Patterico's Pontifications

9/4/2013

Obama: I Didn’t Set a Red Line

Filed under: General — Patterico @ 7:39 am



From the man who loves to look you in the eye, and lie:

President Barack Obama said Wednesday the “red line” he previously spoke of regarding the use of chemical weapons in Syria wasn’t his own, but the world’s. “I didn’t set a red line. The world set a red line. The world set a red line when governments representing 98%” of the world’s population “passed a treaty forbidding (chemical weapons) use, even when countries are engaged in war,” Obama said in Sweden.

Then why isn’t the world talking about engaging in military action, Mr. President? Why is it only us?

Hey, but don’t worry. The language that has been proposed says Obama can use whatever force he deems “necessary and appropriate” — but it also has to be “limited and tailored.” Whatever that means.

You trust him, right?

146 Responses to “Obama: I Didn’t Set a Red Line”

  1. He has a point – the general prohibition is well established and has nothing to do with Obama. That’s true and it’s helpful to point it out.

    However, he absolutely set this particular red line, declaring who is guilty and what he did. The world didn’t say that. Obama did.

    Amphipolis (d3e04f)

  2. Historically, the use of weapons of mass destruction may trigger retaliatory attacks with WMDs.

    Nuke Damascus? Don’t think so.

    Pious Agnostic (6c0f18)

  3. The world, as represented by the U.N., is right behind him, or maybe not.

    daleyrocks (bf33e9)

  4. President Dodge Responsibility strikes again. As I have consistently said,

    “My credibility is not on the line — the international community’s credibility is on the line,” President Barack Obama said Wednesday in Sweden regarding his desire for a military strike in response to a suspected August chemical attack in Syria. He said the question is, after going through all the evidence: “Are we going to try to find a reason not to act? And if that’s the case, then I think the (world) community should admit it.”

    daleyrocks (bf33e9)

  5. I stole the following astute comment from skellmeyer commenting on Instapundit:

    Syria is one of five nations that never signed the Chemical Weapons Ban Treaty.

    The Geneva Convention on which it is based only bans the use of chemical weapons by one state against another, it never actually banned the use of chemical weapons within a country’s own borders against internal opposition.

    http://pjmedia.com/instapundit/175417/

    Amphipolis (d3e04f)

  6. He is such a brazen liar. It is really remarkable to watch play out.

    JD (45413e)

  7. That would change my calculus, that would change my equation.

    JD (45413e)

  8. It is precious how he is trying to change this to the international community’s credibility, especially since he has chosen to NOT go to the UN. The only credibility on the line is his, since he tried to go all puff chested bad@ss during campaign season, and got way out over the tips of his skis.

    JD (45413e)

  9. JD – Politicians who publicly whine about not losing credibility have usually already lost their credibility.

    daleyrocks (bf33e9)

  10. Plus Putin said BOOOO!! and OOOOGA BOOOGA!! to Obama and changed Obama’s calculus and Obama’s equation (not the world’s calculus and equation) and using his military and caused him to run to Congress to cover his butt.

    SMART POWER!

    WINNING!

    daleyrocks (bf33e9)

  11. Obama – I am not losing credibility
    Nixon – I am not a crook

    eerie

    ERMAGAWD!!!!

    daleyrocks (bf33e9)

  12. Obama lies again, and now he’s lost McCain. This isn’t over for Obama as long as he has te media, but he’s making his usual mess of things.

    DRJ (a83b8b)

  13. To be clear, he is trying to pawn the results of his chest thumping, political posturing, and empty threats during the campaign off of Congress, and now, the international community.

    JD (45413e)

  14. If he thought this was the international communitity’s red line, why isn’t he going to the UN?

    JD (45413e)

  15. My first point needs to be amended in light of my second point.

    Notice Obama’s carefully phrased hidden logic – 98% of the world has decided to ban the use of these weapons, therefore there is a world-established red line that prohibits the other 2% from using them. That may be in accordance with what Obama wants, but that’s not in accordance with international law that does not bind nations to treaties they have not signed.

    Obama thinks he exists on a higher plane than the written law. He is not able to distinguish between what he thinks is right and what the world has agreed to. To him they are, or ought to be, one and the same, since there is no higher authority that he acknowledges than his own precious and fervently held opinion.

    Amphipolis (d3e04f)

  16. A couple of questions:

    http://www.jammiewf.com/2013/video-john-kerry-captivated-by-questioning-from-rand-paul/

    On the second, will Syria be less likely to use chemical weapons, Kerry guarantees us they will use them again if we don’t rap their knuckles.

