Saddle Up The Unicorns!

It is not just peace for our time - Ezra Klein actually sees a possible White House victory on Syria!

The White House may really be about to win on Syria

Inspired by an AP report that Syria will sign the chemical weapons treaty and declare its arsenal, Ezra gets on his knees:

Assuming that sticks, it’s game. The White House just achieved its goal.

Remember: The White House’s aim here wasn’t to topple Assad, or even hurt him. It was to affirm and reinforce the international norm against chemical weapons.

Uh huh. Putin can't read the newspapers so he had no idea that the US public, the US Congress, and the international community has abandoned Obama on the military option. Unnerved by Obama's steely resolve and by Kerry's threat of an "unbelievably small" response, he forced Assad to back down. Maybe!

Or maybe not. Back when Obama was drawing red lines like a three year old with mom's Sharpie, Obama's goal was that Assad must go. The US plan was a peace conference, including Russia, that would negotiate a graceful transition to power-sharing with Assad out. Maybe Ezra has forgotten that, but I doubt Putin and Assad have.

So in the improbable scenario in which everything goes according to Ezra's current fantasy, Assad sacrifices some rarely used weapons and remains in power. Sort of a pawn sacrifice. And Putin is firmly positioned as the guy who can fend off the American dragon.

Please. Putin is playing chess while Obama is playing golf. If this is victory then our hands are too small to hold it.

UNSADDLING THE UNICORNS: The NY Times isn't playing along:

But even as the president earned praise for being willing to pursue a diplomatic response in Syria, it was what he did not say in his 16-minute address from the East Room of the White House on Tuesday night that may ultimately shape the broader reaction to his remarks in the days ahead.

The president did not say how long he would wait to see if President Bashar al-Assad relinquishes control of the chemical weapons that administration officials say he used to gas his own people.

Mr. Obama did not detail the steps that the United States would demand from Syria as proof that the diplomatic efforts were more than a delaying tactic to avoid a punishing strike from cruise missiles and American bombers.

And the president did not use his speech to describe his expectations for the role of the United Nations, which has been all but stymied by Russia and China during the two-year civil war in Syria.

if the Times isn't willing to put a favorable gloss on that, allow me - at least Obama is no longer issuing ultimatums and drawing red lines he can't or won't enforce.

MORE MUSH FROM THE WIMP: Nikes Gardiner drops the Peanut Bomb:

Barack Obama’s Syria speech was an incoherent mess – he is outperforming Jimmy Carter as the most feeble US president of modern times

There is still time for Obama to call for a boycott of the Winter Olympics in Russia.

 

Comments

[GMax]

It must have been very difficult for lil Ezra to type up that column, being as that he had his lips locked on Zero's @ss such that he could not see his screen...

[Ignatz]

--So in the improbable scenario in which everything goes according to Ezra's current fantasy, Assad sacrifices some rarely used weapons and remains in power. Sort of a pawn sacrifice.--

As was said before; an analog to the Cuban Missile Crisis.

[Captain Hate on an iPhone]

This is witless even by Ezra's standards which is really saying something. Doesn't being continually being revealed as an idiot bother his sense of self worth?

[matt]

We know that someone is going to use them again. If Assad himself did not order the use, then he doesn't control them. They have been used tactically so far, so a local commander could use them again.

What then, Barry? And what of our pissed off allies? He really is the anti-Pangloss.

[Frau Einhorn]

Thank Gaia for JOM. TM's headline made me laugh out loud.

Perhaps Barry's civil militia will have a unicorn cavalry division.

[Captain Hate on an iPhone]

One too many "being"s there. Other than Ezra...

[NK(tryin')]

Tom M says: "Ezra gets on his knees:..."

Whoa; I hope our host, who is indeed a fine and proper gentleman, is not being influenced by some of us more coarse commenters. On his knees? with Bath House Barry?

[NK(tryin')]

Frau-- I agree, the Post Title is inspired. Though 'saddle up the unicorns' lacks the panache of "Release the Kraken!!"

[steve]

"Doesn't being continually being revealed as an idiot bother his sense of self worth?"

No, because Klein surrounds himself with people who tell him how smart and clever he is. Good thing for him, bad for the rest of us, that there's no shortage of village idiots who see things as he does.

[Frau Einhorn]

Joel had better increase his ginkgo biloba dosage. He's forgotten that the preezy *did* say in Aug. 2011 that Assad must go.

