War

Israeli jets shoot down drone presumed to have been launched by Hezbollah. Hezbollah denies drone.

It looks like the run-up to US and NATO direct war in Syria has about reached the endgame as Defense Secretary Hagel announces the US believes the Syrian government has used chemical weapons.

"President Barack Obama has said the use of chemical weapons would be a "game-changer" in the U.S. position on intervening in the Syrian civil war, and the letter to Congress reiterates that the use or transfer of chemical weapons in Syria is a "red line for the United States." However, the letter also hints that a broad U.S. response is not imminent.
White House legislative director Miguel Rodriguez, who signed the letter, wrote that "because the president takes this issue so seriously, we have an obligation to fully investigate any and all evidence of chemical weapons use within Syria.""

Good for Obama for resisting, but it's going to be hard now. The US backed rebels report the Syrian government used chemical weapons. This sounds like a conflict of interest.

Some senators have found it in their interest to question Obama's drone policy.

"Now, at least 5 years after drone criticism has begun, the Senate Judiciary Committee has a hearing in which a man from Yemen tells them face to face what the effects of the drone policy are on making Yemenis anti-American. This slowness in responding to events on the ground is intentional on the part of Congressional leaders. They only address an issue when, for whatever reasons that are in their interest, they calculate the time is right. Then they schedule hearings and then they invite hand-picked witnesses. Any concern about the loss of innocent lives of foreigners or the retaliation on American soil only enters their calculations indirectly. Power and position are #1, and lives factor in secondarily only insofar as they affect power and position. An extreme cynicism, if you will, is called for in assessing these matters, if only to counteract the programming that most Americans have undergone. However, one need only ask why it has taken so long to address this drone issue, even to the limited extent of holding a hearing? And what does Senator Dick Durbin, who chairs the committee, stand to gain from having this hearing at this time?"

Rand Paul made big political gains with his filibuster against drone attacks in the US. I'm sure Durbin believes he can make gains too.

Obama has led the left into loving perpetual war. Of course, historically, the left was the champion of war. Wilson, FDR, Truman and Johnson were the chief warmongers of the 20th century. I love how the author calls the war on terror a perpetual emotion machine.

86 more Iraqis killed. Now 96 dead and 79 wounded.