Times coverage of Obama's latest plan for Syria is brutal. Here is David Sanger with a News Analysis:
Tripping on His Own Red Line?
WASHINGTON — IT started with just 20 words, intended to keep Barack Obama out of a war. The tens of thousands dying in Syria was a global tragedy, he told reporters a year ago, when the worst horrors were still months away, but as commander in chief he had to focus on American strategic interests and could not intervene in every humanitarian tragedy around the world.
Then he offered his one caveat. “A red line for us,” he said, “is we start seeing a whole bunch of chemical weapons moving around or being utilized.”
...
Yet the sharply limited goals Mr. Obama has described in explaining his rationale for taking military action now — “a shot across the bow” to halt future chemical attacks, he told PBS — pose risks of their own. If President Bashar al-Assad emerges from a few days of Tomahawk missile barrages relatively unscathed, he will be able to claim that he faced down not only his domestic opponents but the United States, which he has charged is the secret hand behind the uprising.
In the words of one recently departed senior adviser to Mr. Obama, “the worst outcome would be making Assad look stronger.”
How did Mr. Obama find himself in this trap? Partly, it was an accident of history: in the early, heady days of the Arab uprisings, no one bet that Mr. Assad would survive this long, in a country where his Alawite sect is a minority.
But there is an argument that Mr. Obama’s own caution about foreign interventions put him in this box. Horrific as the Aug. 21 chemical weapons attack was, it was no more horrific than the conventional attacks that caused the deaths of 100,000 Syrians. Those prompted only a minimal American response — international condemnations, some sporadic arms shipments for a ragtag group of rebels, and an understandable reluctance by an American president to get on the same side of the civil war as Al Nusra Front, an affiliate of Al Qaeda.
Now the crossing of the red line has forced Mr. Obama’s hand. He says he is intervening to stop the use of a specific weapon whose use in World War I shocked the world. But he is not intervening to stop the mass killing, or to remove the man behind those attacks.
Mark Landler is also unsparing:
President Pulls Lawmakers Into Box He Made
...
After two years of resisting deeper involvement in Syria, Mr. Obama finally decided to order a military strike — only to put his order on a shelf while he seeks Congressional approval.
...
To a large degree, much of Mr. Obama’s quandary is that he boxed himself in by setting a “red line” on the use of chemical weapons by Syria, a line he now feels obliged to enforce to preserve his credibility. But the path to this messy moment has been complicated by more than an ill-advised utterance on Syria.
Throughout his presidency, whether the goal was closing the military prison in Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, or backing the NATO air campaign in Libya, Mr. Obama has proved better at articulating legal principles than at managing the politics that could help him defend those principles.
Ouch.
Some analysts say that Mr. Obama’s determination even now to divorce military action from broader engagement in Syria may have complicated his effort to rally international support.
“We’re telling people, we still don’t want to get involved, we just want to punish this guy,” said Vali R. Nasr, the dean of the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies. “The reason people aren’t lining up with us is that they don’t have trust in our policy.”
Ouch again. The article closes with thoughts from some former members of Team Obama:
Given the intractable nature of the Syrian conflict and the deep-rooted suspicions in the Arab world about American motives, some former administration officials said that Mr. Obama’s limited intervention would inevitably create a new set of problems.
“If the scope of the attacks is too narrow,” said Steven Simon, who until this year was the senior director for the Middle East at the National Security Council, “Obama is going to end up with a gloating Assad. If it’s too sweeping, it’s going to raise questions about regime change and American ownership. How do you find the sweet spot?”
For that reason, officials expect Mr. Obama to follow his military action with a renewed diplomatic effort. The trouble is, the fracturing of Syria into warring, increasingly radical factions makes diplomacy even harder.
For those who argued that Mr. Obama should have done more to support the rebels a year ago, his quandary seems sadly inevitable.
