The Express Times has photos of LV Syrian residents on a protest pilgrimage to the White House, to signal Obama that Assad's chemical attacks are alright with them. After all, they're here. Incredibly, several are depicted wearing Assad T-shirts.
Updated 12:57 PM: Joint Statement on Syria:
"We condemn in the strongest terms the horrific chemical weapons attack in the suburbs of Damascus on August 21st that claimed the lives of so many men, women, and children. The evidence clearly points to the Syrian government being responsible for the attack, which is part of a pattern of chemical weapons use by the regime.
"We call for a strong international response to this grave violation of the world’s rules and conscience that will send a clear message that this kind of atrocity can never be repeated. Those who perpetrated these crimes must be held accountable."
Countries: Albania, Australia, Canada, Croatia, Denmark, Estonia, France, Germany, Honduras, Hungary, Italy, Japan, Republic of Korea, Kosovo, Latvia, Lithuania, Morocco, Qatar, Romania, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom and United States.
Assad, who has told Le Figaro that "the fire is approaching." He told Charlie Rose, "Eepect every action."
Updated 2 PM: A Russian Solution?
Russia is attempting to defuse this crisis by suggesting that Syria's chemical weapons be placed under international control. Since the whole point of a military strike is to degrade Assad's ability to use these weapons on his own people, this might be an answer and is worth considering.
54 comments:
They have a right to protest peacefully, and even have a right to wear Assad T-shirts. And I have a right to point it out. The g=fact that they support this monster tells me all I need to know. He has declared that the US is his enemy, and they are wearing his T-shirt. What would have happened to Germans wearing Hitler T-shirts?
Probably rounded up and put in camps, like the Japanese who never wore Hirohito t-shirts.
One other point. This has nothing to do with the civil war, or supporting either side. This has everything to do with degrading Assad's ability to butcher his own people. This is a guy who just sent a Syrian jet to dump a napalm-like substance on a playground. I know you can't agree to that. I am disgusted that Obama sat on his hands. I am more disgusted that he is playing politics by asking Congress to approve. But saying No does not make Obama look weak. It makes the country look weak.
Did you take the opportunity to speak in depth with any of them. Many of them, Christians wear pro Assad t-shirts because he has been tolerant of Christianity. It is their position that the rebels and not Assad are responsible for the chemical weapons. This is a very complicated issue.
Too bad Obama was not a better student. Bush and Cheney sold the bullshit Iraq war by telling us that we were on the verge of getting gassed or nuked by Iraq, and not to wait for the "mushroom could."
Obama is too rational and accommodating to the truth and the people. Probably because of his Kenyan birth and Marxist views.
US needs to sit this one out and let somebody else play world cop.
I rather see the money spent on Syria to be spent here at home, helping our children.
And Bernie, you never did comment whether or not you would encourage your grandson to go overseas (if he was of age) to prevent this atrocity.
And yes, although the Pres has said this will be a limited engagement, you have hawks like mccain who will not rule out boots on the ground and that is the reason he will not vote for the syria action, because it does not got far enough.
C, There is nothing complicated about their support of a monster who uses chemical weapons on his own people. I am sure that WWII American Germans would have many good reasons to don a Hitler T-shirt, but they did not. Their actions are repugnant to me.
"And Bernie, you never did comment whether or not you would encourage your grandson to go overseas (if he was of age) to prevent this atrocity"
That's bc it is a silly question that attacks me instead of what I am saying. I served. My daughter still serves, and spent time in Iraq. And of course, I have encouraged my grandson to enlist when he is of age.
The Int. Court of Justice @ The Hague should be the proper venue for International Justice.
I guess my point is that many of the Syrians believe that Assad did not launch chemical weapons but instead it was done by the rebels, this told to my by a Syrian patient of mine. He said that rebel troops have been attacking Christian gatherings and ceremonies. According to him it is the rebels that we should be watching and not Assad. I'm not certain myself...but what if he is right?
C, There is absolutely no question that the Assad regime launched these chemical weapons. You don't embrace a devil simply bc he lets you survive while eliminating others. Eventually, he will come for you.
MOSCOW, Sept 9 (Reuters) - Syria welcomes a Russian proposal to place the nation's chemical weapons under international control, Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Moualem said on Monday after talks in Moscow, praising the Kremlin for seeking to "prevent American aggression".
Moualem, who spoke to reporters through an interpreter after Russia expressed hope the proposal could avert military strikes against Syria, stopped short of saying explicitly that President Bashar al-Assad's government accepted it.
you're the greatest, really, but when you say things like
"There is absolutely no question ....."
