Putin Saving The Day?

[Kathianne]

http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Peace/2013/09/09/Russia-to-push-Syria-to-surrender-chemical-weapons


Russia to Push Syria to Surrender Chemical WeaponsBy VLADIMIR ISACHENKOV
Associated Press
MOSCOW
In a surprise move, Russia promised Monday to push its ally Syria to place its chemical weapons under international control and then dismantle them quickly to avert U.S. strikes.

The announcement by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov came a few hours after U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said that Syrian President Bashar Assad could resolve the crisis surrounding the alleged use of chemical weapons by his forces by surrendering control of "every single bit" of his arsenal to the international community by the end of the week.

Kerry added that he thought Assad "isn't about to do it," but Lavrov, who just wrapped a round of talks in Moscow with his Syrian counterpart Walid al-Moallem, said that Moscow would try to convince the Syrians.

...

[fj1200]

^Someone needs to be the adult in all of this.

[Arbo]

Surprise move from Putin. But clearly one that would put a stop to Obama's plans and further make Obama look like an idiot and Putin look like the hero that saved the day.

[Kathianne]

^Someone needs to be the adult in all of this.

Indeed. This was where things should have 'began' not with threats and red lines.

[Arbo]

Didn't take long:

http://www.cnn.com/2013/09/09/politics/syria-kerry/index.html?hpt=hp_t1


Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Moallem told reporters in Moscow that his nation "welcomes" a proposal by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov during talks on Monday: put Syria's chemical weapons under international control to avert a U.S. military response over an alleged poison gas attack last month.
"I declare that the Syrian Arab Republic welcomes Russia's initiative, on the basis that the Syrian leadership cares about the lives of our citizens and the security in our country," Moallem said. "We are also confident in the wisdom of the Russian government, which is trying to prevent an American aggression against our people."

[glockmail]

Didn't take long:

http://www.cnn.com/2013/09/09/politics/syria-kerry/index.html?hpt=hp_t1

You do realize that the agreement was made before they announce Putin's intentions, don't you? This was done in order to show the Russians what a great leader they have.

And Kerry now looks like the fool that he is for not knowing this. But the press will ignore that.

And The Obama is yet again proven to be weak and ineffectual. Yet the press will tout this as his victory, and liken it to Kennedy's Cuban crisis, where the Russian leader blinked.

[aboutime]

You do realize that the agreement was made before they announce Putin's intentions, don't you? This was done in order to show the Russians what a great leader they have.

And Kerry now looks like the fool that he is for not knowing this. But the press will ignore that.

And The Obama is yet again proven to be weak and ineffectual. Yet the press will tout this as his victory, and liken it to Kennedy's Cuban crisis, where the Russian leader blinked.


Glock. Right you are.
And all of this will become a KERRY (Kennedy) moment 5500 for Obama

[Arbo]

And Kerry now looks like the fool that he is for not knowing this. But the press will ignore that.

And The Obama is yet again proven to be weak and ineffectual. Yet the press will tout this as his victory, and liken it to Kennedy's Cuban crisis, where the Russian leader blinked.

All more than likely to be true.

[Kathianne]

I don't think Obama is going to look good, no matter what is done. Truth is, he actually fired people up, they were burning the phone and email lines throughout Congress.

They are going to see that Kerry threw out a line, 1 week to turn WMD's over, saying he did not expect a positive response. Russia steps in, we'll see how it goes. Considering the fighting, unlikely to get inspectors in there, so really no change, but no US involvement.

[Kathianne]

Yeah, seems the administration is having a tough one with this, they really want to bomb it seems and can't stop digging their own hole. I don't see Congress going along with them. It was obviously that "smart diplomacy" we were promised. :rolleyes: This is from a bit more than an hour ago:

http://www.cnn.com/2013/09/09/politics/syria-kerry/


...U.S. official: Kerry "clearly went off script"

But as Russia and Syria later suggested that it could be done, one U.S. official called Kerry's remarks a "major goof," adding that America's top diplomat "clearly went off script."

"There is no one in the administration who is taking this Syria proposal seriously," the official said.

Several State Department representatives tried to clarify Kerry's remarks later in the day, calling them a "rhetorical argument."

"His point was that this brutal dictator (al-Assad) with a history of playing fast and loose with the facts cannot be trusted to turn over chemical weapons, otherwise he would have done so long ago," State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki said. "That's why the world faces this moment."

Kerry's comments caught Russia's attention

It wasn't long before the remarks came up in a conversation between Lavrov and Kerry, who talked on the phone as the U.S. secretary of state flew back from London.

"I saw your comments this morning," Lavrov said to Kerry, according to a senior State Department official.

During a 14-minute conversation that had been previously scheduled, the Russian foreign minister said he would speak out about the issue but played down the idea that a proposal was on the table, the official said.

Kerry told Lavrov that the United States "is not going to 'play games,'" the official said. "If there is a serious proposal, we will take a look."


Could 'goof' be solution?

The comments from Kerry and counterparts in Russia and Syria are the latest twist in an international crisis that has also become a fierce political battle in the United States.

The Obama administration says the al-Assad government was behind an August 21 chemical weapons attack outside Damascus. And the U.S. president is seeking congressional approval for a military strike in response.

