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Obama Security Advisor: 'Ground Forces in Syria Are Not Sustainable'
Der Spiegel ^ | November 19, 2015 – 05:45 PM | Holger Stark

Posted on 11/25/2015 11:44:22 AM PST by Olog-hai

Ben Rhodes, US President Barack Obama's deputy national security advisor, discusses the similarities between the Paris attacks and 9/11, the security risk posed by the refugee crisis and why the US won't send ground troops to Syria. [...]

"The President believes that the lesson we have to take away from the last decade is that ground invasions and occupations of countries in the Middle East are not the most effective way of addressing terrorism, because they are costly and difficult to sustain, but also because you are going to need a mixture of anti-terrorism efforts and local political stability and partnership in these countries. Instead of a response that would involve a ground invasion with essentially the international community taking ownership of all events on the ground in Syria, we believe it is better to pursue the approach that we are taking: military action and strikes, but we're supporting forces on the ground that can ultimately hold territory that is taken from ISIL while trying to pursue political resolution to a civil war inside of Syria." ...

(Excerpt) Read more at spiegel.de ...


TOPICS: News/Current Events; Syria; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: benrhodes; obama; obamamuslim; rop; syria

1 posted on 11/25/2015 11:44:22 AM PST by Olog-hai
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To: Olog-hai

They can take that ‘sustainable’ and shove it up their a#@es!


2 posted on 11/25/2015 11:46:39 AM PST by SMARTY ("What is freedom? To have the will to be responsible for one's self. "M. Stirner)
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To: Olog-hai

You mean the brother of the president of CBS News?

Ain’t it funny how that works?


3 posted on 11/25/2015 11:47:24 AM PST by Travis McGee (www.EnemiesForeignAndDomestic.com)
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To: Olog-hai

Proof that Obama is an utter moron incapalbe of learning anything from his past errors.

Al Qeda in Iraq, the father of ISIS, was destroyed down to a few hundred fighters by 2008. In 2011, Obama rejected plans to leave 10,000 US troops as a stiffener for the infant Iraqi army.

This failure by 0 to finisht he job in Iraq, resulted in the Islamic Fascist cancer being allowed to grow back unchecked.

Now because of Obama inability to put his ideological dogmas on the shelf and learn a thing, we will face a much grave problem in dealing with ISIS after he leaves office in Jan 2017.


4 posted on 11/25/2015 11:49:49 AM PST by MNJohnnie ( Tyranny, like Hell, is not easily conquered)
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To: Olog-hai
Ben Rhodes wrote Obama's famous speech to the Muslim world in Cairo and has helped shape Obama's foreign policy.

Allah Akbar!

5 posted on 11/25/2015 11:51:39 AM PST by Navy Patriot (America, a Rule of Mob nation)
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To: Olog-hai

Ben Rhodes is a failed poet and failed politician turned speechwriter. He has as many national security credentials as Soupy Sales. Actually Soupy has more as a Pacific World War II Navy veteran.

Rhodes is the personification of Obama’s clueless policies. Obama ignores the advice of authentic national security experts and instead relies heavily on the input of political advisers like Rhodes.


6 posted on 11/25/2015 11:55:41 AM PST by Brad from Tennessee (A politician can't give you anything he hasn't first stolen from you.)
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To: Navy Patriot

Putting his creative writing degree to good use.


7 posted on 11/25/2015 11:56:28 AM PST by Dr. Ursus
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To: Travis McGee
Rhodes is married to Ann Norris, chief foreign policy adviser to Senator Barbara Boxer His brother, David, is President of CBS News

That is all the credibility that the dude needs. /s

8 posted on 11/25/2015 12:13:18 PM PST by hadaclueonce (I thought Ethanol was the devil, now i find it is America is an Oligarchy)
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To: Olog-hai
Rhodes is a speech writer. He has no credentials in the military sciences that gives him any credibility.

The 1st Cav Div can be sustained by fuel, good, and ammo. it doesn't have to hold terrain. You tell it to kill, and it does just that. In spectacular fashion.

9 posted on 11/25/2015 12:18:01 PM PST by Salvavida (The restoration of the U.S.A. starts with filling the pews at every Bible-believing church.)
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To: Salvavida

“good food,” hopefully


10 posted on 11/25/2015 12:18:49 PM PST by Salvavida (The restoration of the U.S.A. starts with filling the pews at every Bible-believing church.)
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To: Olog-hai

yea, well maybe a joint Russian American operation, but that’s too humiliating for Obama and violates his Muslim principles and betrays his Muslim friends.

So instead, he probably conferred with Edrogan and decided it would be better to take pot shots at Russian pilots.


11 posted on 11/25/2015 12:32:55 PM PST by Fhios (Anti-depressents aren't a good replacement for a good economy and national pride.)
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To: Fhios

There is currently a joint Russian-American operation in place to bolster Assad and Iran. It’s called the “Joint Comprehensive Plan Of Action” (JCPOA), and Russia is one of its architects via the P5+1. Don’t be fooled by the propaganda.


12 posted on 11/25/2015 12:38:06 PM PST by Olog-hai
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To: Olog-hai

I’ll grant Mr. Rhodes this: if your intent is to pull out all support and ground forces 6-18 months after you’ve “accomplished your mission” than I’ll agree — the strategy is untenable... the same way the Obama Administration undermined the “success” in Iraq but pulling out all residual forces.

President Bush learned (I’m sure this wasn’t a surprise) that your legacy is leaning on a thin reed when you are followed by someone like President Obama. What a disaster he has presided over.


13 posted on 11/25/2015 12:49:02 PM PST by ReleaseTheHounds ("The problem with Socialism is that eventually you run out of other people's money." M. Thatcher)
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To: Olog-hai

Ben Rhodes is a proven liar.


14 posted on 11/25/2015 12:49:54 PM PST by Dalberg-Acton
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To: Olog-hai

Interesting, can you conjecture why this is so and a little background on P5+1?

I’m expecting Russia via Syrians to down a U.S jet or two in reprisal for Turkey shooting down one its jets. Than again, he can just ask Iran to do it since Obama is all goo goo eyes at Iran.

Then again, if I had my druthers, I would rather Putin take it out on Edrogan himself. Maybe some of that radioactive spy stuff.


15 posted on 11/25/2015 1:38:09 PM PST by Fhios (Anti-depressents aren't a good replacement for a good economy and national pride.)
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To: Olog-hai

This has to be the first presidential administration that plans for defeat first rather than plan for victory. previous presidents, starting with the Viet Nam war made the mistakes of warfare with a political command but none of them said “we can’t win so we won’t do anything.”

Obama is a disgrace. He is surrounded by AA hires and high school debate teams. There is no one at the helm.


16 posted on 11/25/2015 1:52:56 PM PST by Organic Panic
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To: Olog-hai
There is currently a joint Russian-American operation in place to bolster Assad and Iran. It's called the "Joint Comprehensive Plan Of Action" (JCPOA), and Russia is one of its architects via the P5+1. Don't be fooled by the propaganda.

Pretty high-level propaganda, considering that Obama is joined by high-ranking British and French officials in his repeated calls for Assad to step down. Just as they did before in Egypt and Libya. If Assad is being supported here, it sounds like only Russia is doing the bolstering.

17 posted on 11/25/2015 1:56:28 PM PST by Charles Martel (Endeavor to persevere...)
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To: Charles Martel

It certainly is high-level propaganda. Remember the identities of the other P5+1 countries are France, Germany, the UK and Red China.


18 posted on 11/25/2015 2:39:42 PM PST by Olog-hai
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