Brits Out

The British Parliament rejects action in Syria. Hmm, its tough for Obama to lead from behind if no one is in front. Over to Paris?!?

JUST THINKING OUT LOUD... As we look around and try to figure out who is in charge here, I'm wondering - isn't there an unemployed rodeo clown looking for work? Put him on the team! He'll fit right in and he can hardly make it worse.

Comments

[maryrose]

I hope I am first.
Obama is saved by the bell because cooler heads prevail in Britain and now in France also.I loved watching him squirm and he and Biden have been exposed for their opposite positions in 2007. Hypocrites! A guy on CNBC this morning could not give a decent explanation as to why we just bomb a few places and then exit.

[maryrose]

TM;
i would take that rodeo clown-who at least possesses a sense of humor over preezy any day of the week.
Obummer looks like the wuss he is and always has been and now has to crawl back down from his arrogant post and admit he doesn't have the stones to go it alone because HE would get all the blame.

[narciso el taino]

After you Alfonse;

"I have no earthly idea why they're talking so much," said retired Admiral William Fallon, the former head of the military's Central Command. "It's not leaking out; it's coming out through a hose. It's just a complete head-scratcher."

You do remember why you were replaced;

[Ask General Idris]

OK, obummer said we might have to go it alone. Mike Rogers (another likely suspect) trotted out the same crapola.

Everyone can go home now.

[admiral kolchak]

Trust me they will come through.

[Ranger]

So, let me get this right, Bush was a cowboy because he had a coalition of 29 countries willing to help and a Congressional resolution authorizing force, but Barry is a Peace Prize winner, because he bombs places all on his own without even asking congress or the UN.

BTW, CNN shilling for the White House:

Chemical weapons a game-changer on U.S. public opinion on Syria

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2013/08/29/chemical-weapons-a-game-changer-on-u-s-public-opinion-on-syria/

Funny, cause the last poll I saw was the WaPo one from Monday that said even with Chem use, support is at 20% for getting involved.

[Danube on iPad]

One Brit MP said flatly that the only reason anyone is discussing this is that the "American president foolishly drew a red line."

My hunch is that Obama will call it off. If not, I'd like to see someone introduce articles of impeachment.

[Ignatz]

Maybe Barry can drop a Hellfire down Parliament's stovepipe.

[Ranger]

Here is the latest poll data I am aware of:

New poll: Syria intervention even less popular than Congress

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2013/08/26/new-poll-syria-intervention-even-less-popular-than-congress/

Highest level support is 25%, and that is factoring in Chem weapons use by Assad.

[daddy]

This side of the pond all the channels are focused on analyzing Cameron's defeat in Parliament on the Syrian Vote.

France 24, BBC, Al Arabiya, Al Jizz, CCTV in English etc. Many talking heads and reporters I am unfamiliar with are making their appearances and putting in their 2 cents, but I don't believe I have seen any reporters or talking heads being interviewed who are unhappy that Cameron's Vote failed. The conventional wisdom I am detecting is that Parliament was right to vote the measure down and there is a sense of cautious relief that it happened.

Much skepticism voiced over who actually ordered the Poison Gas attacks, but even more pushback voiced at the probable negative consequences of Obama's planned attacks, regardless if Assad used poison gas or not. My take on watching these guys over here is that there is a unity in believing that the West should not get involved in the conflict militarily in any way at all.

[NK(tryin')]

Labor day weekend, kids go back to school, this all goes down the Legacy Media memory hole... 'we were always at peace with Assad, and at war with AQ in Syria". Ah, bu the USA's enemies won't forget, the Mullahs, Putin, NorKs, AQ, the ChiComs all note the fecklessness of Obummer, and worse, our 'friends' will note it as well.

[rse]

So are we yet to the point that to save face bo has to commit an action that the world currently views as horrendously stupid?

[Ask General Idris]

Two days ago, the contingency plan was revealed;

Syrian Electronic Army !!! Hacked NYT !!!!

Today after the Cameron bashing, it was trotted out again.

'OMG. They could hack into our power grid, our iphones and facebook.'

BOOGA, BOOGA !!!

The war mongers are pure genius.

[Bruce]

Neo-Con

Old Definition: New Conservative

New Definition: Modern Con Artist

[Janesun - the squaw]

According to Fox News the NSA leak today if reported in full would be the most devastating leak in the history of this nation.

[matt]

Obama's fig leaf has shrunk to the size of Anthony Weiner's.

Now in Fayetteville. 80 degrees in California is very different from in NC.

[Danube on iPad]

Is there some connection between NeoCons and this Syrian mess?

