Obama Warns of Military Action on Syria Over Chemical Weapons

[alp227]

Last edited Tue Aug 21, 2012, 12:49 AM - Edit history (1)

Source: NYT

President Obama on Monday threatened military action against Syria if there was evidence that the government of President Bashar al-Assad was moving its stocks of chemical or biological weapons. It was Mr. Obama's most direct warning of American intervention in Syria, where Mr. Assad's military is fighting an 18-month-old rebellion.

"We cannot have a situation in which chemical or biological weapons are falling into the hands of the wrong people," Mr. Obama said in an impromptu appearance in the White House briefing room. "We have put together a range of contingency plans. We have communicated in no uncertain terms with every player in the region that that's a red line for us."

Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/08/21/world/middleeast/obama-threatens-force-against-syria.html

[SylviaD]

1. Hands off Syria Mr. President! n/t

[arely staircase]

9. hands off chem weapons mr. assad

eom

[Posteritatis]

2. This should be a civil, productive thread.. (nt)

[alp227]

5. I wasn't on DU back in 2002 when Bush was plotting war with Iraq.

You probably weren't either, but DU was probably howling in horror back then. In the meantime, if John McCain won in 2008, McCain would've plotted out interventions a long time ago. And Mitt Romney would probably be more aggressive too (he wrote an entire BOOK "No Apology: The Case for American Greatness" pushing for an aggressive foreign policy).

[Tx4obama]

3. Kick! n/t

[Comrade Grumpy]

4. Your link goes to another NYT Syria story.

[alp227]

6. oops! fixed link, for some reason the mobile NYT site mixed up the redirecting URLs.

[ellisonz]

7. Appropriate response. n/t

[bushisanidiot]

8. They don't want to mess with THIS President!

He doesn't play around.

[Stella_Artois]

10. Bushisanidiot

Warmonger Bush = idiot

Warmonger Obama - He doesn't play around !

The myopic tribalism on this forum is sad to see.

[bushisanidiot]

11. Warmonger Obama?

last I counted, AWOL Bush started two unfunded wars and made a mess out of two different countries, dragged our economy down because of it, and ruined our reputation around the world. In CONTRAST, President Obama has not started ONE war, ended the Iraq war and is drawing down the second war AWOL Bush started. AND he took out the master mind of 9/11 without little to no collateral damage. President Obama is focused and gets the FACTS before making a decision that would put OUR TROOPS into harms way!

[Stella_Artois]

12. Warmonger Obama

Warmonger Obama fights a war in Afghanistan

Warmonger Obama bombs Libya

Warmonger Obama orders drones to bomb Pakistan

Warmonger Obama orders drones to bomb Yemen

Warmonger Obama has "advisers" on the ground in multiple African countries

Warmonger Obama threatens Iran

Warmonger Obama threatens Syria

and on and on and on.

[oldsarge54]

14. And Gets Results in most cases.

The war in Afghanistan was inherited, however, he does have an end date. BY the Way, a war monger starts wars.
Libya, another killer of American GIs struck. If you don't like it, I share my nightmares of clearing the fields around Lockerbie of human remains and aircraft part. Vivat Obama for that one.

Drone attacks: are they working.

We have advisor's all over the world. Or do you think real Americans should just sit on their tails while people massacre each other. Real American of you.

Iran: well, they have already officially declare war on the US, threatened to destroy our bases in the region, and now may be acting to make nuclear weapons, in spite of the discouragement of MOST of the world. I have mixed feelings about starting a war over nukes, BUT, you want that Birther Holocaust denying twerp to have a nuclear trigger?

Lastly, Mitts and ALL the Republican primary candidates promise to be tougher on Syria. One thing for sure, Obama does understand what Clinton also showed, how to do a war by air and not with boots on the ground. Remember Libya, Boots on the Ground - Zero. US Casualties - Zero. Qaddafi gone, priceless.

[cpwm17]

15. It is against international law for the US to threaten aggressive war against Iran

That is what Obama's doing.

You can call what Obama's doing whatever you like. But for many people it's called "war mongering."

Do you have any links for your bold claims concerning Iranian threats?

The US overthrew Iran's democracy in 1953. The US helped install and then supported the Shah of Iran until the Iranian revolution. The Shah was a horrible person. He tortured his opponents by skinning them alive. The US supported Saddam's unproved war against Iran which murdered 500,00 Iranians. The US has enforced sanctions against Iran for decades for not kissing Washington DC's butt. Do you think we owe them a serious apology and reparations?

The US has far more war criminals than any country we are bombing. Do you think it would be OK for any other country to bomb US citizens in the US for our criminality? The list of countries the US has committed atrocities against is long, atrocities FAR worse than has ever been committed against the US.

[oldsarge54]

16. If you don't like

Sorry, I can't can't help you with your limited view of history and hatred of the US. Yes, we supported the Shah, back in the days when we supported tyrants because they were our tyrants. Note, this started under Ike. Meanwhile, I suppose you totally forgot seizing our embassy, and yes, they new revolutionary government did declare war against the Great Satan (US) and the lessor Satan (USSR). Sorry if you need a link. I remember it as current news.

I'm trying to improve the country. No more support for tyrants, Obama has done good. And Imperialism is not "If you gas your citizens, you will regret it" nor is it not war mongering. Or is the true fact you think a minority group represented by Assad has the right to poinson their own citizens?

[cpwm17]

17. "Hatred of US" - really. You're playing that card.

Shameful. That's the refuge of war mongers.

So you had to go back 30 years for your claim that Iran has "officially declare war on the US." - wow!

Your imperial arrogance and bigotry is obvious. War mongers are the worst criminals on the face of the earth. I know where you stand.

[oldsarge54]

18. bull hoooneyyy

It was in my lifetime. I flew with cargo into Israel at least 20 time in one month to supply munitions. Now, if you have any guts at all, answer my challenge, what is your real position. Do you think it is right for American to sit with it's thumb up its butt while tyrants kill their own people? Who is being a bigot? Where am I being a bigot. Listen sunshine, you ever empty a mass grave. I did, in Serbia. Civil war really sucks.

[cpwm17]

19. In my life time the US supported the Shah

and helped Saddam murder 500,000 Iranians.

In my life time the US committed mass murder against the Vietnamese and genocide against Cambodia. I remember hearing the claim that the Vietnamese didn't value their lives like we do. That was nice way to rationalize mass murder - all done by the US Government, which you now want to engage in more aggressive wars.

I consider people that have selective memories on history and support aggressive war to be bigots. War is mass murder, and aggressive war is the worst crime known to man.

I did support Clinton's operation against Serbia. In fact, I was wondering what took them so long. At least, as far as the news was presented, there seemed to be a clear aggressor and a clear objective. I think history has show Clinton did the right thing. That's a rare use of the US military that has actually done some good. It wasn't an aggressive war.

[oldsarge54]

20. Me a Bigot?

And just how Syria is different from Serbia? Please explain. Also, I do disagree. Mass murder is rounding people up, shooting them, infecting them, or shoving them into gas chambers. The US did not do the genocide in Cambodia, that was the Khmer Rouge. And when did we in Nam round up a million or two people and kill them? Sir, your memories are indeed selective. I refuse to be called a bigot. For that matter, "they" were never dinks, slopes, or even rag heads (that about covers my career). I did refer to the Soviets as Ivans, but that was with respect. The ONLY agressive was in the last century was in Iraq, which I disapproved of from the start. Prior to that, I would say that helping Panama free itself was an aggressive act, but not much of a war.

[The Northerner]

13. K&R