Live link to Kerry's remarks on Syria

[markpkessinger]

http://www.nbcnews.com/video/nbcnews.com/52847517

[Catherina]

1. Thank you. Also here (UK Guardian) along with live commentary

Syria: US secretary of state John Kerry to address alleged chemical attack - live http://www.theguardian.com/world/middle-east-live/2013/aug/26/syria-crisis-military-action-un-inspectors-vist-chemical-attack

UK prime minister David Cameron has called Russian president Vladimir Putin to discuss the international response to the suspected chemical attack, a Cameron spokesperson tells the Guardian's Nick Watt:

""They both reiterated the position agreed by all leaders at the G8 in June: no-one should use chemical weapons and any use would merit a serious response from the international community.

The PM made clear that there was little doubt that this was an attack carried out by the Syrian regime. There was no evidence to suggest that the opposition had the capability to carry out such a significant attack and the regime had launched a heavy offensive in the area in the days before and after the incident. The regime had also prevented UN access in the immediate aftermath, suggesting they had something to hide.

President Putin said that they did not have evidence of whether a chemical weapons attack had taken place or who was responsible.""

Cameron is scheduled to convene a meeting of the National Security Council on Wednesday.

[Berlum]

2. Gum-chewing 'reporter' holds up notebook to tell us...

remarks now set for 2:30 EDT

[markpkessinger]

4. Thanks!

[Catherina]

3. Statement has been pushed back to 2.30pm ET n/t

[markpkessinger]

5. Thanks!

[markpkessinger]

6. They must be having trouble aligning the ducks . . .

[MADem]

8. No--Obama was giving out the Medal of Honor to a guy who rivaled Audie Murphy and lived to tell.

I think JK was doing the "proper cabinet official" thing, where you never stomp on your boss's press coverage.

The MoH ceremony just concluded, so it's likely to be soon--unless there's additional information he's gleaning about the UN team's activities.

[Berlum]

20. The Repubbies will just hate that

...an honorable veteran getting well-deserved recognition -- makes the Chickenhawk Claque (R) tremble in fear.

[MADem]

23. The guy was a frigging war hero--and the Taliban trying to kill him got it all on tape!

Talk about the 21st Century battlefield! He's like an Audie Murphy of his era.

A very humble young man--tried like hell to save a wounded buddy on top of running across open terrain repeatedly to get ammo for the rest of his unit. Held off forces with far superior firepower.

Remarkable story, remarkable guy.

[Berlum]

24. Indeed.

He is deserving of respect and the honor of the Medal.

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-18563_162-57600163/medal-of-honor-recipient-recalls-harrowing-afghan-battle/

Salute !

[markpkessinger]

21. They didn't know this . . .

. . . when they scheduled Kerry's remarks for 2:00 p.m., then pushed them back to 2:30, and then waited another 20 minutes?

[MADem]

22. This kind of shit happens.I don't have access to the WH schedule, but oftentimes, if the principals

(and this would be key JCS types, family, friends, all the people who cluster at these events) are having a good time yakking, stuff can get pushed back. Or maybe a key player is late for reasons beyond their control--a meeting in front of this one, traffic, a flat tire, who knows?

Maybe Obama had to 'take a call,' or respond to some emergent event, and HIS schedule got moved around--again, I just don't know. If you have a copy of the WH public sked that is sent out in the early morning, you can look at it and see when that event was initially slotted.

All I know is that State wisely didn't stomp on POTUS, and that's to State's credit.

[MADem]

7. For those near a television, they're split screening on CSPAN, so it should be soon. nt

[Catherina]

9. Just started. And they're off! n/t

[Catherina]

10. This is obscene. I can't believe he mentioned Drs Without Borders after their Press Release n/t

[Deny and Shred]

11. The Obama admin will hold those accountable who use the

worlds's deadliest weapons against the world's most vulnerable. (paraphrase of Kerry)

For a moment, I thought they were indicting Rumsfeld and Cheney.

[Catherina]

12. The hypocrisy is staggering n/t

[KittyWampus]

15. says the person who posted Wes Clark talking about PNAC. Not once but twice.

a little knowledge is a dangerous thing.

[CJCRANE]

17. That reminds me of something Bush Jr said...

something about the world's worst weapons in the hands of the world's worst dictators (or something like that, I can't remember the exact wording).

[markpkessinger]

14. That was appalling! n/t

[Catherina]

18. Watching the same horror we dealt with under Bush unfold before our eyes

Watching the same horror we dealt with under Bush unfold before our eyes.

We knew the Bush administration was lying, that the media was lying. And we're watching it happen again.

Are you watching the State Dept Brief? It's a total repeat, right down to their vocabulary.

[Catherina]

13. Watch the State Dept Briefing Matt Lee is grilling them now

http://www.theguardian.com/world/middle-east-live/2013/aug/26/syria-crisis-military-action-un-inspectors-vist-chemical-attack

[markpkessinger]

16. Did you notice . . .

. . . how much time Kerry spent making the case that chemical weapons had, in fact, been used (something few are disputing), and how little he spent making the case of who, exactly, used them (which is the key point of contention)?

[Catherina]

19. No facts. Some lies like the one about Drs Without Borders. And all emotional blackmail.

The only bright note is that few people are buying it and the press is grilling the State Department hard, pointing out their inconsistencies and lack of facts.