[Gmax]

The French are treacherous as a rule, and Hollandaise will more likely amplify rather than dampen such tendency. I guess you go to war with the Allies you have not the Allies you wish you have, but with the French you probably need to watch for the backstab constantly. Pretty comforting eh Barry?

You have screwed this up every way possible.

[maryrose]

Labor Day weekend and Obama reveals 2 new gun rules that do absolutely nothing to prevent gun violence but will satisfy his need to give Congress the finger.
On Syria -preezy has stepped in it and will back down,mark my words. There is no justifiable reason to strike other than his wounded pride. On tuesday the G-20 would have him for lunch-well they will anyway. I am embarassed that he is our rep over there for this conference.

[Ask General Idris]

what does it have to do with neocons? Out of touch, yet again?

Just google Ledeen Syria and you find several posts with the theme

"Syria; Faster please'. you see they are in a big hurry to get this done.

They can't wait.

[narciso el taino]

Well the fact that he chose a fairly pointless exercise, might explain why they didn't go through with it;

http://newsbusters.org/blogs/noel-sheppard/2013/08/29/krauthammer-britain-voting-against-syrian-military-action-complete-hu

[maryrose]

narciso:
Dr. K has expressed my views exactly. Obama has been internationally humiliated. They sure have his number.

[Ask General Idris]

"Obama has been internationally humiliated."

Well that's the most important part. Happy?

[maryrose]

GI:
His comeuppance is long overdue. He should have intervened a year ago with a coalition of support. He has missed his opportunityto make a difference because of his innate fear and incompetence. In a just world he would be impeached for his lies and unconstitutional acts throughout his presidency. Joe from SC a congressperson was right when he yelled" You Lie!" at the State of the Union.

[Jeff Dobbs]

Damn thai pad.

Matt - I'm nearby if you'll be in NC for a day or two........

[narciso el taino]

The problem is General Idriss's forces, some of whomm comprise the th Livan al Islam. which was the putative target in West Ghouta, is possibly the weakest possible section, with Nusra and Ahram stealing support from them,

[glasater]

I wonder if Obama can even feel shame or embarrassment or humiliation.
I wonder how he can even face the leaders of the other countries at the G20.

[Jeff Dobbs]

F'itallville is where I had a bite and brew with Soylent a few years ago.

Jus' sayin'

[James D.]

I wonder if Obama can even feel shame or embarrassment or humiliation.

No.

Next question?

[Barry Dauphin]

Over to Paris?!?

Cheese eating surrender monkeys!

[centralcal]

I know, glasater. This is quite an awkward situation he is in - plus it is of his own making.

I think I read that he will be in California (LA?) this weekend fund raising, before he heads to the G20 - wonder if his donors will speak up? Nah, never mind.

[centralcal]

Yep, I was right.

Ryan B. Leslie ‏@RyanBLeslie 1h

@RichardGrenell On the eve of War, Obama To Spend Labor Day At $32,400 Per Plate Fundraiser http://b4in.info/aFN0

-----------

It seems to be the only thing he is really capable of doing - fundraising.

[Janesun - the squaw]

"Obama To Spend Labor Day At $32,400 Per Plate Fundraiser http://b4in.info/aFN0"

I wonder how much of it he siphons into his own pocket.

[Ignatz]

-- I guess you go to war with the Allies you have not the Allies you wish you have --

Unfortunately, this president is likely to actually go to war with our allies rather than our enemies.

[narciso el taino]

More cunning, cunning, plans;

http://freebeacon.com/u-s-transfers-two-guantanamo-detainees-to-algeria/

[Ignatz]

Came upon this amusing passage in a Christian Science Monitor story on the Yosemite fire;

Because the fire has entered Yosemite National Park, firefighters – now at 4,400 – are restricted in what they can do. With much of the park designated as wilderness, vehicles and even roads are prohibited by federal law. Therefore, fire commanders can’t deploy bulldozers to plow fire lines, and crews can’t go in with firetrucks.

In exceptional situations, officials order smoke-jumping crews to parachute into backcountry and drop supplies and tools.

Also, the Tuolumne and Merced Rivers have federal designations as wild and scenic rivers, meaning hand crews have to avoid clearing around the rivers and fire aviation managers need to give the rivers wide berth when dropping retardant.

A fire line covering a few acres is seen as more destructive than an out of control fire frying everything in its path for thousands of acres. And of course that intense fire burning even the duff on the ground will lead to erosion we loggers can only dream of producing into those same protected rivers.

[glasater]

Borrowing from Clarice I'd like to see OFA - who must be the recipient of this fundraising nonsense - bombed and the earth where it used to exist salted.