“What was eminently predictable has come to pass,” said Anne-Marie Slaughter, former director of policy planning at the State Department and the incoming president of the New America Foundation. “Because of the way it’s evolved, it is an incredibly complicated problem.”
It's Complicated. Maybe that can be Hillarity's bumper sticker for 2016.
And do let me add - anyone who declared Wednesday, August 28 to be the worst day of the Obama Administration needs to recalibrate:
Obama no longer commands respect
By Jennifer Rubin
Mark your calendar: Aug. 28, 2013. That was the day the roof fell in on President Obama. Our closest ally, Congress, the media and our military demonstrated their utter contempt for him. He has tried to avoid the world and U.S. involvement in it, so, naturally, his sudden call to arms (however weak and unsatisfactory) has provoked waves of skepticism.
In Britain, Prime Minister David Cameron was “deserted by rebels in his own Conservative Party [and] lost a parliamentary vote for provisional authorization for military action in Syria.” The White House vowed to go it alone, an ironic outcome for Obama, who berated his predecessor for failing to work with multi-lateral bodies.
If Wednesday was the day the roof fell in, Saturday was the day the rubble burst into flames. Geez, I can't wait for Tuesday...
Going OT right from the start...
I posted earlier today about a WAPO Opinion piece headlined:
Sex between students and teachers should not be a crime
Well, it's still there in the online WAPO, but now the headline (and the link) is different:
The unintended consequences of laws addressing sex between teachers and students
So my question is:
Was the WAPO just trolling for hits on the website?
Did some intern or junior staffer write the headline, and it was changed when a grownup saw it?
Or did they just honestly see nothing wrong with the first headline, or the idea behind it, until they got pushback from readers?
Posted by: James D. | August 31, 2013 at 06:42 PM
Well, the local news has a perfect squirrel to wipe ObamaFail #54871932 out of local minds. Harley Davidson 110 Anniversary is here, more bikes than a plague of
red lineslocusts. At least the weather is nice and my puppy camp attendee is delighted chasing critters around the farm. (If he catches one he has to share for dinner).Posted by: henry | August 31, 2013 at 07:07 PM
Going OT again...
I forgot until I saw her post yesterday that you were a doctor, anonamom.
I'd love to send you a copy of one of my books (#2, where my heroine starts medical school) so I can get an actual doctor's opinion on what I got right and wrong.
Email me at jamesd at elevendayempire dot com if you want it...
Posted by: James D. | August 31, 2013 at 07:07 PM
I still find it fascinating that Obama gets called out for his "red line" comments (which he should), but no one seems to hark back to his comments on why he was bombing Libya...
Obama most certainly waited for images of slaughter and mass graves before taking action in Syria. And now he's waiting and waiting and waiting ever more.
To believe Obama's Libya justifications, you would also now have to acknowledge that he is betraying who we are, brushing aside America's responsibility in Syria. That Obama has determined that the US has changed since then and can now turn a blind eye to atrocities.
Hope and change.
Posted by: Jeff Dobbs | August 31, 2013 at 07:14 PM
henry:
Harley Davidson 110 Anniversary is here
FWIW, Miller High Life is also celebrating 110 years this year...
Posted by: Jeff Dobbs | August 31, 2013 at 07:17 PM
I think Egypt intervened Hit and people are now paying more attention since they figured out he supports the Mulsim Brotherhood.
That's probably wrong.
Posted by: Jane-sun - the squaw | August 31, 2013 at 07:32 PM
Hit, you would think the locals would notice that. Not. A. Word.
Could you imagine intentionally attracting 10s of thousands of High Life lovers for a long weekend filled with parties, parades, concerts, and free beer? You might get Kid Rock to to do a big blowout show!
Oooops...
Any brand that people go out of their way to tattoo on themselves is going to win the whose 110th is more important, while the other provides the beer.
Posted by: henry | August 31, 2013 at 07:33 PM
Since we're going OT here amidst this rare abundance of threads, I'm just about have a rage stroke that the Penn State Pedophile Enablers are still allowed to play football *and* those ESPN turds cater to the cult by televising their games. That shitbox needs to be converted into green glass.
