Analysis: Obama's credibility on line in reversal

[Nova78]

Analysis: Obama's credibility on line in reversal | General Headlines | Comcast

The stunning reversal also raises questions about the president's decisiveness and could embolden leaders in Syria, Iran, North Korea and elsewhere, leaving them with the impression of a U.S. president unwilling to back up his words with actions.The president, in a hastily announced statement Saturday in the White House Rose Garden, argued that he did in fact have the power to act on his own. But faced with the prospect of taking action opposed by many Americans, the commander in chief tried to shift the burden and instead round up partners on Capitol Hill to share in that responsibility.

"While I believe I have the authority to carry out this military action without specific congressional authorization, I know that the country will be stronger if we take this course, and our actions will be even more effective," Obama said. "We should have this debate."

The consequences for Obama's turnabout could be sweeping, both at home and abroad. If Congress votes against military action, it would mark a humiliating defeat for a second-term president already fighting to stay relevant and wield influence in Washington. It could also weaken his standing internationally at a time when there are already growing questions about the scope of American influence, particularly in the Arab world.

Humiliating

 

[JakeStarkey]

Possibly.

But he spins Congress on its pointy head when he wants to. He is almost accomplished at that as will Clinton.

We will see.

 

[percysunshine]

What credibility?

 

[Stephanie]

It doesn't get any better..

SNIP:

Barack Obama is proving an embarrassing amateur on the world stage compared to George W. Bush




By Nile Gardiner World Last updated: August 30th, 2013

815 Comments Comment on this article



President Bush knew how to build a coalition

George W. Bush was widely mocked by the Left during the Iraq War, with liberals jeering at the “coalition of the willing,” which included in its ranks some minnows such as Moldova and Kazkhstan. Michael Moore, in his rather silly documentary Fahrenheit 9/11, went to great lengths to lampoon the Iraq War alliance. But the coalition also contained, as I pointed out in Congressional testimony back in 2007, Great Britain, Australia, Spain, Italy, Poland, and 16 members of the NATO alliance, as well as Japan and South Korea. In Europe, France and Germany were the only large-scale countries that sat the war out, with 12 of the 25 members of the European Union represented. The coalition, swelled to roughly 40 countries, and was one of the largest military coalitions ever assembled.

As it stands, President Obama’s proposed military coalition on Syria has a grand total of two members – the US and France. And the French, as we know from Iraq, simply can’t be relied on, and have very limited military capability. It is a truly embarrassing state of affairs when Paris, at best a fair weather friend, is your only partner. John Kerry tried to put a brave face on it at his press conference today, by referring to France “as our oldest ally,” but the fact remains that his administration is looking painfully isolated.

There can be no doubt that David Cameron’s defeat in the House of Commons was a huge blow to President Obama, and has dominated the US news networks this morning. The absence of Britain in any American-led military action significantly weakens Obama’s position on the world stage, and dramatically undercuts the Obama administration. The vote reflected not only a lack of confidence in the Commons in the prime minister’s Syria strategy, it also demonstrated a striking lack of confidence in Barack Obama and US leadership.

In marked contrast to Obama, President Bush invested a great deal of time and effort in cultivating ties with key US allies, especially Britain. The Special Relationship actually mattered to George W. Bush. For Barack Obama it has been a mere blip on his teleprompter. Bush also went out of his way to build ties with other allies in Europe, including with Spanish Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar, and an array of countries in Eastern and Central Europe. Obama simply hasn’t bothered making friends in Europe, and has treated some nations with sheer disdain and disrespect, including Poland and the Czech Republic. He has found common currency with France’s Socialist President Francois Hollande, an ideological soul-mate, but finds himself in a very lonely position elsewhere across the Atlantic.

all of it here with a LOT OF COMMENTS
Barack Obama is proving an embarrassing amateur on the world stage compared to George W. Bush ? Telegraph Blogs

 

[JakeStarkey]

George H W Bush, yes; GWB, not like his daddy at all.

 

[R.C. Christian]

Obama and his bitch Susan Rice take the American people, and the world for that matter, for stupid. Joke is on you Barry.

 

[Crackerjaxon]

Obama actually behaved like a president today. It's time he started making decisions.

 

[orogenicman]

Analysis: Obama's credibility on line in reversal | General Headlines | Comcast

The stunning reversal also raises questions about the president's decisiveness and could embolden leaders in Syria, Iran, North Korea and elsewhere, leaving them with the impression of a U.S. president unwilling to back up his words with actions.The president, in a hastily announced statement Saturday in the White House Rose Garden, argued that he did in fact have the power to act on his own. But faced with the prospect of taking action opposed by many Americans, the commander in chief tried to shift the burden and instead round up partners on Capitol Hill to share in that responsibility.

"While I believe I have the authority to carry out this military action without specific congressional authorization, I know that the country will be stronger if we take this course, and our actions will be even more effective," Obama said. "We should have this debate."

The consequences for Obama's turnabout could be sweeping, both at home and abroad. If Congress votes against military action, it would mark a humiliating defeat for a second-term president already fighting to stay relevant and wield influence in Washington. It could also weaken his standing internationally at a time when there are already growing questions about the scope of American influence, particularly in the Arab world.

Humiliating

If Congress votes no to any punitive action against the Assad Regime, and another attack occurs, that will be on Congress, not the President. Smart move on his part, particularly if the UN finds that chemical weapons were definitely the cause of all those deaths. Obama is going to Congress because a large portion of its members asked him to involve them in the decision-making process. Congressional leaders all agree that this is the way it needs to be done. So if they vote against any action, they will bear the responsibility for the consequences. It should also be pointed out that Congress passed in 1997 the treaty banning the production and use of chemical weapons, so it is largely their responsibility to see that it is enforced. If they don't enforce it, that will send a terrible message to the world that we don't abide by our treaty obligations, and cannot be counted on to prevent rogue governments and terrorists from manufacturing, and/or obtaining them and using them.

