Posted on 06/16/2016 8:20:41 PM PDT by Theoria
More than 50 State Department diplomats have signed an internal memo sharply critical of the Obama administration’s policy in Syria, urging the United States to carry out military strikes against the government of President Bashar al-Assad to stop its persistent violations of a cease-fire in the country’s five-year-old civil war.
The memo, a draft of which was provided to The New York Times by a State Department official, says American policy has been “overwhelmed” by the unrelenting violence in Syria. It calls for “a judicious use of stand-off and air weapons, which would undergird and drive a more focused and hard-nosed U.S.-led diplomatic process.”
Such a step would represent a radical shift in the administration’s approach to the civil war in Syria, and there is little evidence that President Obama has plans to change course. Mr. Obama has emphasized the military campaign against the Islamic State over efforts to dislodge Mr. Assad. Diplomatic efforts to end the conflict, led by Secretary of State John Kerry, have all but collapsed.
But the memo, filed in the State Department’s “dissent channel,” underscores the deep rifts and lingering frustration within the administration over how to deal with a war that has killed more than 400,000 people.
The State Department set up the channel during the Vietnam War as a way for employees who had disagreements with policies to register their protest with the secretary of state and other top officials, without fear of reprisal. While dissent cables are not that unusual, the number of signatures on this document, 51, is extremely large, if not unprecedented.
The names on the memo are almost all midlevel officials — many of them career diplomats — who have been involved in the administration’s Syria policy over the last five years, at home or abroad.
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
The memo, a draft of which was provided to The New York Times by a State Department official, says American policy has been “overwhelmed” by the unrelenting violence in Syria. It calls for “a judicious use of stand-off and air weapons, which would undergird and drive a more focused and hard-nosed U.S.-led diplomatic process.”
That's what Obama has been about all along. His actions created ISIS. What the Obama administration didn't anticipate is the Russians getting involved in an attempt to establish another Muslim Brotherhood client state.
A feeble fig leaf.
Neocons at it again. With their track record......
*** Are these people freakin’ crazy? ***
I am starting to think I would find more brain cells in my cat’s litter box, than with these geniuses.
...because the Middle East needs more instability and war.
This will help ISIS.
If they want it, it must be wrong.
I know under sHitlery, many of the dipwadmats were fags. I suppose a lot of them may be mozlems too?
Who gives a crap what these dipwadmats want or think. It is assuredly the exact wrong thing.
Given how many long service state Dept pukes seem to “go native” I’d say the sound bet would be the opposite action, keep the secular hardass in power...
>OMG! Are these people freakin’ crazy? Do we really want to get into a shooting war with Russia?
Yes and Hillary will lead us there.
Wow. I remember when this country wasn’t filled with cowards afraid of Russians.
See #30.
See #30.
See #30.
Yep, Putin would just sit by and do nothing. I doubt the honchos will pay much attention to the “diplomats” demand. Putin has too many emails. They can’t forget that he also has Snowden.
Super idea. Russia is their ally and is actively defending them. What’s their next plan? Shoot the Archduke?
So, you favor a war with Russia, to remove Assad, and to install the sunni jihadis. Real bright.
By the way, in this fun time we weren’t afraid of open warfare with Russia, we must have attacked them, right? I forget what year that was.... moron.
Russia is in the right in Syria, and we are the evil empire. Take your neocon cold-war nostalgia elsewhere.
One is given to understand that State Department employees exist more or less to hold cocktail parties, schmooze foreign nationals, and pass out cookies and cakes.
“Wow. I remember when this country wasn’t filled with cowards afraid of Russians.”
I fail to see what Assad has done to justify the U.S. starting yet another illegal, immoral war. You sound suspiciously like a warmongering neocon.
Let me get this, you want to remove the secular Assad to install an ISIS- controlled government? And in the process, attack the Russians and possibly start NUCLEAR WAR!!
Only an insane, warmongering, babbling moron would want to start WW3 to remove a secular dictator to install a radical islamist government. I think we have done enough damage in Iraq, Egypt and Libya, don’t you?
If it’s “cowardly” to want to avoid nuclear war, then I proudly accept that label. This conflict is absolutely none of our business.
BTW, removing Assad would also sign the death warrant of the remaining Christians in Syria. Good move.
If you want to fight Assad, be my guest. Catch the next flight to Syria and join your islamist pals.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.