Should the missiles fly into Syria?
Following is in my opinion "spot on" analysis of the Actions of President Obama. What the Democrat Party has done is give this Nation a real Amateur as its President in both economic and foreign affairs. The following is from a good former Air Force pal and extremely smart Democrat. I wish the leadership in the Senate had the same intelligence as my Democrat friend!!!
“From my experience with community activists/organizers President Obama is following the threaten and bluff scenario recommended in the organizers manual and designed to make opposition fade away in fear that a public opinion will side with the organizer's position. He has never understood that he is now playing in a league where the opposition doesn't give a damn about public opinion and where many, if not most, of his opposition likes neither him nor his country. He also does not understand that many of our friends and allies are there for us only as long as we are financially sound and can pay for their help in some way. President Obama does not understand that his economic policies are putting us in a position that we can't make the ante for the international policy poker game. He needs to understand that he cannot continue to draw yellow lines in loose middle eastern sands while there is a high wind and think he will be taken seriously by anyone, much less radical Islamists who hate his guts for no other reason than he is an American.”
It is obvious to many of us who have military experience that sending in missiles or U.S. fighter/bombers into Syria without a “coalition of the willing” is mission with huge unintended consequences. If this mission is launched it will go down likely as an attempt by the President to “save face” and will result in failure to end the civil war. I fear if this mission is launched it will only further inflame Muslims against the West and the United States. The window has, for timely action, has been closed for a very long time. This time it will be wise to “stand down”!
Regards,
John Stiegelmeyer
Vinton
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So. What is your point?
The facts were from the UN before the Iraq War. While the UN was working in support of military intervention, the UN had sent in WMD inspectors and their job was not completed but did not find any in the areas they inspected. Colin Powell and his infamous speech at the UN laid out why it is was necessary. We now know that the intel he had was inaccurate to say the least. Before the weapons inspectors made their final report of not finding any WMD\'s, the Bush administration goes ahead anyway and invades Iraq leading UN Secretary Kofi Annan to say on September 16, 2004 in regards to the invasion, said, \"I have indicated it was not in conformity with the UN Charter. From our point of view, from the charter point of view, it was illegal.\" To say that the UN backed the invasion is simply not true. Bush squandered a lot of support from the world community by going forward without at least getting the final report from the weapons inspectors. No matter what you think about Syria, these are the facts that occurred with Iraq. If you don\'t believe, look it up.
Finally you have addressed the issue I raise \"Should the missiles fly?\" I say no. We can not gain any advantage with a pincushion strike as B.O. has outlined. We can only further outrage radical Islamist. Oh and I don\'t get the Yada yada - sounds like your echo.
Unless you all have super-human abilities to read my mind over the internet, you do not know what I am thinking.
I am conflicted as far as Syria is concerned. I have not blindly signed on to what the President wants. I, like most Americans do not want another war after the Bush wars. I do not want innocent people to be killed by our missiles. But at the same time, if we are going to remain the leader of the world, when a government decides to use chemical weapons on their people, the United States has a moral obligation to act. So I am conflicted.
Unlike those commenting here and other Republicans, Tea Party, conservatives or whatever you want to call yourselves, I have not just accepted what the President wants. The people mentioned above in this paragraph who are against anything the President suggests because the President suggested it. John, you want critical thinking, well I and many Democrats are doing just that which is more than I can say for anti-Obama people who will oppose everything the President does.
As I stated earlier, first Republicans said the administration was too slow in sending missiles to Syria. That has been the chant for months, UNTIL, the President said lets go in and wall la,(sp), conservatives are now against it, while us Democrats and Progressives are critically thinking what should be done and trying to decide what is best.
My hope is that whatever action we take or don’t take results in a safer Syria and no protracted war but the U.S. cannot claim world superiority if we sherk from making difficult decisions. People will die; it is messy no matter what we do.
\" There is a different leader in Syria now. Many of the members of Congress of both parties who have gone to Syria in recent months have said they believe he’s a reformer.\"
First I\'ll let you guess. Any ideas? Could it be house Speaker John Banner? No. How about Senator John McCain? No, afraid Not. How about The Presidents choice for Secretary of State Hillary Clinton? We have a Winner! March 27, 2011 Face the Nation. http://youtu.be/WztY-BFMMSc
Next Quote. \"I didn\'t set a Red Line, the world set a Red Line.\" That\'s right it\'s our very own President Obama just a few days ago in Sweden. http://youtu.be/Nc8dYrDr4Ak
So If I understand this, if the world set the red line than way are we the ones leading to charge? And why is no one wanting to join us. I mean it\'s the World for crying out loud. 7.2 Billion people set the red line, according to the president.
Lastly I want to adjust my stance on this situation. After doing a little more searching and learning I feel the US should move there ships in the Mediterranean just off the coast of Isreal and stand ready for any attack. Don\'t even think about sending missiles into Syria, let along any troops.
Is Assad a horrible person? Yes, I think he is approaching Hitler status. But who are the rebels that are leading this fight in Syria now? If you have a strong stomach, watch this clip and ask your self, does this man need to be helped or stopped? http://youtu.be/ZqJfFrkzf8I
Yada, yada, yada. You justg don\'t get it. If you are going to quote someone s being a credible source and we are to take that word as credible it has to be attributed. If you are not going to attribute it, don\'t use it!! or don\'t expect the reader to believe it. My Tea Party friend says, \"If John can\'t take it, he should not dish it out.\" I could not have said it better myself!!!