 

[MACAULAY]

Obama actually behaved like a president today. It's time he started making decisions.

..........................................................................................................

He decided to punt.

Actually, it was worse than that. He decided to let someone else decide whether to punt...but the decision to not decide, ironically, is the correct one...for we do not need this fool to be deciding anything.

He ought to go play golf until the grownups decide what to do with his Red Line mess.

 

[IlarMeilyr]

Obummer cannot, by simple definition, put his credibility on the line.

He'd have to HAVE some to put it on the line.

It is crystal clear that when he saw the British Parliament reject the British Prime Minister's effort to get military action against the Syrian regime authorized, Obummer saw the value in "asking" Congress.

He realizes they will say "no."

That gets his filthy cowardly ass off the line. He drew the "red line." He is going to have to back away. And he will now "blame" Congress and especially the Republicans.

He's a spineless, ball-less, pussy.

But that's ok. It is actually still a good thing for the fucking scumbag incumbent to accept a Congressional limitation.

 

[momsapplepie]

The US is not responsible to be the world's policemen. If and when it effects us or our allies, then something should be done. Otherwise, there are plenty of others who signed the chem treaty. Until they step up to the plate, and it's evident they aren't at this point, we should stay out of it.

 

[JakeStarkey]

For sixty days, there is no congressional limitation.

That's the point.

 

[IlarMeilyr]

For sixty days, there is no congressional limitation.

That's the point.

^ FALSE. And that's why Fakey posted that nonsense.

 

[Luddly Neddite]

Obama actually behaved like a president today. It's time he started making decisions.

..........................................................................................................

He decided to punt.

Actually, it was worse than that. He decided to let someone else decide whether to punt...but the decision to not decide, ironically, is the correct one...for we do not need this fool to be deciding anything.

He ought to go play golf until the grownups decide what to do with his Red Line mess.

This shows exactly what happens ...

Doesn't matter what President Obama does. It will be wrong.

He makes plenty of decisions while the Rs biggest decision is to go on another vacation. Or, hold another phony repeal vote. That's about it.

Meanwhile, the rw voter sides with terrorists against their own country.

So all you Obama haters, where are your repub "leaders" now?

They're vacationing.

 

[IlarMeilyr]

Face facts you lolberal Democratics:

The ONE, Barry Obama, is a pussy.

HE is all talk and no action.

He IS "using" the cover of a Congressional Resolution to justify his vacillation.

What a total incompetent you guys got elected.

Damn. I don't want him to launch any cruise missiles into Syria, but he painted himself into a corner and is using a pretend deference to Congress as his latest transparent excuse to avoid doing that which he himself declared we "would" do.

He is a clusterfuck of stupid. I defy ANY lolberal to articulate the Obama foreign policy "doctrine." It's impossible, since even the failure in chief has no fucking clue.

 

[MACAULAY]

Obama actually behaved like a president today. It's time he started making decisions.

..........................................................................................................

He decided to punt.

Actually, it was worse than that. He decided to let someone else decide whether to punt...but the decision to not decide, ironically, is the correct one...for we do not need this fool to be deciding anything.

He ought to go play golf until the grownups decide what to do with his Red Line mess.

This shows exactly what happens ...

Doesn't matter what President Obama does. It will be wrong.

He makes plenty of decisions while the Rs biggest decision is to go on another vacation. Or, hold another phony repeal vote. That's about it.

Meanwhile, the rw voter sides with terrorists against their own country.

So all you Obama haters, where are your repub "leaders" now?

They're vacationing.

..............................................................................................

Democratic members of congress are on vacation too, of course, but the President could have called them all back to decide what to do, if he had wanted too....but he has decided Syria is too hot a potato, and so he is ready for it to be "old news" so he can he can get back to his Marxist domestic agenda.

I can't think of a single success for the Obama-Clinton Foreign Policy. That Reset Button was a compete embarrassment.



Its all a mess.

 

[Katzndogz]

My favorite comment:

Now the world sees him for what he is. A weak-kneed, lily-livered, clotheshorse with less sand than a three minute egg timer.

That says it all.

obama is his own victim. Of course there was nothing he could do. Whatever he would do is going to be wrong. He did it to himself. He painted himself into this corner by saying without thinking. That's something he does frequently. Any outcome was going to be the worst possible outcome. He decided not to decide. That's his decision.

All obama wants to do now is extricate himself with some shred of decency to cover his nakedness. Congress will vote against him. He will get on television, wring his hands and say he wanted to be a leader, but again the republicans wouldn't let him.

Unfortunately obama is going to be facing the same people who just pissed in his beer next week at the G20. The nation will be represented by obama the failure. If he is smart, he will have a health emergency and not go. He will go to bed with a martini and a cold cloth on his brow.

 

[francoHFW]

ADHD Pub dupes!- there's no rush. What a silly, sky is falling, fear mongered alternate universe you inhabit. Either way there'll be no more CW attacks, and now we'll get the Pubs' votes on paper, so they can't all be against whatever he does- the usual BS, for hater dupes only.

But if they stop Obama from cratering their runways and and gimping their military, the House Pubs will just look the mindless obstructionists they are- AGAIN.

 

[Katzndogz]

There certainly will be more CW attacks, because it's the rebels that are using CW!

 

[orogenicman]

There certainly will be more CW attacks, because it's the rebels that are using CW!

Assad has one of the largest CW stockpiles in the world. But the rebels are using CWs? Where's your evidence?