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Obama Aide On Syria's Assad: 'If He Drops Sarin On His Own People, What’s That Got Do Do With Us?'
Weekly Standard ^

Posted on 05/05/2013 7:19:04 AM PDT by Sub-Driver

Obama Aide On Syria's Assad: 'If He Drops Sarin On His Own People, What’s That Got Do Do With Us?' Daniel Halper May 5, 2013 10:12 AM

President Barack Obama got ahead of himself and his advisers when he said that Syria using chemical weapons would cross a "red line," the New York Times reports.

“How can we attack another country unless it’s in self-defense and with no Security Council resolution?” an unnamed Obama administration official tells the paper. “If he drops sarin on his own people, what’s that got to do with us?”

But they concluded that drawing a firm line might deter Mr. Assad. In addition to secret messages relayed through Russia, Iran and other governments, they decided that the president would publicly address the matter.

Several officials said they recalled no discussion about the “red line” phrase but suspected that it came out of the election-year conversation about Iran and how far to allow its nuclear program to progress before being forced to take action. It was a concept that was “embedded in people’s prefrontal cortex,” one of the officials said.

While surprised at the president’s use of the term in regard to Syria on Aug. 20, advisers concluded that it had succeeded, at least for a while, since months passed with no chemical weapons attack.

But if the tough rhetoric "succeeded" for a time, it appears to have backfired in the long-run. Because Syria has now apparently used chemical weapons, and President Obama is not willing to do anything about it.

In fact, Obama is now downplaying any sort of response, even before settling on a specific response to Syrai crossing the red line.

“As a general rule, I don’t rule things out as commander in chief because circumstances change and you want to make sure that I always have the full power of the United States at our disposal to meet American national security interests,” Obama commented on Syria, while speaking at news conference in Costa Rica. Then, Obama went on to contradict himself.

“Having said that, I do not foresee a scenario in which boots on the ground in Syria, American boots on the ground in Syria, would not only be good for America, but also would be good for Syria,” the president said.


TOPICS: Breaking News; Foreign Affairs; Israel; News/Current Events; Russia; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: israel; russia; syria; syriaredline; syriawar; waronterror
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To: Sub-Driver
an unnamed Obama administration official tells the paper

Unnamed? Chickenshit.

81 posted on 05/05/2013 12:45:15 PM PDT by hattend (Firearms and ammunition...the only growing industries under the Obama regime.)
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To: BenLurkin

“Who programs Totus?”
Your guess?
1. Saudi dictator
2. Muslim Brothers
3. Iran dictator
*. Al quaida
5. Hezbullah
6. Hamas
7. Soros
8. Cpusa
9. ET.
10. All of above.
11. ?


82 posted on 05/05/2013 1:52:59 PM PDT by faithhopecharity (()
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To: MinorityRepublican

The annihilation of Baath socialism in Iraq was right, and it is right in Syria too.


83 posted on 05/05/2013 2:12:42 PM PDT by Tailgunner Joe
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To: MinorityRepublican
President Obama is right on this. Why should we be involved in Syria?

The point isn't whether or not the US is involved in Syria, - the point is that the American people deserve a president that can actually take his own balls out of his mouth before speaking.

He shouldn't be writing a check his ass can't cover - ut he does it all the time so, you know, whatever . . .

84 posted on 05/05/2013 2:26:55 PM PDT by atc23 (The Confederacy was the single greatest conservative resistance to federal authority ever.u)
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To: Sub-Driver
This was Bill Clinton's policy, too.

“If the Hutus slaughter the Tutsis in Rwanda, what’s that got to do with us?”

-PJ

85 posted on 05/05/2013 2:37:31 PM PDT by Political Junkie Too (If you are the Posterity of We the People, then you are a Natural Born Citizen.)
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To: Political Junkie Too

We busted Lybia’s ass and got Gaddafi killed!
We are in South Africa now our silent war!
What is that to the US? Where was this boy when we should not have meddled in a country moving arms and getting a US Ambassador assassinated!
Gonna be an unreal week! be sure to pay attention!


86 posted on 05/05/2013 4:57:10 PM PDT by Conserev1 ("Still Clinging to my Bible and my Weapon")
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To: Fishtalk

“I can forgive you for agreeing with Obama.

But liking arugula?

I do not forgive.”

BOL!

My wife and I just planted 3 types Arugula in one of her cattle trough planters.

In the summer/fall, often, we and visiting relatives will go out to the troughs to graze on the Arugula, various cherry/heirloom tomatoes in a bigger trough beside the Arugula. We raise basil in the tomato trough for a total salad.


