The Waiting Game

There was nothing in Obama' speech last night that came as a surprise.  Actually it was a rehash of what has been said before.

So where does it leave us?  As an insignificant entity whose leader abdicated our position as leader of the free world.  Instead we are now bowing to the dictates of Russia whatever they may be.

Military action has been delayed which is what the President wanted even though he wasn't going to have much say in it anyway. However, it hasn't necessarily been avoided because we'll be jumping through the same hoops when Iran is ready to go nuke.  With even less support than we have at present.

The worst part of it is Assad will go unpunished because Russia will protect him.  That wasn't the President's intent either though I have yet to figure out why. Assad still has his chemical weapons.  Removing them will take months if not years and who can trust Syria to give them all up? And who can guarantee he won't use them again while all the "negotiations" are going on?

So what has our bluster left in it's wake?  A demoralized Free Syrian Army who most likely would have been the good guys at the beginning.  Now there is so much al Qaeda infiltration into rebel ranks we haven't a clue who is a safe bet.

We have ancient, historic Christian communities being destroyed by these rebels and the citizens who refuse to embrace Islam being beheaded.  Are chemical weapons worse?

We have Assad left unchecked to carry on with his civil war.  That's an oxymoron isn't it? Civil War? Russia will keep him well armed and those caught in the cross fire will continue to die.

Meanwhile our people will meet with Russia's people and try to sort things out. To suit Russia and Syria and the U.N. will wait to see which way the wind blows before coming up with their own resolution.

Meanwhile, the country that should be dictating the terms for the surrender of WMDs, the U.S.,  is sitting, begging and rolling over to Putin's commands.  Will he even throw us a bone?  I doubt it.

Tony Blair was chastised for being Bush's poodle.  What does that make Obama to Putin?  Maybe a chihuahua?  Well, at least he's got the ears for it.

Don't Pop The Champagne Corks Just Yet

You could almost hear the collective sighs of relief when Vladimir Putin seized on an off hand remark by John Kerry and ran with it. That Syria give up it's chemical weapons, ingredients, etc. to the international community to eventually be destroyed.  Standing alone it is a noble endeavor.  But it does not stand alone.

Why do I think ole Vlad has something more up his sleeve than one upping our President one more time?  Because I don't trust him.  Because I don't trust Assad.  Nor am I thrilled with the competency of the U.N. And because this isn't as easy an undertaking as the media are making it seem.  The big factor is there is a civil war going on in Syria. I hardly think Assad is going to neglect it while he gives up his chemical weapons.

I am going to listen to the President tonight with a great deal of interest.  I, as many others, think he sees this as his out.  Again, it isn't that easy.  Of course the Russians have to bring forth their proposal.  Like the watchdogs are going to be and what demands he will make on the U.S.

Then there's how they're going to get the weapons out of Syria amid a war and how they will verify all have been removed amid a war.  No easy task.

I suggest the President set a deadline for the proposal in the very near term or this could drag out until the desert freezes over.  He should never, ever take military action off the table.  He does, however, need to learn how to use it judiciously.  He's been given a reprieve on that one.

There are nearly as many caveats to the Russian proposal as to the President's call for missile strikes.  A best case scenario would be a discussion with the American people as to what the new wrinkles are that this proposal has brought to the table.  And that the President doesn't try to claim the idea as his own and try to make himself into the visionary statesman that he is not.

No doubt I will have a few things to say tomorrow.  It ain't over 'til the fat lady sings and at the moment there isn't a lady in sight - fat or otherwise.

The Process As Part Of The Problem

Listening to the should we or shouldn't we arguments as to whether or not to strike Syria is gut wrenching.  I do understand the argument that Assad should be punished, meaningfully, for using chemical weapons.

I also understand the reluctance to aide the opposition since, regardless of what John Kerry says, we're really not all that sure who the good guys are.  If there are any.  We do know that they're not going to like us no matter what we do.

I still maintain that the time for successful intervention is long passed and whether we engage in a full fledged war, a shot across the bow or somewhere in between we're going to come out on the short end.

