How else to explain this kind of thinking – some in the Administration have put out this projection for Obama’s presidency going forward. They draw it as an entirely passive future. They’re saying if we fail at this, we’ll fail at everything else because it’ll be out of our hands. Perhaps some staffers think saying this would be heard by the Congress as a threat; they would be wrong – a weak Obama is the opposition’s wet dream.
ST. PETERSBURG, Russia — President Obama and his advisers view the coming decision on military action against Syria as a potential turning point that could effectively define his foreign policy for his final three years in office. . . .
Mr. Obama and his team see the votes as a guidepost for the rest of his presidency well beyond the immediate question of launching missiles at Syrian military targets. If Congress does not support a relatively modest action in response to a chemical attack that killed more than 1,400 people in Syria, Obama advisers said, the president will not be able to count on support for virtually any use of force.
Although Mr. Obama has asserted that he has the authority to order the strike on Syria even if Congress says no, White House aides consider that almost unthinkable. As a practical matter, it would leave him more isolated than ever and seemingly in defiance of the public’s will at home. As a political matter, it would almost surely set off an effort in the House to impeach him, which even if it went nowhere could be distracting and draining.
As a result, Mr. Obama would be even more reluctant to order action in the one case that has most preoccupied military planners: the development of a nuclear bomb by Iran.
You can have wealth concentrated in the hands of a few, or democracy. But you cannot have both.
Whatever Works 
Frankly, no POTUS should ever count upon the support of Congress for a military adventure so that part of this is moot and just an indication that the Obama Regime believes it should have the loyalty and fealty of the Legislative branch.
As for the rest – Congress doesn’t actually need Obama to want to go to war. They can, if they feel it necessary, vote and tell him to strike to defend Israel or anywhere else. If he fails to comply, they can do a lot more than just impeach him; they can literally hang him.
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You’re listening to too much Rush, jonolan (I know you’ll disdain that idea). In this country we don’t have ‘regimes’, we have elected governments.
Hang him,huh? Haven’t actually heard that threat since, umm, since Jim Crow days, when ‘hangin’ was kinda popular.
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Tell that to his Imperial Presidency, Moe. He acts much like a dictator, being the current culmination of that trend in the Executive.
Leave off the race-baiting, Moe. Black or White, Congress could have the POTUS hanged by the neck until dead under the right circumstances…such as his refusal to prosecute a war they declared.
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When has Congress ever instructed a president to prosecute a war they declared?
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Every single time in point of law, Moe. Congress declares war and instructs the C-in-C to prosecute it. Fortunately, to-date, they’ve never had to force the issue as the POTUS has normally requested those instructions.
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Ms. Holland,
” In this country we don’t have ‘regimes’, we have elected governments. ”
Ahem, Mohamed Morsi and Adolf Hitler were legally elected leaders.
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And your point is what Alan?
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Your words make me think that you are alluding that O’Bama is like Hitler? Please tell me this is not so, because that is positively rediculous!
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Actually, Sandy, there are a number of similarities between Obama and Hitler, though I doubt Alan was alluding to any; nor due those similarities greatly involve Obama political stances vs. those of Hitler.
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Would love to hear the list of similarities…
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This is just a tempest in a teapot as far as precedent goes because the poison gas issue is unique. It’s not very time-sensitive, as the president explained, and it’s not even his red line, it’s the international community’s red line, established 1925.
Obama simply proposed that since nobody else on the planet was interested in enforcing it, that we should because we have the best means. If the answer’s no, and that’s what it’s looking like, then we won’t. But if the United States is attacked, and that includes its territories, ships and diplomatic missions, it will take exactly one quick executive order to make the precedent myth go up in smoke. I have absolutely no doubt that he would give it under the proper circumstances and even more certainty that the order would be instantly followed.
(Aside to jonolan: How do I know this? Because, you see, Obama has got the blood of Kenyan warriors in his veins. 😉 )
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😆 And the blood of plenty of Arabs…and who knows what else, much like most people in the latter case. In any case, I’d hope that blood would lead him to defend the US but I do not and need not count upon on it since Congress can mandate such action.
You’re wrong on one point though. It is HIS red line because he opened his damn mouth and made a threat last year or so.
As for the world’s precedents – Syria withdrew from the Geneva Convention in 1983 and I’m not even sure of their current status as regards the Treaty of Rome and the ICC. That makes the world’s precedents and their applicable upon a sovereign state a bit dodgy.
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Jim, I think it’s a very real possibility that if we bomb another Muslim country Assad won’t have to do a thing to retaliate – he can count on angry Islamists (and even moderates who may cross over) everywhere to step up attacks on American interests abroad including maybe corporate facilities and executives, American (misguided in my opinion) missionaries, students. This just mustn’ happen.
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Why do you guys always give President Obama a pass on things he has said? Even President Bill Clinton could not get away with the sheer amount of double talk this President has. Barak Obama was the one who brought up the red line. Then he said it was not his red line, the World set the red line.
As much as I detest Putin, I will give him his due on one thing. He does not care at all about anything President Obama says. He knows that tomorrow Obama will most likely say something completely different.
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Alan, you saying we always give Obama a pass indicates to me that you’re cherry picking from posts and comments and not readying these Syria thread. There’s a lot of blame Obama coming from we commie pinko gay socialists.
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Alan….
Putin can do WTF he wants to….
Obama with his double talk can’t….
So even with the Kerry Option on Syria….
It WILL be Trust but Verify…..
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jamesb,
I don’t know but, there just appears to be zero long term strategic planning among President Obama’s foreign policy team. When the President originally made his red line remark, where was the planning for what came next?
I think Obama should send Putin a Christmas card this year because if the Kerry Option flies, Putin will have saved Obama’s bacon.
Somehow I am sure the paper work certifying that Syria complied fully with the terms of Secretary Kerry’s conditions, has already been notarized, signed in triplicate, and sworn to by a yet to be named inspection team.
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I think there is more to this than we know. Question: Was the strike brought up prior, purposely (and planned), to encourange a diplomatic solution? Hmmmm…
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If it was, Obama’s an even bigger fool than I gave him “credit” for because that would be one of the biggest deliberate political blunders in the history of democracy.
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Actually jonolan, I think Sandy has a very good point. And if it’s so, I’d call it doing what’s right for the country no matter how it looks to Obama’s enemies.
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Yikes Alan, I pretty much agree with that. Entirely. Has the fat lady sung? 🙂
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FYI….
Putin NOW wants the military strike thing off the table …..
http://www.politicaldog101.com/2013/09/11/on-relying-on-russia-in-the-syrian-kerry-option-on-chemical-weapons/
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I was just over there james and read your post. So right,, such a mess.
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