Syria

[B-Man]

The Syrian Conundrum

 

 

President Obama warned the Assad regime not to use chemical weapons against the rebels. To do so, he said, would be to cross a “red line.”

 

So now that it’s been crossed the consequences are . . . unclear.

 

To be fair, the options are neither numerous not attractive.

 

For example, the U.S. could establish a “no-fly zone,” which might require shooting Assad’s planes and helicopters out of the sky. That would hurt Assad, Iran’s loyal servant ¡ and that’s a good thing.

 

But the Obama administration never gave significant help to the non-Islamist opposition whose protests sparked the Syrian conflict two years ago. The result: Well-funded jihadist and Islamist forces have taken the lead on the battlefields. What if hurting Assad means helping them?

 

Another option: We could establish safe zones where those fleeing Assad’s forces would be protected. But what if, again, groups such as the al-Qaeda-linked Nusra Front go there to rest and recuperate? Do we want to be giving them care packages?

 

A NATO coalition could go into Syria, topple Assad, and set up a provisional government excluding the extreme elements.

 

And I could get a call from Marty Scorsese this afternoon asking me to star in his next picture.

 

If Obama does nothing about Assad crossing his chemical weapons “red line,” what reason is there to believe he will do anything about Iranian supreme leader Ali Khamenei’s crossing the nuclear threshold? And surely a red line was crossed in Benghazi. There have been no consequences to date.

 

Many of America’s friends and enemies may be beginning to perceive a pattern.................... That can’t be good.

 

 

 

I agree with the article, the choices of response are few and require a lot of leadership.

 

God help us.

 

 

 

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Edited April 25, 2013 by B-Man

[4merper4mer]

Many of America’s friends and enemies may be beginning to perceive a pattern.................... That can’t be good it is Los Gatos

 

Fixed

[B-Man]

Senate Republicans and Democrats Agree on Syria: Red Line Has Been Crossed

 

Both Republican and Democratic senators stepped forward this afternoon in light of news of chemical weapons being used in Syria to say that the proverbial “red line” set by the Obama administration has been crossed:

 

Dianne Feinstein, chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee, issued a statement: “It is clear that ‘red lines’ have been crossed and action must be taken to prevent larger scale use.” She added, ”It is also important that the world understands the use of weapons of mass destruction, such as sarin, will not be countenanced, and clearly Assad must go.”

 

“In my view, it was crossed,” John McCain said on Fox News this afternoon. “Not only have our intelligence people concluded that, but as importantly, the Israeli, the British and the French have as well.”

 

On CNN, Lindsey Graham echoed those sentiments and asked, “What’s next?” “There are enough chemical weapons in Syria to kill thousands if not millions of people,” he said. ”I want the Syrian opposition council to agree to work with us, the international community, to secure those chemical-weapons sites and destroy them.”

 

Bob Menendez, chaiman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, told MSNBC’s Tamron Hall that if the intelligence is accurate, then the “red line” has been crossed. ”Well, if we nailed down what we believe, that Assad did in fact have a limited use of chemical weapons against his own people, yes,” he answered when asked if he agreed with McCain.

[DC Tom]

 

In the meantime, there's a whole bunch of Iraqi and Iranian Kurds shouting "!@#$ you, !@#$s!"

[IDBillzFan]

Well, if a red line has been crossed after Obama's warning, then we all know what needs to happen: someone needs to call France to see what their plan is.

[/dev/null]

Syria crossed the red line and America is swimming in red ink

 

But John Kerry can still give terrorists a quarter of a billion

[B-Man]

[quote

LABillzFan, on 25 April 2013 - 05:25 PM, said:

 

Well, if a red line has been crossed after Obama's warning, then we all know what needs to happen: someone needs to call France to see what their plan is.

 

 

 

 

Sorry, they're too busy with the important issues (like us)

 

French Protest Against Gay Marriage Turns Violent - ABC News

 

 

 

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Edited April 25, 2013 by B-Man

[Dante]

Well, if a red line has been crossed after Obama's warning, then we all know what needs to happen: Find a way to blame the right or better yet, the Tea Party

[Chef Jim]

Syria crossed the red line and America is swimming in red ink

 

But John Kerry can still give terrorists a quarter of a billion

 

I'm sorry, do we know you?

[DC Tom]

Find a way to blame the right or better yet, the Tea Party

 

"If I had a national uprising that was violently suppressed, it would look just like Syria."

[\GoBillsInDallas/]

We should send Beerball over there instead. He could infect the whole country with vaginitis in a matter of days.

 

[B-Man]

Obama: Yes, Syria’s use of chemical weapons would be a game-changer, but, er, we need more evidence

 

Via Mediaite. Translation: If Assad stops gassing people right now, maybe U.S. intelligence could be persuaded to rule the previous gassing episodes “inconclusive” and let bygones be bygones. All this is now is a credibility test. Keep using chemical weapons and you’ll force the White House to act, purely in the interest of not losing face. Put the weapons away and O will eat a little crap by pretending that the Israelis and the British and the French might all have been wrong about what’s happening over there.

