Good for the president. He will seek congressional approval. Everyone should write/call their congressmen and tell them how you feel about military action in Syria. Go Blazers
The only thing the President should say publicly is "I'll tell you what I'm gonna do right after I've already done it. Next question?"
Whether that's true or not, I feel a lot better that he won't be making a unilateral decision. Go Blazers
Wow. Just Wow. One of the worst Presidents ever. As I declared before the election, and his 2nd term is a fucking disaster. He hasn't done anything right or accomplished jack squat. And many of his misdeeds and fuck-ups from the 1st term that were buried and hidden have come out. First he ignores Syria and the civil war and the slaughter of innocents. Then he states that 10's of thousands of dying isn't worth getting dragged into war over, BUUUUUUT if the "red line" of chemical weapons is used, well, that would change everything. How, I don't know, but stay with me here, that is what the Pres. said. Then, it is pretty clear chemical weapons were used starting 6 months ago. Crickets. Oh well, let's forget the red line. After the coup in Egypt, when Obama and the W.H. talked, nobody listened. Worse, many area leaders openly mocked Obama and the Administration. Putin is having fun. Even worse still, the man on the street now HATE Obama (and Clinton). Credibility and power in the region in tatters. (Jimmy Carter say Hi!) Then, a major chemical attack happens in Syria with hundreds gruesomely killed - including many small children. Now, Obama jumps to attention. Starts collecting intelligence and to form a "coalition" of powers to jump into the quagmire and do something big in Syria. Obama claims there is proof that Assad did it, but the "proof" must not be that convincing as the number of coalition partners dwindles to near zero. Putin again mocks Obama. Obama comes out and says he will go it alone. He doesn't need the world's approval. He doesn't need Congress approval. He will do what is "right". Ok. Fine. Whatever. We get it. You need to prove you are not the pussy you have been acting like. You need to re-establish some bonifides in the Middle East as you have virtually none right now. You need to stand by your stupid "red-line" statement and act more like Bush (yes, it is true) and less like Jimmy Carter. You need to show some conviction and backbone....... And, now we go back to spineless. He will fob it off to Congress, stall and delay, and unless they can find some real proof that Assad did this, he can go back to the golf course. Does he have a guiding policy? A plan? Or, is this just all off-the-cuff? Certainly seems like he is "leading from behind" as he has done for much of his Presidency.
First of all, now he needs Congressional approval to do anything? Secondly, he already has drawn his "red line", and not putting it on Congress is laughable. A joke of a leader, and the worst president of my lifetime. Obama Hits Golf Course After Announcing National Emergency http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/pres...ongress-taking-action-syria/story?id=20127274
As am I, other than he has shown the world that he's a pussy who talks of "red lines" yet back downs when Putin calls his bluff. Even Cameron basically abandoned him now, to the point John Kerry had to go to France, yet Obama even backstabs Kerry!! It it wasn't so serious, I'd actually think this was funny. Since there are real world results involved, I hope somebody talks to this clown into being a leader at some point. He's all words, and no actions.
http://news.yahoo.com/obama-to-make-1-15-p-m--statement-on-syria-161723103.html In a legacy-defining gamble, President Barack Obama announced Saturday that he has decided to launch military strikes against Syria — but wants the Congress to authorize them. “In a world with many dangers, this menace must be confronted,” Obama declared in the Rose Garden 10 days after Bashar Assad’s forces allegedly massacred 1,400 civilians with chemical weapons. “After careful deliberation, I have decided that the United States should take military action against Syrian regime targets,” he said, describing himself as “prepared to give that order.” The president’s hastily arranged remarks — demonstrators protesting outside the White House gates could be heard from the West Wing only minutes before he spoke — sucked the urgency out of what had looked like a imminent military strike. Instead, cruise missile-carrying warships off Syria’s coast will have to wait until the week of Sept. 9. That’s when Congress returns from a month-long vacation to take up a measure, drafted by the White House, giving Obama the green-light. “I’m the president of the world’s oldest constitutional democracy," Obama said. "I will seek authorization for the use of force from the American people's representatives in Congress." The president ignored a reporter who shouted the obvious question: What happens if Congress says no? But senior administration officials briefing reporters at the White House later said that Obama still believes he has the legal authority to act without congressional support — meaning that a “no” vote would not necessarily handcuff his foreign policy. And they disputed that Obama risked setting a precedent that could limit the power of future occupants of the Oval Office. View gallery." Obama meets with national security advisers on Syr … President Barack Obama meets in the Situation Room with his national security advisers to discuss st … The same officials also sidestepped repeated questions about what happens if Assad responds by stepping up chemical attacks against rebels looking to oust him. The president himself said there was no sell-by-date for action. “Our capacity to execute this mission is not time-sensitive; it will be effective tomorrow, or next week, or one month from now,” he said. Obama’s decision came amid public opinion polls showing four out of five Americans wanted the president to seek lawmakers’ approval, and with more than 100 congressional signatures on a pair of letters delivering the same message. Obama has acknowledged repeatedly that Americans are “war-weary” after a decade of conflict — and worried about standing on the threshold of another escalating entanglement in the Middle East. “This would not be an open-ended intervention, we would not put boots on the ground,” he promised Saturday. “Instead, our action would be designed to be limited in duration and scope.” The president said he had spoken by telephone with Republican House Speaker John Boehner and Democratic Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and that they agreed with the timetable. It also followed a series of diplomatic setbacks: Russian opposition blocked a path through the United Nations Security Council, and Britain’s parliament shocked the world Thursday by voting against military action. France signed on, but its parliament planned to debate the issue next week. Denied both clear international legal legitimacy and a robust “coalition of the willing,” facing clear public resistance as well as a surprisingly assertive Congress, and trapped by his own declaration that Syria had crossed a “red line,” Obama went from saying he would “consult” Capitol Hill to actively courting its support. View gallery." U.S. President Barack Obama speaks next to Vice President … U.S. President Barack Obama speaks next to Vice President Joe Biden (L) at the Rose Garden of the Wh … The senior aides briefing reporters after Obama’s remarks suggested that he had largely settled on a course of action in an Aug. 24 National Security Council meeting, but did not make a final decision about using force until Friday. No one — not Obama, not senior aides, not congressional leaders — had suggested securing congressional approval. And then, sometime around 6 p.m. ET, Obama went for a 45-minute stroll around the South Lawn of the White House with Chief of Staff Denis McDonough, the aides said. During that walk, the president said that he wanted to go to Congress. A two-hour meeting, from about 7 p to 9 p.m., followed with senior aides during which Obama to shared the same message. Some aides argued against that course-correction, the officials told reporters. But by the time a National Security Council meeting wrapped up on Saturday, they were all on board, the aides said. And they detailed the coming campaign to get Congress on board: - Hammer home the potential threat to staunch ally Israel’s security - Provide detailed intelligence about the alleged attack - Underline that the United States ratified the Chemical Weapons Convention, and make a case that American legitimacy — not just his own — is at stake. - Make the argument that failure to act could lead, one day, to terrorists acquiring chemical weapons from regimes like Assad’s — and turning them on America.
"I'm going to be tough and bomb you ... but only if congress says I should, even after I drew a red line and said I'd go it alone." What a spineless clown. Time to hit the links!
Syria hails 'historic American retreat' as Obama hesitates http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/09/01/us-syria-crisis-idUSBRE97K0EL20130901
I remember GHW Bush went out on his cigar boat all the time while the first Gulf War was going on. But I do think it was to send a message. Like, "we get all this awesome freedom, to go out on cigar boats and the like, while Saddam is hiding in a bunker." I would prefer Obama played golf 365 days a year. He can take congress with him.
