Don't attack Syria, world leaders tell Obama at G20 summit

[azurnoir]

Source: Ha'aretz

President Barack Obama faced growing pressure from world leaders not to launch military strikes in Syria on Thursday at a summit on the global economy that was eclipsed by the conflict.

The Group of 20 (G20) developed and developing economies met in St. Petersburg to try forge a united front on economic growth, trade, banking transparency and fighting tax evasion.

But the club that accounts for two thirds of the world's population and 90 percent of its output is divided over issues ranging from the U.S. Federal Reserve's decision to end its program of stimulus for the economy to the civil war in Syria.

Russian President Vladimir Putin wants to use the meeting in a seafront tsarist palace to talk Obama out of military action against Syrian President Bashar Assad over a chemical weapons attack which Washington blames on government forces.


Read more: http://www.haaretz.com/news/middle-east/1.545529

[idwiyo]

1. K&R

[John2]

2. What Putin should do

is show the President their classified and unclassified intelligence on the rebels, and put it against the U.S. and rebel sources. As far as I'm concerned, I don't trust the rebels or their sources one bit. Our Intelligence services are mainly runned by neocons. They manufacture evidence too. And if Obama is shown evidence without a reasonable doubt the rebels committed these atrocities, it will be on his conscious.

[proverbialwisdom]

6. Good points. nt

[indepat]

3. Who cares what the hell the other leaders of the G20 think? Who the hell do they think they are

questioning the decider's intentions. Geez, what is the world coming do if they can't get with the program!

[cliffordu]

4. Love the way you equate Obama with Bush with the word 'decider'.

I saw what you did, there.

fail.

[indepat]

9. Obama +91. Junior +2. No comparison, but if the President, as Commander-in-Chief, has the

constitutional authority to order an unprovoked attack on another sovereign nation, he is the decider.

[David__77]

7. Indeed, the gall.

Of course only NATO and ANZUS matter. The rest of the world better listen to their betters!

[dixiegrrrrl]

5. But...but...he has a Coalition of the Willing!!! Here's the list:

The State Department has identified ten countries that it says have explicitly endorsed a U.S. military response to alleged use of chemical weapons in Syria, but won't say which nations have offered to actually join in military action.

In addition to the U.S.,
Australia, Albania, Canada, Denmark, France, Kosovo, Poland, Romania and Turkey are on board with an attack on Syria in response to intelligence indicating use of chemical weapons in the Damascus suburbs last month, State Department Spokeswoman Jen Psaki told reporters Thursday at a regular news briefing.

http://www.politico.com/politico44/2013/09/state-lists-countries-backing-military-action-171882.html

Albania and Kosovo even.....who could ask for anything more?

[Owl]

8. ".....who could ask for anything more?"

[dflprincess]

10. Maybe they'll all kick in a few bucks to help pay for it.

[daleo]

12. Canada claims to be in favor

But Harper says he won't actually help with anything but best wishes. Talk about having your cake...

[Celefin]

15. Hey, that's a whopping 1.93% of all nations in the world!

With a majority like that, why even try to second guess...

See how the switch between percentages (number of countries signing the CWC) and absolute number (number of countries willing to support the US in its Syrian adventure).

[dixiegrrrrl]

16. I am pretty certain that one of Bush's Coalition members

was Moldavia or some similar country.

[daleo]

11. Perhaps if they threatened sanctions

[gopiscrap]

13. Good for them

[Safetykitten]

14. Obama to G20..."Ah, you mom wears army boots!"

[Tx4obama]

17. I think the article and headline is misleading. Copy of Joint Statement below...

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary
For Immediate Release
September 06, 2013

Joint Statement on Syria

The Leaders and Representatives of Australia, Canada, France, Italy, Japan, Republic of Korea, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Turkey, the United Kingdom and the United States of America made the following statement on the margins of the Group of 20 Nations Leader’s Meeting in Saint Petersburg, Russia:

The international norm against the use of chemical weapons is longstanding and universal. The use of chemical weapons anywhere diminishes the security of people everywhere. Left unchallenged, it increases the risk of further use and proliferation of these weapons.

We condemn in the strongest terms the horrific chemical weapons attack in the suburbs of Damascus on August 21st that claimed the lives of so many men, women, and children. The evidence clearly points to the Syrian government being responsible for the attack, which is part of a pattern of chemical weapons use by the regime.

We call for a strong international response to this grave violation of the world’s rules and conscience that will send a clear message that this kind of atrocity can never be repeated. Those who perpetrated these crimes must be held accountable.

Signatories have consistently supported a strong UN Security Council Resolution, given the Security Council's responsibilities to lead the international response, but recognize that the Council remains paralyzed as it has been for two and a half years. The world cannot wait for endless failed processes that can only lead to increased suffering in Syria and regional instability. We support efforts undertaken by the United States and other countries to reinforce the prohibition on the use of chemical weapons.

We commit to supporting longer term international efforts, including through the United Nations, to address the enduring security challenge posed by Syria’s chemical weapons stockpiles. Signatories have also called for the UN fact finding mission to present its results as soon as possible, and for the Security Council to act accordingly.

We condemn in the strongest terms all human rights violations in Syria on all sides. More than 100,000 people have been killed in the conflict, more than 2 million people have become refugees, and approximately 5 million are internally displaced. Recognizing that Syria’s conflict has no military solution, we reaffirm our commitment to seek a peaceful political settlement through full implementation of the 2012 Geneva Communique. We are committed to a political solution which will result in a united, inclusive and democratic Syria.

We have contributed generously to the latest United Nations (UN) and ICRC appeals for humanitarian assistance and will continue to provide support to address the growing humanitarian needs in Syria and their impact on regional countries. We welcome the contributions announced at the meeting of donor countries on the margins of the G20. We call upon all parties to allow humanitarian actors safe and unhindered access to those in need.

European signatories will continue to engage in promoting a common European position.

http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2013/09/06/joint-statement-syria

Note: The text above is from a .gov website therefore exempt from the four paragraph copyright rule.