Clinton's Syria Advisor Slams Obama's 'Strategically Appalling' Response (1 Viewer)

[zimmer]

An Obama-ite has had his fill of Obama's Amateur Hour.

[h=2]Fred Hof, the career diplomat who led the US response for much of the Syrian crisis, slammed President Obama this weekend for his "strategically appalling" ...Obama's last-minute switch to seek Congressional approval for a military strike in Syria undermined US authority in the world.[/h] "By not making it clear from the outset of the crisis that he would seek the approval of the Senate and House for a military response to the Assad regime’s chemical atrocity,"... "the president’s jarring change of direction now runs the risk of thoroughly undermining whatever remains of allied confidence in his leadership."


..."the events of the past ten days suggest that there was no administration forethought to the possibility of a major chemical incident in Syria; there was no plan in place to respond to a major chemical attack by a regime that had already demonstrated its deep and abiding contempt for the president and his red lines."


Obama didn't seek Congressional approval for the military action he authorized in Libya... That he didn't, Hof argues, nor call Congress immediately back to Washington, undermines US credibility in the world.


Hof is not some outside expert observing the seen from afar. He joined the Obama Administration at the start of the President's first term as a special advisor of the Middle East. He worked closely with Clinton and Special Envoy George Mitchell on Middle East peace negotiations. He was the lead diplomat for issues related to Syria and Lebanon.


In March, 2012, President Obama elevated him to the rank of Ambassador and gave him responsibility for handling the US response to the deteriorating situation in Syria. He abruptly resigned the position just 6 months later...


Congress doesn't return to Washington until next week. Even if strong support builds for military intervention, it will likely be several days before Congress approves action. This gives the Assad regime at least two weeks to prepare for any possible US attack. The regime is no doubt, even today, moving its chemical weapons arsenal to unknown locations. The limited engagement Obama claims he wants may be completely ineffective.


As Hof laments, "there will be no 'do-overs.'"

Clinton's Syria Advisor Slams Obama's 'Strategically Appalling' Response

[h=1][/h]

 

[DDD]

Just an angry former Obamaist bashing an otherwise seemingly confused president perhaps?

 

[tererun]

Seems like a republican effort to blow something new out of proportion because they are bothered Obama has turned the tables on them in their syria trap. They had a pretty clear impeachment trap going on there when they encouraged Obama to make the decision on his own, meanwhile were also foaming at the mouth waiting for the strike without congressional opinion to blast him. They set this one up to be a huge lose lose option for whoever pulled the trigger, and Obama handed them the trigger so now they have to whine and complain because Obama used caution and gave most of the decision to congress who cannot get out of their own way on screwing things up. Now they will try to look for every little statement to pretend Obama should have acted on his own without approval from congress, but it is like getting mad at someone for doing the speed limit in a town full of cops and speed traps.

If you think it is stupid that Obama has to ask for permission to do something every other president could have ordered without being impeached you only have to look at the reps who have gotten really picky over the rules and were clearly just waiting to start impeachment hearings and were even hinting Obama was moving dangerously close to the standards for impeachment right before all of this. He sidestepped the reps ambush, and really Syria is not an immediate threat to the US. Not to mention if this is all about Iran and not helping the syrian people then we should not be launching on syria. We should aim our missiles at Iran and tell them twitch and die. If this is such a harmless act which is not an act of war then lob the missile strike in at Iran and tell them it is a warning we are willing to blow them up.

 

[MMC]

Seems like a republican effort to blow something new out of proportion because they are bothered Obama has turned the tables on them in their syria trap. They had a pretty clear impeachment trap going on there when they encouraged Obama to make the decision on his own, meanwhile were also foaming at the mouth waiting for the strike without congressional opinion to blast him. They set this one up to be a huge lose lose option for whoever pulled the trigger, and Obama handed them the trigger so now they have to whine and complain because Obama used caution and gave most of the decision to congress who cannot get out of their own way on screwing things up. Now they will try to look for every little statement to pretend Obama should have acted on his own without approval from congress, but it is like getting mad at someone for doing the speed limit in a town full of cops and speed traps.

If you think it is stupid that Obama has to ask for permission to do something every other president could have ordered without being impeached you only have to look at the reps who have gotten really picky over the rules and were clearly just waiting to start impeachment hearings and were even hinting Obama was moving dangerously close to the standards for impeachment right before all of this. He sidestepped the reps ambush, and really Syria is not an immediate threat to the US. Not to mention if this is all about Iran and not helping the syrian people then we should not be launching on syria. We should aim our missiles at Iran and tell them twitch and die. If this is such a harmless act which is not an act of war then lob the missile strike in at Iran and tell them it is a warning we are willing to blow them up.

Looks Like you had best Check Out What the UN said about.....what Obama and France have to say.

U.S. Strike In Syria Could Unleash More Turmoil, UN Chief Ban Ki Moon Says

 

[MMC]

An Obama-ite has had his fill of Obama's Amateur Hour.
[h=1][/h]

Heya Zimmer :2wave: Did they ever say why he resigned that Syrian post?

