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The truth about the red line comment and who drew it is somewhat mixed. He did reference "we" and "us" which could certainly reference the international community which he clearly referenced later in his remarks. There is some element of making it his red line when he said, "That would change my calculus. That would change my equation." I think that to get support, it's better for him to reference the world's red line which does in fact exist through international law.
“We have been very clear to the Assad regime, but also to other players on the ground, that a red line for us is we start seeing a whole bunch of chemical weapons moving around or being utilized. That would change my calculus,” Obama said. “That would change my equation. . . . We’re monitoring that situation very carefully. We have put together a range of contingency plans.” Obama issues Syria a ‘red line’ warning on chemical weapons - The Washington Post
The world needs to forget that Obama drew that line and told everyone ?
Is this like the mandatory cuts he didn't make Congress commit to ?
Is this like the promise our health insurance would go down 3000% that he didn't say ?
Unlike many other Americans, I have a good memory.
That I killed Bin Laden magic has lost its luster just like his credibility ...this is the same people that couldn't handle the so called 3 a.m. crisis phone call they bragged about...this scandal ridden administration is using a classic example of wagging the dog.
That I killed Bin Laden magic has lost its luster just like his credibility ...this is the same people that couldn't handle the so called 3 a.m. crisis phone call they bragged about...this scandal ridden administration is using a classic example of wagging the dog.
I'll say and big time too.
Using 2003 photo of dead Iraqis as proof of Assad killing his people ?
And then a "retraction" with the flimsy excuse of "mistake".
And government officials in various countries telling us to look at youtube videos as proof ?
It definitely whacks your credibility in the jewels big time when your foreign policy basically consists of stuff like:
"You crossed a red line, we're going to attack! Wait, no were not. Ok, maybe we are, but I don't know when. But we're going to talk about all the purposed details for weeks on national TV! It's going to be a shot across the bow! No, it's going to be regime change. We have lots of sport from our allies! Oh, never mind - we have none."
The Treaty he and Kerry are now talking about has ZERO authority or mandate to "punish" anyone from using Chemical weapons - it's "mandate" is to inspect and try and talk countries into destroying their Chemical weapons cache and their manufacturing facilities.
Side Note: the USA and Russia are not in complete compliance with the destruction of Chemical weapons. Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons - This organization (Turkey has the current leadership) is not a part of the United Nations, but is an agency chartered by the UN .... that is mostly funded by the USA. OPCW.org
SALSRA also forbids the President from doing a several things with Syria unless he goes to Congress with a report, I never heard of Obama doing that - but we do know he sent John Kerry on at least 3 'visits' to Syria (not allowed in SALSRA), appointed an Ambassador to Syria (not allowed in SALSRA) and sold Assad airplane parts (not allowed in SALSRA).
Rand Paul may be the only Senator with the guts to question these things - he needs to read SALSRA - complete TEXT, it's a sure bet that the press is not going to bother to read it.
Quote:
AUTHORITY TO PROVIDE ASSISTANCE TO SYRIA.—If the President—
(1) makes the determination that Syria meets the require- ments described in paragraphs (1) through (4) of subsection (d) and certifies such determination to Congress in accordance with such subsection;
(2) determines that substantial progress has been made both in negotiations aimed at achieving a peace agreement between Israel and Syria and in negotiations aimed at achieving a peace agreement between Israel and Lebanon; and
(3) determines that the Government of Syria is strictly respecting the sovereignty, territorial integrity, unity, and polit- ical independence of Lebanon under the sole and exclusive authority of the Government of Lebanon through the Lebanese army throughout Lebanon, as required under paragraph (4) of United Nations Security Council Resolution 520 (1982),
then the President is authorized to provide assistance to Syria under chapter 1 of part I of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (relating to development assistance).
(d) CERTIFICATION.—A certification under this subsection is a certification transmitted to the appropriate congressional committees of a determination made by the President that—
(1) the Government of Syria has ceased providing support for international terrorist groups and does not allow terrorist groups, such as Hamas, Hizballah, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine—General Com- mand to maintain facilities in territory under Syrian control;
(2) the Government of Syria ended its occupation of Leb- anon described in section 2(7) of this Act;
(3) the Government of Syria has ceased the development and deployment of medium- and long-range surface-to-surface ballistic missiles, is not pursuing or engaged in the research, development, acquisition, production, transfer, or deployment of biological, chemical, or nuclear weapons, has provided cred- ible assurances that such behavior will not be undertaken
by the way ....... SALSRA doesn't have a word in it about the USA bombing Syria or even "punishing" Syria, nothing about any "Red Lines" - Obama and John Kerry have been violating The Syria Accountability Act from almost the minute Obama was sworn into office. Now he wants to use that same Act as a cudgel to beat Congress and the American people with. What a champ.
The "WE" he's referring to are the member nations of NATO. We are a member of NATO, which does indeed have a "red line" for when action should be taken for dealing with WMD's, and which Syria has crossed. It is not a red line drawn personally by our administration--member nations of NATO have to decide what their individual role will be in a NATO response. NATO is calling for military strikes on Syria. It's your right to agree or not with NATO's stand, or the President's stand, but the rest of the ranting about Obama here is what it is--Obama derangement syndrome. It's pure histrionics.
The more I read this board, the more I start believing that some of the nuts here are right--there DOES need to be both an IQ and a political/history literacy test before you can vote. I have a really good idea who would pass and who would fail.
"That is why NATO will work actively to prevent the proliferation of WMD by State and non-State actors through an active political agenda of arms control, disarmament and non-proliferation as well as by developing and harmonizing defence capabilities and, when necessary, by employing these capabilities consistent with political decisions in support of non-proliferation objectives. Both political and defence elements are essential to a secure NATO."
Strikes to take out Syria's methods to deploy WMD's on a military scale is a disarmament and non-proliferation tactic.
It seems as if righties do not process deeper thoughts than Drill Baby Drill. The world and the US government has made it perfectly clear that using WMDs is Not acceptable, so the President is right. Now back to the whining.
Where is 'the world,' where is NATO, where is a single other nation willing to attack Syria ?
[quote=mb1547;31268886]The "WE" he's referring to are the member nations of NATO. We are a member of NATO, which does indeed have a "red line" for when action should be taken for dealing with WMD's, and which Syria has crossed. NATO is calling for action on Syria.
The more I read this board, the more I start believing that some of the nuts here are right--there DOES need to be both an IQ and and a political/history literacy test before you can vote. I have a really good idea who would pass and who would fail.
When did a military organization supersede the Constitution and the will of its people?The UK Parliament voted no to military action...to me it looks like the member nations of NATO are a house divided just like here. Inquiring minds want to know how ones military can be used when the will of the people is against it.
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