Saturday, August 31, 2013

Is Obama like Bush?

Obama to Seek Congressional Authorization for Use of Force in Syria.


Obama WILL Seek Congressional Approval to Bomb Syria.
 
 
YoungHegelian said...
Go to Congress for a real attempt at a "war": that makes sense.

Spend days & days trying to figure out if you want to inflict a pinprick on a regime, in which interval said regime has time to harden & hide the military assets that our air attack is meant to destroy: what's the point?

No, this is Obama hoping that Congress will vote "No" so that he has an excuse for backing down from his off-teleprompter "Red Line" gaff. That way, he can blame Congress instead of being left out in the open looking like the clueless wonder he truly is.

77 comments:

edutcher said...

No, Dubya had all his ducks in a row.

Choomie is being shown up for the punk he is.

Anonymous said...

Smart move. Let the Congress vote. They asked for one, now they will get one.

Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

Obama to follow the constitution? How bizarre.

YoungHegelian said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Hagar said...

If they had not figured it out before, it should now be clear to anyone in the Middle East that it is each man for himself, and may the Devil take the hindmost.

YoungHegelian said...

Go to Congress for a real attempt at a "war": that makes sense.

Spend days & days trying to figure out if you want to inflict a pinprick on a regime, in which interval said regime has time to harden & hide the military assets that our air attack is meant to destroy: what's the point?

No, this is Obama hoping that Congress will vote "No" so that he has an excuse for backing down from his off-teleprompter "Red Line" gaff. That way, he can blame Congress instead of being left out in the open looking like the clueless wonder he truly is.

Hagar said...

Yes, the game is going to be to blame Congress for not giving him the necessary power to act, but the only ones who are going to believe that are those who are in the boat with him and can't get out.

It is anyhow a most peculiar position to take after all the claimung that he did not need any steenkin' Congress!

Lem the artificially intelligent said...

The move takes the heat off of him... unlike Bush, who got authorization to go into both, Afghanistan and Iraq, but the heat, over real/perceived failures has always sat on Bush's lap.

Obama can't turn down an opportunity to lead from behind.

It's too good to pass up.

Lem the artificially intelligent said...

Obama passes the heat created by his gaff to Congress.

It appears that following the constitution had not occurred to him.

Rabel said...

He's on the golf course now. Seriously.

JAL said...

Good. Blame it (whatever it is ... failure to act on the red line threat?) on them when they say no.

And the rest of us will breathe a deep sigh of relief. Dodged that war.

It is someone like Obama who will start the next big one.

chickelit said...

No, this is Obama hoping that Congress will vote "No" so that he has an excuse for backing down from his off-teleprompter "Red Line" gaff.

If this is an "out" for him - a way to save face - then so be it. It also happens to be what should happen according to people's notions of warmaking according to the Constitution.

Lydia said...

Well, it worked for Cameron, so I guess Obama figures it's worth a shot.

The obviousness and sheer unscrupulousness of all these moves is really breathtaking, and still has the capacity to stun me.

Anonymous said...

So he gets blamed for not acting the first time Assad or whoever crossed the red line. Then he gets blamed for wanting to attack Syria.Then he gets blamed because he didn't give Congress a vote. Then he gets blamed because he does give Congress a vote. Then he gets blamed for not attacking right now?

edutcher said...

This gives him 2 weeks to find a way to wiggle out of this. Congress is out of session until September 9.

Could it be they really do know those WMDs are Saddam's old stocks and BDA (Bomb Damage Assessment) teams would see that?

ndspinelli said...

"Please please..I spoke out of my ass w/ this red line thingy. Please say no..please please. Don't we have some poor schmuck who made a video that we can blame this on? Some idiots actually bought that. Please, I promise I'll stick to my teleprompter again. PULEEEEEEASE!"

Hagar said...

Cameron may loose his position as leader of the Conservative Party over that vote, and his standing has been severely damaged even if he survives, so that it "worked" for him is a bit of a mis-statement.

Obama may hope that the coming Donnybrooks in September over Obamacare and the debt ceiling will drown out this fiasco, and in the MSM it probably will, but not around the world, where they don't know or care what those things are about, but they do know what will happen to themselves if they back the wrong horse in the Middle East.

