The comments by the right wing in America on Obama's actions vis a vis Syria would be amusing if so many people didn't take them seriously. Obama has never gone into dick measuring contests and he isn't in one with Putin now. Obama goes for achievable results and look at what he is achieving with respect to Syria.
His Secretary of State, Kerry, in answer to a reporters question* "is any way to avoid bombing Syria", throws out the comment that Sure, if they were to give up their gas munitions but they will never do that. Putin picks it up and sees a way to preserve the only regime in the Middle East that he has as an Ally and puts pressure on Assad to give these weapons up. If America used her precision weapons on the Syrian Army, it would cease to exist as an effective force and who knows what the new regime would think about Russia.
The bait was skillfully dangled and the fish went for it.
* I wonder if the reporter was primed to ask the question.
So what was (or may be - it isn't certain until it happens) achieved. Syria which has never admitted that it has gas munitions is ready to give them up, Putin gets to prolong the Assad regime and Obama doesn't have to bomb Syria, something that he is opposed to do at the most basic level of his being. Obama had to give something to get something and what he gave is just a temporary reprieve to the Assad regime.
Incidentally, having Assad come out on top in this conflict is not all bad. You know for certain who will try to take over if Assad falls and then we have another fanatic fundamentalist regime in the Middle East even more bat shit crazy than the American tea party. With Assad at the helm there is at least a chance of evolution rather than revolution. Evolution always gives a better, more long lasting result than revolution. One hopes that Assad has been sufficiently shaken by this challenge to his power that he begins to include other factions in his government. Only time will tell.
Incidentally, as I see it, America has one last chance but I don't think she will take it. The half term elections are coming up and it would be possible for the American people, if they could look beyond the rhetoric to see what is actually happening to their country, that they could give Obama a majority in the Senate and Congress. Obama would than have the final two years of his time in power to sort out America.
Even with a majority in both houses, it would be an uphill struggle. The Democrats are only a little less self interested and corrupt than the Republicans but at least he would have a chance. In fact, to really be effective, each house would have to have a large enough majority to stop filibuster by the hoary old reptile. That is pie in the sky dreaming and will never happen.
His Secretary of State, Kerry, in answer to a reporters question* "is any way to avoid bombing Syria", throws out the comment that Sure, if they were to give up their gas munitions but they will never do that. Putin picks it up and sees a way to preserve the only regime in the Middle East that he has as an Ally and puts pressure on Assad to give these weapons up. If America used her precision weapons on the Syrian Army, it would cease to exist as an effective force and who knows what the new regime would think about Russia.
The bait was skillfully dangled and the fish went for it.
* I wonder if the reporter was primed to ask the question.
So what was (or may be - it isn't certain until it happens) achieved. Syria which has never admitted that it has gas munitions is ready to give them up, Putin gets to prolong the Assad regime and Obama doesn't have to bomb Syria, something that he is opposed to do at the most basic level of his being. Obama had to give something to get something and what he gave is just a temporary reprieve to the Assad regime.
Incidentally, having Assad come out on top in this conflict is not all bad. You know for certain who will try to take over if Assad falls and then we have another fanatic fundamentalist regime in the Middle East even more bat shit crazy than the American tea party. With Assad at the helm there is at least a chance of evolution rather than revolution. Evolution always gives a better, more long lasting result than revolution. One hopes that Assad has been sufficiently shaken by this challenge to his power that he begins to include other factions in his government. Only time will tell.
Incidentally, as I see it, America has one last chance but I don't think she will take it. The half term elections are coming up and it would be possible for the American people, if they could look beyond the rhetoric to see what is actually happening to their country, that they could give Obama a majority in the Senate and Congress. Obama would than have the final two years of his time in power to sort out America.
Even with a majority in both houses, it would be an uphill struggle. The Democrats are only a little less self interested and corrupt than the Republicans but at least he would have a chance. In fact, to really be effective, each house would have to have a large enough majority to stop filibuster by the hoary old reptile. That is pie in the sky dreaming and will never happen.
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