Btw it was revealed this week that Sandusky's predations went back to the 70s. What coverup?
Posted by: Captain Hate on an iPhone | August 31, 2013 at 07:38 PM
Thin-Skinned Obama could do nothing else.
He is very predictable, maybe someone in the Republican Party can put that information to use...
Posted by: PDinDetroit | August 31, 2013 at 07:41 PM
Jane,
The complete and utter failure of Clinton and Obama's Arab Spring fiasco was crystal clear when Benghazi happened. I don't believe pig ignorant progressives are capable of successfully running anything more complicated than a shoe shine stand and the lack of planning and failure to execute Arab Spring was apparent right from the start (kinda like BOzocare). Egypt clarified the complete lack of competence on the part of Clinton and Obama but the Gazprom/KSA bloc got rolling when President Weak Horse beclowned himself at Benghazi.
Posted by: Account Deleted | August 31, 2013 at 07:49 PM
The map in the O'Bagy piece, is more informative then she intends, with the retreat from Iraq, these forces moved up the river valley, the Syrian Army has gained some ground, partially with it's brutality, but also the justified fear of insurgents like Al Nusra,
Posted by: narciso el taino | August 31, 2013 at 07:55 PM
Rick,
It's interesting how the left sees it. It's all about Obama being "Bush lite". That is the only way they can justify this. It doesn't matter how many times you point out that this is diametrically opposed to anything Bush did - they don't get it.
They don't understand the narcissism. They just think there is something in the WH water - and it's Bush's fault.
Posted by: Jane-sun - the squaw | August 31, 2013 at 08:07 PM
PD,
How are things in Detroit these days?
Posted by: Jane-sun - the squaw | August 31, 2013 at 08:07 PM
My guess is the NYT is mad because they realize what a bind he put his own party in before the midterms.
Posted by: Clarice | August 31, 2013 at 08:08 PM
How are things in Detroit these days?
And how are the wedding plans going?
Posted by: Jeff Dobbs | August 31, 2013 at 08:12 PM
Apparently, the new restructuring of Cyprus's debt
by the Russian banks, procludes US airstrikes from their territory.
Posted by: narciso el taino | August 31, 2013 at 08:13 PM
It started with just 20 words, intended to keep Barack Obama out of a war.
No intent to keep the United States out of a war. Barack Obama's intent, in Sanger's telling, was to protect the interests of no one besides Barack Obama.
Of course he's absolutely right about that.
Posted by: bgates | August 31, 2013 at 08:27 PM
Just as most lawyers prefer to have smart opponents on the other side to get a more rapid and sensible resolution of disputes, I'd bet world leaders are gnashing their teeth that the US has at its helm such a moron, and I think that includes putative enemies of our.No one ikes living and working in a series of anything can happen days.
Posted by: Clarice | August 31, 2013 at 08:27 PM
Passing gas ....
...holding nose.
This is our leadership, gang.
Posted by: centralcal | August 31, 2013 at 08:28 PM
Click to view - this is our POTUS on the phone with Boehner, per Pete the WH photog.
Posted by: centralcal | August 31, 2013 at 08:29 PM
True, Clarice, however this is who too many of them wanted, McCain was too old, and Sarah was too declasse, so they as we have to live with their consequences.
Posted by: narciso el taino | August 31, 2013 at 08:32 PM
Detroit is just as screwed up as normal.
Tigers are playing great baseball - only go into Detroit for games and Red Wings Hockey Games (season ticket holder - cannot wait until the season starts!).
Wedding happened 6/29, see LUN for her favorite pic. Very happy - we both are.
I have been diagnosed with Ménière's disease, it has been very challenging to deal with. I have a great ENT, so we are going through the motions now to determine what will/will not work.