87 posted on 05/05/2013 4:57:21 PM PDT by Grampa Dave (I'm afraid to go visit any American college because of all the foreign students with bombs.)
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To: tsowellfan

Send your kids and your tax money over there, then. Not me


88 posted on 05/05/2013 5:24:01 PM PDT by dagogo redux (A whiff of primitive spirits in the air, harbingers of an impending descent into the feral.)
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To: JPG

Agree that she is the 2nd in command with SOROS as BOSS.


89 posted on 05/05/2013 5:27:12 PM PDT by Lumper20 (`)
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To: tsowellfan

Never tell your enemy how far they can go. You lose the element of surprise. That is one of the most important principles of the offense in War.


90 posted on 05/05/2013 5:33:06 PM PDT by Lumper20 (`)
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To: dagogo redux
Send your kids and your tax money over there, then. Not me

Umm, that was a question I posed. Mind answering it? I mean, you agree with a man whose policy starts war (ie Libya...etc) and then YOU want MY kids to go and NOT YOU?

How can you be agreeing with Obama AND stating that this has NOTHING to do with us.

The man drew a RED LINE and it was crossed. North Korea and Iran are watching.

Me, I do not agree with Obama. We never should have gotten involved with Syria but we did.

It is YOU who stated you agree with Zero's policies. Not me. And I should send my kids to fight while you stay home?

91 posted on 05/05/2013 6:14:02 PM PDT by tsowellfan (www.cafenetamerica.com)
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To: JPG

The pro-Muslim force is strong with this White House.


92 posted on 05/05/2013 6:23:06 PM PDT by popdonnelly (The right to self-defense is older than the Constitution.)
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To: dfwgator

Also too bad he didn’t feel the same way about Egypt.


93 posted on 05/05/2013 6:25:28 PM PDT by popdonnelly (The right to self-defense is older than the Constitution.)
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To: Sub-Driver

For once we need to keep our nose out of this Syrian civil war and the Middle East. Assad is doing the same thing that Obama or others would do if any group in the USA ever took up arms. Governments typically fight civil uprisings and civil wars ruthlessly with all means necessary. Innocent people are killed. All of it is none of our business. We need to get the USA back in shape and another ME war is not at all in our interest.


94 posted on 05/05/2013 6:35:36 PM PDT by apoliticalone (Banksters are coming for your retirement, pensions & property. But first they want your firearms)
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To: tsowellfan

You make no sense. Go blither at someone else.


95 posted on 05/05/2013 11:21:14 PM PDT by dagogo redux (A whiff of primitive spirits in the air, harbingers of an impending descent into the feral.)
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To: dennisw; Cachelot; Nix 2; veronica; Catspaw; knighthawk; Alouette; Optimist; weikel; Lent; GregB; ..
Middle East and terrorism, occasional political and Jewish issues Ping List. High Volume

If you’d like to be on or off, please FR mail me.

..................

96 posted on 05/06/2013 5:07:55 AM PDT by SJackson (The Pilgrims—Doing the jobs Native Americans wouldn’t do !)
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To: MinorityRepublican
President Obama is right on this. Why should we be involved in Syria?

Sadly, I agree. These people would as soon blow our heads off as look at us. They are destroying themselves. Why would we invest our blood and treasure to interrupt them?

97 posted on 05/06/2013 5:12:42 AM PDT by IamConservative (The soul of my lifes journey is Liberty!)
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To: Sub-Driver
“How can we attack another country unless it’s in self-defense and with no Security Council resolution?” an unnamed Obama administration official tells the paper. “If he drops sarin on his own people, what’s that got to do with us?”

It's extremely rare that I would ever agree with anything that emanates from this administration, but in this case, this guy is spot-on. Syria is not our fight. No more American blood for jihadi muslims who will only direct their fire at us later.

98 posted on 05/06/2013 5:53:05 AM PDT by ScottinVA ( Liberal is to patriotism as Kermit Gosnell is to neonatal care.)
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To: Tailgunner Joe
The annihilation of Baath socialism in Iraq was right, and it is right in Syria too

Yes, because Christian-murdering jihadis work out so much better.

99 posted on 05/06/2013 5:55:59 AM PDT by ScottinVA ( Liberal is to patriotism as Kermit Gosnell is to neonatal care.)
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To: Sub-Driver

Hey allies!

We really won’t come to your aid.

You’re on your own.


100 posted on 05/06/2013 6:09:57 AM PDT by Uncle Miltie (All observant Muslims want to kill you. If they don't, they are not really Muslims.)
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