 

[Montecresto]

Heya Zimmer :2wave: Did they ever say why he resigned that Syrian post?

Ambassador Stevens???!!!

 

[MMC]

Ambassador Stevens???!!!

Mornin Monte. :2wave: No not Stevens. Hof, he gave up being the Ambassador to Syria.

 

[Montecresto]

Mornin Monte. :2wave: No not Stevens. Hof, he gave up being the Ambassador to Syria.

Mornin MMC. Ha, you missed my jest. I meant, he saw what happened with Stevens when the US buddies up to the terrorists we use to love to fight, and seeing the same thing in Syria...........................

 

[MMC]

Mornin MMC. Ha, you missed my jest. I meant, he saw what happened with Stevens when the US buddies up to the terrorists we use to love to fight, and seeing the same thing in Syria...........................

:lol: Got me on that one my brutha. :mrgreen:

 

[head of joaquin]

Actually seeking Congressional approval before taking military action -- i.e., following the Constitution -- suddenly has become anathema among the Obamaphobes.

Can't conservatives ever start an honest thread?

 

[MMC]

Actually seeking Congressional approval before taking military action -- i.e., following the Constitution -- suddenly has become anathema among the Obamaphobes.

Can't conservatives ever start an honest thread?

Awwww whats the matter HOJ......don't have any lame excuse why the Democrat walked away from the Spot Obama gave him? I know.....it must really hurt to keep losing people. But don't you worry. After Obama is done with that term. We will drive out anyone.....that was associated to him.

Now go run and tell him that's what I said.....then to deal with it.

 

[aberrant85]

Obama still has retained the authority to strike even without Congress. By getting Congress' backing he magnifies the force of the US's resolve and signals that the strikes will not be internally diminished by government infighting. It's not our fault that countries that have no concept of separation of powers might see the move as "weak."

IMHO, the move projects strength because it shows that Obama has confidence that Congress will fall in line and back him up, and that he doesn't have to act as a knee-jerk reaction.

 

[head of joaquin]

Awwww whats the matter HOJ......don't have any lame excuse why the Democrat walked away from the Spot Obama gave him? I know.....it must really hurt to keep losing people. But don't you worry. After Obama is done with that term. We will drive out anyone.....that was associated to him.

Now go run and tell him that's what I said.....then to deal with it.

Only conservatives find deliberations before rushing into war a bad thing.

That's why you gave us Bush and his vanity wars, and Obama has deftly avoiding the military and foreign policy catastrophes that tea party types always bumble into

 

[MMC]

Only conservatives find deliberations before rushing into war a bad thing.

That's why you gave us Bush and his vanity wars, and Obama has deftly avoiding the military and foreign policy catastrophes that tea party types always bumble into

Yeah that really explain those 60 Democrats and all their kinds of Deliberations. :lol: Nor why another Obamaton has walked away from the Kool Aid.

Course it doesn't explain why Obama's Foreign Policy is a Failure either!!!!!

 

[Linc]

Present Moment Awareness--deliberations AFTER Iran-Contra gave aid and comfort to the Felons from Reagan to Meese to North.

 

[Montecresto]

Obama still has retained the authority to strike even without Congress. By getting Congress' backing he magnifies the force of the US's resolve and signals that the strikes will not be internally diminished by government infighting. It's not our fault that countries that have no concept of separation of powers might see the move as "weak."

IMHO, the move projects strength because it shows that Obama has confidence that Congress will fall in line and back him up, and that he doesn't have to act as a knee-jerk reaction.

Well we're all holding our breath that your wrong, but history being our guide.................I think the senate already fell in.

 

[azgreg]

Actually seeking Congressional approval before taking military action -- i.e., following the Constitution -- suddenly has become anathema among the Obamaphobes.

Can't conservatives ever start an honest thread?

You forgot to use the words meme, tea-baggers, and noise machine. You're slipping a little bit there.

 

[head of joaquin]

Awwww whats the matter HOJ......don't have any lame excuse why the Democrat walked away from the Spot Obama gave him? I know.....it must really hurt to keep losing people. But don't you worry. After Obama is done with that term. We will drive out anyone.....that was associated to him.

Now go run and tell him that's what I said.....then to deal with it.

Somehow you think deliberations before bombing somebody is a bad thing. And that's what makes you a conservative.

 

[head of joaquin]

You forgot to use the words meme, tea-baggers, and noise machine. You're slipping a little bit there.

I got you to do it for me. I've trained you.

 

[MMC]

Somehow you think deliberations before bombing somebody is a bad thing. And that's what makes you a conservative.

No not quite, I think when YOUR MAN says he welcomes the Debate. Pretty much puts it into context.

Now like him you need to face the reality.....sometimes you're going to hear the **** you don't like.

Especially with me.....when I got the Mic!!!!!