Paddy O said...

I'm curious how Democrats will vote. Do they vote against the President, making him look even weaker, or do they vote with him, making their previous anti-war talk obviously partisan?

Lydia said...

Tom Maguire at JustOneMinute has some thoughts on how this turns out, and they sound about right:

"I am not sure where the votes will come from. This is the anti-war President of the anti-war party, so folks on that side of the aisle won't feel any pressure to get behind this.

And on the right, what is the likely support for yet another foreign adventure led by a guy - OK, with Kerry, make that two guys - who will turn against this if/when the going gets tough? An adventure, let us add, undertaken without the political cover of Democratic votes? And when a majority of House Democrats reject an authorization, will Obama blame the Republicans? (Well, of course he will, but will it make any sense?)"

The full post is well worth a read: The Fierce Moral Urgency Of Manana

Paddy O said...

Obama's vote: Present!

Lem the artificially intelligent said...

It also happens to be what should happen according to people's notions of warmaking according to the Constitution.

That's more like it.

Leave your own voice out of it.

Lem the artificially intelligent said...

Obama hates Muslims.

edutcher said...

What nd said.

Any resolution passing the House is doubtful in the extreme.

Inga said...

So he gets blamed for not acting the first time Assad or whoever crossed the red line.

Don't draw lines in the sand if you aren't going to enforce them.

Then he gets blamed for wanting to attack Syria.

Nobody else sees the sense of it.

After all, the Lefties keep telling us (since 'Nam) we can't be the world's policeman.

Then he gets blamed because he didn't give Congress a vote.

That Constitution thingy. And the War Powers Act, which many people will tell you is unconstitutional, but the demos love anyway.

Then he gets blamed because he does give Congress a vote.

See above.

Then he gets blamed for not attacking right now?

Well, he said it was "vital"...

and then he wanted something limited, but big enough so it wouldn't be "mockable"...

Lem the artificially intelligent said...

He's on the golf course now. Seriously.

If he is attacked for that, it energizes the base.

ricpic said...

If this is an "out" for him - a way to save face - then so be it.

Amen. Doesn't matter how cynical his sudden respect for constitutional governance is. If this ploy is a way out of a symbolic show of force that could easily escalate into a major war, when you think of the very real possibility of an American warship being sunk in retaliation, well then, it's a good thing.

Lem the artificially intelligent said...

The only people he needs to sell this to is his base.

Pelosi is with him already... I don't know if Obama had to even ask.

How hard can it be to sell it to Maxine Waters.

john said...

At least the Prez knows that McCain's got his back here.

Lem the artificially intelligent said...

Oh man... this is going to be side by side video bonanza for campaign politicos.

A lot of those guys that excoriated Bush over Iraq are now going to get on the floor of the house and make the case for bombing another Muslim country?

You cant make this shit up!

CSPAN is trending ;)

Leland said...

Obama is nothing like Bush.

Not only did Bush go to Congress, but he waited months for approval including an election cycle. Bush also took his argument to the UN and obtained several resolutions. When Bush finally "acted unilaterally"; he had the authority of Congress, 16 UN resolutions, and 40 nations agreeing to conflict.

Obama has a thin red line. Its doubtful he even has the votes in the Senate.

Michael Haz said...

Somewhere GWB is chuckling to himself and saying "It isn't as easy as it looks, Sparky."

And an 11 year old kid in Syria is getting high fives from his friends. Current score is Kid 1, POTUS 0.

rhhardin said...

Iowahawk

I guess if you can't inspire international respect or fear, there's always bemusement.

ndspinelli said...

You don't "sell" Maxine Waters, you buy the bitch...cheap.

Lem the artificially intelligent said...

So, Obama sells a "limited strike".

No problem, right?

Except, a limited strike leaves Syria in good enough shape to gas again.

What does the genius peace president do then?

Lem the artificially intelligent said...

Doesn't Assad get a limited small retaliatory gas strike?

It's not like he can strike back at us with the military he has.

Obama is playing right into the hands of the dictator.

