General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsUS willing to go it alone against Syria if needed
ABC
Wednesday, August 28, 2013
DEB RIECHMANN AP White House Correspondent
New requests for the United Nations to authorize military action in Syria may have complicated the Obama administration's plan to take retaliatory action on the purported poison gas attack east of Damascus that U.S. officials claim was carried out by President Bashar Assad's forces.
But a State Department spokeswoman said possible U.N. rejection of the U.S. plan - most likely led by Russia - won't slow the administration. "We cannot be held up in responding by Russia's intransigence - continued intransigence - at the United Nations," Marie Harf said. "The situation is so serious that it demands a response."
http://abclocal.go.com/wpvi/story?section=news/national_world&id=9220375
I don't like the sound of this.
winter is coming
(11,785 posts)something, even if not under the aegis of the U.N. This doesn't smell right.
reformist2
(9,841 posts)MoonRiver
(36,926 posts)simply because of his "red line" remark. Yes, I feel that such an outrage must be punished, but the U.S. shouldn't go it alone.
Little Star
(17,055 posts)As a mother of 4, I knew better than to draw lines in the sand. One of my kids would certainly cross it. I kept my options open and left myself some wiggle room on any punishment I needed or didn't need to dole out.
MoonRiver
(36,926 posts)That said, such a serious undertaking shouldn't hinge on Obama's gaff!
Little Star
(17,055 posts)We need to wait for the UN inspectors to finish their job
MoonRiver
(36,926 posts)winter is coming
(11,785 posts)Autumn
(44,757 posts)I find this very troubling. There should be no rush like this for war.
Little Star
(17,055 posts)Savannahmann
(3,891 posts)I want a DNA test on President Obama. The Rethugs have kidnapped him and replaced him with some sort of Mission Impossible Mask wearing double.
99Forever
(14,524 posts)... crap sound so VERY familiar? Where have I heard this sort of pounding of the war drums before?
I wish I could remember.....
GeorgeGist
(25,294 posts)ProSense
(116,464 posts)President Bill Clinton ordered U.S. involvement in a NATO bombing campaign against Yugoslavia in 1999 without first getting approval from Congress. Clinton later requested, and received, special funding from Congress before the War Powers Resolution's 60-day deadline for Congressional approval ran out.
And in 2011, Obama ordered airstrikes against Libya during that country's civil war. The United States joined an international coalition, led by NATO and supported by a U.N. Security Council resolution, to enforce a no-fly zone and bombard Libyan military targets
- more -
http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-3460_162-57600515/does-obama-need-permission-to-attack-syria/
FarCenter
(19,429 posts)He cannot use emergency war powers, since there is no threat to the US by Syria.
In the examples you cite, the US was acting as part of an international treaty organization, so treaty obligations could be used as a rationale.
ProSense
(116,464 posts)War with Syria is a terrible idea.
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10023548839#post9
FarCenter
(19,429 posts)The constitution does not restrict Congress' power to declare war.
newfie11
(8,159 posts)What is wrong with our polititians?
If other countries don't agree then we will start a war all by ourselves!
This certainly not a country by the people and for the people!
It is a country governed by oligarchs and for whatever reason they are hellbent on attacking Syria. This of course will bring Iran into play( still think the CIA is not involved).
The Iranian oil has the same folks behind attacking Iraq licking their chops.
Betch attacking Syria is just to get Iran started and God help us.
This will not end well for America!!!
HereSince1628
(36,063 posts)that on the issue of a plan for use of military force, the government is going to be transparent?
Even if this is a limited hang-out, it's got to be pretty goldarned limited.
Accepting we would we really do this alone if certain other nations didn't acquiesce is quite a leap for me.
bowens43
(16,064 posts)Bonobo
(29,257 posts)Muslim countries must be so fucking sick and angered by this kind of obnoxious arrogance.
LuvNewcastle
(16,820 posts)the sins of other countries. Who is going to punish us for ours? I think our day of reckoning is nigh.
malaise
(267,813 posts)The UN doesn't matter to the US, Britain or Israel.
Fuck Western Imperialism - they control most of the weapons of mass destruction on this planet.
Little Star
(17,055 posts)City Lights
(25,171 posts)pampango
(24,692 posts)is to diminish nations' "sovereign right" to do whatever they want, whenever they want, to whomever they want.
The only way these multilateral organizations can become accepted as legitimate arbiters of disputes between nations, in areas such as military conflicts, human rights, economics, criminal conduct, etc., is if we set a precedent of respecting their decisions even when we disagree with them. Every time a country goes "cowboy" like this it weakens the very international institutions that try to promote peaceful negotiations coupled with enforceable settlements as a way to resolve international disputes.
Little Star
(17,055 posts)pampango
(24,692 posts)human rights, but do that in concert with other countries in global organizations, like the UN, that have adopted precisely those policies. In practice the UN has often not been successful in implementing those policies, but that is the fault of certain national governments rather than the UN as an institution.
Little Star
(17,055 posts)we wouldn't have half as many INTERESTS over there. But no, because it's all about their oil and the 1% squeezing out every penny from it.
LuvNewcastle
(16,820 posts)pampango
(24,692 posts)Georgia and France's in Mali spring to mind) but we are the ones who are by far the most guilty of using the concept to justify our actions.
Many of our "exceptionalism" proponents are conservatives who are focused on domestic issues. "Pay no attention to how Europe promotes strong unions, effective national health care and safety net, high/progressive taxes". Those things could not possibly work in the US because we are 'exceptional'".
jsr
(7,712 posts)Little Star
(17,055 posts)Even though I was a Hillary girl in the 2008 primary season I was glad to see us have our first black president. I got in line with my support for him and had high hopes. I still like him very much as a person it's just that I disagree with "quite a few" of this admins policies. sigh.
Puzzledtraveller
(5,937 posts)AtomicKitten
(46,585 posts)Because Hillary has been pushing for military action in Syria for quite some time.
Last week, we learned that Hillary Clinton and David Petraeus, now thankfully pursuing other opportunities and spending more time with their families, had cooked up a plan to arm and train the ragtag Syrian rebels, thus getting the United States directly involved in that horrible civil war.
Now we learn that Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta and General Martin Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefsboth of whom are about to join Clinton and Petraeus in the private sectoralso backed the Clinton-Petraeus plan,
Who was against it? Obama.
more at: http://www.thenation.com/blog/172774/obama-opposed-syria-war-plan-clinton-petraeus-panetta-gen-dempsey#
... and so has Bill Clinton.
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2013/06/13/white-house-pushes-back-at-bill-clinton-over-syria/
Little Star
(17,055 posts)AtomicKitten
(46,585 posts)Autumn
(44,757 posts)Little Star
(17,055 posts)Initech
(99,914 posts)We need to find out who stands to benefit financially from an attack on Syria and stop them. Is it the Kochs? Is it the oil and gas industry? Is it someone else?
Dreamer Tatum
(10,926 posts)And it's been that way forever.
So?
avaistheone1
(14,626 posts)When will we every learn?
Little Star
(17,055 posts)avaistheone1
(14,626 posts)There must be strong financial/power incentives for an ally to start their killing machines again.
Little Star
(17,055 posts)HereSince1628
(36,063 posts)that no nation will much give a shit about killing Syrians.