[centralcal]

OMG, Iggy - that isn't amusing at all. This is what America is about to become if we don't change directions, quickly.

[glasater]

We had a big fire by Dayton WA a few years ago. A photo buddy and I went to the burn area a year later and took pictures. The flowers and new growth were amazingly beautiful and I took pictures to treasure.
BTW I'm not a greenie at all.

[Ignatz]

In a gallows humor sort of way, cc.

[centralcal]

I know, I know, Ignatz. But, far too much of humor these days, is "gallows humor."

[derwill]

Jeez, Ig. Talk about the stupid, it burns.

[Gmax]

One of the commenters over at Powerline notes a curious bit of coincidence/astroturf:

KFI in LA interviewed 17 of the picketers. One worked for a fast food restaurant. The others were all SEIU hacks with jobs.

[centralcal]

Not surprising at all, Gmax. The whole picketing, protesting, bullsh*t is SEIU orchestrated.

[Ranger]

I have to say, if the comments section of this NYT story are any indication, Obama and the Dems are in serious political trouble of this:

Obama Set for Limited Strike on Syria as British Vote No

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/30/us/politics/obama-syria.html?pagewanted=1&_r=0&hp

Obama has lost Timesland big time over this, and he hasn't even launched a round. Rarely have I seen a politician put themselves in such a lose/lose situation.

[Gmax]

Iowa Hawk nails it ( and the hypocrites in the "anti-war" movement ):

Global warming has apparently wiped out the Puff-Chested North American War Protester.

[Account Deleted]

Ranger,

The President is behaving as if he had received a relative's ear in the mail with a ransom note. I understand the provocation of having been slapped silly by the Russian gangsters time after time after time but I just can't believe he's so thin-skinned as to proceed with Operation Camel Butt out of a need to prove his whatever.

I really can't think of a precedent for this level of blatant stupidity.

[Ranger]

Agreed Rick. At this point, if he goes ahead, we need to start referring to him as Obama the War Criminal. Shove it back down the left's throat. Make them choke on it.

[centralcal]

I really can't think of a precedent for this level of blatant stupidity.

There isn't any. He is HISTORICAL, in ways that no one could ever have contemplated.

[centralcal]

A laughing stock around the world, says the Krauthammer.

A sorrow for us.

[Gmax]

Laughingstock

Perhaps he could just go and replace that rodeo clown, he wont need the mask, and he has the clown routine down pat...

[DrJ]

One can hope that Obama will learn from this debacle when he considers his options for Iran.

Then again, pigs might fly.

[Danube on iPad]

"what does it have to do with neocons?"

Dana, you stupid son of a bitch, do you really think that Michael Ledeen has brought us to this insane place? Do, for example, the President, Secretary of State and Secretary of Defense have anything to do with it?

Not if you're a feather-passing moron from a jerkwater college.

[centralcal]

Amen, amen, DoT!

[BBKey]

I have an idea , why doesn't the JEF ask someone smarter than he is like Chuck Hagel:) , what to do next . After all Hagel spent more time in the Senate......

[narciso el taino]

Hagel who say Biden as a Wiseman, shirley you gest,

[Account Deleted]

What would you say if the President pegged Assad (and his hierarchy) with a decapitation strike right now?

No Operation Camel Butt - just an attempt to cut the head off the rattler without further dithering.

[BBKey]

He who lives in a bubble is doomed to die in a bubble

[Ignatz]

Had anyone listened to Ledeen's repeated calls for the non-military, political destabilization of Iran, giving the moderate and sensible Iranians a chance to take their country back, we would probably be facing a very much more peaceful and stable middle east, perhaps even resistant to Barry's pernicious influence.

[Danube on iPad]

"'Obama has been internationally humiliated.' Well that's the most important part. Happy?"

Absolutely. Perhaps because of this monumental, absolutely unprecedented humiliation this strutting popinjay will think twice before he ever again publicly discusses committing an unlawful act of war without seeking any sort of congressional approval or authorization.

I want him humiliated to such an extent that no president in any party will ever again contemplate this kind of monstrously dangerous stupidity.

[narciso el taino]

The one true template, if not line, in all the President's men, is 'follow the money' these were Hagel's outfits donors;

http://thehill.com/images/stories/news/2013/02_february/08/hagel-letter.pdf

[Danube on iPad]

"What would you say if the President pegged Assad (and his hierarchy) with a decapitation strike right now?"

I would say that: (a) it would likely fail, (b) we have no idea whatsoever whether the succeeding regime would be better or worse, (c) we would have acted contrarily to our own law and the law of nations, and (d) we would pay a huge cost in American lives, credibility and influence.

