As I signaled over the weekend, I’m not clear on the best way to proceed with the poor set of options we appear to have in Syria. I’m also of mixed mind on Obama’s decision to take the question to Congress. I think there is no question that the President does not need Congress’s approval to take the action he seems inclined to take. And I’m surprised how many people now seem to think or pretend otherwise. That said, it is often wise to seek such authorization. And what we’ve seen over the last three days shows some of the perversity that grows up when Congress is not involved in questions of war and peace. Read More
The day’s main event in the Syria debate was expected to be the Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing featuring Chuck Hagel and John Kerry, which gets underway at 2:30 p.m. ET (you can watch live streaming coverage here). But the day’s most consequential development turned out to be the unexpected — and unexpectedly full-throated — support for Obama’s Syria mission from John Boehner and Eric Cantor, who this morning publicly urged their House GOP colleagues to back the plan, too. More on this development from Sahil Kapur.
I’m just back from a ten day vacation and missed most of the Syria developments over that period. But in case you missed it, here’s my quick take from over the weekend on some key issues to keep in mind.
So it appears there’s a totally over-the-top drug running crime family running Suriname. One of the weirdest stories I’ve seen in some time.
Sens. McCain and Graham just finished meeting with President Obama about Syria and are talking to reporters outside the White House. Cutting through all the self-righteous crap, you’re left with the fact that, despite their deep dissatisfaction with Obama’s Syria policy up to now, a limited strike on Assad is better than nothing, so they’ll go along with it. Read More
U.S. Marines website hacked, purportedly by Syrian Electronic Army.
A glimpse of the first same-sex wedding presided over by a Supreme Court justice.
I’ve been on vacation for the last week (actually still am). So I’ve only half or less heard all the commotions and developments in Syria. Besides the wonderfulness of being on vacation, being absent from all this has felt like a blessing.
I’ve generally been opposed to our getting involved in Syria’s civil war at all, especially as the rebel groups have become increasingly radicalized. In the present situation, which has its own special dynamics because of the use of chemical weaponry and President Obama’s extremely unfortunate ‘red line’, I’m uncertain what I think is the right thing to do.
But below are a few general points that I think are important to keep in mind. Read More