However, we are contemplating military action of some sort.  In listening to Diane Feinstein, D-CA, chairwoman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, I thought it strange she emphasized that she was very constituently oriented.  Isn't she supposed to be? But then we know how few that have been in Congress as long as she has actually are.

More than that however, she admitted that the negative response she has received about any military intervention  is causing her consternation. Then she went on to caveat that with the fact the public doesn't know what she does. To be precise, "But you see, then they don't know what I know.  They haven't heard what I've heard."

Why not?  Everyone knows we intercept communication from every one every where.  That's no longer a secret.  What should we not be privy to when the President is contemplating taking us into the abyss of military action?  Let us decide with clarity rather than guilt or fear.  Leave that to the President.  He's so good at it.

What could be more childish than the way this is being handled.  "It's not my fault, it's yours!"  "I know something you don't know." And so it goes. But we're talking about war.  Lives.  Obscene amounts of money we don't have to spare.

One more thing to bear in mind.  Nine eleven is but 5 days away. Last year we had Benghazi.  The entire truth of that matter has yet to be told.  Do we want to add Syria to the mix?

What A Mess

As expected the Senate has passed a resolution that will lead us to war if passed by the House.

It amazes me how the scope of blame for the Syrian action, and we the people haven't seen proof that it was the regime rather than a radical wing of the rebels who actually unleashed the chemicals, has spread from our President's inaction to the fault of the whole world including Congress.

So what's next?  Who knows but I'm willing to wager it will be more than outlined in the resolution.

I have embedded it for your reading pleasure.  I get uncomfortable with the very first sentence and it goes on from that point.  There are too many vagaries for my comfort zone.

That being said, I just don't trust this President to limit himself to what is laid out.  Since he is comfortable enforcing law as he sees fit rather than obeying thir dictates,  I have no reason to believe he will abide by any ole resolution coming out of Congress if it suits his purpose to not do so.

Now I read where the Arabs are willing to  finance the entire war if we will fight it.  Wow.  Heck of a deal. If it's true.  Why don't they fight it themselves.  The United States military is not a mercenary group that hires itself out!  Is it?

I see escalation written all over this. I'm tired and afraid.  Tired of trying to make sense of this administration and afraid for every member of the military and their families.  I think I'm stressed.  I cannot begin to imagine what they're going through.  And for what?

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Syria Joint Resolution

Congress On Syria - What I Hope To See

Parsing words seems to becoming a required skill for politicians.  That Obama is going to seek Congressional approval for military action is good. When his surrogates go to lay out his proposal I hope they hold his feet to the fire. Don't accept parsed rhetoric.

It's a given that chemical weapons  have been used in spite of international agreements banning that use.  It's also true that red line had been crossed several times before Obama felt forced to take action to save face.  I do not accept his rationale that this time is because of the scope of it.  Use of chemical weapons is just that - large or small.  But this President has a penchant for picking and choosing to his own liking.

I've already made clear that I think token action is a waste of time and to the world, laughable.  Some Senators say we need to do more.  We all know what that means.  The US will be involved in escalating an already untenable situation.

That's the big thing to remember.  This isn't about the misuse of the Presidential bully pulpit.  It's about whether or not we should involve ourselves in a fight that isn't ours, with but one reluctant ally, France, who won't act without us.  It's fair to ask our allies why the lack of support.  I've yet to hear that, but I'd guess at least partially they're as war weary, especially since we don't tend to win them these days, as we are. Why isn't the chemical weapon use as egregious to them?

If the administration briefings to Congress as to the complete strategy is better given in private, I can live with it.  But it must be a complete strategy including what exactly our national interest is in all this, how we will extricate ourselves and what we'll do if the action doesn't deter Assad.  They should also ask what we'll do if Israel is attacked in retaliation for our actions and what we'll do if Russia decides to jump in on the side of the Syrians and also why our allies have all but rejected this tack.

I'm sure, given time, I'll think of more, but you get the idea.  It must be detailed and thorough, doable and meaningful.  So far I've seen none of the above.  What I have seem is impassioned rhetoric about the need for some action because of horrors of war that we are no part of and an opinion that no one seems to share, in an attempt to make us feel guilty for not being willing to bail out the President.