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Off-the-Cuff Obama Line Put U.S. in Bind on Syria (Red Line Statement "Unscripted")
The New York Times ^ | Saturday, May 4, 2013 | Peter Baker, Mark Landler, David E. Sanger, and Anne Barnard

Posted on 05/05/2013 7:09:45 AM PDT by kristinn

Confronted with evidence that chemical weapons have been used in Syria, President Obama now finds himself in a geopolitical box, his credibility at stake with frustratingly few good options.

The origins of this dilemma can be traced in large part to a weekend last August, when alarming intelligence reports suggested the besieged Syrian government might be preparing to use chemical weapons. After months of keeping a distance from the conflict, Mr. Obama felt he had to become more directly engaged.

In a frenetic series of meetings, the White House devised a 48-hour plan to deter President Bashar al-Assad of Syria by using intermediaries like Russia and Iran to send a message that one official summarized as, “Are you crazy?” But when Mr. Obama emerged to issue the public version of the warning, he went further than many aides realized he would.

Moving or using large quantities of chemical weapons would cross a “red line” and “change my calculus,” the president declared in response to a question at a news conference, to the surprise of some of the advisers who had attended the weekend meetings and wondered where the “red line” came from. With such an evocative phrase, the president had defined his policy in a way some advisers wish they could take back.

“The idea was to put a chill into the Assad regime without actually trapping the president into any predetermined action,” said one senior official, who, like others, discussed the internal debate on the condition of anonymity. But “what the president said in August was unscripted,” another official said. Mr. Obama was thinking of a chemical attack that would cause mass fatalities, not relatively small-scale episodes like those now being investigated, except the “nuance got completely dropped.”

(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...


TOPICS: Foreign Affairs; Front Page News; Israel; News/Current Events; Russia; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: chemicalweapons; israel; obama; russia; syria; waronterror
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Idiot. Obama is lost without a TelePrompTer.
1 posted on 05/05/2013 7:09:45 AM PDT by kristinn
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To: kristinn

Now back to our continuing coverage of the stupidity of George Bush.


2 posted on 05/05/2013 7:13:19 AM PDT by Steely Tom (If the Constitution can be a living document, I guess a corporation can be a person.)
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To: kristinn

John Bolton was just on FOX talking about this. Says NYT is O’s megaphone, and that Obama is an embarrassment and s/h learned 4 years ago not to make “off the cuff” remarks.


3 posted on 05/05/2013 7:13:29 AM PDT by Rusty0604
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To: kristinn
But when Mr. Obama emerged to issue the public version of the warning, he went further than many aides realized he would his puppeteers told him to.

There.

Fixed it.

4 posted on 05/05/2013 7:17:11 AM PDT by BenLurkin (This is not a statement of fact. It is either opinion or satire; or both)
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To: kristinn

For some inexplicable reason, the Wee Wee gets into trouble every time he wanders away from his teleprompter.

5 posted on 05/05/2013 7:17:17 AM PDT by Zakeet (If idiots could fly, Washington would be an airport)
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To: kristinn

I get it now. He thinks that a “chemical attack that would cause mass fatalities” would be bad; and a “relatively small-scale episode” would be not so bad.

So please define “small-scale” and “mass.” Sounds like we’re about to hear another parsing of “is.”


6 posted on 05/05/2013 7:17:56 AM PDT by ProtectOurFreedom
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To: kristinn


7 posted on 05/05/2013 7:20:00 AM PDT by Chode (Stand UP and Be Counted, or line up and be numbered - *DTOM* -ww- NO Pity for the LAZY)
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To: kristinn
"President Obama now finds himself in a geopolitical box, his credibility at stake with frustratingly few good options. "

What credibility? The Kenyan Clown has no credibility. Of any kind.

8 posted on 05/05/2013 7:20:15 AM PDT by Colonel_Flagg (Blather. Reince. Repeat.)
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To: kristinn
except the “nuance got completely dropped.”

Hate it when that happens. But, it was a long time ago...

9 posted on 05/05/2013 7:20:17 AM PDT by don-o (He will not share His glory, and He will not be mocked! Blessed be the Name of the Lord forever!)
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To: kristinn
Puttn' "U.S." in a bind???

You mean he put his own bony ass in a bind.

True, our brave young men (and now, women) will have to put their lives on the line for this self-aggrandizing loose-lipped rectum but he's the one who put us in that situation.

What an asshole.

10 posted on 05/05/2013 7:21:15 AM PDT by Texas Eagle (If it wasn't for double-standards, Liberals would have no standards at all -- Texas Eagle)
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To: Rusty0604

His handlers ought to arrange for him to walk around with a piece of toilet paper stuck to his heel so that he could just look down and read what’s there any time he’s off Teleprompter.


11 posted on 05/05/2013 7:21:19 AM PDT by gusopol3
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To: ProtectOurFreedom

Small scale= one abortion at a time

Large scale= Sandy Hook


12 posted on 05/05/2013 7:23:07 AM PDT by homegroan (Never make someone a priority when all you are to them is an option....)
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To: Chode

13 posted on 05/05/2013 7:23:58 AM PDT by Zakeet (If idiots could fly, Washington would be an airport)
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To: Zakeet

LOLOLOLOLOL.


14 posted on 05/05/2013 7:28:02 AM PDT by onyx (Please Support Free Republic - Donate Monthly! If you want on Sarah Palin's Ping List, Let Me know!)
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To: Zakeet
LOL, pretty much...
15 posted on 05/05/2013 7:29:17 AM PDT by Chode (Stand UP and Be Counted, or line up and be numbered - *DTOM* -ww- NO Pity for the LAZY)
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To: kristinn

I’m wondering WHO puts the info on the teleprompter, it damn sure isn’t him. Probably Valerie Ferret


16 posted on 05/05/2013 7:30:12 AM PDT by CMailBag
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To: kristinn

"Wait, wait, wait. To be fair, he said that a long time ago. Back when he was stil a strapping young Socialist Muslim. And, besides, over 70,000 civilians have been killed so far. What difference, at this point, does it make?"
17 posted on 05/05/2013 7:33:55 AM PDT by Texas Eagle (If it wasn't for double-standards, Liberals would have no standards at all -- Texas Eagle)
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To: kristinn

If it’s not on the teleprompter it shouldn’t count. It’s racist to think otherwise.


18 posted on 05/05/2013 7:46:48 AM PDT by stop_fascism (Love your country, but never trust its government - R.A. Heinlein)
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To: kristinn

             

19 posted on 05/05/2013 7:52:27 AM PDT by tomkat
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To: kristinn

just trying to talk like the Big Boys


20 posted on 05/05/2013 8:01:32 AM PDT by molson209
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