President Barack Obama appears poised to take the country into yet another military campaign, according to the Washington Post. With critics mocking him over his repeated references to “red lines” in warning Syria, Obama seems to feel compelled to now act even if it could result in an expansion of the war. He is reportedly considering a two-day cruise missile and bomber campaign to hit targets unrelated to the chemical weapons of the country. It will cost hundreds of millions at a minimum, but we appear now to be at perpetual war even as we cancel key environmental, educational, and scientific programs (including program cuts this week).
The campaign seems to be the result of public line drawing and face saving. Obama said early on that he would not stand for the use of chemical weapons. That was apparently ignored and now the U.S. must act to fulfill the threat. The question is why the United States must remain in a perpetual war footing to enforce such demands. China continues to avoid such military action and then in countries like Iraq, China comes in after we spend hundreds of billions to seize assets and contracts.
We clearly need to act in the wake of this chemical attack. However, given the recent disclosure our tacit approval of the use of chemical weapons by Saddam Hussein against Iran, we look hypocritical in using the weapons as the reason for a further entry into the Syrian civil war. If the world is unwilling to punish Syria through the United Nations, the question is whether we should continue to enforce our demands through military action.
Even before the U.N. report, Secretary of State John F. Kerry has already announced that the use of chemical weapons is now “undeniable.” Combined with Obama’s earlier “redline” ultimatum, that announcement would seem to commit the U.S. to once again launch large-scale military operations.
I previously represented members of Congress in challenging Obama’s intervention in the Libyan civil war without a declaration from Congress. In the case, President Obama insisted that he alone determines what is a war and therefore when he needs a declaration. Since the court would not recognize standing to challenge the war, it left Obama free to engage in war operations in any country of his choosing.
We all share the outrage over the use of chemical weapons and the need to seek sanctions. However, no one seriously believes that destroying facilities for a couple days is going to materially change anything in the country. It reminds some of Clinton attacking largely empty tents in Afghanistan with 70 Tomahawk missiles. These attacks will clearly have a greater impact than Clinton’s destruction of tents at the cost of over a $100 million. However, the question is what we expect to be achieved beyond sending the message that we are not to be mocked or ignored. With the long lead into the attacks, Syria has likely taking efforts to prepare for the attack and moved around assets. The danger is that we will cause an expansion of the conflict and push Russia and China to even greater support for Syria.
What do you think?
bk,
I just looked and the only thing in the spam filter are advertisements. Your comment was eaten by the dark hole that is WordPress.
Uh, I put a “/s” there, which means “the sarcasm switch is on.” Personally, I think Obama is just as wrong as Bush was to go into Iraq, or Clinton was to bomb the heck out of an aspirin factory.
To me, it seems very suspicious that Assad would do something like this when he seems to have the upper hand. And it seems reasonable to think that because he has the upper hand, Obama is maybe trying to knock out a few of his high cards. Which is nothing but war-mongering.
Of course, the Nobel committee couldn’t wait to bestow a Peace Prize on him. Maybe they had the “/s” on, too???
Squeeky Fromm
Girl Reporter
Oh hell Squeeky, screw all those race baiting ahole! Bush was a monkey also, just look back at the cartoons of him.
The world is on the edge of Nuke War & total destruction, Phk all those fake politically sensitive idiots.
Eat your GMO, drink your rat poison sodium fluoride water & take you’re toxic vax’s everyone & pray to your Wallst/City of London Bank/Insurance co overlords. 🙂
I have a post that vanished. It points out that at least a paragraph of Kerry’s statement yesterday describes US actions of the past (and maybe the present considering the continued use of DU weapons) and the need for accountability.
Noble Peace Laureate Barrack Hussein Obama is a charade.
Oh, Squeeky, Bush didn’t get a pass here. Obama is Bush on steroids when it comes to making war and eviscerating our civil rights.
Hypocrisy in action.
Yesterday, Kerry said, ” [T]oday, I want to provide an update on our efforts as we consider our response to the use of chemical weapons. ….[that]……. should shock the conscience of the world. It defies any code of morality. Let me be clear: The indiscriminate slaughter of civilians, the killing of women and children and innocent bystanders by chemical weapons is a moral obscenity. By any standard, it is inexcusable and — despite the excuses and equivocations that some have manufactured — it is undeniable.
He’s so right when you also reference a recent official disclosure:
http://www.democracynow.org/2005/11/17/pentagon_reverses_position_and_admits_u
excerpt:
The U.S. government has now admitted its troops used white phosphorus as an incendiary weapon against Iraqis during the assault on Fallujah a year ago. Chemical weapons experts say such attacks are in violation of international law banning the use of chemical weapons. We speak with columnist George Monbiot and the news director of RAI TV, the Italian TV network that produced the film “Fallujah: The Hidden Massacre.” [includes rush transcript]
The U.S. government has now admitted its troops used white phosphorus as an incendiary weapon against Iraqis during the assault on Fallujah a year ago.
Chemical weapons experts say such attacks are in violation of international law banning the use of chemical weapons.
Peter Kaiser, of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, said, “Chemicals used against humans or animals that cause harm or death through the toxic properties of the chemical are considered chemical weapons.”
White phosphorus is often compared to napalm because it combusts spontaneously when exposed to oxygen and can burn right through skin to the bone.
And then there is the napalm that was used in Viet Nam. And that it was US based companies, those in which at least 2 former vice presidents and various other administration officials had substantial stakes that provided the chemical weapons.
