The Democrats Have a Fever, and the Only Cure Is More Unilateral Wars of Choice Open Thread

Heavy majorities oppose a Syrian action.

I snarked about this in the wisecracks, but John Kerry says he can't rule out boots on the ground if Syria implodes.

Personally... I don't believe this. Let me tell you what's going on. John McCain has a hard-on for the idea that unless our boys aren't losing limbs in the mud, then we're not acting "honorably." I believe that John McCain, for purposes of personal vanity, lobbied Obama to include this possibility, at least as a rhetorical nod.

It's all fake, like so much of John "Build the Dang Fence" McCain.

But then, this is the Administration's stated position, so while we're debating this we have to keep in mind that they are on record as saying they'll send in ground troops.

You know how seriously John McCain's taking the prospect of a land war in Asia? Via @comradearthur, this seriously.

While Kerry would not rule out an authorized, president-ordered strike on Syria, a top House Democrat says that if Congress doesn't authorize, Obama must not attack.

The right thing to do is just debate it to death so that the threat remains, technically, open. I doubt it will be voted down, per se. It will be withdrawn should it come to that.

Glenn Reynolds: Gee Willickers, this was all supposed to be so easy.

One of the things we were promised back in the 2008 election campaign was that under a Democratic administration America would be better liked and more influential in the world. Forget those dumb cowboys in the Bush/Cheney administration whose brash style grated on foreign sensibilities: Smooth, Europhile Democrats would win over the world, ushering in an era of peace and good feeling.

So, as Sarah Palin might say, how's that hopey-changey stuff workin' out for ya?

As far as comedy, it's working out outstandingly.

The conservatives have gone from being tarred as "warmongers" to being tarred as "isolationists. JonahNRO discusses this, and mentions Tim Carney's definition of an alleged "isolationist:"

Isolationist: n. Someone who, on occasion, opposes bombing foreigners.

Jim Geraghty: The Democrats' "Smart Power" has been vastly overstated. Yup. Same as their actual smarts.

Being nicer to countries like Russia will not make them nicer to you. The United Nations is not an effective tool for resolving crises. Some foreign leaders are beyond persuasion and diplomacy. There is no “international community” ready to work together to solve problems, and there probably never will be.

You can pin this on Hillary Clinton, John Kerry, Susan Rice, but most of all, the buck stops with the president. Those of us who scoffed a bit at a state senator ascending to the presidency within four years on a wave of media hype and adoration are not quite so shocked by this current mess. We never bought into this notion that getting greater cooperation from our allies, and less hostility from our enemies, was just a matter of giving this crew the wheel and letting them practice, as Hillary Clinton arrogantly declared it, “smart power.” (These people can’t even label a foreign-policy approach without reminding us of how highly they think of themselves.)

Assad called Obama weak.

Syrian president Bashar al-Assad slammed President Obama and again denied his government’s role in a chemical attack against civilians in an interview Monday with the French newspaper Le Figaro.

“For us, a strong man prevents rather than starts a war…Obama is weak because he is facing pressure from within the United States,” al-Assad said.

Yeah that part wasn't available in the free excerpt which I translated. I guess Tucker Carlson is a Richie Rich with a subscription. Seethe.

By the way, Assad's a big dummy, because that's the last thing you say when you're dealing with a swaggering macho headcase. Or whatever Obama's problem is.

You probably heard that Boehner and Cantor, two men who lead a party I no longer belong to, are super-into this strike.

And I'm sure this will shock you, but now that President Nobel War Prize is spoiling for another hasty decision under pressure from the French, MSNBC is now officially the Place for War Fever.

In non-war news -- or is it? -- a rapist was shocked to discover that he might have AIDS due to transmission from the woman he forcibly raped.

Ah well. Tough break, champ! See you later when you're dead!

And, apropos of nothing (or is it?), here now a bear and wolf cub playing together.

Turn your speakers down for this one, the music is too loud. But let's get a cute dog into the mix:

Oh, and why not:

posted by Ace at 07:26 PM

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