War

UN inspectors leave Syria.

"An Associated Press crew saw the UN personnel enter Lebanon from Syria through the Masnaa border crossing and then drive in a 13-car convoy to the Beirut airport. After four days of on-site inspections, the team wrapped up its investigation Friday into the suspected chemical weapons attack on rebel-held suburbs of Damascus on Aug. 21. The experts take with them blood and urine samples from victims as well as soil samples from the affected areas for examination in laboratories in Europe. "

At least they collected some evidence, but that evidence can't determine who used chemical weapons, if they find anybody did.

"While Obama has long been wary of U.S. military involvement in the conflict, the administration on Friday forcefully made its case for action against Syria in the wake of last week's events outside Damascus. It accused the Assad regime of carrying out what it says was a chemical attack on Aug. 21 that killed at least 1,429 people — far more than previous estimates — including more than 400 children. "

Doctors without Borders identified 355 victims. Those numbers are nuts.

"The Syrian government said administration claims were "flagrant lies" akin to faulty Bush administration assertions before the Iraq invasion that Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction. A Foreign Ministry statement read on state TV late Friday said that "under the pretext of protecting the Syrian people, they are making a case for an aggression that will kill hundreds of innocent Syrian civilians." "

I don't think the comparison to Iraq is particularly accurate. The US has been funding and arming al Qaeda rebels in Syria for two years. Bush never did that in Iraq.

Comparison of the supposed intelligence confirming Assad used chemical weapons to Colin Powell's report that Saddam Hussein was using mobile chemical weapons factories.

Putin disputes US claims.

"Mr Putin said it would be "utter nonsense" for Syria's government to provoke opponents with such attacks."

No kidding.

The war on Syria has been long planned.

"Attacking Syria has been the talk in Washington for years, all the way back to Bush II’s infamous "Axis of Evil" speech. The current (un)civil war started back in March 2011, out of the failed attempt to topple the government through another "Arab Spring" revolution, organized by the American Empire. As in Libya, the response to failure was escalation into an armed rebellion. "
"Leaked documents reveal that a plan to attack Syria was developed back in 2011. The Empire and its rebel clients have been looking for ways to create a pretext for intervention ever since."

I wonder if Obama is building support or losing it by delaying.

Obama answered that question by emasculating himself, asking Congress to give him permission to attack. Are you kidding me? This hasn't happened since FDR asked Congress to declare War on Japan after Pearl Harbor. I've written about how Obama was between a rock and a hard place. This is the proof.

"When Obama said he wanted to ask Congress for a vote, some of his advisers dissented. Officials wouldn't say which participants argued against Obama's proposal.
After a two-hour debate, Obama's team agreed to support Obama's decision, officials said. So Obama went upstairs and called the Republican and Democratic leaders of the House and Senate to inform them of his about-face. He also notified French President Francois Hollande.
By mid-afternoon, Obama emerged in a steamy White House Rose Garden, surprising lawmakers, reporters and the public with news of his plan.
"I'm ready to act in the face of this outrage," Obama said. "Today I'm asking Congress to send a message to the world that we are ready to move forward together as one nation.""

Obama cut off his own balls, then the Associated Press fed them to him.

"Then Obama and Biden left the White House by motorcade to play a round of golf."

This is the most significant portrait yet of the rampant corruption inherent in the state.

Congress is in no hurry to vote.

"It may be 10 days or more before Congress votes on whether to approve use of military force against Syria."

I love how USA Today tries to boost Obama for this:

"President Obama heeded the call of members of Congress who were demanding a vote on military action on Syria, but Congress will not rush back to Washington to take that vote."

Obama is so wise to heed the call of Congress the same way he did on Libya. And Yemen. And Obamacare. Oh, wait. God bless USA Today for saying what is really going on.

"Obama and congressional leaders may well need the time to make the case to Congress to get enough members to support military action in Syria. Members of both parties have expressed skepticism about whether it's justified."

The American people don't want the US to start another war, this time with Syria, so Obama is unwilling to take the political hit by ordering an attack. So he passed the buck to Congress. The Republicans tend to be the warmongers, so he wants them to take the hit. Obama's in a lose-lose situation, so he's trying to cut his losses.

The rebels are disappointed with the delay. I bet they are.

Blame it on the ghosts of Iraq. I don't think it's that simple, but that's a good thing. The Syrian war is much more duplicitous and Assad is much less evil that Hussein.

Another report that the Saudis supplied chemical weapons to al Qaeda rebels which led to this attack. Many supporting links.

Congressional approval is not the important issue. This is an issue of right and wrong. Stealing money from people to attack others, no matter how evil they are, is always wrong.

Attacking Syria would not be an act of justice because they US has been fighting the war through evil proxies. This is the major difference between war in Syria and invading Iraq.

Syrians go about their daily business undeterred by the threat of US attacks. Heroic.

North Korea blames US for nuclear provocation, leading to cancellation of visit from US envoy.

"An unidentified North Korean Foreign Ministry spokesman said in remarks carried by state media late Saturday that his country intended to allow King's visit for talks on Bae even though the U.S. and South Korea were conducting annual military drills.
But he said the U.S. "beclouded the hard-won atmosphere of humanitarian dialogue in a moment" by allegedly infiltrating B-52H strategic bombers into the sky above the peninsula during the exercises. He called it "the most blatant nuclear blackmail against us.""

I wouldn't doubt it.