Posted on 09/12/2013 4:25:43 PM PDT by markomalley
But it is a game. Thats the whole point. If the White House takes this disarmament charade seriously at the UN with demands that Assad turn over his arsenal expeditiously and verifiably, its going to put Obama right back in the war box the way Ryan Lizza described this morning. Russias proposal is attractive to him because its a charade, because it can be slow-walked and fudged at the UN while Congress and the American public gradually forget about Syria. To turn this from kabuki into a semi-serious process defeats the purpose.
Granted, Kerry has no choice but to talk tough while people are still paying attention, but it sounds like they mean business on compliance. Which, as I say, means more headaches for O to come, not less.
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry is rejecting Syrian President Bashar Assads suggestion Thursday that he begin submitting data on his chemical weapons arsenal one month after signing an international chemical weapons ban.
Speaking at a news conference with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, Kerry noted that Assad said a 30-day lead time would be standard.
There is nothing standard about this process, Kerry said, because Assad has used his chemical weapons.
The words of the Syrian regime in our judgment are simply not enough.
Empty rhetoric? Maybe not:
American officials said they were planning a series of early tests to determine if the Russian government, and, more important, President Bashar al-Assad of Syria, were serious about accepting international control of Syrias huge chemical arsenal
One test of Mr. Assads sincerity will be the willingness of Russia and Syria to accept a rapid beginning to international control that would preclude the Assad government from gaining access to chemical weapons or using them, said a senior State Department official who was traveling on Mr. Kerrys plane
There are some specific things that we can ask for, and see if they get delivered very quickly, that will give us an early sense of whether there is reality here or not, said the State Department official, speaking on the condition of anonymity under department protocols.
If Assad tells them to get lost, then what? Os surely not going back to Congress; proof that Syrias disarmament is a sham might win him some extra votes, but hes in such a deep hole with both Democrats and Republicans that he might still not get to 218. I think the plan, such as it is, is to bomb Assad straightaway if he doesnt comply, without congressional approval, on the theory that the public will be a little more tolerant of a new war if it looks like Assad and Putin are jerking the UN around. That would also explain the oddly belligerent tone to Obamas speech on Tuesday night even though, ostensibly, it was all about how we *shouldnt* attack right now. Maybe hes concluded that the only way to get back some credibility is to hit Assad anyway, and the UN stuff is just a prelude designed to build a bit of extra moral authority for doing so. The fact that he tried a last resort to diplomacy and it went nowhere because Assads a liar will be presented as a game-changing fact by his spin team which requires an immediate response by the commander-in-chief, without waiting for approval from Congress.
Then again, pay attention to what Kerry says at the very end here about how he thinks theres a way for Assad to disarm even in the middle of a civil war. Er, no, there isnt, not without either a ceasefire or lots and lots of boots on the ground, neither of which is happening. Either he has some cockamamie plan for handling WMD to offer Assad which he knows wont work, which means an attack is coming down the road, or hes going to pretend that the plan is working and then look the other way when it fails, which would mean Os still intending to play along with this charade. Cant wait to find out which it is.
Full title: This is not a game: Kerry rejects Assads timeline for WMD compliance at meeting with Russian foreign minister
If he thinks it’s not a game, then he’s already lost the game. Because, yes, it is.
Kerry and Obama stuck on stupid. Since when do negotiations make headlines?
This is the State Dept siding with al Qaeda,
... even after they were exposed giving al Qaeda weapons.
I believe the saying is, "Alligator mouth, hummingbird ass."
international control that would preclude the Assad government from gaining access to chemical weapons
Note to State Dept.
Assad already HAS the chemical weapons.
What sort of cloud cucoo land do these types
live in?
When they start questioning reality you know we are in
trouble.
Time to let it go Johnny. You’ve lost a game that none of us had any interest in playing in the first place.
Now go tell your masters that you can’t keep up your end of the deal.
Good luck.
My brother nailed it today when he said it reminded him of Clutch Cargo
Hey, Ketchup-boy. You’re not in charge, and it’s YOUE screwup that got us here. . .
OMG LOL!
I think Kerry ought to send Assad a strongly worded letter.
He’s gonna fornicate this up
Clutch Cargo...OMG! LOLOL!
Clutch! That’s funny.
US president Asshat
That phony Traitor/treasonous bastard belongs in a jail somewhere, not "representing" the USA in any way, shape, or form (same with his Boss)
Obama handed control of what he claims is in our nation security interests, over to Syria’s staunches ally and largest weapons supplier: Russia.
Pantywaise, lilly-livered democrats trying to be tough? Give me a break! The world knows that the USA elected weaklings who won’t do anything but some drone strikes while claiming political victory.
These nitwits don’t want anything to work. Obama has to bomb Syria because he owes his Saudi masters. Remember the ones he bowed to?
He will end up bombing. He will just wait a bit so he can make it appear that negotiations didn’t work and so he can funnel more weapons to AlQae...er the Broth...er to the FSA, according to Elizabeth O’BagfulalBSey.
As to what Congress and US citizens think. Face it, they do not care.
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