Obama: 'I Don't Foresee U.S. Ground Troops In Syria'

FOR NOW

No U.S. Boots On The Ground In Syria

Drone Commander-in-Chief speaks at a press conference in Costa Rica on Friday, May 3.

As a general rule, I don't rule things out as commander in chief because circumstances change and you want to make sure that I always have the full power of the United States at our disposal to meet American national security interests.

Having said that, I do not foresee a scenario in which boots on the ground in Syria, American boots on the ground in Syria, would not only be good for America, but also would be good for Syria.

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Further Reading From Today's NY Times

Obama's Vow On Chemical Weapons Puts Him In A Tough Spot

New York Times

'If Assad Drops Sarin On His Own People, What’s That Got Do Do With Us?'

Obama got ahead of himself and his advisers last year when he said that Syria using chemical weapons would cross a "red line." The origins of this dilemma can be traced in large part to a weekend last August, when alarming intelligence reports suggested the besieged Syrian government might be preparing to use chemical weapons. After months of keeping a distance from the conflict, Mr. Obama felt he had to become more directly engaged.

Now, confronted with evidence that chemical weapons have been used in Syria, President Obama finds himself in a geopolitical box, his credibility at stake with few good options.

An unnamed senior Obama official tells the Times:

How can we attack another country unless it’s in self-defense and with no Security Council resolution?  If he drops sarin on his own people, what’s that got to do with us?

Photo from the official Facebook page of President Assad.

Syria’s leader, Bashar al-Assad, right, surrounded by bodyguards on Saturday in Damascus for the inauguration of a statue dedicated to university “martyrs” who were killed in the country’s civil war, in an image released on his official Facebook page.

Comments

[Dr. Pitchfork]

I haven't been following this closely. Are those morons seriously contemplating involvement in Syria?

We have to remember that these idiots have as much expertise on America's actual "national security interests" as they do in dealing with bank and economic policy.

I know I'm preaching to the choir, but it's worth repeating -- our masters are failures whose main competencies are bullshitting and kissing ass.

[DailyBail]

I can't see it happening. Even enforcing a no-fly zone would be a problem. Syria has advanced anti-aircraft missile technology. They would shoot down several of our planes, I have no doubt. Pilots would parachute to safety and be captured on the ground by Syrian troops. A hostage crisis would then begin. They can't be that stupid.

Or can they?

[Dr. Pitchfork]

Yes, We Can!

Seriously, I don't know if they're that stupid or not. That's always the question -- whether it's foreign policy or finance. What worries me is the continued bombing of Damascus by Israel -- that seems slightly, um, provocative, does it not? You'd almost think they were trying to start a war or something. In which case, is the Droner complicit or just a stupid, grinning bystander?

[DailyBail]

Israel first bombed Syria in late January, and for exactly the same reason as they did it again on Friday, which was to stop the flow of missiles into Lebanon. It's very provocative, and shows a calculated gamble that Syria doesn't have time to deal with Israel while it fights the rebels.

The Golan Heights border with Syria has been stable for Israel for almost 40 years, and that would probably change if Assad is toppled, so I don't believe Israel is trying to destabilize the situation.

[DailyBail]

NEW DEVELOPMENT

Israel 'Opting to Contain' Nuclear Iran

http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/167735#.UYbuDaI3uSp

Report in Sunday Times says U.S. is brokering a deal between Israel, Saudis, Jordan, Turkey and UAE.

[DailyBail]

A MUST WATCH

Moment of Damascus explosion as store disintegrates

http://dailybail.com/home/raw-video-israel-bombs-syria-for-second-time-in-2-days.html

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[Josie]

Powder kegs eventually go boom! The land of Jehovah is one huge cauldron of hate.