All of these consequences,,of course, are as nothing compared to the unthinkable consequence of our fool presient being exposed as a fool. So let the missiles fly.

And in any case it's all Michael Ledeen's fault.

[narciso el taino]

Well there is that, as well as an additional practical problem, there was a reason he didn't engage in decapitation, in the nuclear conflict,
because we can't shur it off, it would signal to the Baathists that they have nothing left to lose, by using up their entire chemical and other resources, scorched earth if you will.

[Threadkiller]

We must refrain from humiliating our President on one subject though.

[Captain Hate on an iPhone]

How 'bout those Towson Tigers?

[narciso el taino]

Remarkable how he found the stupidest thing to say;

http://www.breitbart.com/Breitbart-TV/2013/08/29/Alan-Grayson-Not-Even-Clear-That-It-Was-A-Chemical-Attack-In-Syria

[narciso el taino]

Ouch, UConn should have pulled a 'Roberto Duran'

[Danube on iPad]

"We must refrain from humiliating our President on one subject though."

We'll do well to stick to the ones on which the facts and the law are on our side. Otherwise we'd look obsessive and stupid.

[narciso el taino]

Well maybe relatively predictable, was a better way to put it.

[Captain Hate on an iPhone]

If the Terps don't pound UConn the Big Ten may rescind the invitation. I'm not even sure tonight's game was an upset.

[Clarice]

I don't recall ever seeing a bigger cockup than this Obama redline stunt.

[narciso el taino]

Well the Chicago bid for the Olympics has to be up there, although it's less consequential.

[Danube on iPad]

I don't either, Clarice. I am eager to see the postmortems after the smoke clears from this unmitigated and catastrophic humiliation.

I take it as given that E.J. Dionne will declare it a diplomatic triumph. But how far beyond Baghdad E.J. will the sycophancy extend? What will Chris Matthews, Rachel Maddow and Lawrence O'Donnel say? What will the NY Times editorial board say?

[narciso el taino]

They will look at the Emperor's fine silks on his robes, but this story isn't over, as it happened back in May, they were be more instances;

This story for instance, is 'too good to check' possibly from the Iranian side, like the one last summer,

[Captain Hate on an iPhone]

I didn't ever think I could admire those IOC crooks and lowlifes as much as I did when they swatted Gaylord's dumbass presentation into the cheap seats.

[Gus]

Dana Dimbulb doesn't want his BBBFF Bestest Black Boy Friend forevah, humiliated.
Hahahhahahahahahahahahaha!!

[narciso el taino]

Dana was for John Edwards, th kind of person who would talk up he 9th Ward, and then foreclose on it through his hedgefund, an easier mark you can't find.

[narciso el taino]

Just using the smaller halibut for once;

http://conservatives4palin.com/2013/08/governor-palin-to-obama-give-america-justification-before-you-spend-blood.html

[Captain Hate on an iPhone]

The sad thing is that the Olympics are just some garish parody chock full of chemical enhancements and cost overruns that any country should avoid like lice and STDs; so I got a big laugh out of the whole spectacle. This, on the other hand, makes the country look bad and can lead to very negative consequences.

[narciso el taino]

Yes, Syria's Iran's proxy. they were the ones who provided diplomatic cover for Hezbollah's organizers, but using these militias, against them, is like curious chicken pox with the rage virus.

[Captain Hate on an iPhone]

DoT, is the Lane Kiffin experiment about to be shut down.

[Captain Hate on an iPhone]

Nytol

[Gus]

Goodnight Capn.

[Gus]

Seems OBAMA cannot get a single ALLY to back him. What happened to all that SMART DIPLOMACY. I thought Obama was going to make all the other countries LOVE US???

How did the GOP screw this up??

[Stephanie]

Vandy Ole Miss game just went insane. Holee cow

[jimmyk]

I thought Obama was going to make all the other countries LOVE US???

It seems that the love deficit that Bush left us in was even deeper than we'd thought. Of course they love us much more than under the evil Bush, but it will require many more years of Democratic rule to get the love back to where it was with Slick Willy. Call it "love created or saved."

[Janet]

We probably need a Love Czar &/or a Love Tax. Maybe do some modeling & lots of peer reviewed studies....NASA could do it along with their Muslim outreach program. :(

[rich@gmu]

Call it "love created or saved."

*****

lol. if I have a reason to steal it, I will.

[Gus]

But they worked with Bush. They don't work with Obama. What happened?? Bush lied..........etc etc. Obama is as honest as Abe Lincoln!! What happened to our allies??

[rich@gmu]

so the Brits are out, the UN is on deck, and this whole fiasco is polling in the 20's.