Posted by: PDinDetroit | August 31, 2013 at 08:36 PM
"Just as most lawyers prefer to have smart opponents on the other side to get a more rapid and sensible resolution of disputes, I'd bet world leaders are gnashing their teeth that the US has at its helm such a moron, and I think that includes putative enemies of ours"
I agree completely, I've never thought about that before.
Posted by: Jane-sun - the squaw | August 31, 2013 at 08:37 PM
His feet are always on the furniture. What's up with that?
Posted by: Janet --- -... .- -- .- ... ..- -.-. -.- ... | August 31, 2013 at 08:38 PM
I thought children were supposed to refrain from making pistol shapes with their fingers.
Posted by: Threadkiller | August 31, 2013 at 08:38 PM
Yes!, TK! I just noticed that too. Hah! Isn't there a law against that now?
Posted by: Janet --- -... .- -- .- ... ..- -.-. -.- ... | August 31, 2013 at 08:40 PM
Gorgeous couple, PDiD. Love that pic.
Best of luck with your health.
Posted by: Jeff Dobbs | August 31, 2013 at 08:41 PM
I thought children were supposed to refrain from making pistol shapes with their fingers.
Give me approval to strike or I am going to shoot you through the phone!
Posted by: PDinDetroit | August 31, 2013 at 08:41 PM
Maybe he is having phone sex with Reggie.
Posted by: Threadkiller | August 31, 2013 at 08:43 PM
He never fails to act like classless trash in the White House.
Posted by: Captain Hate on an iPhone | August 31, 2013 at 08:46 PM
Jane,
I believe the progs lay the blame for the failure of the circle jerk fantasy of Arab Spring at BOzo's feet for lack of skill in execution rather than acknowledge the absurdity trying to achieve "change" in 70IQ Araby using the socialist media tools which succeeded for BOzo in the US.
The NYT disapproval stems from the same font. BOzo just isn't up to properly executing the progressive hallucination.
Posted by: Account Deleted | August 31, 2013 at 08:47 PM
Defense optional in the Georgia Clemson game.
Posted by: Captain Hate on an iPhone | August 31, 2013 at 08:47 PM
Best of luck with your health.
Thanks, I am going to need it. I can deal with headaches, but sudden vertigo attacks are nearly impossible to deal with, along with the aftermath.
At least I am saving on gas by not driving!
Posted by: PDinDetroit | August 31, 2013 at 08:48 PM
Class act that President Obama, shining shoes on White House furniture. Met his calling, though.
Posted by: trollsrus | August 31, 2013 at 08:48 PM
There will be no strike. The United States will suffer a very damaging humiliation, the consequences of which may well never be undone. To me, that result is preferable to incurring the multitudinous risks that a strike would have entailed.
The fact that this strutting, inept popinjay has also been personally humiliated is an excellent result. The world no longer listens to this man, nor cares what he says. Perhaps Americans will increasingly come around to that posture now. Let him make all the stump speeches he wants to make about Obamacare. No one believes him.
It's been barely 24 hours since the Secretary of State reminded us that this president "does what he says he is going to do." Until he says he's not going to do it.
What was this nation thinking?
Posted by: Danube on iPad | August 31, 2013 at 08:53 PM
Aptly noted:
The Tide lost considerable talent to the NFL last season and those losses will be noticeable.
Offensive line: ‘Look for penetration without stunting...’ 4 sacks allowed.
QB: ‘AJ is insecure with the ball…’
Receivers [Returners]: ‘…Christian [sic - Christion Jones, 255 total yard, 3 TDs (kickoff return, punt return, reception)] and Norwood will stun the casual football fan with their talent.’
Defensive line: ‘Will the D-Line help deliver any shut-outs this campaign? Only against Colorado State and Chattanooga.’
Linebackers: ‘Mosely,…Dickson should fill the gap.’
Secondary: ‘Sunseri brings fire...’ ‘…we are questionable downfield.’
The pachyderms slaughter the hapless Hokies and its Beamer-ball brand of football: 35-10 Blind Sow / Acorn Rule applies.
