Syria

[Maggot]

Obama will bomb creating a crisis that will allow him to go another term. Also it takes the eye off obamacare and the NSA thing. I believe he is that egotistical.

[Duchess]

I feel they should be obligated to listen to the will of the people. Those people are in power because of us, they owe it to us to listen to what we want and to abide by that.

[Duchess]

Oops. I'm just now seeing that Hot D posted right before I did. Sorry. I wouldn't have been redundant had I seen that first.

[Maggot]

It looks like the polititians are feeling the pressure from their constituents. Boxing the boy in.

[FAHQTOO]

Has anyone seen the video of judge Jeannine Pirro challenging the pres?
I don't even know who she is, but the video is fucking awesome and I can't post it from my phone.
If anyone would care to take the time and find it, it's well worth watching. She didn't hold back anything.
I wonder if she'll have to go into hiding. You know how those raging liberals get when you say anything bad about their GOD!!

[Duchess]

Has anyone seen the video of judge Jeannine Pirro challenging the pres?

Is this it? There are a few of them.

[ZEROSPHERES]

I wonder if judge Jeannine Pirro drives real fast at night like Michael Hastings.

[Duchess]

Disregard the other video, I think it might be this one instead.

[FAHQTOO]

Disregard the other video, I think it might be this one instead.

That's the one. I like her.

Thanks Duchess

[Older Than Dirt]

ABC World News with Diane Sawyer shared Diane Sawyer's photo.
Diane goes one-on-one with President Obama tonight on World News.

[username]

ABC World News with Diane Sawyer shared Diane Sawyer's photo.
Diane goes one-on-one with President Obama tonight on World News.

I heard Obama was going to do something like 6 or 7 interviews today.

This whole thing with Russia and allowing the UN to supposedly oversee Syria's chemical weapons stockpile is REALLY going to add a damper to any of Obama's plans to win support to conduct a military strike on Syria. Unless something changes (i.e., there's another chemical weapons attack), I don't think we'll be bombing Syria in the near future.

[HairOfTheDog]

This whole thing with Russia and allowing the UN to supposedly oversee Syria's chemical weapons stockpile is REALLY going to add a damper to any of Obama's plans to win support to conduct a military strike on Syria. Unless something changes (i.e., there's another chemical weapons attack), I don't think we'll be bombing Syria in the near future.

It's like watching an international poker tournament with very high stakes.

At the table: Obama, Kerry, Assad, Putin (and ki-Moon attempting to keep the game clean).

IMO, Kerry threw out the "turn over all chemical weapons to divert a military strike" option in response to the London interview question so as not to give the impression that the US was all gung-ho and committed to bombing, no matter what. (My inference only based on what I've read; not something stated or a confirmed fact.)

I don't think it was an option that Kerry had the authority to formally propose. But, Putin surprisingly tossed in some chips and publicly called Kerry's bluff.

Now, the White House is claiming that it was hard-core pressure by the US that spawned this potential compromise solution, while simultaneously using Assad's willingness to consider it as a sign of his guilt and stating that any promises he makes cannot be trusted (and therefore Congress should be more motivated to vote in favor of a strike). Hedging.

ki-Moon supports the confiscation and destruction of chemical weapons, under the UN's supervision. At the same time, he continues to remind the players and bystanders that the results of his UN team's investigation into who's responsible for the attacks are not yet conclusive and any retaliatory action / military strike would be premature anyway.

The game should be in play for at least another week now. That's how long Kerry's given Assad; that's how long Assad has to collaborate with Putin and Lavrov to get the weapons turned over (or come up with another strategy?).

Gonna be interesting to see everyone's hands next week...

[Duchess]

The Prez just said,"God bless America". He's really done it now.

I didn't hear him adress having proof of who is behind the sarin gas.

[Maggot]

It's like watching an international poker tournament with very high stakes.

That's prolifically stimulating and thought provoking but sounds familiar somehow, like scratching an old scar.

[Maggot]

Where the hell is that guy um.............ESAD anyways and where the hell is Cracker and OP and MF.....................Fuckers! And that dickhead Dick?


That's it ..........Now I must turn on my old computer and look for their stupid e-mail addresses.

[HairOfTheDog]

It's like watching an international poker tournament with very high stakes.

That's prolifically stimulating and thought provoking but sounds familiar somehow, like scratching an old scar.

I imagine that analogous scenario a lot of the time when following global politics.

But, I give. Did I use it in a post here before? Did you? Some other wise ass?

I think Putin took the pot, this week anyway. He upped his credibility as a rational leader, loyal ally, and negotiator, IMO.

Wlll see if he holds 'em or folds 'em (source: Kenny Rogers et all...) next week come deadline time.

[Maggot]

I got a globe today and looked at all the countries involved in this mess. Its larger than WWII was in that aspect of land mass.

[NightOwl]

Charlie Rose did a wonderful job interviewing Assad. Thanks to Mock keeping me updated. Assad is a monster he needs to step down now and his wife some have called her Asma Bin Laden. I was quite tired of his lisping repetitive statements "it's not me it's them" what nonsense. One article I read said "the couple from hell have lost their humanness". I saw no sorrow watching the interview no sympathy for dead children no empathy whatsoever for refugees, no explanation as to why so many of his top military have defected and his own mother and sister even, Oh! it wouldn't be him that's the cause of course not.

I was proud to be an American and enjoyed Charlie Rose interview very much!

[Duchess]

I didn't know his mother & sister had defected. *snicker*

[HairOfTheDog]

I didn't know his mother & sister had defected. *snicker*

Bushra (the sister) fled Syria mid last year after her husband was killed in a rebel attack. Her husband had served as Assad's Deputy Defense Minister. A few months later when the rebel forces were gaining ground on top of the presidential palace, Anisa Makhlouf (the mother) left Syria and joined her daughter in Dubai.



I remember reading lots of speculation at the time that Asma, Assad's wife, had fled as well. She hadn't been seen in public in months, turned out that she was still there and laying low - following the killing of many government officials.

The latest: UN report near completion
So, Monday looks to be the day that the UN's investigation report will be finalized/released.

UN Sec Gen Ban ki-Moon's comments today seem to confirm that sarin gas was used. The report isn't expected to make allegations as to which side was responsible for the attack, but it's being reported that the details as to the types of chemicals used and the delivery mechanisms will strongly point to one side or the other.

If the report reveals very strong circumstantial evidence pointing at Assad's military, I think it could significantly pull public opinion in favor of Obama and Ayrault's push for a physical show of force, and Putin's gonna be doing major tap-dancing. Not only because of the use of chemical weapons, but also because of Assad's (and by association, Putin's) attempt to deceive the world about it.

In that case, Assad better be working on a serious proposal to turn over the government's chemical weapons arsenal, within an aggressive time frame and with full agreement to allow UN-requested inspections and monitoring; no fucking around and no attempts to negotiate downward. Anything less could see Cameron getting more support from the British Parliament to take action and some US Congresspersons getting off the fence and supporting Obama's original proposal for a military strike. All JMO.

If the report reveals very strong circumstantial evidence pointing at the rebel forces, I wonder if Obama, Ayrault and other supporters will cut off or reduce aid.

Anxious to learn what the investigation uncovered.