Not Exactly Surgical Strikes

[hardblue.livejournal.com]

Last week, an airstrike from the American-led coalition nearly hit a command-and-control facility affiliated with the Free Syrian Army, the moderate rebels the Obama administration says are America’s “boots on the ground,” according to two opposition leaders. They are asking the Obama administration to please coordinate with them in the future before America bombs its only allies in Syria.

-- Josh Rogin at The Daily Beast

Comments

'MURIKA!

[unnamed525.livejournal.com]

I'd like to see you do a better job!

[hardblue.livejournal.com]

Well, you certainly have me there.

Obviously, what we really is need is a good Republican in charge, who'll bring the troops back in, and to sweeten the bargain, will even start an extra war against Iran.

[moonshaz.livejournal.com]

[hardblue.livejournal.com]

It must help to have a sense of humor like that.

[yes-justice.livejournal.com]

It was featured on American Top 40's in the 80's. I once got into a discussion about it, one wherein I got schooled, with some Persian people.

[cindyanne1.livejournal.com]

For Obama, I'm afraid this whole operation would have been one of those damned if you do, damned if you don't things no matter what he decided to do.

[hardblue.livejournal.com]

I agree. I believe that he really wanted to be the president who ended two wars, not for going into a Second Act. He did not want this, but he learned you have to accept the world as it is - a horrid mess.

[interdictor.livejournal.com]

Exactly. It's a shame he was forced at gunpoint to run for President, unlike every other President who ran due to his own hubris.

[hardblue.livejournal.com]

I was going to say something to the effect that maybe he shouldn't have run for the presidency, and maybe he should have stuck to community organizing.

Such is his ambition, and I think you are right in that he is not an innocent babe. Still, I think he was over-optimistic about both the world situation and his ability to resolve conflicts. I suspect he was thinking that so much of the problem rested with Dubya, and that he could do much just by virtue of not being Dubya.

[interdictor.livejournal.com]

Of course he was overly-optimistic which just shows how clueless and unprepared he was. And then, having taken office and realized what an unmitigated disaster he inherited from Bush, he chose not to prosecute the previous administration anyway. In no way can the Obama presidency not be considered a failure.

[madscience.livejournal.com]

If he wanted to be the president who ended two wars, maybe he should have, like, made an effort or something. We pulled out of Iraq on Bush's timetable to within one month, and Afghanistan is far from over.

[interdictor.livejournal.com]

It's fair to say I am much more scared of, say, a McCain administration than Obama's blundering ass. There's way too much warmongering from the Republicans. But it has been hilarious to see the formerly dovish Democrats push for war now that they have power: http://www.politico.com/story/2014/09/2014-elections-senate-democrats-iraq-syria-111445.html

[hardblue.livejournal.com]

The Al Franken story is a little funny, seeing the entertainer playing such politics. I have come across some indications that he might be in some trouble this election. It can be tough trying to represent the will of the people, heh.

[hardblue.livejournal.com]

[interdictor.livejournal.com]

Talk about getting it right. With the possible exception of Carter's administration (I'm growing more and more fond of that guy and now consider him the least terrible human being to occupy that office in my lifetime -- I feel like he got an excessively bad rap, much of it undeserved in hindsight), the MIC has been running the show completely.

[yes-justice.livejournal.com]

He got it right because he did it and then it happened to him. The only way he was able to end Korea and prevent a larger war was to massively grow the nuclear arsenal.

[hardblue.livejournal.com]

If you are feeling a little nostalgic for Carter, you might want to check out Lawrence Wright's "Thirteen Days in September", a new book on the big summit Carter held at Camp David to work out the peace agreement between Egypt and Israel. A great work.

[madscience.livejournal.com]

Carter was the best President in my lifetime simply by virtue of being ineffective.

[cinnamontoast.livejournal.com]

[hardblue.livejournal.com]

The ugly American.

[cinnamontoast.livejournal.com]

Hells yeah.

[lafinjack.livejournal.com]

They are asking the Obama administration to please coordinate with them in the future before America bombs its only allies in Syria.

WE DON'T NEGOTIATE WITH TERRORISTS

[the-rukh.livejournal.com]

It's cool, they'll be enemies tomorrow. We're just early to the game.

[hardblue.livejournal.com]

Heh, that's what I was thinking. Today we're allies with Eastasia; tomorrow it will be Eurasia.

[oslo.livejournal.com]

I'm increasingly uncertain that the best way to describe Obama's actions is in terms of either his incompetence for his inexperience. As moderates in Syria, or example, have complained that it's taken him three years to get involved, and now, only after a few spectacular executions of Western aid workers, I'm beginning to wonder if it isn't just an expression of the chimerical spirit of underinformed and apathetic Americans. That is, Obama seems to be doing only that which he is both compelled and permitted to do by the political currents, which are easily swayed by hysterical reporting of spectacular videos and outraged politicians, and the result is an incoherent strategy that is difficult to make sense of.

[hardblue.livejournal.com]

Especially when it comes to international relations, Americans have always been remarkably aloof, at least until 9/11 shook them up a little. We depend - often foolishly - on our leaders to sail through foreign waters, and as in the run up to Dubya's war in Iraq, it is they who shape public opinion, usually through scaring us. This time, I suppose it's true that it is ISIS that has taken the lead in arousing popular opinion. However, I have thought that Obama and his team are more concerned that they have been in jeopardy of losing both Iraq and Syria to the worst jihadic influences, and that it is this fire that they feel some desperation to put out, or at least put under control. I see ISIS's sudden rise and apparent dominance as the factor that started shaking up Obama's position.

[madscience.livejournal.com]

I agree that Obama is crippled by doubts about political currents, but that's neither incompetence nor inexperience. It's deep personal insecurity.