Not so much:
Backfield: Scary good. Perhaps the best running corps ever assembled at The Capstone. Watch T. J. Yeldon drop his shoulders and you’ll quickly forget about Ingram and Richardson. Yeldon with 75 yards. Meh.
Posted by: Beasts of England | August 31, 2013 at 08:53 PM
PDinDetroit, I'm sorry to hear of your diagnosis. Praying that you will be able to weather it with style.
Congratulations on your marriage! You both look wonderfully happy!
Posted by: Porchlight | August 31, 2013 at 08:53 PM
CH:
Defense optional in the Georgia Clemson game.
I'm just watching to see if either the UGA or Clemson quarterback has a hot girlfriend that Musberger can creep all over.......
Posted by: Jeff Dobbs | August 31, 2013 at 08:57 PM
The problem is history didn't begin in 2009, and it doesn't end today, the Army will continue to 'eradicate' Algerian style any Salafi opposition, and they in turn will surge in kind,
Posted by: narciso el taino | August 31, 2013 at 08:59 PM
What Porch said, PD.
Posted by: Old Lurker test | August 31, 2013 at 09:00 PM
Congrats to you both, PD. You both look very happy.
Posted by: Captain Hate on an iPhone | August 31, 2013 at 09:00 PM
What kind of ass puts his foot up like that on any desk?
Posted by: Ignatz | August 31, 2013 at 09:04 PM
PD, nice pic. I know you;ll manage this bump in the road with grace and determination/
Posted by: Clarice | August 31, 2013 at 09:05 PM
hit, as much as I hate Brent with every letter of my nom de cyberplume, the reaction of the bluenoses of the Worlds Leader in Sports Entertainment Broadcasting was so over the top that I was forced to come down on the side of the liver spotted broadcaster.
I feel unclean having typed that.
Posted by: Captain Hate on an iPhone | August 31, 2013 at 09:08 PM
You know he was fully aware that Souza was off to his right snapping pics. He wanted to be photographed in that pose.
Posted by: Jeff Dobbs | August 31, 2013 at 09:08 PM
PDID, as Glenn Reynolds urges about medical advances - Faster! Faster.
Best wishes.
Posted by: sbwaters | August 31, 2013 at 09:08 PM
Exactly hit; just like he felt it necessary to tell every citizen that his new dog had relieved itself in the home of every previous President. The White House is well staffed enough that such a situation should never happen.
Posted by: Captain Hate on an iPhone | August 31, 2013 at 09:13 PM
That was probably the fourth or fifth take - Obama having Souza pull the pics up on a laptop to proof them.
Posted by: Jeff Dobbs | August 31, 2013 at 09:16 PM
Best wishes, PD,
Posted by: narciso el taino | August 31, 2013 at 09:19 PM
Great photo PD!
You are in my prayers.
Posted by: Threadkiller | August 31, 2013 at 09:30 PM
Congrats, PD. As to the rest, may you overcome from joy of life.
Posted by: centralcal | August 31, 2013 at 09:31 PM
Congratulations on your marriage! You both look wonderfully happy!
Thank you Porch. We entered "equally yoked" as she is Jewish but came to accept her Messiah, Yeshua - Jesus, before we were married. So many reasons why we are together, I never knew I was capable of loving someone so much.
On August 28th, I celebrated my 24th year clean and sober and have been so now for over half my life (47). I also moved up to Chief Technologist at work, although I still like keeping my "hands dirty" with techie stuff.
With the good, comes a little bad. I am grateful I can work from home most of the time and have a flexible schedule.
Posted by: PDinDetroit | August 31, 2013 at 09:31 PM
Obama is such an ______ (fill in the blank, I know I have).
I am sure, God is noticing and preparing a very special place for him and his lovely bride.
Posted by: centralcal | August 31, 2013 at 09:32 PM
Love the pix PD. I don't know what ENT is but it sounds like it sucks.
