our closest allies. We cannot afford for Hezbollah or any terrorist group determined to strike the United States to have incentives to acquire or use chemical weapons.”
  • Kerry: “There will not be American boots on the ground with respect to the civil war.” But he said he wouldn’t rule out the possibility under dire circumstances, like chemical weapons falling into the hands of terrorists.

President Obama, meanwhile, has won the support of both John Boehner and Nancy Pelosi in the House.

And was anything decided?

(AP) – Ninety days max and no ground troops: The Senate resolution authorizing President Obama to use military force against Syria will require those two conditions. The AP obtained a copy of the draft resolution that the Foreign Relations Committee will vote on tomorrow. It sets a time limit of 60 days and says the president could extend that for 30 days more unless Congress has a vote of disapproval. Democratic Sen. Bob Menendez of New Jersey, chairman of the committee, and Sen. Bob Corker of Tennessee, the top Republican, agreed on the measure tonight. (John McCain got caught goofing off during today’s hearing.)

Next the “secret” briefing of the Senate will give out more specific details….details that you and I will not see until way past the rain of missiles….and then they will move on to the House Foreign Relations Committee and the more ignorant of the actors will have their shot at media immortality…….

Then there is the House Foreign Affairs Committee…….as usual it was “smile for the cameras” nothing new was asked that wasn’t asked the day before but all had to have their say for the cameras.  Only thing interesting were the protesters in the back that would hold up their hands painted red and they did so silently……

The very same questions asked over and over in various ways……I would almost bet that half the people on this committee could not find Syria with both hands and flashlight……there was “what if” after “what it” and I kept waiting for one of the clowns to connect Syria with Obamacare…….

Appearing before a Senate panel, Secretary of State John F. Kerry and Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel struggled at times to frame a proposed military strike on Syria as tough enough to be worthwhile but limited enough to guarantee that the United States would not get dragged into another open-ended military commitment in the Middle East. Nonetheless, they assured lawmakers that the administration was not asking for congressional backing to “go to war,” as Kerry put it.

Our military objectives in Syria would be to hold the Assad regime accountable, degrade its ability to carry out these kinds of attacks and deter it from further use of chemical weapons,” Hagel said in testimony before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

Next will be the different clown acts in the respective chambers…all the theatrics and yelling and posing defiantly for the ever present cameras……at some point this becomes a total waste of time………and then there will be a vote and a final solution……all we can do is wait and see who is the biggest ass!

He Said What About Syria?

On Saturday the Prez wen forth and caved to conventional pressure and will will Congress decide what is to be done about the Syrian chem weapons…..this is the way that the MSm is reporting—personally, I think it is do-do!

I have waited a couple of days before commenting on the Prez and his decision….I wanted to see and read what others were hearing in this decision…….and I wait……..

In case you were otherwise engaged on Saturday and are not sure what I am talking about….let me help….I realize that Saturday football is far more important than the possibility of the US going to war again…..

President Barack Obama said he has decided he should order limited military strikes against Syria, but in a move laden with political and diplomatic implications, he also agreed in an about-face to solicit authorization for the mission from Congress.

Mr. Obama’s announcement in a Rose Garden statement brought an unusually sudden halt to a military mobilization that for days has appeared on the cusp of a limited bombardment of Syria as punishment for its alleged use of chemical weapons Aug. 21.

It also marked a jarring shift as president for Mr. Obama, whose senior aides have been saying that he would not seek congressional authorization and that he had the legal right to order the start of military strikes.

Mr. Obama said legislative leaders have agreed to hold a debate and a vote on the issue as soon as Congress returns, which currently is scheduled to be Sept. 9. Leaders in the Senate, where Democrats hold the majority, considered calling the chamber back to session before then.

The move places the president’s Syria policy on an unknown course, subjecting it to a certain showdown on Capitol Hill where lawmakers are deeply divided on the issue and even more so over Mr. Obama himself.

Yep you heard right….the Prez is willing to let Congress decide that fate of Syrians……so why the change of attitude from Friday?  First Congress approval is better than the approval rating of striking Syria……second, this is perfect cover….when the situation goes to crap then all those that voted for the action can be held accountable at election time……am I saying it is a political game being played……DAMN RIGHT!  And being played with other people’s lives….something we are very good at doing…..

So go back to your precious football we have about a week before anything will be done……I mean apparently it is not important enough to force the cash scrounging parasites to return to DC to get about business……

This will one day become a comic routine for it is getting funnier by the day…..too bad that it will end badly…..all this is …is….CYA!  It is that simple!