    But Mr. Secretary, if you do rap their knuckles isn’t there a virtual certainty, whether they’ve used them or not, that they will do so in retaliation?

    I mean, e.g., if you are either lying, or you don’t know diddly(talk about guarantees) and they aren’t responsible, won’t the blush be off the rose?

    And if they did use them, what do they care now? You’re evidently just going to hit command control and anti-aircraft installations. Do you not consider that harm? Of course you do, you’re intent as you say is to ‘degrade their capabilities’.

    So its on, you just want some cover when things turn to pig sh*t.

    gary gulrud (dd7d4e)

  17. I agree, Amphipolis. The man does not know what he’s talking about when the TOTUS is absent. We see the real him.

    “Tailored” warfare is that which is from the president with impeccably creased pants?

    Patricia (be0117)

  18. The Truth is always a relative construct to The One.

    Bugg (54b81c)

  19. 3. Secretary General Moon said yesterday that, with or without Congress, without the Security Council Ok, the US would be committing an illegal act of war.

    gary gulrud (dd7d4e)

  20. 15. And where he is not keen, he don’t give a rip.

    People of the Earth, get your mind right.

    gary gulrud (dd7d4e)

  21. Heh. I knew it!

    Now Putin is stepping in to shame O even further and turn himself into the world’s superpower.

    http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-09-04/putin-open-to-backing-syria-strikes-if-assad-attack-guilt-proved.html

    Patricia (be0117)

  22. 21. Hold on, you need to clear presentation of proof with Samantha Power’s vacation schedule.

    gary gulrud (dd7d4e)

  23. Ya know, adults don’t suddenly develop this type personality. He must have been such a smarmy prick when young

    Angelo (c4062b)

  24. “The red line? I didn’t draw that!”

    Icy (3919ae)

  25. Angelo,

    He strikes me as an over-praised, over-indulged only child who ended up with an unrealistic view of his abilities and wisdom.

    DRJ (a83b8b)

  26. This is world-class self-righteousness on a level seldom seen in adults.

    Amphipolis (d3e04f)

  27. It is not his credibility on the line, it is the credibility of the international community and Congress. Because his red line that he didnt draw that would change his calculus puts everyone else’s credibility at issue.

    JD (c2096b)

  28. Obama: “My credibility is not on the line. The international community’s credibility is on the line. And America’s and Congress’s credibility is on the line.”
    — It’s everybody’s fault EXCEPT his. He’s just coming along to clean up everyone else’s mess. Limbaugh theorem in action.

    Icy (3919ae)

  29. I hadn’t really understood why I had such an extreme visceral distaste for this guy the moment he hit the national stage….this morning I finally understand.

    My last post and DRJ’s link….I grew up with a guy like this in the late 50’s early 60’s. He lived on my block and was always getting the rest of us kids in trouble. Only child, his Dad was a hot-sh!t engineer for Lockheed at the skunk works and raised this kid with “Psychology“. The kid was teflon where his dad was concerned. Nothing ever stuck. Kid blamed other kids who weren’t even around. I hated that prick

    Angelo (c4062b)

  30. Obama sez not his cred at stake, but world’s and Congress’… quick, give him another peace prize B4 he starts bombing the sh*t out of Syria.

    Colonel Haiku (c0295c)

  31. 24- you lie!!!

    mg (31009b)

  32. He was a smarmy, choomy prick, Angelo…

    Colonel Haiku (c0295c)

  33. Colonel…
    I’ll warrant your comment is 100% true in entirety at this very moment.So how does a Prez score some righteous weed, dude?

    Angelo (c4062b)

  34. “insufferable” doesn’t quite get it. A normal person would be much more circumspect, as he or she contemplated the corner he or she put themselves in.

    President Abby Normal.

    Colonel Haiku (fb49f6)

  35. “My credibility is not on the line.”

    true dat: you can’t risk what you don’t have.

    redc1c4 (abd49e)

  36. I agree with Amphipolis that President Obama has a point in deferring/referring to the historical world opinion on chemical weapons
    and
    if he used that as a backdrop to justify his original position I think it would be a reasonable move
    but
    as he displays (IMHO) not merely an “only child syndrome” demeanor but narcissism bordering(?) on delusional,
    instead of using world history as a setting for his actions he uses others to absolve himself of any and all responsibility.
    note,
    even when he says it is “America’s” reputation/credibility on the line, he divorces himself from being included in “America”.

    BTW, Rush said something about Obama has a trip to Russia to meet with representatives of the Russian GLBT community…
    is that for real?