Posted by: Jane on Ipad hi there NSA | August 31, 2013 at 09:33 PM
Kerry is on every talk show tomorrow. That should be hysterical given how far he's been thrown under the bus.
Posted by: Jane on Ipad hi there NSA | August 31, 2013 at 09:35 PM
Obama is unsophisticated and uneducated. Such a type would strike a pose of nonchalance abruptly discordant from the substance of the day and the call, death.
He truly has no idea what he's doing.
Posted by: MarkO on vacation at an undisclosed location | August 31, 2013 at 09:35 PM
PD:
Congratulations and best wishes to you and your new bride. My MIL developed Muniere's syndrome in her 40's and lived with it for about 48 years.
There were some ups and downs, but It was mostly an annoyance for her.
I can't remember when I was so disgusted with a presidential performance as I was this afternoon, and I am beginning to believe those who think he truly wants to bring our country down to the rest of the world's level. I am stumped for any other rational explanation.
Posted by: Jim Rhoads f/k/a vnjagvet | August 31, 2013 at 09:36 PM
Did you guys catch the "my military" comment from Obama on Friday???
It reveals the true depth of his arrogance, conceit and deceptive intentions.
LUN.
Posted by: PDinDetroit | August 31, 2013 at 09:37 PM
I don't know what ENT is but it sounds like it sucks.
Ear-Nose-Throat Doctor.
Posted by: PDinDetroit | August 31, 2013 at 09:40 PM
Well we all sing "My country tis of thee..." Don't we? :sarc:
Posted by: Clarice | August 31, 2013 at 09:41 PM
Apparently, the fundamental transformation included quit claim deeds.
Posted by: MarkO on vacation at an undisclosed location | August 31, 2013 at 09:45 PM
Love the picture, PD. 47!...a young man.
Posted by: Janet --- -... .- -- .- ... ..- -.-. -.- ... | August 31, 2013 at 09:45 PM
c-c,
I believe Nemesis is now sleeping in the Lincoln Bedroom. There's no reason to consider divine retribution at the moment.
The President will be spending the end of next week in St. Petersburg, Russia, where he is somewhat less than affectionately referred to as "the monkey with a hand grenade". He will be with 19 other heads of state, every one of whom is quite aware of his Russian nickname.
I hope he has a nice time.
Posted by: Account Deleted | August 31, 2013 at 09:46 PM
On FB -
Posted by: Janet --- -... .- -- .- ... ..- -.-. -.- ... | August 31, 2013 at 09:48 PM
Rick is evil. It;s why he's really my favorite. (DTTO,Rick)
Posted by: Clarice | August 31, 2013 at 09:48 PM
He better pack a lot of Nicorette.
Posted by: Janet --- -... .- -- .- ... ..- -.-. -.- ... | August 31, 2013 at 09:49 PM
Congrats PDinDetroit. That's a lovely photo and you look very happy together.
Posted by: Skoot | August 31, 2013 at 09:53 PM
Congratulations and best wishes, PDIT.
Posted by: Account Deleted | August 31, 2013 at 10:00 PM
Ot, how many examples does she need to prove the point;
Posted by: narciso el taino | August 31, 2013 at 10:04 PM
On August 28th, I celebrated my 24th year clean and sober and have been so now for over half my life (47).
That's great to hear. Congratulations...
Posted by: Beasts of England | August 31, 2013 at 10:06 PM
Will Reporting for Doody be on FNS tomorrow? If so I hope Chris Wallace brings his A game since that ignorant gasbag is so easily confused on the rare occasion when a DeMFMer challenges his brainless ppntifications .
Posted by: Captain Hate on an iPhone | August 31, 2013 at 10:09 PM
He's bringing the Stonehenge:
http://gretawire.foxnewsinsider.com/2013/08/31/fnc-james-rosen-note-states-he-was-told-that-president-obama-will-carry-out-the-military-action-regardless-if-congress-votes-to-approve-use-of-force-click-to-read/
Posted by: narciso el taino | August 31, 2013 at 10:16 PM
More chickenshit phony bravado. If he goes to Congress he must abide by what they say or be in very deep yogurt.
