Imperial Presidency

Americans don’t want U.S. military strike against Syria, poll finds

"Two new polls out Tuesday have found strong opposition to US military intervention in Syria among a war-weary American public despite increasing support in Washington for punitive strikes. A survey carried out by the Pew Research Center over the weekend found that 48 percent of Americans oppose 'conducting military airstrikes' against Syria over its alleged use of chemical weapons compared to 29 percent who support such action. A Washington Post-ABC news poll found a similar margin, with nearly six in 10 Americans opposed to missile strikes against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s regime. The polls found opposition across the political spectrum." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingAmericans don’t want U.S. military strike against Syria, poll finds

Top U.S. Republicans back Syria strike as refugee crisis mounts

"John Boehner, the Republican speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, and House Majority Leader Eric Cantor both pledged their support for military action after the meeting. The chairman of the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee said on Tuesday he was confident after talking with Obama that the United States would step up its support for 'vetted' elements of the Syrian opposition. Senator Carl Levin said he urged the president, a fellow Democrat, to arm the Syrian rebels a day after two influential Republican senators, John McCain and Lindsey Graham, sought similar assurances from Obama." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingTop U.S. Republicans back Syria strike as refugee crisis mounts

Are American taxpayers financially responsible to defend Syrians?

"President Obama has broken new ground. He has argued that not only does the U.S. government have the authority to tax Americans to defend every human being on the planet, but that the president can order military intervention for that reason on his authority alone. Unfortunately, this has led many to believe that his decision to wait until Congress debates the intervention is some sort of victory for constitutional government. It’s not. Nowhere in the Constitution is it stated or implied that American taxpayers are financially responsible for the common defense of the whole world. Military operations are not funded by donations. Taxpayers are compelled to pay taxes by force." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingAre American taxpayers financially responsible to defend Syrians?

A Century of Lies: The Rationales for Engaging in Foreign Wars

"If President Barack Obama and his administration are not lying in the lead-up to a probable bombing campaign of Syria it will be a rare exception among US Presidents, particularly since their public duplicity concerning war dates to at least the early twentieth century. Indeed, being forthrightly dishonest to the American people concerning the rationales for engaging in foreign wars has become a century-old White House tradition. The historical record of past presidents’ prewar and wartime hucksterism is unambiguous, greatly contributing to the immense bloodshed and destruction that continues under the country’s reckless international leadership to this day." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingA Century of Lies: The Rationales for Engaging in Foreign Wars

The President Punts in the Syrian War Game

"Perhaps in keeping with the notion that the US Navy is now serving as the long range bombardment system for al Qaeda, we could crater Syrian runways, blow up their air control towers, and generally cripple as much of their air force as we can find. It might work. But no battle plan survives contact with the enemy. The Syrians are not fools. If we do find their airplanes and blow them up (expensive aircraft destroyed by even more expensive missiles – modern war is not cheap) the Syrians will have to buy more modern airplanes from the Russians, which ought to benefit the Russian economy. I am glad I am not involved in target selection for the coming bombardment of Syria." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingThe President Punts in the Syrian War Game

Drudge Poll: 91% Say “Stay Out of Syria.”

"This is not a scientific poll, but Obama’s spinmeisters had better pay attention to it. Obama drew a macho-man line in the sand with his vow to take action if Syria used chemical weapons. What’s a would-be macho guy to do? Go to Congress? Yes, say the voters. What will Congress do? It will put its collective finger in the wind. The general public seems split. As long as American missiles kill innocent Syrian women and children from on high, half of the voters are content. After all, Assad’s weapons killed innocent women and children. Half the voters think the proper response is an eye for an eye: more dead women and children. That will show Assad who is in charge." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingDrudge Poll: 91% Say “Stay Out of Syria.”

Bolton Opposed To Both Syria Resolution And Obama Seeking Congress Approval

"John Bolton, the neoconservative who served as ambassador to the United Nations under former President George W. Bush, said Tuesday that he'd vote against the resolution to authorize the use of force in Syria if he were a member of Congress. But Bolton said he's opposed to President Barack Obama's decision to seek congressional approval, too. Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) said Monday that U.S. credibility would be 'shredded' if Congress does not approve the Syria resolution, but Bolton rejected that argument." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingBolton Opposed To Both Syria Resolution And Obama Seeking Congress Approval

As Egyptians Ignore Curfew, Talk of a U.S.-Brotherhood Conspiracy

"When the conversation turns to politics, the predominant topic is a surprise to American ears: the conspiracy between the United States and the Muslim Brotherhood to destroy Egypt. The 'people’s committees,' which sprung up in Egyptian neighborhoods as a counterweight to the Muslim Brotherhood, in theory were disbanded last week. But that did not stop self-appointed guardians in the Zaki Street market of the Maadi neighborhood from repeatedly demanding identity documents, letters of permission and, especially, proof of not being affiliated with Al Jazeera, the pan-Arab news network, which is reviled because it is owned by Qatar, a strong supporter of the Muslim Brotherhood." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingAs Egyptians Ignore Curfew, Talk of a U.S.-Brotherhood Conspiracy

Obama’s Half-Brother Linked To Muslim Brotherhood

"Malik Obama’s oversight of the Muslim Brotherhood’s international investments is one reason for the Obama administration’s support of the Muslim Brotherhood, according to an Egyptian report citing the vice president of the Supreme Constitutional Court of Egypt, Tehani al-Gebali. In a news report on Egyptian television of a Gebali speech, translated by researcher Walid Shoebat, a former Palestinian Liberation Organization operative, Gebali said she would like 'to inform the American people that their president’s brother Obama is one of the architects of the major investments of the Muslim Brotherhood.'" Continue reading →

Continue ReadingObama’s Half-Brother Linked To Muslim Brotherhood

Obama Drone Attack Deaths versus Syria Chemical Weapon Deaths

"The actual number of drone deaths is at least 200 times the '22 top Al-Qaeda leaders plus Bin Laden' noted by President Obama. Sen. Lindsay Graham (R-S.C.) recently floated the number 4,700. Independent studies by both U.S. and British investigators have confirmed numbers in that ballpark, with many of those being 'collateral damage.' [..] More than 1,400 killed in Syrian chemical weapons attack, U.S. says." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingObama Drone Attack Deaths versus Syria Chemical Weapon Deaths