Short of Obama committing seppuku in the Rose Garden, what exact outcome would meet with your approval?
They are not (Putin’s Diplomatic Efforts). They are (Diplomatic Efforts) proposed and desired by all sides now.
David Ignatius has it right:
“Russia has been drawn into a process of collecting and destroying Syria’s chemical arsenal. This has been a goal of U.S. policy for two years. It finally worked, thanks in part to Obama’s pledge to use military force to punish Syria if the Russians didn’t step up.”
Ignatius is right because Putin had to accept the diplomatic out that Obama had been pressing prior to the conclusive evidence that Putin’s partner nation had used chemical weapons to kill women and children.
And Putin does not have a legitimate military option other than to fire on a NATO nation’s ships and or bomber’s. Putin is highly outgunned if he were to choose a military option to prevent a US airstrikes on Syria.
Obama has the military option regardless of public sentiment but I have no doubt Obama’s first choice was a diplomatic solution.
Putin was approached regarding this very same diplomatic option 18 months ago which was before any women and babies were gassed. Putin did not take it. Why?
It is unrealistic to suggest that Obama ‘wanted’ the military option but was forced into it by a wily and cunning Putin. That makes no sense other than its s stretch of the imagination that satisfied the right’ need to bash Obama no matter what he does.
And it is very unrealistic to wish that a pacifistic diplomacy-only option press by Obama
since the gas attack would have brought Putin into the diplomatic process.
Do you think if Putin offered the same diplomacy prior to last year’s election in the US that Obama would have refused to consider it because he wanted more to cowboy some cruise missiles into Syria for some kind of strength?
Come on.
This is not Putin’s diplomacy. It is diplomacy played at its best by our president not the Russian one.
Nope you are wrong again. I am extolling the virtue of what has already happened.
David Ignatius describes what happened.
"“Russia has been drawn into a process of collecting and destroying Syria’s chemical arsenal. This has been a goal of U.S. policy for two years. It finally worked, thanks in part to Obama’s pledge to use military force to punish Syria if the Russians didn’t step up.”
Yes. Putin was drawn into a process after the threat of force was announced and if the process ceases to function the threat of force is still ready to go.
Obama did not surrender America’s cruise missile stockpile in the agreement that was reached.
We still have them as far as I know.
The diplomacy has already worked. And I believe the dismantling and destruction process will proceed and go well because Obama can be believed when he commits to a preference for diplomacy over war.
It looks very promising to stay on track. See my post about Assad’s interview on Fox News.
We can have this list today, and we may well have something.But indications are it is the UN inspectors meeting today on how to proceed more in the technical and logistical sense now that they have suddenly been invited in.
5 days to go.
My my! Another Kerry bungle. They turned the list over too soon. It’s not a week yet.
For what?
You didn’t hear the latest? I think Kerry punked all the critics yesterday. He probably had Syria’s list on his desk and he told the reporters the damn thing was delayed.
What now? Is it like Colin Powell said “Iraq’s list is no good.”
:dubious:
Man, you’re so eager to find something, anything, that this administration can claim as an achievement, that you’re really clutching at straws.
You do understand that that “initial declaration” has nothing to do with the “comprehensive listing” that Kerry demanded, right? And no, it is not the list that Kerry is expecting.
What is partisan is giving Obama credit for this outcome. Partisan and laughable.
As the old joke goes, if Obama walks on water, you will loudly declare he can’t swim.
Why?
It was Obama out in a limb against his supporters and public opinion but his demand was met by Putin and Assad.
Who else do you give credit to? Rand Paul? Congress anti-war isolationist opposition to air strikes is what put the fear of god into Putin and Assad?
Just a coincidence they came around after Obama threatened force to be used.
Do you have any kind of argument other than you a capable of laughing?
Well he IS black.
How do you know that?
Eh, I wouldn’t say that, magellan. The basic rule for Presidents has always been:
“If it happened while you were President it’s your credit/debit.”
Using that basis (on which thing entirely outside or within the President’s control are fixed to him) then certainly he gets the credit. That’s the case whether or not you agree with what happened.
Do you know whether or not Syria kept a comprehensive list as they produced and stockpiled these weapons? if so they certainly could send that list as their initial declaration in order to save trees. Why make two lists of the same thing?
Surely they have Kinkos over there - just print off a couple copies.
Russian laser printers and Bulgarian software.
OK, so far Obama gets credit for not attacking Syria. But he also gets credit for waiving the ban on arming terrorists. Which makes on sense. He does this without proof that Assad was responsible for the use of CW’s.
He is literally breaking the law to act as judge, jury, and executioner.
Obama gets credit for getting Syria and Russia to agree to dismantle an arsenal of chemical weapons in the midst of a civil war where terrorist groups are involved in the fighting.
And you are right, Obama accomplished that without needing to use military force.
He is doing what all Presidents do: Whatever he can get away with. That’s another longstanding tradition.