    MD in Philly (f9371b)

  37. Comment by redc1c4 (abd49e) — 9/4/2013 @ 10:02 am

    Agreed. Whatever credibility he may have ever had long ago vanished except in the eyes of those infatuated with him,
    and now it seems that even some of them are losing the tingle in the leg with his war-mongering behavior
    it’s just that the press is not giving the platform to Ms. Sheehan as they once did
    at least that is how I understand it

    MD in Philly (f9371b)

  38. It’s not Obama’s Red Line, now it’s his Yellow Line.

    ropelight (259b34)

  39. “I didn’t make ‘The Thin Red Line,’ Terrence Malick did.”

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3chv4eYU2MQ

    Elephant Stone (6a6f37)

  40. Sarah Hoyt on her blog suggests that this is really Frank J. Fleming’s “Nuke the Moon!” strategy. His original idea was that the US should just nuke the moon. Then the world would say:

    “Whoa. Those Americans are nuts. They just nuked the moon for NO REASON AT ALL. We should never mess with them”

    Well, its makes more sense that the White House explanations.

    SPQR (79105b)

  41. We need to read the credibility statement the way Obama meant it for it to make sense.

    The international community, congress, and America’s credibility WITH OBAMA is on the line if they don’t agree with him.

    There is no other credibility that matters to him, and his credibility with himself remains intact.

    Amphipolis (d3e04f)

  42. My credibility is not on the line. The international community’s credibility is on the line. And America’s and Congress’s credibility is on the line.
    — President Obama

    If I wanted to mock him, I would have made this quote up and then attributed it to him. I can’t believe he said this. It’s like a Dr. Strangelove redux — and the President is the writer.

    Yeah (sigh), he is one of ours. Thank you Democrats.

    Pons Asinorum (8ce71a)

  43. MD in Philly – Same old, same old. It was Republicans and that dysfunctional Congress that ratified the chemical weapons treaty in 1925 that forced Obama into this position, the same Republicans and dysfunctional Congress that are frustrating Obama’s ability to carry out his mysterious second term agenda that he did not run on.

    daleyrocks (bf33e9)

  44. It is as plain as the noses on your faces – THIS IS EVERYBODY’S FAULT EXCEPT OBAMA’S!!!!!!11ty!!!!!

    The knee pad media will dutifully report it as such.

    daleyrocks (bf33e9)

  45. Scotty, give me full power on the deflection shields!

    daleyrocks (bf33e9)

  46. Our President is a sociopath.
    I’m not joking.

    Elephant Stone (6a6f37)

  47. I have contacted my Representative and both Senators. Have all of you?

    I have no idea that it will make a difference whatsoever to them or to their voting calculation on this, but at least years down the road if we’re still alive I can say I “participated” in this debate.

    elissa (6b3fdb)

  48. It’s really very simple for Obama. If anyone OR everyone disagrees with him, they have no credibility so he’ll go ahead and ignore them.

    Eric Holder is similarly inclined:
    I have to tell you that for me to really be affected by what happened, I’d have to have respect for the people who voted in that way,” Holder told ABC News when asked about the historic contempt vote. “And I didn’t, so it didn’t have that huge an impact on me.”

    Amphipolis (d3e04f)

  49. Narcissistic Personality Disorder is sociopathic!
    But, is it a severe enough “disability” to warrant removal under the 25th-A, and would we want “Plugs” Biden behind that desk (just another type of liar)?

    askeptic (b8ab92)

  50. “Tailored” warfare is that which is from the president with impeccably creased pants?

    Which are on fire.

    Dave (in MA) (037445)

  51. better Plugs than our SCOAMF…

    and i’m really tired of that BS excuse: “we can’t remove Ear Leader because the alternative is worse…”

    redc1c4 (abd49e)

  52. Teh Emperor has no Cred… round up all low-info/IQ voters NOW!!!

    Colonel Haiku (fb49f6)

  53. Teh One wants to leave Syria much like he left Libya.

    Colonel Haiku (fb49f6)

  54. I didn’t vote for Obama to become President. Someone else made that happen.

    Elephant Stone (6a6f37)

  55. Libya is a f..king disaster.
    If we “left” Syria in that condition, Israel would attack us, and with our current National Command Authority, it wouldn’t surprise me if they won.

    askeptic (b8ab92)

  56. Sometimes I wish there was a “Like” button.

    JD (c2096b)

  57. Bingo, askeptic! Is it in America’s interest to leave Syria in lawlessness and ruin? I submit it isn’t.

    Colonel Haiku (01ad4d)

  58. I really don’t think it’s narcissistic, psychopathic, or even dishonest as much as it’s run-of-the-mill post-modern thinking, albeit taken to the extreme.

