Free Republic

Here's your non-shocker of the day. Former Obama campaign adviser David Axelrod is giving President Obama, not Russian President Putin, credit for Syrian President Assad's agreement to turn over chemical weapons. If POTUS hadn't threatened credible military response, does anyone believe Russia and Syria would be coming forward now? No time to falter. — David Axelrod (@davidaxelrod) September 10, 2013 President Obama is still scheduled to make his case for a "military attack" on Syria tonight from the White House, but with the news breaking this morning the Russians and Syrians have reached a deal, you can bet his speech...

Monday morning, Secretary of State John Kerry made what an administration official called a "major goof" with a never-going-to-happen hypothetical that suggested Syria could avoid American airstrikes by surrendering their chemical weapons. Even the State Department walked Kerry's statement back. But Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov immediately seized upon Kerry's flub, and now a member of the Russian parliament is gloating over Putin's checkmate of Obama.