The smartest man in the room.

maybe he can pivot to jobs and the middle class.

[Gus]

Yes Rich, like a LASER!! Maybe he can divide us further vis a vis Trayvon skittles, or the CAMBRIDGE POLICE who acted "stupidly".
Obama is an emotionally dysfunctional CON-MAN.
He will always be the smarted LIBTARD in the room, so long as his SYCCOPHANTIC disciples are l-tarded.

[Janet]

No, Rich...he's just gonna give away more of your money. Maybe he'll go on Letterman and fill out some sports brackets too. But mostly, give away your money.

Is anyone from the IRS is jail yet? How bout Pigford fraud?...anyone prosecuted for that yet?

There are no consequences for these thieves & criminals....

[rich@gmu]

and what was the nsa leak about today. the only bit I saw was about budget and headcount numbers-which I find hard to believe Snowden would have access to (although WaPo does claim he provided the figures)...wonder if the briefing packages for congress is what he got a hold of?

[rich@gmu]

hear ya Janet, all the way out here in the NoVa backwaters.

this is an unmitigated disaster. Clinton's botching of the 1996 bombing in Iraq sort of comes close, but we also had support for our actions (that one ended with a large number of Iraqi dissidents shuttled off to Guam and the Kurds in a civil war. IIRC one of Saddam's loyalists got a hold of the comm gear we shipped to the opposition and told the folks on the other end to go home).

[JIB]

Another beautiful pre-fall summer day in Antwerp.

As predicted by the Euro press, no one wants to be led by a weak leader. They love Obama as a socialist loves empathy but see him and America as diminished. Obama not personally as humiliated as is our status of "exceptionalism".

[Maybee]

One argument made frequently in the House of Commons yesterday was they didn't feel they should have to vote on someone else's political timetable. So they knew they were being asked to vote to save Obama's pride, and they balked.

Obama can always make a big "I was wrong to say 'red line' " speech.

[dublindave]

We need Congress to get off it's lazy ass,get back to Washington and sign off on this thing. It'll remove some of the heat off Obama by shoring up Congressional support for the Syrian attack.

[JIB]

Priceless comment over at Insty under the photo of W: "Miss me yet"?

We traded our cowboy President for a Rodeo Clown.

[dublindave]

So if this was a western the Brits(and let's face it Republicans) would essentially be the townsfolk locking their doors and pulling their blinds as the American President walks down to the street, outnumbered, alone, ready to take on the bad guys.

Even his own party in the form of the town prostitute (who secretly loves the President) tries to prevent the suicide mission by pleading with him to see reason. The President bows his head and takes a moment, kicks some dirt, looks up, thinks, then looks down to the ground again and says almost inaudibly" the guys who did this are scum. They're scum. They have to pay for what they did. Yeah, if I go to hell for striking Syria then so be it,i'm taking these murdering bastards with me. I ain't no saint, far from it and I don't know a lot, but this much I do know; the next time some evil fuck wants to kill thousands of innocent civilians he's gonna look up and see the United States of America standing there and he's gonna think twice".

The President continue along the path.

[bgates]

I am eager to see the postmortems after the smoke clears

Tomorrow's Headlines...Today!
(Except you said that yesterday, so I guess this is today's headlines...today...or yesterday's news for tomorrow now...never mind I'll just get on with the bit)

Syriaquester: Republican Austerity Deprived America of the Resources We Needed to Resolve the Syria Crisis

The Real Scandal of Benghazi: How a Pointless Republican Witch Hunt Preoccupied the State Department When it Was Needed to Build an Anti-Assad Coalition

Haitian Revolt, Jamaican Rum: France and Britain Were Brutal Slave States, so it's No Surprise They Turned on Obama Now

Holy Casting Director-in-Chief! President Obama (Bat-)Signals Approval of Choice of Ben Affleck to Play Batman

Five Years of Diplomatic Triumphs Under Obama Not Enough to Repair Eight Years of Catastrophe Under Bush

As Combatants Commit Atrocities in Syria, Mitt Romney Contributes Nothing to Search for Solution; Instead Spends Days Rolling in Pile of Money He Made By Firing Veterans and Grandparents We Think Probably

Why Federally Funded Green Energy Means the Middle East Just Doesn't Matter

Glenn Beck: Still Crazy (Plus Christian Leader Jim Wallis on Why It's OK To Hope Beck Burns in Hell)

Could Stand Your Ground Laws Increase the Odds of a Chemical Weapon Attack in a US City?

Fundamental Transformation in Damascus: President Assad Shows Why Sometimes a Government Has to Start Shooting at the Religious Nuts, Hint, Hint