Blair likens Saddam to Hitler [2003]

"Comparing Saddam Hussein to Adolf Hitler, British Prime Minister Tony Blair says he would be pushing for Iraq's disarmament 'irrespective of the position of America.' Many have accused Blair of behaving like U.S. President George W. Bush's lapdog. But Blair rejected suggestions that he had been dragged into confrontation with Iraq by Bush, insisting that he had raised concerns about Saddam's weapons of mass destruction at his first meeting with the U.S. president, before the September 11 terror attacks. Britain, Spain and the United States are co-sponsoring a new U.N. resolution that could trigger war against Iraq. France, Russia, China are pushing to give U.N. weapons inspections more time." Continue reading

Continue ReadingBlair likens Saddam to Hitler [2003]

John Kerry: Assad is the new Hitler because of chem. weapon use

"Secretary of State John Kerry today compared Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad to Adolf Hitler and Saddam Hussein as he said new lab tests proved that deadly sarin nerve gas was used to kill nearly 1,500 civilians last month. 'Bashar al-Assad now joins a list of Adolf Hitler and Saddam Hussein who have used these weapons in time of war,' Kerry told NBC's 'Face the Nation.' Kerry called the murderous attack an 'affront against the decency and sensibilities of the world.' 'So this case is building and this case will build.'" Continue reading

Continue ReadingJohn Kerry: Assad is the new Hitler because of chem. weapon use

Iran claims U.S. Congress not ‘authorized’ to authorize Syria strikes

"The US Congress is not authorised to green-light American military strikes against Syria as any such action would be in violation of international law, Iran’s Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said Sunday. 'Mr Obama cannot interpret and construe international law for his own (benefit),' Zarif told reporters after a late afternoon cabinet meeting, the ISNA news agency reported. 'Congress cannot authorise strikes (against Syria) and that attack would be in violation of international law,' he said, explaining that 'only the UN Security Council — under special conditions — can issue authorization' for the use of force to restore international peace." Continue reading

Continue ReadingIran claims U.S. Congress not ‘authorized’ to authorize Syria strikes

A Bad Argument for Bombing Syria

"Obama said: 'When you start talking about chemical weapons, in a country that has the largest stockpile of chemical weapons in the world, where over time their control of chemical weapons may erode, where they’re allied to known terrorist organizations, that in the past have targeted the United States, then there is a prospect, a possibility in which chemical weapons, that can have devastating effects, could be directed at us and we want to make sure that that does not happen.' He proposes military measures to punish the Assad regime for its alleged use of nerve gas. But that would not in the slightest reduce terrorist acquisition of parts or all of the Syrian government’s stock of nerve gas." Continue reading

Continue ReadingA Bad Argument for Bombing Syria

Do Korea “experts” know what they are talking about?

"There is convincing evidence that most Western 'experts' on the DPRK have little, if any, clue what they are talking about. B.R. Myers, one of the very few bona fide experts on Pyongyang and its weird regime, has written at length about just how misguided most of what you’re hearing and reading about North Korea now actually is. In the first place, many commentators apply outdated, Cold War thinking to the DPRK, where it doesn’t fit. Moreover, most 'experts' are stunningly ignorant of what North Korea actually is like or how it thinks, resulting in profound Western misreads on why Pyongyang does what it does. Which, given the awesomely high nuclear stakes right now, kinda matters." Continue reading

Continue ReadingDo Korea “experts” know what they are talking about?

Eric Margolis: Korea, One Of The World’s Five Most Strategic Nations

"Amazingly, South Korea’s tough 600,000-man armed forces are under the command of a US four-star general 60 years after the end of the Korean War, backed up by 28,500 US troops that include a full heavy infantry division, North Korea calls itself the 'true Korea,' denouncing the South as 'puppets of the US imperialists.' Interestingly, some studies show that many South Koreans share this view and are proud of North Korea’s nuclear weapons program though they want no part of its socialism and self-reliant policy known as 'juche.'" Continue reading

Continue ReadingEric Margolis: Korea, One Of The World’s Five Most Strategic Nations

Former Cheney aide demands Syria ‘exit strategy’ from Obama

"Mary Matalin, a Republican strategist and former advisor to Vice President Dick Cheney, on Sunday said that Americans had become “war wise” after the Iraq war and demanded that President Barack Obama produce an exit strategy before launching an attack on Syria. President George W. Bush and Matalin’s former boss, Vice President Dick Cheney, were criticized for not having a post-war plan after invading Iraq in 2003. Even after Iraq held democratic elections in 2005, Bush said in his State of the Union address that he would 'not set an artificial timetable.' for leaving. That same year, Vice President Dick Cheney argued that the Iraq insurgency was in its 'last throes.'" Continue reading

Continue ReadingFormer Cheney aide demands Syria ‘exit strategy’ from Obama

Rand Paul reminds Kerry of his famous anti-Vietnam war quote

"Paul pointed to Kerry’s 1971 testimony before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, where he asked: 'How do you ask a man to be the last man to die for a mistake?' 'I would ask John Kerry, ‘How can you ask a man to be the first one to die for a mistake?’' Paul quipped. 'What I’ve told them is, I’m not sending my son, your son or anybody else’s son to fight for stalemate. You know, when we fight, we fight when we have to. But I see things in a very personal basis.' 'You know, I see a young John Kerry who went to war and wish he remembered more of how awful war is.'" Continue reading

Continue ReadingRand Paul reminds Kerry of his famous anti-Vietnam war quote

Libertarianism and The Congressional Vote on Attacking Syria

"MSM tends to offer up the explanation of 'war weariness,' but it is much deeper than this. After, Iraq, Afghanistan and Bengazi, the U.S. people see the USG and its military as bunglers with likely hidden agendas. It still remains unclear why some of these military efforts, and the mysterious operations at Benghazi, were really launched (Or the real reason the USG desires to launch an attack against Syria.) MSM acts as a pretty good propaganda machine for the military that promotes the idea of a spit and polish operation, more powerful than any other on earth, but when it comes to real world confrontations, as we see, the US military has problems against even a rag tag bunch of mountain men." Continue reading

Continue ReadingLibertarianism and The Congressional Vote on Attacking Syria

Syria opposition ‘disappointed’ but thinks Congress will OK strike

"Syria’s main opposition bloc said Sunday it was disappointed with US President Barack Obama’s decision to seek approval from Congress for action against the regime, but said it believed lawmakers would OK a strike. 'We had a feeling of disappointment. We were expecting things to be quicker, that a strike would be imminent… But we believe Congress will approve a strike,' said Samir Nashar, a top official at the Syrian National Coalition. To general surprise, Obama on Saturday postponed threatened missile strikes against Syria that the world had thought were imminent, opting instead for the risky gamble of getting Congress approval." Continue reading

Continue ReadingSyria opposition ‘disappointed’ but thinks Congress will OK strike