Well, I think there is a lot of latent racism going on here, because some of you just don’t want a Black president being able to do the same stuff White presidents do all the time. /s
Squeeky Fromm
Girl Reporter
You think maybe the Monkey running the Jolly Roger has an itchy trigger finger?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/321st_Missile_Squadron
Sweet, America needs another war with all the other ones kind of winding down. I am sure you guys are already there secretly, might as well make it official. You get to boost recruiting, helping all those folks unable to find employment in the private sector. Bootstrap ready!
Jill,
“Once it becomes legal for the US to run around regime changing (which in effect it has) why can’t another nation regime change our war criminals?”
I’m sure that’s a rhetorical question, but:
Because the U.S.A. has thousands of nuclear weapons, and a “defense” budget that exceeds the combined defense budgets of the nine or ten other nations that are next in line.
As I’ve mentioned before, the brave U.S.A. hasn’t picked a fight with a nation that can afford an aircraft carrier, since 1945.
Didn’t they Gas their own people:
News Summary: Federal agencies at odds over probe
1 hour, 57 minutes ago
FED vs. FED: Two federal government agencies are fighting over a 2012 fire at a Chevron refinery near San Francisco that sent clouds of gas and black smoke over residential neighborhoods, resulting in 15,000 people being treated at hospitals for respiratory ailments. IN THE OTHER CORNER: The EPA wants to know if Chevron managers knew about problems at the refinery and chose not to replace aging pipes.
Lost a brother MIA in Korea, still have nightmares over the Gulf of Tonkin which ignited 12 years of Vietnam and included some personal time spent “sightseeing” in Laos and Cambodia, over time have experienced the Bay of Pigs, Granada, Panama, Honduras, El Salvador, Kuwait, Somalia, Bosnia, Afghanistan, Iraq…..60 years of preemption, red lines, carrying the torch of freedom….pick one, just one, that anything to do with engaging military forces in “America’s interests.” All of these are about the of egos of 12 different U.S. presidents who found a way to wage war, solely for dozens of reasons, mostly political (except perhaps for Obama who is doing so only because his big mouth and childish ego leave him no option yet his actions only make him more of a child) that have virtually nothing to do with “American’s interests. Unless and until we find a way to put people into office that truly care about America’s interests, American treasure will continue to be lost. The truly sad part about Syria is that when Obama pulls the trigger and pumps his chest (not another picture of him in the ”war room”…PLEASE), he hasn’t a clue what might happen after-the-fact. Actions have consequences. You’d think a guy that brags incessantly about being the smartest guy in the room would figure that out at least once.
Inasmuch as there is a law in physics that Every Action has an Equal and Opposite Reaction, one has to wonder what Obama’s plan is after he launches a few cruise missiles into Syria.
What happens next?
Do we really think there won’t be a reaction or a next step?
We were often told Obama plays 12-level chess. I never believed it because I thought he had great gaps in his intellect and I don’t think he can play even one-level chess.
So, I have to ask; what’s Obama’s plan after he launches his personal missiles at Assad?
Will everything be hunky dory over there?
Will Jeffersonian democracy bloom in Syria?
Or will another thug seize power and, within five years, be killing another segment of the Syrian population?
Who has set the USA or its respective s administrative agencies as the barometer of morality outside of the US?
We have whole towns becoming sickened by contaminated drinking water…is cancer from fracking any less real than chemical weapons?
I think the compass is confused….
Looking at the 14-30 day weather forecast it shows there’s a 50% chance of a heavy rain of space junk satellites.
**Tony C. 1, August 27, 2013 at 1:58 pm
Nick: You underestimate the power of satellite technology and artificial intelligence systems, by about three decades. **
Tony C.,
Name one war where one or more soldiers didn’t take out one of their leaders themselves & declared the ahole they took out was a Hero to the higher ups.
It’s all about unit cohesion.
Yea!
In the long never ending war I see we’ve one another victory!
After the Jap/GE Fukushima nuke disaster they cant seem to close these “To Expensive to Meter” nuke plants fast enough.
**
News Summary: Vermont nuke plant to close
4 minutes ago
By The Associated Press
NO NUKES: Vermont’s only nuclear power plant will shut down by the end of next year, ending a legal battle over the future of the 4-decade-old plant.
STATES RIGHTS: The state senate quashed an attempt in 2010 to authorize an operation permit good for another 20 years due to concerns about the plant’s safety, age and misstatements by plant management about components at the reactor. Vermont is also home to one of the nation’s strongest anti-nuclear movements.
EXTERNAL FACTORS: Nuclear plants have been under significant price competition due to the recent natural gas. The owner cited low wholesale energy prices, high costs and what it called artificially deflated energy prices. **
Nick: You underestimate the power of satellite technology and artificial intelligence systems, by about three decades. Even with heavy cloud cover, once a satellite system knows where a person is, artificial intelligence systems can track that person’s whereabouts just about ad infinitum.
They do not rely on visual recognition, they aren’t fooled by decoys, shielding by a bridge, tunnel, building or car won’t matter; they can track every possible path until a person appears and then identify them, even if they are out of all sight for weeks on end. If you thought the precision and resolution of the Hubble Space Telescope was impressive, imagine what the NSA has turned on us; a simple extrapolation says they could read a fingerprint from the heat signature it leaves after you touch something. Not to mention the infrared signature of a person’s body is as unique as a fingerprint, and so is their gait.
I would not bet a dollar on Assad’s position NOT being known to the NSA or CIA or some other such intelligence agency, because I see no good reason to throw away a dollar.