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bigtree

(86,017 posts)
Fri Apr 7, 2017, 01:27 PM Apr 2017

Obama, through diplomacy, did more than Trump to curb Syrian chemical weapon use

...although President Obama maintained in the wake of chemical attacks in Syria in 2013 that he had the authority to unilaterally initiate military attacks on the sovereign nation, he eventually relented and opted to refrain from attacking in favor of a diplomatic initiative by Russia.

We shouldn't lose sight of the fact that he arrived at the decision to yield to Russia because Britain said 'no' first, then our legislature and the American people signaled 'no' as well to his plan for military strikes.

He only brought it to Congress because the Brits and the American people telegraphed strong opposition to the question. I still remember that he sent Ambassador Powers to the UN to tell the world he believed diplomacy had been 'exhausted' with regard to Syria, before he made the decision to allow the Russian initiative to proceed.

Under the terms of the War Powers Act, which the Obama gave heed to, his interpretation of a threat didn't measure up. For instance, there's no provision allowing unilateral Executive initiation of military force for a future threat. The chemical weapons treaty his administration referenced intended that the world community would play a role in determining whether military force would be used.

Goddamn that he took us there and still held out the possibility of military strikes, insisting he had the authority to strike Syria - attack a nation which hasn't directly threatened us or any of our allies - no matter what Congress and the American people might say. That weak declaration of a threat to our national security is the hook Trump and other presidents (among other weaknesses in the WPA) will use for decades to justify their own unilateral military actions.

God bless that he listened to those opposed. Good on him for seeking congressional approval. Obama, by abiding with the expressed will of Americans and Congress, and allowing the Russian diplomatic initiative to proceed, did more in addressing the threat to Syrians from chemical weapons than Trump has in bombing an airfield. His administration's efforts stand, without a doubt, alongside not more than a handful of diplomatic initiatives to conflict which our country has managed to a successful and peaceful end without military force.


Here's the U.N. Joint Mission Sec. Kerry organized describing the chemical weapons removal as '100%' complete in 2014:

Source: United Nations

The Joint Mission welcomes the removal of the remaining 7.2 per cent of chemical weapons material from the Syrian Arab Republic. With this last movement, the total of declared chemical weapons materials destroyed or removed from Syria has reached 100%. The most operationally challenging task within the effort to eliminate the Syrian chemical weapons programme, has come to an end.

In addition to the completion of the removal operation, the Syrian Arab Republic has destroyed all declared production, mixing and filling equipment and munitions, as well as many buildings associated with its declared chemical weapons programme. With the exception of twelve production facilities that are awaiting a decision by the Executive Council of OPCW, all of the declared Syrian chemical weapons programme has been eliminated in an unprecedented timeframe and under uniquely challenging conditions.

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Obama, through diplomacy, did more than Trump to curb Syrian chemical weapon use (Original Post) bigtree Apr 2017 OP
500,000 dead. 12,000,000 refugees. yallerdawg Apr 2017 #1
right. No moral compass bigtree Apr 2017 #2
» bigtree Apr 2017 #3
And Republicans obstructed Obama from taking military action in accord with the Constitution. L. Coyote Apr 2017 #4

yallerdawg

(16,104 posts)
1. 500,000 dead. 12,000,000 refugees.
Fri Apr 7, 2017, 01:35 PM
Apr 2017

The notion that this administration is our moral compass is insane.

We don't know what this game is, but whatever they say it is we can be sure of one thing - it is a freakin' lie.

bigtree

(86,017 posts)
2. right. No moral compass
Fri Apr 7, 2017, 01:53 PM
Apr 2017

...no clear strategy.

It's easy to speculate on what motivates Trump, the first would be his pathological need for attention. The second would be the interests of those around Trump who are manipulating him.

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