U.S. President Barack Obama reaffirmed his support for “military action against Syrian targets” in response to disputed allegations of chemical warfare waged by the regime of Syrian president Bashar al-Assad – however he now says he will seek a vote of the U.S. Congress in support of such an attack.
Good for him …
Obama is doing the right thing in not unilaterally engaging in a conflict the American people clearly want nothing to do with. In fact his announcement comes just days after polling revealed nearly 80 percent of the country opposed a unilateral strike.
Now we will find out if the Democratic-controlled U.S. Senate (which includes liberal “Republican” warmongers like U.S. Senators John McCain and Lindsey Graham) and the “GOP-controlled” U.S. House are as tone deaf regarding this misguided global interventionism as Obama and his administration.
“Some things are more important than partisan differences or the politics of the moment,” Obama said. “Today I’m asking Congress to send a message to the world that we are united as one nation.”
Here’s the problem, though – we are NOT united as one nation. In fact according to the latest Reuters polling – taken in the midst of a massive pro-war propaganda campaign – only 20 percent of Americans support using our military assets in Syria. More than 53 percent say we should stay out of the conflict.
That’s a nearly 3-to-1 margin …
This website has written repeatedly in opposition to American involvement in Syria’s civil war (here, here, here and here) – arguing it serves no compelling American interest and will only make our citizens less safe by needlessly anti-American extremism (justifiably, we might add).
Leaders in Great Britain recognized this and refused to participate in this “wag the dog” moment. Hopefully the U.S. Congress will follow suit.
20 comments
I would celebrate, but will Congress actually say no? I have my doubts.
Hey its a shot at sanity and not a shot at Syria
I agree. Congress is pretty gutless. The’re inclined to just go along rather than take a firm stand for which they may be held accountable. This won’t be just another meaningless Obamacare vote.
If we attack, the Syrians probably won’t retaliate with armaments. Their first counterattacks will probably be online and something disruptive, perhaps targeting some infrastructure in the U.S.
How the Syrian Electronic Army and other hacker groups are attacking news Web sites
http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/how-the-syrian-electronic-army-and-other-hacker-groups-are-attacking-news-web-sites/2013/08/28/bda8f464-1032-11e3-8cdd-bcdc09410972_story.html
Or rather, their initial counterattack directed at us.
— note that you said “first” – yes
Let the propaganda begin! The DC machine is just getting going.
The key words from the Black Jesus’s speech were, paraphrasing, that he has the authority to attack Syria but will seek congressional approval anyway.
lol….he’s a Constitutional lawyer/professor!
I’d love to see Congress say “no”…but it’s almost like he’s daring them to that very thing.
Could be what he is hoping for…
And if they say no??? He’s only doing it for his muslim brothas… screw u obama.
And now that we have heard from the White Citizens Coucil…
Says the one named sarah palin forever… don’t care what u think
“Some things are more important than partisan differences or the politics of the moment,” Obama said. “Today I’m asking Congress to send a message to the world that we are united as one nation.”
Here’s the problem, though – we are NOT united as one nation. In fact according to the latest Reuters polling – taken in the midst of a massive pro-war propaganda campaign – only 20 percent of Americans support using our military assets in Syria. More than 53 percent say we should stay out of the conflict.
That’s a nearly 3-to-1 margin …
Actually we ARE “united as a nation” or about as much as one will ever see. The nation is united against a war on Syria.
So what’s next?
“Naturally the common people don’t want war: Neither in Russia, nor in England, nor for that matter in Germany. That is understood. But, after all, IT IS THE LEADERS of the country who determine the policy and it is always a simple matter to drag the people along, whether it is a democracy, or a fascist dictatorship, or a parliament, or a communist dictatorship. Voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is TELL THEM THEY ARE BEING ATTACKED, and denounce the peacemakers for lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger. IT WORKS THE SAME IN ANY COUNTRY.”
–Hermann Goering at the Nuremberg Trials
Brilliant reference!
Yes, brilliant statement that can be proven.
Problem is, if BO does not get the vote, then expect more false flags in Syria and possibly even here. I’m sure it’s easy to manufacture some Syrian terrorists here that manage to slip past all of our NSA/FBI/DHS security and kill a few folks. Then, Americans will rally around the flag like Goering said and BO will have free hand to bomb the shit out of anyone.
Please, let cooler heads prevail, but, I doubt it.
I can’t help but thinking that with the dithering decision making, blithering about red lines, no end strategy, and symbolic objective that would only help AlQ rebels, that this is a ploy to proceed before or after congress votes. The GOP House will vote it down along with lib Dem doves. This will be a historically rare if not unprecedented failure of the rally round the flag effect given BO’s domestic troubles. If strike occurs before legislative approval, cries that are plausible but politically misguided for impeachment will accelerate. Like Clinton, BO will fight it, appear a persecuted martyr, increasing his popularity a la Clinton. Impeachment efforts will fail. Like 1998, the six year itch will be nonexistent, with Dems winning the narrow margin needed to retake the House. Be careful unless you ain’t seen no authoritarianism until this happens after next year’s election.
Does Obama even know where Syria is?
TBG’s One sentence summation of the Obama presidency :
“Let me be perfectly clear…[Long winded obfuscation].”
Yea, well when you still hold up applications for GOP political 501c’s despite the fact Obama’s IRS targeted GOP political 501c’s from being approved has been exposed and is under investigation, do not expect any consideration from the same political party when you need something from them.
When you arrogantly refuse to submit a WH budget since 2009 and force continuing resolutions to keep your 2008 budget intact, do not expect understanding from the GOP.
When turn NSA terrorist spy provisions limited by the annually approved Patriot Act against your own people, illegally, outside the scope and intentions of the law, do not expect the GOP to see your Syrian threats as you do.
Actually the record shows the IRS went after 501(c)s on both sides of the isle.
Republicans Offer Syria Strategy: “We Must Defund Obamacare”
WASHINGTON (The Borowitz Report) — As the debate over Syria moves to the United States Congress, a leading Senate Republican said today that the only way to resolve the crisis in the war-torn Middle Eastern country is by “defunding Obamacare at once.”
Appearing on the Fox News Channel, Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) told host Sean Hannity, “If we’re trying to send a strong message to [Syrian President] Bashar al-Assad, I can think of no better way to do that than by defunding Obamacare.”
Elaborating on his strategy, Sen. Cruz added, “By defunding Obamacare, we would basically be saying to Assad, ‘This is how we attack our own President, so just imagine what we’ll do to you.’ That would make him think twice before he pulls another one of his stunts.”
“You can fire off as many Tomahawk missiles as you want,” said Sen. Cruz. “But they won’t have the same impact on Syria as defunding Obamacare.”
Shortly after his appearance, Sen. Cruz’s statements drew a sharp rebuke from a fellow Republican, Arizona Senator John McCain, who called the prospect of bombing Syria “the only thing I have to live for.”
“Look, I’ve been in a very dark place since the 2008 election,” Sen. McCain told reporters. “There have been a lot of mornings when, quite frankly, I haven’t had a reason to get out of bed. It’s all well and good for people like Ted Cruz to criticize Tomahawk missiles, but hitting Syria is all that’s keeping me going.”