Posted by: Clarice | August 31, 2013 at 10:21 PM
Damn, narc; nobody told that witless bint in your 10:04 the first rule of holes. Or she didn't understand it.
Posted by: Captain Hate on an iPhone | August 31, 2013 at 10:22 PM
http://frontpagemag.com/2012/arnold-ahlert/john-kerry-assads-man-in-washington/#.UiKdCVc4pbg.facebook
Did John Kerry help create the butcher Assad?
Posted by: Clarice | August 31, 2013 at 10:25 PM
--Apparently, the fundamental transformation included quit claim deeds.--
LOL. Another perfect comment from MarkO.
I'd love to get a look at some of your briefs.
Wait a minute, that didn't sound right.
I'd love to read some of your pleadings. :)
Posted by: Ignatz | August 31, 2013 at 10:27 PM
I believe witless bints have a different first rule of holes, don't they?
Posted by: Ignatz | August 31, 2013 at 10:28 PM
Ig-gy..Niters.
Posted by: Clarice | August 31, 2013 at 10:29 PM
'Reporting for Duty' has been an Arabist since he first visited the region in the 70s, maybe it was his father's influence,
Posted by: narciso el taino | August 31, 2013 at 10:34 PM
Narciso,
I believe he's made the transition from Spinal Tap to Animal House. We're going to be debating the difference between stupid futility and futile stupidity in short order.
Posted by: Account Deleted | August 31, 2013 at 10:34 PM
LOL @ Oregon State
Posted by: Captain Hate on an iPhone | August 31, 2013 at 10:55 PM
East Washington ,winning the future;
Posted by: narciso el taino | August 31, 2013 at 11:02 PM
I really didn't think the Towson win was an upset but Oregon State was a ranked team. The Western Kentucky Hilltoppers win over the Kentucky Wildcats wasn't completely unexpected since at least 90% of KY's athletic budget goes for shady payments by Calipari. Maybe the SEC should only let the Methcats participate in hoops and knock football down from varsity to club sport status.
Posted by: Captain Hate on an iPhone | August 31, 2013 at 11:16 PM
Not that I can explain it, but I think that if Obama goes ahead in the face of a congressional "no" vote, he will very seriously harm Hillary's chances. And that's a good thing.
Posted by: Danube on iPad | August 31, 2013 at 11:17 PM
The only reason the dope has decided to go to congress is to give himself cover for the fix he got himself into. It defies reason that he would then blow that cover by bombing anyway.
Posted by: Ignatz | August 31, 2013 at 11:21 PM
We've been here before;Tom writes for months about an imagined crisis in the Obama WH and when he realizes it was all in his head, he stops writing about it. Fast and furious, Benghazi, IRS etc. etc. All made up, all imagined, all fizzled out into nothing.
And here we are again-imaginary crisis time in the Obama White house.
Yawn.
The President he will drop a few missiles,there'll be loads of people talking about it then next week Kim Kardashian will break up with that black guy-life goes on.
History however will show that American morality is a little different too, oh,shall we say British scumbag morality, right? I mean GB is a nation where you literally can't tell if the men are gay or if their just British, a nation that has been leg-fucking the United States for so long that even the US had had enough.
There'll be other shiny objects to get distracted by next week but history will record this as an Obama victory.
Posted by: dublindave | August 31, 2013 at 11:21 PM
Miles and miles and miles behind.
Justoneminute was offline in Dubai. Unable to even get the website to load for 2 days, on both my laptop or any of the computers in the Hotel's Business Section. Depressing.
Then to add insult to injury, just arriving at Bangalore I turn on the TV and there is a new TV Ad running each 15 minutes for Classmate Stationary of India. The vignette opens with a young, good looking Indian kid at an auditorium making a speech to students and teachers. Camera focuses on the kid saying, "its not my planet or your planet, it's ours. Immediately the camera focuses on some excited adults in the front row turning to each other and saying approvingly "He's the next Obama!" Ughh.