    Where there is no ultimate truth, there is no ultimate meaning beyond me, and everything becomes a raw struggle for power.

    Amphipolis (d3e04f)

  59. IF you were rating US Presidents on the basis of Michael-Sonny-Fredo, where would Obama show up?

    Or is that too easy?

    Kevin M (bf8ad7)

  60. Mock UN simulations by junior high students are more skilled than this set of clowns.

    JD (c2096b)

  61. Well said, Amphipolis. I guess every generation decries the cultural and moral decay of succeeding generations but I think this is different. Modern liberalism celebrates destructive behavior and self-hatred as the way to prove they and their society are truly free. It’s suicidal.

    DRJ (a83b8b)

  62. Nobody gets a ribbon!

    Colonel Haiku (146aeb)

  63. If George W. Bush were going to bomb Syria, John Kerry would be an “armchair isolationist.” Or something.

    Elephant Stone (6a6f37)

  64. Fredo….There is just so much that he doesn’t know he doesn’t know.

    askeptic (b8ab92)

  65. If it is “his” military, then why is he asking permission from Congress to use his own military ?

    I don’t ask any of you for permission to take my car out for a drive.

    Elephant Stone (6a6f37)

  66. “If George W. Bush were going to bomb Syria, John Kerry would be an “armchair isolationist.” Or something.”

    ES – Superhawk John Kerry voted against the first Gulf War and has a history of voting against weapons programs and higher defense spending. He should really be Secretary of Surrender, not Secretary of State.

    daleyrocks (bf33e9)

  67. 12. Comment by DRJ (a83b8b) — 9/4/2013 @ 8:48 am

    Obama lies again, and now he’s lost McCain.

    He never had McCain, or if McCain was leaning alittle toward going along, it was because of promises and talking about the original resolution.

    The resolution now under consideration doesn’t authorize the president to do anything more than he is authorized to do under the War Powers Act.

    The reason it is like that is that there is afear in Congress of authrizing more than was intended.

    Not only does it add nothing to the war Poeers Act, it tries to restrict him from doing what he might otherwise do beyond that.

    McCain’s not going to vote for a resolution that puts some kind of semi-legal obstacle to more action on Syria.

    Sammy Finkelman (67ff63)

  68. Oh, and to go to war relying on allies that won’t admit they are allies is crazy stupid.

    Amphipolis (d3e04f)

  69. 36. Comment by MD in Philly (f9371b) — 9/4/2013 @ 10:04 am

    BTW, Rush said something about Obama has a trip to Russia to meet with representatives of the Russian GLBT community…
    is that for real?

    Yes, of course. Rush Limbaugh doesn’t make announcements like that without it being a well established story. I could tell.

    And here is the evidence:

    http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2013/09/04/white-house-confirms-obama-lgbt-meeting-g-20/2763099/

    Sammy Finkelman (67ff63)

  70. Sammy,

    McCain said Congress must support Obama in Syria and its failure to do so would be catastrophic for American interests in the region. Yet now McCain is no longer supporting the Senate resolution. You can spin it however you want but it’s still just spin.

    DRJ (a83b8b)

  71. 65. Comment by Elephant Stone (6a6f37) — 9/4/2013 @ 12:01 pm

    65.If it is “his” military, then why is he asking permission from Congress to use his own military ? </i.

    There is, of course, the idea that he's seeking a face saving way to back down.

    The Syrian government believes that half the time, and belives that if so, it's the result of some kind of threat of retaliation they made, only they don't know which one hit home, so they're rpeating all their threats and boasting of their strength.

    The other half of the time the Syrian government thinks it a trick, to get them off their guard and make the attack when it comes unexpected because Obama telegraphed it too much.

    And they haven't stopped evacuating buildings and moving troop and records around.

    So far Obama's Hamlet act has had as large an impact of the Syrian war machine as a really massive bombing campaign.

    It probably wasn't really planned that way.

    Sammy Finkelman (67ff63)

  72. Comment by DRJ (a83b8b) — 9/4/2013 @ 12:17 pm

    McCain said Congress must support Obama in Syria and its failure to do so would be catastrophic for American interests in the region. Yet now McCain is no longer supporting the Senate resolution.

    He’s not supporting this resolution. He still supports a resolution and is arguing strongly for one, and probably thinks there’s a majority for it.