WTF?
were you there?
have you examined the evidence?
If he did it then he did it period, and if so then God have mercy on his soul. Why however would so many Syrian people, folks I have known for years believe that he didn't do it....seriously I'm just asking, not trying to be difficult.
No. I wasn't at Auschweitz either.
C, the evidence as I have followed it is clear. I am leery of people who sport T-shirts of some living leader, whether it is Obama or Assad.
If this is real and not bullshit, it might be an answer.
Agreed on the tee shirts, still not certain on the evidence though, I try to avoid the mainstream media any more, that's why I come here for inside local stuff.
When the time comes that we're relying on Russia, we've got even bigger problems than this.
This approach is exactly what is needed. And that Russia came up with it and not the US.... Well, it's yet another example of Obama being outsmarted by Putin.
The Banker
I don't care who slaughters who. I really don't-in the absence of a) a direct threat to US security; or b) an international consensus, I will not support unilateral US action. period. It was wrong when Bush did it. It will be wrong if Obama does it.
My daughter is dating a Syrian young man and he feels the same way regarding Assad, he has been good to the Christian community, but why are they all living in the U.S. if he has been so good to them?
Dear Banker, it sounds like every American President since Truman being outsmarted by the Arabs. Remember over 200 marines killed in Lebanon and the forceful response by Reagan?
If I don't hear from Drudge or Fox it is not a fact!
I love Bernie's cartoon view of foreign policy. It's so charming.
You must also love anonymous snobs.
Anon 410, I didn't say Arabs were outsmarting Obama, I said Putin, a Russian, was. He's been doing circles around Obama since January 2009. Last time that happened this badly was with Carter.
Arabs are another story, you're correct on that.
The Banker
Bernie, When President Bush had intel about Hassan having weapons of mass killing capability ,and the war started .Well I was in Lew Reda's office several days later.He is well connected to higher up Generals in the U.S.Marine Corps. He received a photograph of Mig 31's that were buried in sand in his desert. Now ,I well tell you that if he put several large frame aircraft in shrink rap in the sand ,what else did he hide.Look up Mig 31 this is a weapon of mass destruction . Picture this , a bomb drop line at our civil war monument in Easton , this plane fly's over going West , All the buildings and all the people would be vaporizes to 7th street for two blocks on both sides,in 8 seconds! Is that mass death ?
@5:31
If the "Mig 31's" were anything like the aluminum cylinders that "proved" nuclear weapon development, you don't have to worry about being vaporized.
Not to hijack the thread, but petey, you do understand that the mig 31 is a mostly obsolete (by US standards) interceptor aircraft with a maximum effective combat radius of 900 miles?
As vicious as Assad is, and he's much more of an animal than his father, he lets Syrian Christians live. Local Syrians are in an impossible position. Their bar is set very low. They're just happy their relatives are alive. Make no mistake, as we've seen in Egypt, when Assad is gone, Christians in Syria are as good as dead. The locals know their relatives are going to be slaughtered and their churches burned, quickly. And after Assad used gas on his enemies, any group like the Christians, who are/were perceived to be Assad loyalists, may have the gas turned on them.
6;51 Yes you are correct, I did not want to complicate my post , as I was once a 16S MOS as a anti-aircraft missile operator ,we had to know the aircraft on site in seconds , What I really meant was really a derivative or variant of the Mig. You are absolutely correct in correcting me. You must be smarter that the average bear! Thank you. See Intelligent people read Bernie's Blog!
Are Undocumented Workers in the Lehigh Valley a Security Threat to us? They could kill us @ any time, & we could not track them down, forensicly.
Pete...not that smart. Just an old ex-gator sailor.
The joint statement is just plain wrong. Errors of commission, ie, that the evidence is unassailable proving Assad's regime is responsible for the chemical attack. Not so. There is plenty of evidence that the so-called rebels, some of them funded and trained by the USA, may have been responsible. The joint statement also leaves out a lot of horrifying things that have been done to innocent human beings, and continue to be done to innocent human beings, by a number of the signatories, including the United States. How many kids have been killed by drone strikes on Pakistan? I am disgusted by the hypocrisy of these oafs in government. A plague on all of them.
Your statement is garbage and has been discounted as such. Look, I know Assad and Putin will be happy with you for your disinformation, but this is America. A week ago, I discounted all the bullshit being fed.
"Kerry also said he had no doubt that Assad was responsible for the chemical weapons attack in east Damascus on 21 August, saying that only three people are responsible for the chemical weapons inside Syria – Assad, one of his brothers and a senior general. He said the entire US intelligence community was united in believing Assad was responsible."