So far he's met resistance from lawmakers and the public who are concerned about the United States again intervening militarily in a foreign crisis.

On Monday, Harf said looking at the Russian proposal doesn't mean the White House is backing down from its push to get authorization to strike Syria.

"In fact, the opposite. .... We think this is why it's even more important that Congress votes to authorize the president to use military action against Syrian regime targets, because we can be clear that if we don't give authorization to do so and we don't respond, then Assad will see that as a green light to continue using these chemical weapons."

But could Kerry's possible gaffe be the key to a diplomatic solution?

Commentator Andrew Sullivan says he hopes so.

"We have the possibility of two things: that Russia might actually act decisively to rein Assad in, and also support the only viable policy to accomplish what Obama wants -- protecting the world from these vile weapons," Sullivan wrote Monday. "I have no idea whether this is a serious move by Lavrov -- but it sure seems so, and it presents a fascinating non-binary option. ... Sometimes, it seems, Kerry's incompetence strikes gold. Here's hoping."

Whatever happens, the prospect of a diplomatic deal is likely going to make the Obama administration's attempts to make a case before Congress even more difficult, said Michael O'Hanlon, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution. Lawmakers who are already debating whether or not to pass resolutions authorizing military action now may want to rewrite them, he said.

"It's going to obviously throw a monkey wrench in the gears on a number of things," he said.

Reaction in the United States, beyond

French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius said the Russian proposal "deserves a thorough examination."

It would be acceptable under several conditions, Fabius said. Al-Assad should immediately hand over control of the weapons and allow their destruction, he said, calling for the U.N. Security Council to pass a binding resolution with "firm consequences."

"Since the beginning, France has set two goals: punishment and deterrence," he said. "That is why we are now asking specific, rapid and verifiable commitments by the Syrian regime."

Sen. Dianne Feinstein, chairwoman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, said she would "welcome" Lavrov's call for Syria to transfer control of its chemical weapons "to prevent an international strike."

"I believe that Russia can be most effective in encouraging the Syrian president to stop any use of chemical weapons and place all his chemical munitions, as well as storage facilities, under United Nations control until they can be destroyed," the California Democrat said.

Former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said getting Syria to surrender the stockpiles "would be an important step."

"But this cannot be another excuse for delay or obstruction," Clinton said during an event at the White House Monday. "And Russia has to support the international community's efforts sincerely or be held to account."

[Marcus Aurelius]

If this turns into another Iraq, will the libtards be as hard on Obama as they were on Bush?




(rhetorical. we all know the answer to that)

[Tyr-Ziu Saxnot]

Yeah, seems the administration is having a tough one with this, they really want to bomb it seems and can't stop digging their own hole. I don't see Congress going along with them. It was obviously that "smart diplomacy" we were promised. :rolleyes: This is from a bit more than an hour ago:

http://www.cnn.com/2013/09/09/politics/syria-kerry/ The black kings mate was stopped by the white knight's forked interposition. And that means Obama just lost 95% of his weak justification for striking Syria.. Now that doesn't mean he still doesn't want to do it to help the Al Qaeda rebels win there. Just that now he has lost face, lost more of his little support and is floundering like a beached whale.. I love the hell out of it myself!! Couldn't have happened to a better piece of scum IMHO...:laugh:--Tyr

[Kathianne]

The black kings mate was stopped by the white knight's forked interposition. And that means Obama just lost 95% of his weak justification for striking Syria.. Now that doesn't mean he still doesn't want to do it to help the Al Qaeda rebels win there. Just that now he has lost face, lost more of his little support and is floundering like a beached whale.. I love the hell out of it myself!! Couldn't have happened to a better piece of scum IMHO...:laugh:--Tyr

I can't believe they are not grabbing this lifeline. It saves him from the original problem of his red line. But no, seems the personal animosity between him and Putin may be making him dig in his heels. I don't think he'll get away with it, indeed he better calm himself or you could find the House hitting that ham sandwich we discussed earlier. ;)

Now in reality I don't think this will result in removal of the chemical weapons, don't see Russia or UN sending anyone in to look for the hidden weapons on either side. But it give the US a face saving way out.

[Larrymc]

http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Peace/2013/09/09/Russia-to-push-Syria-to-surrender-chemical-weaponsThis could be an answer, i don't think we will ever get all of those weapons, but could work for the time being.

[Tyr-Ziu Saxnot]

I can't believe they are not grabbing this lifeline. It saves him from the original problem of his red line. But no, seems the personal animosity between him and Putin may be making him dig in his heels. I don't think he'll get away with it, indeed he better calm himself or you could find the House hitting that ham sandwich we discussed earlier. ;)

Now in reality I don't think this will result in removal of the chemical weapons, don't see Russia or UN sending anyone in to look for the hidden weapons on either side. But it give the US a face saving way out. Kat, he is too stupid to take his lifeline. Also he is like a spoiled child and must get his way. Remember , his real reason for striking Syria was to give the win to the terrorist muslim rebels. That still needs to be done in his treacherous little mind but now that his little scam has been foiled --how's the chump gonna do it?? I tell ya it is sweeter that a peach cobbler to me to see that jackass outmaneuvered and outfoxed by Putin. As I previously replied here , he is no match for Putin. It's like a cat playing with a mouse... :laugh2:--Tyr