NOTE:  To all my friends have a great dqay of fun, food and friends and I will return tomorrow to irritate as many people as possible……

What Did They Say?

The missiles are being polished and labeled with cute little sayings and will await the final countdown……..we know that McCain blames Obama for the use of chem weapons…..but what do other notables have to say about the situation involving Syria?

Ted Cruz:

The Lone Star State conservative said Monday that America shouldn’t intervene in Syria in the wake of a deadly chemical weapons attack in the country last week.

“The United States Armed Forces doesn’t exist to be a policeman for the world and I certainly hope the reaction isn’t lobbing some cruise missiles in to disagree with Assad’s murderous actions,” Cruz said on Fox News.

“The focus should be the only justifiable reason for U.S. military forces to be engaged is to protect our national security and sadly, that has been the missing variable from this administration’s approach from the beginning as they allowed Assad to slaughter over 100,000 of his people,” he added.

Joe Biden:

“The president believes and I believe that those who use chemical weapons against defenseless men, women and children should and must be held accountable,” Biden said.

He gave no hints about what “accountable” means in terms of U.S. actions, but his comments came amidst increasing rhetoric aimed at Syrian leaders from White House officials.

Biden cast the use of chemical weapons in Syria as a national security problem for the United States.

“National security is strengthened when we hold accountable those who violate international norms that are the foundation of global security, and ultimately, American security,” he said. “And there is no doubt that an essential international norm has been violated. Chemical weapons have been used.”

Rand Paul:

“Even if you believe we should arm Islamic fighters in Syria, shouldn’t, at the very least, Congress vote on the matter?” Sen. Paul asked of the crowd. “The Constitution is very clear. Congress is to declare war, not the president.”

“Nevertheless, President Obama is moving ahead with plans to get involved in the Syrian civil war, without the authorization of Congress,” he said.

…

“Last week I was told by the administration, you know what their goal is in Syria? To fight to a stalemate,” Mr. Paul said. “I’ve told them I’m not sending my kids or your kids or any American soldiers to fight for stalemate. When we fight, we fight to win, we fight for American principles, we fight for the American flag and we come home after we win.”

“For our country’s sake, certainly for our soldiers’ sake—for the sake of every veteran who ever donned a uniform and fought for this country—America’s mission should always be to keep the peace, not police the world,” Sen. Paul said.

Just a few of the media whores looking for a mike to rant into…….granted a couplke of them will most likely be in the running for a nomination so they need to beef up their rhetoric…..

Keep in mind that this could be the opening salvo of yet another war for the US in the Middle East……..

What Are Assad’s Options?

Bad news!  UK has voted not to be included in the action against Syria!

Waiting…..waiting….we are waiting for the phone to ring and the “GO” signal given for the assault on Syria’s capabilities to launch chem weapons……once that happens Assad will have to decided what response he is willing to offer up for the destruction of his resources…………

  • Step up the anti-rebel offensive

One option would be to intensify attacks against rebel forces to seek some localised and spectacular victory to bolster the morale of the regime’s forces and to signal to the US and its allies that the Assad regime remains undeterred.

  • Widen the conflict

An alternative approach would be to seek to broaden the conflict by striking at Turkey, US forces in Jordan or perhaps even to fire ballistic missiles against Israel. The risks here for the Syrian regime are huge. Turkey is well capable of defending itself, as are US forces in Jordan. In both countries there are Patriot anti-missile defences.

An attack on Israel is also unlikely. The Syrian military is heavily committed in the civil war.

Lashing out against Israel might provoke a massive retaliation – opening up the possibility of a wider regional war involving Syria’s ally, Hezbollah in Lebanon. Israel too deploys capable anti-missile systems. Provoking a wider conflict may not be in the interests of either Damascus, or importantly Tehran.

  • Proxy war

Syria could seek to use a group like Hezbollah to carry out attacks against US or Western interests abroad. Here too though, the Iranian authorities may well have a view and with Iran seemingly intent on exploring a new opening with the West on its nuclear dossier, Tehran may be cautious about encouraging Hezbollah in this direction.

Hezbollah is also itself in a difficult position, having allied itself with President Assad. It may determine it has enough problems at the moment and that it is better to keep its powder dry.

Assad’s options are few……and his choice will determine just what the next move will be for the US.

Will he be stupid?