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/sep/09/us-syria-chemical-weapons-attack-john-kerry
But you go ahead and wear your Assad T-shirt.
Obama has been really impressive in his handling of this issue. It was a master stroke to go to Congress and let this thing play out instead of jumping to hasty military action.
Did you take the opportunity to speak in depth with any of them. Many of them, Christians wear pro Assad t-shirts because he has been tolerant of Christianity. It is their position that the rebels and not Assad are responsible for the chemical weapons. This is a very complicated issue.
Oh please. There is no excuse for the despot Assad or his shameful followers.
Anon 410, I didn't say Arabs were outsmarting Obama, I said Putin, a Russian, was. He's been doing circles around Obama since January 2009. Last time that happened this badly was with Carter.
This statement is embarrassingly ignorant.
Bernie,
Have you been advising Kerry on how to spin this Syrian problem?
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2013/sep/9/obama-administration-now-downplays-al-qaedas-stren/
Keep wearing your Syrian Rebel t-shirt.
Um. I wear no Syrian rebel T-shirt, nor do I join them or their cause. Unlike some of the idiots on yesterday's bus trup, I do not wear t-shirts that worship an avowed enemy of the United States. My position has been consistent. I oppose the use of chemical weapons. I support a strike to make it impossible for that monster to strike his people with chemical warfare again. If he wants to surrender his chemical weapons, fine. I also believe this nation should stand for something, instead of being cowards. You can'r even sign your name, so you don't get that.
Unless I happen to agree with you about something... then I'm not a coward.
Got it.
Agree with me or not, you are a coward who does not sign your name. It is no wonder that someone like you would not think it important that the US should stand for something, or that other nations and people should rely on us. It is no wonder that you would support assholes donning a T-shirt of a man who just yesterday was threatening the US. You are a coward. There is no question about it, and you know it. It makes no difference to me whether you agree with me or not on other issues. I would not someone like you at my side.
Signing your name on a blog comment section is an indication of patriotism? Bwahahahaha!
Disable anonymous posting if you have such terrible disdain for those using the feature. There are many reasons one may choose the feature only one of which has to do with cowardice.
You don't tell me how to run my blog. My comments policy allows anonymous commentary, but not for personal cheap shots. Your refusal to sign your name makes you what you are - a coward. You stand with those who do not think it important that this nation stand for something. I am delighted NOT to be on your side.
"This statement is embarrassingly ignorant."
And this statement is embarrassingly anonymous. The mark of a coward who does not think this nation should stand for something.
" It was a master stroke to go to Congress and let this thing play out instead of jumping to hasty military action."
If he is able to achieve the elimination of Assad's chemical arsenal without firing a shot, I will agree I was wrong. But at this moment, I think it was a colossal blunder to seek input from Congress.
Agree with me or not, you are a coward who does not sign your name. It is no wonder that someone like you would not think it important that the US should stand for something, or that other nations and people should rely on us. It is no wonder that you would support assholes donning a T-shirt of a man who just yesterday was threatening the US. You are a coward. There is no question about it, and you know it. It makes no difference to me whether you agree with me or not on other issues. I would not someone like you at my side.
Get off your soapbox.
Next time I pass you on Northampton Street, tell me how much of a coward I am. You'll be able to read the initials of the branch of service I served in tattooed on each knuckle.
You are wrong and all your BS about how we need to use our weapons against Assad doesn't change the fact that the bottom line will be that it helps the terrorists.
Now you anonymously threaten violence, proving that you are exactly what i say you are.
Five knuckles, so P U S S Y fits. Good job!
You internet Rambo's are hilarious.
These people are just nutz. If someone wants to say we don't belong there, fine. But to make these anonymous threats is just goofy.
"You'll be able to read the initials of the branch of service I served in tattooed on each knuckle."
Syrian army.
O'Hare,
You are only demonstrating your hypocrisy. You calling somebody a coward from the safety of your computer is cowardly. You do it too often and when it is convenient for you to do so. You peacetime vets don't have a clue, but find it so easy to send others in harms way. Your position to punish Assad only supports helping the terrorists in Syria. Unlike you, I don't believe everything Kerry says.
Stick to local politics. You don't have the brain power to understand anything beyond the county level.
Wear your Al Qaeda t-shirt proudly.
I take responsibility for what I write, and you'll see nothing here that I won't say anywhere else. You, on the other hand, threaten people but are afraid to identify yourself. That is bc you are a coward. It is no surprise to me that someone like you would be afraid to do what is right bc you can't even do it here. I pity the soul who would have to depend on someone like you.
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