Chuck Todd: Obama Didn't Want To Go Public With Syrian Chemical Weapons Evidence

NewsBusters.org ^ | April 28, 2013 | Noel Sheppard

[Kaslin]

NBC's Chuck Todd made some stunning statements Sunday about recent revelations concerning Syria's use of chemical weapons on its people.

Appearing on Meet the Press, Todd first said the Administration regrets President Obama's claim that this would be a "red line" adding "They didn't want to go public last week that they had this early evidence" and only did so because "they knew Congress was going to get this briefing and it was all going to get out" (video follows with transcript and commentary):

Chuck Todd: Obama Didn't Want To Go Public With Syrian Chemical Weapons Evidence

CHUCK TODD: I can tell you there is regret about that red line comment because…

DAVID GREGORY, HOST: In the White House?

TODD: In the White House in this respect. You don't draw, I mean, they meant it. They do mean it on the chemical weapons, but saying it creates this political conversation. They didn't want to go public last week that they had this early evidence yet. They weren't ready. And yet they knew Congress was going to get this briefing and it was all going to get out.

So they decided to go public with it last week because they felt they had no choice, that it was all going to start leaking out. You had the Israelis, you had the British intelligence. But they're not ready. There is no good answer. The Gulf States, and the big difference between here and Libya, by the way, is in Libya you had the Arab community, the Arab League on the record saying we gotta stop this. The Arab League has been quiet on this, and I think the United States would like to see that first before we jump in.

So the Administration would have preferred to have kept this information from the American people.

Isn't it interesting how cavalierly Todd made this claim?

Would he be so nonchalant about the White House preferring to withhold such information from the public if there were a Republican in the Oval Office?

[what's up]

Agree. Your point is well made.

[musicman]

Help FR Continue the Conservative Fight!
Your Monthly and Quarterly Donations
Help Keep FR In the Battle!

Sponsoring FReepers are contributing
$10 Each time a New Monthly Donor signs up!
Get more bang for your FR buck!
Click Here To Sign Up Now!

[okie01]

In the total scheme of things, it's really immaterial.

Whether the chemical weapons were made by Iraq or Syria is irrelevant.

The relevant issue is whether the Obama administration is going to back up their "red line" or not.

Personally, I hope not. We've no national interest associated with either the Assad regime or the rebels (and the Muslim Brotherhood).

But we have a President who is prone to shooting off his mouth. And whose ass can't write the check for the promise his mouth has written.

Eventually, that is going to cost us more American blood.

[ballplayer]

Syria has produced 1000 tons of sarin gas at their own facilities,it is stored at various secret locations as well as their stocks of VX and mustard gas.

[lonestar]

I have wondered if it’s the missing WMD that we know Saddam had and moved out.

[UCANSEE2]

Yes, Syria has had chemical weapons and SCUD’s for years, long before GW2.

It's not like the technology is complicated, or a big secret. Let's put it this way. Chemical weapons are as easy to make as the pressure cooker bombs in Boston.

[UCANSEE2]

While it is true that the Russians trucked/flew/ambulanced many of the illegal WMD’s (biological/chemical/nuke) out of Iraq and to Bekka Valley, it was done to hide them and protect them from ‘official discovery’ and ‘recovery’ by Coalition Forces. These weapons didn’t add significantly to the weaponry already stored in Syria. Syria had more, and better stuff back then, and it has only gotten better since.

Most of the weaponry from Iraq was old, outdated, and most likely inoperable, if not back then, it is by now. That weaponry is hidden away safe and sound, or has been destroyed already.

[UCANSEE2]

Obama didn’t want to ‘go public’ with the information

The lie you are supposed to subliminally accept. The truth is he opened his big yap and went public and now can't back up his words.

[UCANSEE2]

" You don't draw, I mean, they meant it. They do mean it on the chemical weapons,..."

When someone repeats the same word three times, it's a tell that they are lying.

[UCANSEE2]

What's the deal?

Russia (for simplicity and convenience, I'll stick with the word 'russia') did transport many WMD's to Bekka Valley and some other exotic locations. They didn't want Coalition Forces to be able to prove that they (and other countries) were selling these 'illegal' weapons to Iraq. That would be bad in the World Political Arena and at the U.N. Money Pit.

Now, Russia is not the only one who makes these weapons. Some of the ones they moved were made in several of the various COALITION nations. France, for one, if you want examples.

So.... trying to 'expose' the Russians would also expose the hypocracy of some of the Coalition Nations (including the United States, btw).

[UCANSEE2]

I have long held that Iraqi weapons went to Syria. I always believed the would re-surface in a situation like this, too..

Most of the weapons that went to Syria are about as likely to resurface as Saddam is to rise from his grave.

In Syria they have plenty of new weaponry and warheads, and factories that spit them out like cars on an assembly line, so why bother with fireworks that have been in the closet for TEN YEARS?

[cardinal4]

Hmmm. I guess we disagree. Those weapons went somewhere. Maybe being old, they handed them out to terrorists, but I'll bet we see them again..

[cookcounty]

"Did the [Bush]administration deny knowing what happened because they feared having to take on Syria while fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan at the same time, did they fear Syria's launching nuclear and/or chemical weapons against Israel,

Yes. Yes. and yes.

Tho it's true Bush was between a rock and a hard place with the Dems and press already in full-throated war against him. There was NO WAY he could have gotten Congress to endorse going after Syria,....so he just buried it, crossing his fingers and hoping to get to it later....(and now, "later" has arrived).

[UCANSEE2]

I guess we disagree.

Only in whether a 10 year old biological or chemical warhead would still be viable. Do you have any 10 year old batteries that are any good ?

[ballplayer]

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3013245/posts

[redshawk]

Just could be Andy, just could be.