Posted on 09/09/2013 12:07:24 PM PDT by Jim Robinson
MOSCOW Syria on Monday quickly welcomed a call from Russia, its close ally, to place Syrian chemical arsenals under international control, then destroy them to avert a U.S. strike, but did not offer a time frame or any other specifics.
The statement by Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Moallem appeared to mark the first official acknowledgement by Damascus that it possesses chemical weapons and reflected what appeared to be an attempt by Syrian President Bashar Assad to avoid the U.S. military attack.
But it remained to be seen whether the statement represented a genuine goodwill gesture by Syria or simply an attempt to buy time.
"Syria welcomes the Russian proposal out of concern for the lives of the Syrian people, the security of our country and because it believes in the wisdom of the Russian leadership that seeks to avert American aggression against our people," al-Moallem said during a visit to Moscow, where he held talks with his Russian counterpart, Sergey Lavrov.
However, al-Moallem, would not give any further details in his brief statement and didn't take any questions from reporters.
Moallem's statement came a few hours after U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said Assad could resolve the crisis surrounding the alleged use of chemical weapons by his forces by surrendering control of "every single bit" of his arsenal to the international community by the end of the week.
In Washington, U.S. officials said they would take a "hard look" at the proposal but doubted that Syria would carry out such a plan...
(Excerpt) Read more at cbsnews.com ...
Must be something else .... Obumbler never had any to start with - can't lose what you don't have. :-)
If he were to attack now, under these circumstances, he would be judged a war criminal and spend the rest of his life after he is out of office looking over his shoulder for some EU Judge who wants to arrest him and put him on trial in the Hague.
While Zero plays silly card games like Spades - Putin plays for keeps.
Yes.
The State Department walked back Kerry’s statement, claiming Kerry “was making a rhetorical argument about the impossibility and unlikelihood of Assad turning over chemical weapons he has denied he used.”
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3064533/posts
This is entirely uninforcable.
But it is guaranteed to make Obama look foolish on Tuesday, when he tries to make his case FOR war.
Actually, the USA and Russia have special facilities for safe destruction of chemical weapons. I wouldn't be too surprised if Syrian CW is destroyed. Syria would have to pay for that, of course, but what else is new.
With regard to Assad hiding some CW, I don't think he will do it. CW today is of no use. It is only dangerous to the owner, by multiple routes. It needs maintenance, which takes money. Then it cannot be used without a major international scandal. Then you can be framed by rebels who either steal one of your CW bombs or who get another one from someone else. Then there is a chance of an accident or a terrorist act. Finally, enemy soldiers have adequate protection from CW and won't be seriously impacted if you use CW against them. However you examine it, CW is not very valuable. Having just one CW bomb only gives you all the disadvantages, and no advantages at all. It's like when an honest man finds and keeps a "hot gun" with the serial number removed. It only hurts him, and he can't use it for legitimate defense.
Syria may have bought their weapons from the UK, but I don’t think it was Syria that launched them. I think it was the rebels, which consist of AQ and the MB, and they were supplied by the US via Benghazi along with many many short range missiles, and shoulder fired.
This is all about cleaning up a mess. The strategic targets will not be against Asad, but they will be to eliminate evidence. Especially with Hillary running in a couple of years. Ever wonder why Bubba is out supporting Hussien now?
My dad used to tell me, when in doubt, follow the money.
McCain and Hillary and Graham and all the rest, authorized the sale of these weapons to the rebels, and now want to hide the evidence.
The UN and Russia think the weapons came from rebels. I agree with them.
I think Obama will not accept any such offer. His supporters are trying to make out like the fact that this was floating is somehow indicative of the success of his policy. Quite the contrary. Thankfully, it will smash up his narrative for his “media offensive” today and tomorrow. All talk is of the Russian/Syrian offer.
While this is good news in that it will hopefully avert military action, it saves Obama’s hide.
Who cares about Obama? This does not put our military at risk and does not waste more of our military funding.
FWIW - politics are the last of my concern and if something saves our soldiers I support it even if it came from Putin. Obama’s brand has been damaged overseas by his inept handling of the Middle East, but nothing will stick to him with the presstitutes here at home.
Who doesn’t have contempt for him among leaders of the world? But he’s a useful idiot for those who want America weakened.
I believe this was a crisis created to change the front pages and MSM attention away from the building antagonism toward Obamacare. It has worked beautifully.
Only one thing besides evading his responsibility for leading the country matters to him and that is putting medicine under government control 100%. I bet that was the deal he made with the Clintons in exchange for not sabotaging him. She will sweep in to the Presidency and be the savior who “fixes” Obamacare via the single payer plan.
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