    He’s playing a game of chicken, or legislative blackmail and probably thinks he won.

    And the reslution is pretty bad. It actually tries to restrict the president more than no resolution at all would do.

    They will change the resolution to satisfy McCain.

    Just you see.

    Sammy Finkelman (67ff63)

  73. In one comment I didn’t close italics successfully, and in the next one I didn’t clse boldface.

    Only the italicized words “the and “a” should be in boldface.

    Sammy Finkelman (67ff63)

  74. One interesting thing: Obama is actually going to Republicans (and first!) to win a vote.

    Sammy Finkelman (67ff63)

  75. Obama is looking for a credibility transplant from Congress.

    Sammy Finkelman (67ff63)

  76. Sammy,

    If Obama asserts that the US military is “his” military, then he shouldn’t have to ask someone else’s permission to use it. I don’t call you and ask you if it is ok for me to take my car out for a drive.

    Elephant Stone (6a6f37)

  77. Michael Medved is speculating on his radio show that perhaps John Kerry will run for the Democrat nomination in 2016.

    That’s an interesting thought, particularly if Hilary does not run.

    Elephant Stone (6a6f37)

  78. Don Barquino Fanucci…

    Colonel Haiku (0f1c4b)

  79. You know, actually, telegraphing your moves and coercing your opponent to redeploy his forces without any effort on your part – that’s called brilliant strategy when you are talking about someone besides Obama.

    I’m gonna say he Forest Gumped his way into it.

    papertiger (c2d6da)

  80. Colonel, I like the scene when Fanucci is watching the puppet show, and he gets up and says, “This is too violent for me.”

    Elephant Stone (6a6f37)

  81. What an imbecile.

    Rodney King's Spirit (ae12ec)

  82. I think the TIME mag article is stupid or the premise is.

    Sammy Finkelman (d22d64)

  83. Whoops, wrong thread.

    Simon Jester (c8876d)

  84. “Obama is looking for a credibility transplant from Congress.”

    Sammy – Pay attention. Obama does not have a credibility problem. He said so himself. Everybody else but Obama has a credibility problem until they follow Obama’s lead.

    daleyrocks (bf33e9)

  85. Well, Dear Leader wins the first part of the process in the Senate. Here is an interesting snippet from the article linked above:

    The Senate Foreign Relations Committee voted 10-7, with one senator voting present, to approve a military strike in response to a deadly chemical weapons attack last month. The full Senate is expected to vote on the measure next week.

    One Senator voted present? Who knew that Obama still retained his Senatorial vote after assuming (that’s an apt verb in this case) the Presidency?

    JVW (23867e)

  86. No, it’s Markey, the twit that replaced Kerry in the Senate, I know you were being rhetorical.

    narciso (3fec35)

  87. 86.“Obama is looking for a credibility transplant from Congress.”

    Comment by daleyrocks (bf33e9) — 9/4/2013 @ 2:40 pm

    Sammy – Pay attention. Obama does not have a credibility problem. He said so himself. Everybody else but Obama has a credibility problem until they follow Obama’s lead.

    He even said he had a credibility problem.

    http://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/01/world/middleeast/president-pulls-lawmakers-into-box-he-made.html?pagewanted=all

    In a two-hour meeting of passionate, sharp debate in the Oval Office, he told them that after a frantic week in which he seemed to be rushing toward a military attack on Syria, he wanted to pull back and seek Congressional approval first.

    He had several reasons, he told them, including a sense of isolation after the terrible setback in the British Parliament. But the most compelling one may have been that acting alone would undercut him if in the next three years he needed Congressional authority for his next military confrontation in the Middle East, perhaps with Iran.

    In other words Iran might not believe any threats he might make if he didn’t have the backing of Congress,
    and acting alsone in Syria might make it harder to get Congress to approve the use of force in Iran.

    Sammy Finkelman (67ff63)

  88. The vote came after Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., raised objections to an earlier draft. The objections forced lawmakers to renegotiate the measure; McCain ultimately won tougher language clarifying that U.S. policy would be aimed at changing the momentum on the ground. He was among the 10 who voted for the final resolution, after getting two amendments added.

    Told you so. they would change the resolution to get McCain’s vote.

    Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2013/09/04/mccain-opposes-syria-strike-resolution/”#ixzz2dxmFHPZu

    Sammy Finkelman (67ff63)

  89. We already have a failed Syria policy, by the way, just not a disaster or a catastrophe.

    Sammy Finkelman (67ff63)

  90. 90. Poison pill?

    gary gulrud (dd7d4e)

  91. No, it’s Markey, the twit that replaced Kerry in the Senate, I know you were being rhetorical.

    In Massachusetts the name is pronounced “MAH-kee,” so in order to help non-New Englanders understand to whom we are referring we should started naming him in print as Senator Edward Markey (MAH-kee) (D-MA).

    And you are right, he is a true dolt. I would have thought that the Scott Brown/Martha Coakely fiasco might have taught Mass Dems that they shouldn’t nominate old dinosaur party hacks for open Senate seats, but in this case I guess they figured out how to stuff the ballot boxes just enough to win.

    JVW (23867e)

  92. Yes, Stones, and the character had a similar arrogance.

    Colonel Haiku (a6bc62)

  93. Comment by Sammy Finkelman (67ff63) — 9/4/2013 @ 12:12 pm
    Thanks for the confirmatory link.
    At least he isn’t going to Russia with that as the main goal,
    but still…

    Comment by Amphipolis (d3e04f) — 9/4/2013 @ 10:36 am
    That is a reasonable logical construction, given those involved.

    Comment by daleyrocks (bf33e9) — 9/4/2013 @ 10:44 am
    It’s true, not matter how much changers, things are still the same…

    Comment by Amphipolis (d3e04f) — 9/4/2013 @ 11:42 am
    I disagree, only because the typical post-modern mindset would not think they could control the oceans and heal the sick to a degree no one had before.

    MD in Philly (f9371b)

  94. Sammy #72 and #90,

    Yes, they did change the language in the resolution to please McCain. How will that change help get this resolution passed in the full Senate and the House?

    DRJ (a83b8b)

  95. In the end, we must remember that the “red line” statement was issued during the ’12 campaign
    (little comfort when we realize that Obama is ALWAYS campaigning – he is, after all, The Observer President),
    and as such, is nothing more than any other campaign promise:
    Absolutely meaningless!

    Didn’t we learn in ’08 that O’s words have a “shelf-life” of a nano-second, or when they pass his lips; whichever comes first?

    He is not a serious person, and those who do take him seriously do so at their own risk.
    51% of the voters did, and now we are all at risk.

    askeptic (b8ab92)

  96. So true, askeptic. As long as Americans refuse to hold Obama accountable, he won’t be.

    DRJ (a83b8b)

  97. Didn’t we learn in ’08 that O’s words have a “shelf-life” of a nano-second, or when they pass his lips; whichever comes first?

    So why am I the idiot for pointing out a few cruise missiles in Syria won’t restore Obama’s credibility?

    Steve57 (35dd46)

  98. teh thin red line meh
    our President Abby Normal
    there is no there there

    Colonel Haiku (ee85e3)

  99. what is one more lie?
    teh libs have no principles
    mental disorder

    Colonel Haiku (ee85e3)

  100. “Rev on the red line
    You’re on your own
    Rev on the red line
    Just let it go”
    — Foreigner (1979)

    Icy (c7977e)

  101. Incompetent cabinet members with daily senior moments will motivate the militant muslims to terrorize. President not so sure is putting everyone in harms way.

    mg (31009b)

  102. he’s such a lying whore

    happyfeet (c60db2)

  103. He is the World
    He owns our Children
    He is the One
    Who plays bad golf all day
    So let’s start shellin’

    There’s a choice we’re makin’
    Al-Qaeda’s on our side
    It’s true He’ll make you faint and say
    Just let it be!

    RobJ (94aabe)

  104. Neil Cavuto jokes that he may have said “bread line” instead of “red line”.

    elissa (6b3fdb)

  105. Went back to Patterico’s links in the story, and listened to the press conference when he put out his red line, and this caught my ear…

    “those refugees flaying from the mayham”….

    Yes, I spelled those as he said them….

    Just saying….

    And, for once, I agree with happyfeet…I know; that’s rare…

    reff (4dcda2)

  106. It seems to me that Obama will fight a war in Syria with the same nonchalance and inattention that he pursued military action in Libya and Afghanistan. Libya gave us Benghazi, and yesterday’s military report on Afghanistan is full of positive headlines but bad news:

    The U.S. and its NATO allies are due to complete their combat mission in Afghanistan in December 2014.

    “Right now I would say that the conditions are set for winning this war. But it is not yet won, and it is not yet over,” [Army Lt Gen Mark] Milley said.

    He said the Taliban have failed to achieve their 2013 strategic goal of regaining lost ground.