Why does it matter who this person is? Do you wish to harass him and his family - because he has a different viewpoint than yours? This person is an academic he has been a Superintendent of Schools in a Northeast area and an important leader in his community-during his military career he flew an aircraft that was not forgiving to ists crew members -- That is curage -- on not shown by our leader. He has not given me permission to use his name, but has given me permission to quote him. It should be obvious to any observant on looker that this person, President Obama, who the Democrat Party gave us as our President is ill suited for the job. Who is behind the \"curtain\" - those who remember the Wizard of OZ -- is it Valerie Jarrett? The one who supposedly prevented a decision on OBL (Osma Bin Laden) for six months before the Sec Def, and Sec State made this guy act, and why during the time line in the situation room did he retreat to another room to play spades while our soldiers were in peril? Criticize me all you want, but you still have not been able to answer the basic questions of the capability of the guy you supported to be our CIC. A limp appendage is a limp appendage! To be leader of the free world one must be taken seriously. As one writer has stated the apology tour did nothing to advance our posture. And, the reset button that H. Clinton presented did nothing as well. Good grief. Where are the critical thinking skills of our citizens?
Regards,
Because you will not attribute those comments to someone, why would we want to give them credence. It is easy make up quotes and say someone said them. For instance I could say a Republican friend of mine said, \"John Stiegelmeyer doesn\'t know what he is talking about.\" Does that make it true? Well maybe it does!!
I doubt very much if any or few Republicans or conservatives voted for President Obama. So if you say the American people voted for President you are correct, but to say Americans voted for B.O. is a stretch for it was the Unions and die hard Democrats/progressives basically that did the deal. They should have buyer remorse by now! I have been and will continue to be a union member, but I do not go along with the leadership – I can think for myself – thank you. As to the allegation that I am a Republican – I am registered “no party”. The Republican elite is only Democrat light, and I reject their so called leadership. I have been to TEA party rallies, but have no allegiance to them or any other organization except AMAC.
Rosemary
With respect to the person I quoted – why is it important to know who he is? He is a patriot and served honorably in our military. I have great respect for his wisdom and his words. Why not analysis the words he uses? My friend did send me a correction – he saw the light and changed to the Republican Party and then saw a brighter light and changed to no party.
As this whole deal progresses it is very obvious that the antiwar people who spoke up freely in opposing Bush #43 wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are silent when the Democrat appointee is in charge. The radical 60’s people and their offspring have the reins of government. Are they better or an improvement over the last 5 plus decades of U. S. involvement in Middle Eastern Affairs, or for that matter any other theater of affairs?
As I have said before Dems will support this President with no resume regardless of what he says or does. We have left the field --- there is no leadership apparent in the Executive. What I do see is this --- If the Congress does not give the POTUS authority to send the missiles into Syria – he will blame the R’s for not standing for U.S. resolve – this is only posturing for the midterm elections. “ I tried but the R,s thwarted my ability to bring an end to this war”. Wake up people – we do not have the resources any more to be the policemen of the World. Progressive policies have brought us to near bankruptcy. We do not have the finances available to carry on a protracted military endeavor- which, if the missiles are launched, will surely be required. Secondly, we are not sure who we should give support to. Radical Muslim elements seem to be taking over the fight. If as the anti-Bush people have said that our intell was faulty before Iraq ---how can they now be so confident that our intell NOW is accurate?
We do not know what they (the 16 intell orgs) know – and is it so vital that we commit our sons and daughters to suffer pain and death in this or any other endeavor in the future without knowing for sure what is at stake and what is our National Interest, and more importantly what will be the outcome? The unintended consequences are unknown!! It appears no one in government is able to think the deal through.
I remember that Bush #43 did indeed have a coalition of support from many of the NATO countries.
Mr. Braden do you intend to rewrite history. Great Britain for one was by our side as was other countries. Perhaps not in a combat mode, but supportive with troops in country nevertheless.
Regards,
John Stiegelmeyer
Vinton
If we were going to do anything, it needed to be done immediately, not weeks after, or years for that matter, with the backing of our friends or alone. If we\'re not going to do anything, don\'t act like we will.
This is the second time you have “quoted” someone without identifying who that individual is and what credentials that person has to give credence to, unless you are trying to pass off your opinion as being credible.
I am not going to get into whether we should or should not send missiles into Syria, but I find it interesting that you constantly say that Democrats will agree with President Obama whatever he does. I submit that you and your Republican counterparts are much guiltier of that than the Democrats are. Anything the President does, right or wrong, you and your fellow Republicans will find fault. Let’s just take the current crisis. First according to Repubs, the President is weak by not getting in earlier, then when he starts to seriously entertain the idea, the same people calling him weak are not calling him quick to us into another war. Which is it?
No matter how you want to revise history, as soon as the planes hit on 9/11, Bush and Cheney were trying to find direct fault with Iraq. They and others in the administration stated on numerous occasions that Iraq was involved with 9/11 and that there were WMD’s. That was a lie that got us in a protracted war that I might add was ended by our current President. Where was your questioning of getting into that war under those false pretenses?