Last night saw quite an impressive event in Washington, DC. It was an event that showed how desperate the Obama administration is to have Congress approve military action against Assad in Syria.
Vice President Biden had a private dinner with Senate Republicans at his official residence. And it even had a surprise guest in the form of President Obama. The Hill reports on who showed up (http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/320927-obama-biden-meet-with-gop-senators-on-syria#ixzz2ePUSVhO3 ) at the dinner chez Biden.
“The White House said Sens. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), Susan Collins (R-Maine), Saxby Chambliss (R-Ga.), Bob Corker (R-Tenn.), Kelly Ayotte (R-N.H.) and Deb Fischer (R-Neb.) attended the dinner.”
Considering at least two of Republican Senators at the dinner are or may face a tea party challenger in a primary next year it was a brave move to even show up. That said the Senate is far more inclined to vote with the President than the House of Representatives. Senators Graham and McCain have been very keen advocates of action in Libya. They are almost shoe-ins to vote with the majority Democrats to give the Obama a win in the Senate.
The House on the other hand dominated by Republicans, quite a few of whom are tea party indebted Republicans will be a harder nut to crack. My sources in the House say their mail-bags are overwhelmingly anti-meddling in the Syrian civil war. Some US Representatives are reporting numbers as low 1% for the intervention. The House, all of whom are up for reelection every two years, will be very wary of the overwhelming angst being felt by Americans when it comes to foreign entanglements.
The President knows he has to win over the American public to win over members of Congress or even come close to a majority of them. He will be addressing the American people in prime time on Tuesday evening, hoping to sway them with an emotional appeal for action. Politico reports on doubts about the effectiveness of the speech (http://www.politico.com/story/2013/09/obama-syria-address-96373.html#ixzz2ePXpkURl)
“Members of Congress and others have been urging Obama to make his case with a public address — an idea the White House initially shrugged off — but with public opinion and congressional views solidifying, some supporters of the administration’s policy said Tuesday’s speech may come too late.”
What might not have helped his cause much is the revelation that Sect. of State Kerry has been advised by a paid advocate of the Syrian rebels. She addressed the Senate Foreign Relations Committee last week and Kerry has been using her “evidence” as facts to push for intervention. Trending Central has more information on Kerry’s dubious testimony (http://www.trendingcentral.com/us-sec-of-state-advised-by-paid-advocate-of-syrian-rebels).
“It seems that John Kerry’s advisor on the Syria intervention also moonlights as a paid advocate for Syrian rebels. Or rather she is moonlighting advising Kerry on why the US should send Americans to war in Syria.”
Needless to say the fact the British are not involved does not help Obama. Even those in favor of intervention will admit a coalition of two is rather hard to stomach for many. President Bush had almost 50 countries in his coalition before attacking Iraq, Obama has France (who won’t commit troops).
Obama, Kerry and pro-intervention politicians have a long road ahead of them to convince the American people and politicians wishing their vote of the efficacy of meddling in Syria. Public opinion is hardening with unlikely allies against the war including the tea party movement, the MoveOn.org crowd and knee-jerk anti-war types. Even DC-based conservative pressure groups like Freedomworks have come out against US involvement. While the groups may have different motivations for being against the action, they do combine to be a potent force against it.
This week is crucial in this debate and few if any think Obama will be able to pull it out of his hat.
Yerrrs!
A few tips here:
http://americandigest.org/mt-archives/5minute_arguments/help_kickstart_world_war.php
There is something extremely fishy about this whole crisis. No one has yet proved that the gas was released by Syrian government troops, let alone on the sof Assad. Obama’ ally and arms recipient in Syria, and by any reckoning a leading candidate for dominating any government established if the rebels are successful in bringing down the government of Syria, is calling for terrorist attacks inside the United States aimed to bring down the US economy. The United States military is divided on whether to support Obama’s military strike policy. Those Senators who voted for military action in Syria had significantly larger contributions from suppliers of arms and military equipment than did those who opposed that action. “Dr.” Elizabeth O’Bagy, on whose “expertise” Secretary of State Kerry and Senator McCain had drawn for information on the Syrian rebels, was fired this week when it was discovered that she lied in claiming that she held a doctorate.
When taken with the other largely unexplained scandals involving the abuse of power and subversion of the constitution, it is hard to avoid the conclusion that, if the power and will survive in sufficient measure in that country, numerous members of the administration, and Congress, not to mention other players behind the scene and including the president, vice-president, secretary of state and former secretary of state and ambassador to the United Nations should and will be arrested and charged with criminal conspiracy.
Obama reminds me of a drunk in a pub who has challenged the big bloke with a tattoo on his face to fight. Then sobered up enough to get frightened but cannot back down without loosing face. He hopes that his friends can find a reason to drag him away before he makes a fool of himself or before he gets thumped.