[NK(tryin')]

Susan rice said Assad must go 2 DAYS AGO.

PS: back in 2002, where was Pinch S in his NYT editorializing about Saddam's games to evade inspections and not being allowed to use those games to escape US missiles?

[NK(tryin')]

One last thing: Obama's organizational skills? This is the man who could organize getting the asbestos out of Altgeld Gardens. He can't find his own arse with 2 hands and a flashlight.

[rich@gmu]

NK-

a pubbie was in office and the bathhouse billionaires club was busy looting Iraq via the UN and Oil for Food.

Better than Ezra must be field testing the new spin.

[NK(tryin')]

'.. could NOT get the asbestos out..."

Yes in 2002 a Booosh was in the WH so Pinch's perspective was... uh... different.

[Clarice]

Laugh out loud funny, Tom!

[DrJ]

Wretchard:

In the end nothing has changed. He’s placing the onus on Congress without acknowledging its authority for a military act that isn’t war, in pursuit of a goal he doesn’t explain, over a duration that is not short but not long, which will be no more than pinprick but less, one assumes, than a shaving cut, to install no knows who and which in the end Obama may decide not undertake at all.

Buy this used car and you will deserve it.

[Clarice]

Being ludicrous keeps Klein gainfully employed at the [strike ]Titanic[/strike] WaPo.

[Appalled on IPhone]

I imagine Putin will make sure that this face saving diplomatic course will not save Obama's face at all. Putin has as much ego as Obama, and as much petulance. My guess is that he is after humiliation, which is sweeter coming from his hands.

Obama may not play Putin's game. If it is too obvious he is being played, he might order a strike on Syria out of spite, and before Congress has the opportunity to humiliate him.

[James D.]

It's distressing to realize that, by buying from Amazon.com, I'm helping to pay Ezra Klein's salary.

[Clarice]

Iowahawk admpnishes us to "kick a truther in the nuts today". He's my guiding star.

[rich@gmu]

***Obama may not play Putin's game. If it is too obvious he is being played, he might order a strike on Syria out of spite, and before Congress has the opportunity to humiliate him.***

but doesn't this also play into Putin's hands. Obama lost, we have been humiliated in fp, and Obama succeeded in his goal to bring abut the post-American world. Surprise, bringing about a post-American world makes him personally a target.

[Danube of Thought]

This gal's fifteen minutes are very much over:

A young researcher whose opinions on Syria were cited by both Senator McCain and Secretary of State John Kerry in congressional testimony last week has been fired from the Institute for the Study of War for allegedly faking her academic credentials. The institute issued a statement on its website concerning the researcher, Elizabeth O’Bagy: The Institute for the Study of War has learned and confirmed that, contrary to her representations, Ms. Elizabeth O’Bagy does not in fact have a Ph.D. degree from Georgetown University. ISW has accordingly terminated Ms. O’Bagy’s employment, effective immediately.

[Extraneus]

Does anyone think that Putin would prefer a Republican in 2016?

It's too bad, really, because that's the only reason he's not 'literally' holding Obama's head in a toilet bowl right now.

Sure, there's probably more humilation to come, but it'll have to be tempered by Russia's longer-term strategic needs.

[Thomas Collins]

"but doesn't this also play into Putin's hands"

Rich@gmu, I agree that Putin wins whether or not Obama has our military bomb Syria. Either way, Russia's influence in the Mideast increases. Plus, no matter how Sun Tzu Obama tries to slice it, Bashir has just gotten away with an attack that his advisors presumably thought was needed to tilt things against the rebels, with the added benefit of splattering Obama's red line all over Obama. No serious player in this (Russkies, Sauds, Israelis, Eyeranian Top Mullahs, Hezbos)seriously thinks Bashir is going to lose his gases.

But no worries. After all, the most horrible gas is nothing Bashir is using, but is CO2.

[Marlene]

In other train wreck news,from the Bangor Daily and Reuters.The investigation continues. Crude oil aboard a train that derailed in Quebec was "violently" explosive lighter crude and was mislabeled as a group 3 product, the normal category for crude.The more explosive crude should be labeled group 2. The Reuters article quotes the Globe and Mail as having sources who have seen correspondence between Canadian and U.S. regulators and this is the conclusion they are reaching.

[Ranger]

Does anyone think that Putin would prefer a Republican in 2016?

I think Putin wants someone who understands how the world works in the White House. The problem with Barry, and Hillary! as well, is they are totally clueless and could easily stumble into a real shooting war at any time (just like BJ did in Kosovo). And war is very bad for business.