Lydia said...

Susan Rice must be shaking her head over all this. She could have told Obama that off-the-cuff red-line comment would be a problem.

As she advised Bill Clinton about Rwanda: “If we use the word ‘genocide’ and are seen as doing nothing, what will be the effect on the November election?”

edutcher said...

Lem said...

So, Obama sells a "limited strike".

No problem, right?

Except, a limited strike leaves Syria in good enough shape to gas again.

What does the genius peace president do then?


His little peanut brain hasn't thought that far ahead.

Doesn't Assad get a limited small retaliatory gas strike?

It's not like he can strike back at us with the military he has.


But his pals in Teheran can have Hezbollah whip something up.

Obama is playing right into the hands of the dictator.

Stupid is as stupid does.

virgil xenophon said...

Lets see....in Libya he didn't need--OR SEEK--approval of either Congress, NATO or the UN to overturn the government of an ENTIRE NATION. But now he runs to Congress for approval of "limited" "non regime-changing" pin-prick telegraphed-in-advance missile strikes?

Cue the song "Detachable Penis" by King Missile--Obama's lost his package entirely..

Lem the artificially intelligent said...

Watching the CNN talking heads stammering, hemming and hawing it's delicious.

sakredkow said...

Obama's no dummy. While you're underestimating him, he's shoring up his position and suddenly you find it's your position that's been dismantled.

That said he's not infallible, I keep waiting for him to lose.

We're nowhere near the endgame of this particular frightening adventure.

Lem the artificially intelligent said...

Not calling congress back into an emergency session to vote for bombing.

Isn't that like kicking the can down the road?

Lem the artificially intelligent said...

CNN is now making the Syrians into a US infrastructure menace because the Syrians claimed to have hacked the NYT website... and they call Bush reasons for attacking Iraq flimsy.

AllenS said...

Well, it was Obama who drew the line in the sand. I'm waiting anxiously, to see if Al Franken votes for bombing a bunch of people that he has no beef with.

Biden is a little bitch for chastizing Bush over Iraq, and now he's all gung-fucking-ho over killing a bunch of Syrians.

Same with Kerry who couldn't wait to run out of Viet Nam with questionable Purple Hearts, leaving the men he was in charge with to go it alone.

Then, he had to call US veterans baby-killing animals.

Fuck off, all of you!

edutcher said...

Gives him at least 2 weeks to find a way to say the Pencil-Neck has pinkie-sworn that he won't ever be mean again.

Of course, we may also find just how good the NSA surveillance is by how many sudden and uncharacteristic opposition points of view change just in time for a vote.

phx said...

Obama's no dummy.

Wanna bet? Seems like ValJar plays Paul Winchell a whole lot.

While you're underestimating him, he's shoring up his position and suddenly you find it's your position that's been dismantled.

He's lost the original momentum he had and is now a laughingstock, being derided by 11 year old kids. His intel has been questioned, as well as the military wisdom of a pinprick op just to salve his ego.

He hasn't got the guts to face the American people or the UN, and only now have the Choom Gang decided that, yeah, maybe they better run this past Congress.

As I say, we may soon find out how much blackmail is going on with all that NSA surveillance.

Anonymous said...

He faced the American people in the Rose Garden earlier today, did you miss it Ed?

sakredkow said...

He's lost the original momentum he had and is now a laughingstock, being derided by 11 year old kids.

You may want to get your political commentary from someone other than Rush and 11 year old kids.

Lem the artificially intelligent said...

Obama said attack "could happen tomorrow, next week or one month from now."

He is such a kidder... psyched!

I'm going to turn off CNN and just watch the game.

btw. the score is Red Sox 1, White Sox 0, middle of the second.

Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

@Virgil
Lets see....in Libya he didn't need--OR SEEK--approval of either Congress, NATO or the UN to overturn the government of an ENTIRE NATION. But now he runs to Congress for approval of "limited" "non regime-changing" pin-prick telegraphed-in-advance missile strikes?

& Now Libya is run by Al Qaeda.

Lem the artificially intelligent said...

I thought there was going to be a war today.