    “This is a very resilient enemy, it’s an adaptive enemy and I don’t think for a minute that the Taliban or their kind are going to kind of fade away into the dust here in the next year or two. That’s not going to happen,” Milley said.

    Milley said the war’s momentum has shifted in favor of the Afghan government, even though its army and police are taking heavy casualties — 50 to 100 killed per week.

    It is an “open question” whether the Afghans can sustain that loss rate, he said, but he also predicted that the casualties would not “break” the Afghans’ will.

    “These guys are absolutely determined to fight for their country, and they’re doing a good job at it. And, yes, they are suffering,” he said. “Is it sustainable or unsustainble? I think that’s an open question.”

    DRJ (a83b8b)

  107. Kerry: Arabs will finance our war in Syria. Especially if we go all the way and remove Assad. So does this mean we a have Rent-a-Military now?

    DRJ (a83b8b)

  108. And, for once, I agree with happyfeet…I know; that’s rare…

    but isn’t that being disrespectful towards Working Girls?

    askeptic (2bb434)

  109. This Obama person certainly is a pathological liar.

    Elephant Stone (6a6f37)

  110. 109- Didn’t they rent it once before to liberate Kuwait?

    askeptic (2bb434)

  111. 0nce upon a time, you spoke so fine
    threw the press a line in your prime
    Didn’t you?
    Clinton called, said beware, y’all, yer bound to fall, ya thought he was all, a-sh*ttin’ you
    You used to pontificate
    Talked about George Bush
    with so much hate
    Now yer drawin’ your red lines
    All the world sees warning signs
    yer havin’ to go to Congress to make a deal
    How does it feel?
    How does it feel?
    to be without some cred
    Putin takin’ ya to the woodshed
    you’re completely boned
    like a complete unknown
    Like a gelded drone

    Colonel Haiku (d62f1b)

  112. askeptic #112,

    I guess you could look at it that way but I don’t, because the payments and in-kind contributions came from Kuwait and from allies who were part of the military coalition trying to liberate Kuwait. Apparently this time there aren’t any nations contributing military support (unless there really are 34 nations offering military assistance), so it’s more like a mercenary relationship.

    DRJ (a83b8b)

  113. 109. Sorry if someone has linked on another thread to this story, or the gist has been otherwise covered.

    Wouldn’t want tiffy to make fun of me.

    http://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2013/09/is-war-with-syria-really-about-chemical-warfare/

    Does taking bribes to fight others’ wars count as Treason? Yeah, I thought so.

    gary gulrud (dd7d4e)

  114. War for oil!

    DRJ (a83b8b)

  115. 89. “Iran might not believe any threats…if he didn’t have the backing of Congress,
    and acting [alone] in Syria might make it harder to get Congress to approve the use of force in Iran.”

    See, even Sam admits these people have a Death Wish, ours.

    gary gulrud (dd7d4e)

  116. 116. People are floating the notion that the designed war will kill the squeester and give the Dims another CR, maybe even war bonds.

    Then we have the obvious Al Qaeda/US Salafist purpose.

    But Ogabe is probably also thinking world war will so tie up our military that he can move on the cities with his blobs of adipose tissue in the DHS.

    We are but months from losing the Reserve Currency/petrodollar status so, for once, he’s timely.

    gary gulrud (dd7d4e)

  117. If he can sacrifice his Ambassador what’s he care about 400 Syrian citizens.

    http://directorblue.blogspot.com/2013/09/suddenly-pro-war-pacifist-howard-dean.html

    Collateral damage.

    gary gulrud (dd7d4e)

  118. Please accept my abject apology, an old story.

    http://im41.com/archives/37685

    Kinda like Tuesday following Monday. Really?

    gary gulrud (dd7d4e)

  119. Yes, but Hamid is a big Brotherhood supporter, so he means that in a dismissive way.

    narciso (3fec35)

  120. To bad McVain can’t read the internet from his phone.

    http://www.theminorityreportblog.com/2013/09/03/un-reveals-terrorists-not-government-used-sarin-gas/

    gary gulrud (dd7d4e)

  121. Comment by Colonel Haiku (d62f1b) — 9/4/2013 @ 6:25 pm

    Hah!

    MD in Philly (f9371b)

  122. That took a brain-racking 15 minutes, MD!

    Colonel Haiku (32b8a6)

  123. Colonel #113
    Betcha if Bob sang it with your lyrics nobody could tell the difference 🙂

    Angelo (a5a914)

  124. LOL, Angelo… and Dylan, the putz, voted for Obama both times.

    Colonel Haiku (d62f1b)

  125. askeptic…it would be except that working girls are working right now and don’t have time to follow Obama’s logic….

    reff (4dcda2)

  126. What will result from the threat of or even the launch of a few cruise missles? Assad will spread out his forces.
    His forces spread out become easier targets for insurgents.
    If the Al Queda bit of Syrian Rebels used chemical weapons to instigated Obama’s response they sure know how to play him like a fiddle.

