President Obama Hits The PAUSE Button On Syria

@Frank Apisa,

Frank Apisa wrote:

Best move Barack Obama has made as president...and I hope it is a legacy that will influence future presidents in these kinds of situations.

My thanks to the UK for leading the way on this.

I'm not sure if you're being sarcastic here, Frank. But if you're not, I agree with you. The US constitution has always demanded that Congress sign off on America's wars; it's a good thing that a US president respect the constitution for a change.

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@Thomas,

Thomas wrote:

Frank Apisa wrote:
Best move Barack Obama has made as president...and I hope it is a legacy that will influence future presidents in these kinds of situations.

My thanks to the UK for leading the way on this.

I'm not sure if you're being sarcastic here, Frank. But if you're not, I agree with you. The US constitution has always demanded that Congress sign off on America's wars; it's a good thing that a US president respect the constitution for a change.

No sarcasm whatever.

I was furious that Bush II did not do it...and I am delighted that Obama has decided to do it...even if his motives may be more political than because of adherence to the Constitution.

Several years ago (during the Iraq war buildup) I wrote a letter published by the Lincolnshire Echo that mentioned that the UK was not doing the world any good by simply agreeing to US policy without any pushback.

No sarcasm at all.

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@roger,

roger wrote:

That kind of raises the question of what happens to nerve gases when they are "blown up". Personally, I would like to know which way the wind was blowing relatively to myself and the nerve gas.

Chicken!

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@Frank Apisa,

Frank Apisa wrote:

Several years ago (during the Iraq war buildup) I wrote a letter published by the Lincolnshire Echo that mentioned that the UK was not doing the world any good by simply agreeing to US policy without any pushback.

Bit of a strange choice there Frank, a local paper as opposed to a national. Why Lincolnshire? Were you stationed there by any chance?

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From all the articles I have read it seems the collective view that Obama made a smart political decision, largely on his own, to put the ball in congress's court after loosing international support on striking Syria. They say the chances are about even on whether congress will support it or not. A NBC survey has 50% of those asked supporting limited action but not a full blown war.

NBC News Survey

Ever private, Obama kept even close aides in dark about plan to go to Congress

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@revelette,

I think he saw the polls that indicated 80% of the people want Congress to weigh in. Also, I accept the premise that it's more in keeping with his own philosophy on the Constitution and war powers.

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@JPB,

Perhaps, that was just the opinion of some opinion writers I read this morning.

I am not sure what I think, I just think that if in the past chemical weapons being used was enough to have the world come together in accord to do something about it, I don't understand their reluctance in this instance. It seems inconsistent to me. On the other hand perhaps those are right in that just limited strikes wouldn't do much of anything to get rid of the chemical weapons and a more elaborate effort would need to be launched. Or else continue to do nothing at all while the Assad regime keeps killing Syrian civilians like he has been for years while the world (and the US) just continues to watch.

1 Reply

Joe Nation. Mind if I repost your Facebook post?
It helped me sort things out.

9 questions about Syria you were too embarrassed to ask
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2013/08/29/9-questions-about-syria-you-were-too-embarrassed-to-ask/

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@panzade,

Pretty depressing.

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@panzade,

Yeh, I read that in wapo last evening and it made me rethink some. Now I'm not as sure of no, but I am not at all sure of yes either.

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@Frank Apisa,

Frank Apisa wrote:

I was furious that Bush II did not do it...

You were furious that Bush did not do what, Frank?

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@Ticomaya,

Watch out Frank, Tico is setting you up

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@Ticomaya,

Ticomaya wrote:

Frank Apisa wrote:
I was furious that Bush II did not do it...

You were furious that Bush did not do what, Frank?

I withdraw that part of the remark. I was wrong...Bush did put the question to the congress. And although he did so with enough lies to effectively negate the act...I should have conceded that.

I was wrong...and withdraw that part of my comment.

I was simply furious with Bush.

1 Reply

@izzythepush,

izzythepush wrote:

Frank Apisa wrote:
Several years ago (during the Iraq war buildup) I wrote a letter published by the Lincolnshire Echo that mentioned that the UK was not doing the world any good by simply agreeing to US policy without any pushback.

Bit of a strange choice there Frank, a local paper as opposed to a national. Why Lincolnshire? Were you stationed there by any chance?

Yeah, I was stationed in Gainsborough, Lincs back in the 1950's...so I sent my letter to The Times...and to the Echo.

The Echo printed it.

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@Thomas,

How is it so, if the US can do what it pleases?

Laws concerning anything, including international jurisdiction, are rather meaningless if they can't or won't be enforced. This the whole point of a US strike against Syria.

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@Finn dAbuzz,

Finn dAbuzz wrote:

How is it so, if the US can do what it pleases?

Laws concerning anything, including international jurisdiction, are rather meaningless if they can't or won't be enforced. This the whole point of a US strike against Syria.

Kinda the story of "Belling the Cat"...wouldn't you say, Finn. Or a mirror version of it.

You (universal "you") can make rules or confer "rights"...but without the power to see that they are implemented...

...well...

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@Thomas,

Thomas wrote:

PS: I cannot forget America the bogeyman, because I never thought of America as a bogeyman in the first place. I think of America as a powerful country whose elites are idealistic, mostly ignorant about the rest of the world, and in enthusiastic pursuit of policies that sound good at the time they conceive them, but in the end create bigger messes than abstinence would have. As they say, "the road to hell is paved with good intentions" --- and America's foreign policy keeps paving it.

This may or may not be the case, but let's be honest, you wouldn't want the US to play internation policeman even if each and every move it made worked out splendidly.

And if this is the case (as I'm sure it is) it means that some abstract notions of international law and soverign rights are more of a significant issue to you than the messes the US tries to clean up.

1 Reply

@Thomas,

Thomas wrote:

Frank Apisa wrote:
Best move Barack Obama has made as president...and I hope it is a legacy that will influence future presidents in these kinds of situations.

My thanks to the UK for leading the way on this.

I'm not sure if you're being sarcastic here, Frank. But if you're not, I agree with you. The US constitution has always demanded that Congress sign off on America's wars; it's a good thing that a US president respect the constitution for a change.

Frank will clearly tell you when he is being sarcastic.

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@Frank Apisa,

Well done Frank

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@Frank Apisa,

Something like it, although I don't precisely equate Thomas and those like-minded with the mice of the fable.

He doesn't really expect anyone else to enforce his international law or hold tightly the reins on the US, which in some ways make the exercise all the more meaningless.

1 Reply

President Obama Hits The PAUSE Button On Syria

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