Obama has lied to us again.

AllenS said...

Inga said...
He faced the American people in the Rose Garden earlier today

How many Americans can fit in the Rose Garden?

chickelit said...

He faced the American people in the Rose Garden earlier today

Yeah, but he walked away from any questions. It was more like a statement.

AllenS said...

Kerry also turned and fled after his speech.

Anonymous said...

Allen,
Have you heard, there's something called TV, television, reaches millions of people, live!

AllenS said...

The American people need to draw a line in the sand for those two.

Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

As bad of a dude as Kaddafi was - (and he was) he was neutralized in his capacity to do much of anything of consequence. He was old and crazy - surrounded by hot chicks. It made zero sense to remove him and let Al Qaeda fill the vacuum. And that is what happened. The inept Hillary/Obama doctrine sure fu**ed that one.

AllenS said...

Sorry, that's not facing the American people. That's going on TV and making a statement without the American people being able to ask any questions.

chickelit said...

Even though POTUS has a pussified press, he's still afraid of even them.

chickelit said...

Inga said...
Allen,
Have you heard, there's something called TV, television, reaches millions of people, live!


Obama just uses the media to amplify his message; there's no real two-way communication with anyone. That's why people have so many questions. It was the same with Benghazi.

chickelit said...

I just want to ask him if he's stupid enough to blow up a sarin factory or a storage facility.

Anonymous said...

This is how Bush announced the invasion of Iraq, I don't believe there were questions asked by any Americans, nor answered. It was also a statement was it not?

Anonymous said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Lem the artificially intelligent said...

Can you picture the troops on the ships in the Mediterranean, about six of them. Exercised, yellow, red alerted, speech by the commander. Waiting for the go ahead to push those buttons that launch the bombs going down the chimneys.

Then they watch Obama say "it could be tomorrow, next week or one month from now"

Not so fast!

Anonymous said...

here

Lem the artificially intelligent said...

About 6 ships on the Mediterranean is what I've heard.

Anonymous said...

Reid just announced public hearings, I suppose questions will be asked, lol.

chickelit said...

It was also a statement was it not?

By your logic, Bush "faced the nation"

chickelit said...

Inga: You're not adding at all to the solution by pointing at Bush and saying but look what he did.

Is holding Obama to Bush's standards an improvement? I thought he was supposed to exceed them?

chickelit said...

From Inga's link: Our coalition of more than 90 countries is pursuing the networks of terror with every tool of law enforcement and with military power.

Hold Obama to Bush's standards.

chickelit said...

Inga: Why do you suppose all those people are are so silent in Madistan, Wisconsin?

It's because they are thinking through grave doubts--not tacit support.

Anonymous said...

Chickie, I'm not arguing in favor of attacking Syria. I'd vote no.

edutcher said...

Inga said...

He faced the American people in the Rose Garden earlier today, did you miss it Ed?

So did everybody else.

The Saturday before Labor Day he goes on TV in the middle of the afternoon (an hour later than he announced).

Try this Wednesday at around 8 pm Eastern Time.

That's going before the American people, O She Wolf of the SS.

PS This is going before the American people.

virgil xenophon said...

They should post a sign over the entrance to the White House reading: "FUBB Control"--Fucked Up Beyond Belief..

rcocean said...

Good. A war avoided.

Other than crazy Johnnie McCain and usual Democrat zombies no one will support it.

rcocean said...

Although I was looking forward 2,000 or so dead civilians and 200,000 Syrians being refugeed to the USA afterwards.

Oh, a spot of nation building after we blew Syria apart, with $100 billion spent.

rcocean said...

Good. A war avoided.

Other than crazy Johnnie McCain and usual Democrat zombies no one will support it.

Leland said...

Bush announced the opening of the war on Iraq well after he received Congressional approval for the campaign and had gone to the UN as well.

Aridog said...

Here's a Poll for ya', over at Legal Insurrection. Do check the results after you vote.

Chip Ahoy said...

...ValJar plays Paul Winchell a whole lot.

))) whap (((

[paul winchell]   Oh.
YouTube [paul winchell] Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha hah a ha ha ha ha ha.