    Playing him like Charlie Daniels.

    papertiger (c2d6da)

  127. Obama lies so regularly that it’s no longer a matter of any conscious thought. I think his autonomic nervous system has taken over, and he tell lies as automatically, and almost as frequently, as his heart beats and his lungs breathe in and out.

    Beldar (062d4c)

  128. If this is true, this Administration is full of pathological liars:

    Securing Syria’s chemical weapons stockpiles and the facilities that produced them would likely require the U.S. to send more than 75,000 ground troops into the Middle Eastern country, MailOnline learned Wednesday.

    That estimate comes from a secret memorandum the U.S. Department of Defense prepared for President Obama in early 2012.

    DRJ (a83b8b)

  129. DRJ, show that to Sammy. Although that seems to be higher than even I’d argue.

    SPQR (768505)

  130. If this report is true, I assume the number of troops was influenced by what happened in Iraq. They probably estimated what they needed and doubled or tripled it for a surge-like effect.

    DRJ (a83b8b)

  131. Obama is unable to distinguish between what he wants and what he is able to accomplish, between being a senator and being The President of the United States.

    Or is it that he keeps forgetting that he’s not the Emperor? All his life he was fed the lie that America is an empire. Now that he’s in charge, it must be very frustrating to find out that his power is limited, and America’s power is limited.

    But he would have issues even if we were our emperor. The office doesn’t make the man, the man makes the office. His predecessors had real leadership ability. People followed them; indeed the world sometimes followed them. They thought things through, unlike Obama who decreed that Gitmo be closed within a year on his first day in office, and never learned from his mistake.

    Leaders have vision and have a plan to get there. Obama seems to get stuck between the one and the other. He has an emperor mode (my red line), and a senator mode (their red line), and that’s about it.

    Amphipolis (d3e04f)

  132. /un-reveals-terrorists-not-government-used-sarin-gas/

    this Administration is full of pathological liars:

    The turnabout of all the major players of the left in this lunacy, starting with Obama and then transitioning to characters like John Kerry, extending to Democrats in Congress, has a surrealistic edge about it. I have to keep pinching myself and asking “is this reality or am I merely witnessing a bad movie out of Hollywood?”

    When scrutinizing history and discovering the startling, unexpected, bizarre racism and bigotry of major liberals in US history, including Franklin D Roosevelt (who blamed Jews for 1930s Germany and had a disdain for mixed-race people), Woodrow Wilson (who supported Jim Crow laws) and Harry Truman (who spoke and wrote like a Klu Klux Klanner in private and didn’t allow Jews — much less blacks, etc — into his home in Missouri, well after his term in office), not to mention Bill Clinton’s casual use of the “n” word, went so much against the stereotype of liberalism and liberals, that it didn’t seem possible. But what I’m now seeing with the left and Syria, and their gunning-for-war sentiment, is an up-to-the-moment lesson in just how philosophically (or mentally) corrupt they really are.

    Mark (58ea35)

  133. So the big get by the oppositiom, is the former Defense Minister, who was promoted because of the death of his predecessor, by elements of the same outfit based in West Ghouta, he had been sanctioned as well two years back,

    narciso (3fec35)

  134. Yes, Mark, and Truman had ties to the Pendergast gang, as well, but when the other alternative is Henry Wallace, beggers can’t be choosers.

    narciso (3fec35)

  135. 121. I suppose this is dismissive as well?

    http://pjmedia.com/tatler/2013/09/04/egyptian-media-portray-obama-as-satan/

    gary gulrud (dd7d4e)

  136. Current House Majority Whip count 49 aye, 199 nay.

    gary gulrud (dd7d4e)

  137. 10-year T-Bill 2.97% and rising. Stop loss calls set at 3.00% would be a popular round number.

    gary gulrud (dd7d4e)

  138. The crux of the matter:

    http://www.rightwingnews.com/syria/republican-congressman-goes-after-john-kerry-hard-on-benghazi-during-syria-hearing/

    The Feds no longer get a benefit of the doubt, let alone trust.

    gary gulrud (dd7d4e)

  139. The Administration’s lies continue.

    DRJ (a83b8b)


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