General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsWho knew that the Chemical Weapons Convention trumps the U.S. Constitution?
Carney pretty much gave away Obama's entire legal argument for intervention:
Because to allow it to happen without a response would be to invite further use of chemical weapons and to have that international standard dissolve. And the consequences of that, given the volatility of the region and the concerns that this nation and many others have about proliferation of chemical weapons, would be very serious indeed.
In the Libyan intervention, a vaguely worded UN resolution replaced congressional authorization. A UN resolution is clearly not obtainable for the coming Syrian adventure, so the new fallback is the Chemical Weapons Convention. Apparently the upholding of this Convention is sufficiently vital that it obviates any need for congressional authorization of force.
http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2013/08/27/press-briefing-press-secretary-jay-carney-8272013
DontTreadOnMe
(2,442 posts)Did anybody know? kpete, did you know?
snappyturtle
(14,656 posts)war for reasons it deems a threat, e.g. use of chemical weapons.
Arctic Dave
(13,812 posts)and they want to sell them to a sponsor of terrorism, Saudi Arabia.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cluster_bomb
snappyturtle
(14,656 posts)loaded ammunition too. It's a destructive tool that keeps on
giving.
JayhawkSD
(3,163 posts)...and therefor not bound by it. I do not consider that to be a good thing, you understand, merely reporting.
We are also not a signatory to the treaty prohibiting the use of landmines. That one is really wierd considering what IEDs have done to our troops in Iraq and Afghanistan.
We make a shitload of money selling cluster munitions and landmines.
Arctic Dave
(13,812 posts)We are sitting on a fake moral high ground and saying that what was done was "against international norms and UN treaties" when we are doing the same thing with other more damaging munitions.
Cluster munitions have killed far more innocent people then all gas used in the last fifty years.
bobduca
(1,763 posts)don't make us think incongruous thoughts about our Dear Leader's plans!
oldhippie
(3,249 posts)It was bad when Bush did it.
Oh, wait ....... Didn't both Bush's get approval from Congress? Can someone refresh my memory?
Carney's statement seems quite a stretch.
treestar
(82,383 posts)"Trump" the Constitution if we keep to it?
The only opposition there is to the argument is that the Syrians did not use chemical weapons.
This is a thorny question and we are stuck with it. No way out of it by claiming it's not legal - we signed the treaty.
woo me with science
(32,139 posts)It's a fucking scam. And your bullshit propaganda does not fly anymore.
treestar
(82,383 posts)It's a very tough question. If you believe government is more than just what you personally want.
woo me with science
(32,139 posts)treestar
(82,383 posts)Just what do you propose?
woo me with science
(32,139 posts)What a slimy, ugly insinuation, for a slimy occupation. That's as offensive as your previous, absurd post trying to suggest that "adhering to the Constitution" requires bombing human beings in Syria.
We have a fine Constitution. I "have a problem" with its continual subversion by amoral corporatist liars and profitmongers who do not hesitate to implement surveillance states against their own citizens, jail journalists, imprison human beings for profit, torture and imprison human beings indefinitely, slaughter civilians, and destroy lives and countries for the almighty dollar.
Nobody is buying what you are selling here anymore, treestar.
Spare us. Seriously.
treestar
(82,383 posts)what you are doing yourself. I never said that.
But the Constitution provides for treaties and we are party to treaties, so what we do in terms of them can hardly be "unconstitutional."
People ought to be buying what I'm saying where I have more knowledge than your knee jerk emotional reaction. You don't get to decide the law by yourself.
Your second paragraph is just a rant against your imaginary enemies.
woo me with science
(32,139 posts)Everything, it seems. But every damned thing boils down to
$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$.
Let's stop entertaining the bullshit propaganda already. It's about PROFIT. Again. And again, and again, and again. Blood and misery and pain raining down on human lives.
Going into Syria was planned a long time ago. This is just one more lucrative FU to the world from the corporate monsters who have taken control of this country.
dawg
(10,607 posts)the current government tells us it means. If you don't like it, vote for different people. If you are still allowed to vote, that is.
woo me with science
(32,139 posts)They act as though we are stupid, as though we do not recognize the script.
We are truly operating in Oceania now, where 2 + 2 = 5.
Hydra
(14,459 posts)...they'd make it illegal."
Emma Goldman
Response to kpete (Original post)
Name removed Message auto-removed
polichick
(37,152 posts)he wouldn't feel he had to do this.