“We are going to have to find effective partners on the ground to push back against ISIL,” Obama said, using the government’s acronym for the Islamic State and referring specifically to its sanctuary in Syria. “The moderate coalition there is one that we can work with. We have experience working with many of them. They have been, to some degree, outgunned and outmanned, and that’s why it’s important for us to work with our friends and allies to support them more effectively.”Who the hell are the moderates in Syria that will be trustworthy allies, Mr President? Good luck with finding them and keeping them as allies.
Oh wait! We can relax now. The CIA is on the case.
There are indications that the hard work to build such a force is already underway, overseen by the CIA, despite remarks by Obama last month disparaging the moderate U.S.-backed Syrian opposition as “doctors, farmers, pharmacists, and so forth.”Where's an eye-roll emoticon when you need one?
To intervene in Syria would be escalation on a scale that I would not want to see. We've not been asked. We'd be fighting ISIL, but would that mean Assad suddenly becomes our ally? Before the rapid territorial advances of ISIL in Syria, we wanted Assad out. In today's speak, we were for Assad before we were against him. Are we once again to be for him? I can't keep up.
If we are going to be in a state of perpetual war, we need to reinstitute the draft, with everyone of suitable age eligible for call to duty, and no exemptions except for those with physical or mental disabilities.
Reading of this in today's news, it occurred to me why Obama is the greatest force for peace in the world right now. You see, he is planning to work with Congress on this, following current law -- and even, sort of, arguably the Constitution, as no President has done since FDR.
ReplyDeleteGet the picture? As long as it's being pushed by Barack Obama, it will never get past Congress! No way. No war.
He tried this ploy before, and it worked. Remember that poison gas business? The red line? Well, when Syria stepped over (maybe, definitely not quite clear), Obama started talking about Congress; it hated anything he proposed; and this bought enough time for Putin to step in and offer and extraordinarily good face-saving solution. Let's call them Partners for Peace. Give them both the Nobel Peace Prize, because neither could have solved that alone.
Sorry, this turned into a longer rant than expected, and it may be hard to figure out where the sarcasm ends. I'd tell you if I knew.
I liked your rant. I like the way Obama talks about working with the do-nothing Congress. He's vague enough to keep us all guessing and me on edge. This may be brilliant - or not. I don't know. Republicans would rant no matter what he said or did.
DeleteYou've identified a real need, June. I went looking for an eye-roll emoticon and there isn't one. Nothing to express incredulity. I tried to construct one, but needed old-fashioned commas and quotation marks with tails. Most available fonts have gone with some sort of fly-speck. I hope you've inspired someone to take up the challenge.
ReplyDeleteThe challenge is out there. :-)
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