[Old Lurker test]

Faking a degree is common enough I guess. But doing it on TV on a specialty that consumes DC and where the alleged degree was earned was about as stupid as I have ever seen.

[daddy]

Crude oil aboard a train that derailed in Quebec was "violently" explosive lighter crude and was mislabeled as a group 3 product, the normal category for crude.The more explosive crude should be labeled group 2.

Marlene,

That reminds me of a time when we discovered leaking Hazardous containers on the ramp in Shanghai just before they got put on the airplane. We asked why weren't they listed as Hazardous cargo instead of being unlabeled. The answer we were told was that since it is illegal for us to accept Hazardous material originating in China they knew they could not label them as Hazardous, since we wouldn't put it on the airplane. I'm thinking there may be more to your story than we are currently hearing.

[rse]

OT-but anyone wanting to join in in explaining why the idea of capital being for the public benefit is not going to be captured and used for private benefit whatever the rhetoric can visit ISC. The Left seems to have discovered what I am doing and argues that it's still capitalism if capital exists.

OL-you could have fun with this one while I deal with a sick child.

Or Melinda or Rick or Matt or Henry. I love the annoyance that I have drawn attention to the associated eco vision but battling alone makes it seem personal.

[Clarice]

You betcha Old Lurker. Chutzpah squared though.

[Danube on iPad]

Ron Fournier:

"The good news is we're not at war. The bad news is … almost everything else about President Obama's handling of Syria--the fumbling and flip-flopping and marble-mouthing--undercut his credibility, and possibly with it his ability to lead the nation and world.

"As he addressed a global audience Tuesday night, liberal elites blindly accepted White House fiction that Russian intervention this week was somehow part of Obama's master plan. Their conservative counterparts practically rooted against a diplomatic breakthrough, preferring an Obama black eye over peace."

[NK(tryin')]

OL/Clarice-- is the concept of objective truth recognized in DC?

[henry]

rse, one of the things you "have to just get" in lefty trope is that consuming capital is only moral if it is someone else's. Spending / investing your own capital is always immoral greed. The idea that a free market allocation of investment by highest profit delivers the most value to the entire society is evil white Eurocentric linear-thinking clap-trap that just exploits the third world. No explanation is necessary or accepted.

[NK(tryin')]

DoT-- well I'll give this much to Ron F, he's inching towards the truth -- he gets to half of it. he is publicly stating that Obummer is an inept idiot (at best), course he can't admit conservatives are patriots looking towards the national interest first, so he takes a gratuitous slap at us. Meh.

[Marlene]

daddy,Canada's Transportation Safety Board says group 2 liquids are supposed to be transported in cars with added safety features.The proper classification is the responsibility of the company purchasing the oil,in this case,Irving Oil. Deep pockets.

[NK(tryin')]

Henry-- you recite one of the CORE CANONS of the Left Narrative. They believe that stuff in toto.

[Frau Einhorn]

On our three-mile walk earlier today, we noticed only two flags put out extra for 9/11--a next-door neighbors and ours. So sad. But in the era of "it's the government's job" and in a liberal college town, it's no surprise.

DrJ - Seeking your sympathy. Later this morning, my husband was driving our (my) trusty, older turbo-diesel for a tune-up and was hit by a motorist running a red light. We don't know yet what the real damages are. The good news, he wasn't driving his *new* truck.

[Frau Einhorn]

NK - "Release the Kraken" is *Putin's* line in the play.

[henry]

NK, 6 years grad school arguing that with the lefty "change agents" in training. Its a religion for them. No facts, examples, or proof are allowed to interfere. I got PO'd once when getting teamed up on by a bunch from Hyderabad about what a terrible class structure the US has and asked them which caste they all were... the harrumphing would give Mel Brooks pause.

[NK(tryin')]

Frau-- heh. Ah... but what form does Putin's Kraken take?

[Marlene]

So,I guess some of our esteemed lawmakers don't mind Putin running our foreign policy.Senator Collins statement: "The United States should be aggressively pursuing a diplomatic solution such as the one put forward by the Russians." She put out a statement just before the speech,saying she would vote no. The other *independent* Senator King hasn't made up his mind. Have any of your Senators praised the Russian solution?

[NK(tryin')]

Henry-- you're the best, are you sure you can't make it to New haven for the UConn soccer game?