 

Via Jeff Emanuel, here’s how strained the “red line” face-saving has become:

Hannah Allam @HannahAllam

 

State Dept: We're working to establish a definitive judgment on whether president's red line was crossed. Not there yet, but working on it.

12:56 PM - 26 Apr 2013

 

 

Mm hmm. Keep working on it, guys. Meanwhile, a tidbit from Chuck Todd:

Chuck Todd ✔ @chucktodd

 

FYI: Reason Admin went public on PRELIM findings on Syria when they still wanted more evidence: feared Congress would leak news haphazardly

2:37 PM - 26 Apr 2013

 

 

 

That I do believe. The last thing O wanted to do was bring heat on himself to enforce his “red line” by announcing that Assad might have defied it. But he had no choice. If he and Hagel hadn’t said anything, hawks in Congress who were privy to the intelligence findings would have, and that would have made Obama’s silence look even more weaselly. He’s doing his best here to not do anything about Syria, but there’s only so much perceived weakness he can tolerate politically. So now we’re in a ridiculous spot where he’s forced to double down on his previous ultimatum even though everyone but everyone knows he doesn’t want to and would just as soon keep the news about Syrian WMD hush-hush. So much for “red lines.”

 

 

By the way, it’s no coincidence that he said this while sitting next to the king of Jordan. If you don’t know why, you should.

 

 

Update: A reminder from National Journal that O’s been backpedaling from his red line for awhile now:

Obama first laid down his red line on chemical weapons in the Syrian civil war in August 2012. “A red line for us is (if) we see a whole bunch of chemical weapons moving around, or being utilized. That would change my calculus” on whether a U.S. intervention is merited, the president said…

While the administration did not discuss specifics, outside experts interpreted the reference to movement of chemical weapons as addressing the potential removal from storage and transport of chemical weapons for firing or for proliferation to nonstate actors. However, when the Syrian military was detected in December apparently loading sarin into aerial munitions, the administration indicated that its red line was actually carrying out a chemical attack, not readying for one.

http://hotair.com/archives/2013/04/26/obama-yes-syrias-use-of-chemical-weapons-would-be-a-game-changer-but-er-we-need-more-evidence/

[BringBackFergy]

It's a conspiracy...the red line was not crossed. This is all a ploy manufactured by GW to reduce gas prices. And the Boston police probably have something to do with it as well.

 

Sincerely,

JohninJax

[Jim in Anchorage]

Now where in the world do you suppose Syria got chemical weapons?

[Koko78]

Now where in the world do you suppose Syria got chemical weapons?

 

The Republican National Committee.

[IDBillzFan]

While I'm clearly no fan of the current administration, I genuinely hope they don't screw this up. They drew a line. Syria crossed it. You can only move the line so far before your threats are no longer relevant. It's my hope they have smart people telling them what to do instead of ideological people telling them how to use this politically.

[/dev/null]

While I'm clearly no fan of the current administration, I genuinely hope they don't screw this up. They drew a line. Syria crossed it. You can only move the line so far before your threats are no longer relevant. It's my hope they have smart people telling them what to do instead of ideological people telling them how to use this politically.

 

I've read a few accounts of the budget/tax hike/fiscal cliff/sequester talks between Obama and the House Republicans, and it was implied that an agreement was reached between Obama and Boner. But at the end Obama moved the goal posts. So I wouldn't put it past the Administration to move the line on Syria

 

You are much more trusting than I am in your "hope they have smart people telling them what to do instead of ideological people telling them how to use this politically." The last 4 years have shown this Administration is far more focused on the latter.

 

Now where in the world do you suppose Syria got chemical weapons?

At a gun show where they didn't have to pass a background check

[DC Tom]

Now where in the world do you suppose Syria got chemical weapons?

 

Made them themselves. With equipment purchased from France, most likely.

[B-Man]

 

Cameron: Syria's use of chemical weapons 'a war crime'

 

LONDON, April 26 (UPI) -- The British Foreign Office said it received intelligence Syrian government troops used chemical weapons.

"It is extremely serious. This is a war crime," Prime Minister David Cameron told the BBC in an interview broadcast Friday.

 

The White House Thursday said U.S. intelligence agencies believe "with varying degrees of confidence" Syria used the nerve agent sarin on a "small scale" but did not elaborate further. However, the United State said the information it has doesn't represent proof of chemical weapons use.

 

Britain's Foreign Office said it, too, had "limited but persuasive information from various sources" of chemical weapons use in Syria, the BBC said.

Syria is believed to have stockpiles of chemical weapons. Concern within the international community has risen in recent months about the safety of the stockpiles. While there have been accusations, there hasn't been confirmation chemical weapons have been used during Syria's 2-year-old civil war.

 

http://www.upi.com/Top_News/World-News/2013/04/26/Cameron-Syrias-use-of-chemical-weapons-a-war-crime/UPI-77101366973842/#ixzz2RlacEzbO

 

 

A little stronger reaction from London than DC

 

 

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[Koko78]

http://www.upi.com/T.../#ixzz2RlacEzbO

 

A little stronger reaction from London than DC

 

Yeah, but you have to keep in mind that David Cameron may, in fact, have testicles. Mr. Cameron also didn't publicly draw a "red line" to make himself look tough that he is now trying to distance himself from.