Next vignette immediately follows with some young Indian girl in a chemistry class completing an experiment and the professor saying approvingly, "She's the next Einstein!"
3rd vignette follows, and this kid is the next Babe Ruth of Crickett.
Then you are introduced to their beautiful line of "back to School" pens and stationary.
Why these Hindu folks in India are hero-worshipping our clueless boob of a President beats me, especially since he is such a classroom fraud, plus he's stumbling around emboldening India's worst enemies, radical Islamists, all around the world. It makes no sense at all.
Posted by: daddy | August 31, 2013 at 11:25 PM
How hard will the president lobby Democrats to vote "yes"?
Posted by: Barry Dauphin | August 31, 2013 at 11:26 PM
It's sort of the subversive notion behind the new Simon Pegg/Nick Frost film, a system of universal compliance, they have a different notion of how it comes about, as rse points out,
Posted by: narciso el taino | August 31, 2013 at 11:33 PM
Michelle [Malkin] wants the President to seek Congressional approval to go to war with Syria. Why- does Syria have a post office that needs to be renamed? Seriously? Congress is a bug on the shoe of the Commander-in-Chief in matters of war, when the Syrian operation needs 40 'pretend' bills passed, then we'll call Congress.
...
Come on, guys, nobody takes Congress seriously.
Posted by: dublindave | August 29, 2013 at 04:23 AM
Posted by: Jeff Dobbs | August 31, 2013 at 11:36 PM
If I were to think of a suitable movie moment that best demonstrated Congress's role in this upcoming Syrian conflict it would be Kay Corleone having the door shut on her face by Michaels associates at the end of Godfather one. She looks on helpless as the door closes and one said associate kneels before her husband to kiss his ring.
...
Congress, or rather the Tea Party is Kay Corleone fetching the commander in chief a glass of water than not being allowed back in the room.
Go do up an abortion bill or something.
Posted by: dublindave | August 29, 2013 at 10:40 AM
Posted by: Jeff Dobbs | August 31, 2013 at 11:39 PM
Hit,
Excellent comment at 07:14.
Local TV comments over here say Obama has now dropped the question into Congress's lap. I missed his speech, so since it's just 9 am I'm catching up to Obama's fierce urgency of "maybe."
Posted by: daddy | August 31, 2013 at 11:41 PM
picking up dubby's kitty litter isn't worth it, hit,
Posted by: narciso el taino | August 31, 2013 at 11:42 PM
'What makes a man go neutral' didn't see the last Futurama, because I respect the last one,
Posted by: narciso el taino | August 31, 2013 at 11:44 PM
Serious, non-partisan historians will now begin to classify this presidency as among the most calamitous in our history.
Posted by: Danube on iPad | August 31, 2013 at 11:46 PM
I do believe that Michael banged Kay twice a week,she took care of his kids,did his laundry,cooked his meals...so it's not like she had zero value.
The President may need Congress to give him a little bit of cover, just in case things get out of hand....which is to say "make the President a fucking sandwhich,Congress!!!!!"
Posted by: dublindave | August 31, 2013 at 11:50 PM
It's taken nearlt 50 years to find out what Halberstam and co, served us up was a lie,
Posted by: narciso el taino | August 31, 2013 at 11:50 PM
Who would fit that model, a Bancroft, a Nevins, for today.
Posted by: narciso el taino | September 01, 2013 at 12:00 AM
I don’t know – not having access to all of the facts – but I think it’s fair to say, that the Obana and/or his administration have acted stupidly. But at this point, what difference does it make?!
Posted by: Strawman Cometh | September 01, 2013 at 12:04 AM
The man has a spine of steel, he is Stalinesque!!!!
Posted by: Gus | September 01, 2013 at 12:06 AM