Maybe I can make it to wisconsin for some shotgun training this winter-- that o'fer in Ireland still gets me.

[henry]

NK, new product roll-out step where rotary oscillator is positioned and monitored is ongoing through October.

Winter shooting here can be interesting.

[Frau Einhorn]

NK @ 1:47- I dunno what form Putin's Kraken has but it beats Obama's Tweety Bird.

[DrJ]

Frau,

my husband was driving our (my) trusty, older turbo-diesel for a tune-up and was hit by a motorist running a red light.

You have my sympathy. Sadly the value insurance gives these fine older vehicles is not particularly high, so they total them quickly.

The better news is that unless the frame is bent, it may well be worth repairing using the available "used" parts (read "from the junkyard").

[NK(tryin')]

"Interesting"-- I am no threat to hit anything with a firearm.. well a target anyway.. does that make a difference?

[Frau Einhorn]

Insty on the DC bikers with links.
LUN

[henry]

In your case it might help!

You will need warm boots.

[Captain Hate on an iPhone]

What "peace" is shitbag Fournier claiming conservatives are rejecting?

[NK(tryin')]

ObummerCare-- Trader Joes the food market to the Progs is kicking its <30hr workers out of the company health plan and into Exchanges. I'm sure the Progs will protest and boycott! http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Government/2013/09/11/ObamaCare-fallout-trader-joes-strips-partime-workers-of-health-benefits

[Account Deleted]

Ranger,

I believe Putin is reacting to the entire panoply of failure, with Syria being the point where it is necessary to deprive BOzo of sharp scissors and/or matches due to a demonstrated lack of competence running from totally abandoning the arms buy back after Benghazi through dishonoring promises made to the Egyptian generals, ignoring the info on Speed Bump provided by Russia prior to the Boston Massacre and culminating with BOzo having painted himself into a red lined corner.

Putin definitely wants a calm business environment and that just isn't possible with the US ME desk run by Clinton clowns from the Harvard Faculty Lounge. I'm sure Putin has great contempt for Clinton and BOzo but they both earned the contempt in spades over four years of continuous incompetence.

[Tom Maguire]

On his knees?

Praying. Maybe...

[NK(tryin')]

"Praying. Maybe..." Perhaps...was there a Muslim prayer rug involved? was he facing towards Mecca and Medina?

[Danube on iPad]

All adults: 38%.

http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Journalism/2013/09/11/poll-obama-collapses-to38-with-all-adults

[Cecil Turner]

If this is victory then our hands are too small to hold it.

Counting the dragon, that makes two Hobbit references in a unicorn post. Not sure if it's a mixed metaphor or something else . . . okay, probably something else.

[NK(tryin')]

38% all adults,43% LVs, IMO that shows Obummer's AA approval firewall to keep from falling below 40% approval with voters-- MAYBE. Dems are in real trouble here-- with AA voting dropping to typical levels in 2014 and beyond, Senate/Gov/POTUS elections get very close, and if Millenials don't turn out for Dems, it looks alot like the 1988-2004 electorates. Interesting times ahead.

[666_cathyf_says_typepad_sucks_333]

Faking a degree is common enough I guess. But doing it on TV on a specialty that consumes DC and where the alleged degree was earned was about as stupid as I have ever seen.

It's also totally unnecessary in this case. O'Bagy's cred came from her actually going to Syria and risking her neck to get first-hand information. Nobody would have cared a whit if she were a proud drop-out from a 3rd-rate public college, because in the place she was, all that mattered was what she had done recently.

Oh, well, life is just harder when you are stupid!

[iphone unlock]

The new privacy righs bill proposed by Senators John Kerry and John Mc - Cain
is more crucial thann ever. Apple iss well aware that it needs a new flagship device, and soon.
He also stated to possess information on forthcoming i - Phone releases.

[Jane-Rebel Alliance]

Consumer protection finance agency (CFPB) is gathering private and privileged financial information on American citizens.

[Jim Miller]

cathyf - Perhaps her missing degree shouldn't matter, shouldn't say anything about her first-hand knowledge -- but it would matter for a great many employers. To be blunt, she might not have gotten that job, if she hadn't claimed to have the degree.

(Whether it should matter would depend very much on what kind of research she had been doing.)

[Jane-Rebel Alliance]

I think it matters that she lied, not that she doesn't have a degree.

[Gmax]

life is just harder when you are stupid

And did I mention she blew fastballs by McRino and Lurch?