Opinion  Ron Ben-Yishai
Obama blinked first
Ron Ben-Yishai
Published: 01.09.13, 00:56
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31. It's always better
Stephan ,   US from US   (09.01.13)
to blink than not to blink at all.
32. #11....
Israeli Citizen ,   Haifa   (09.01.13)
"he does not plan to send gentile kids to die for Zion.".... First of all, no one asked him to, so take down your straw man. Second, I happen to notice that throughout history, the western countries are quite willing to have an entire Jewish nation be wiped off the face of the earth for "Gentile" interests abroad.
33. Dump the ''piece talks between Livni & Erakat
tiki ,   belgium   (09.01.13)
American "guarantees under this President are not worth the paper they are written on! Israel doesn't need to provide a legacy for this untrustworthy klotz
34. The no good side to support- problem
Shalom Freedman ,   Jerusalem Israel   (09.01.13)
Obama is appearing as to put it mildly reluctantant to get involved in Syria. His policy after all is withdrawal of U.S. military from the region insofar as it is possible. Another great problem he has is that Assad's major opponents are in good part Jihadists. There is no side he can promote the victory of. PS It would be preferable if he went to the 'head' of the snake and pre-empted Iran's nuclear program. But now it looks as if he will do nothing but delay in regard to this. PPS The real message may be for Israel one it itself long promoted i.e. No one is responsible for its defense but itself.
35. US Gov 101
Mark of Lewiston ,   USA   (09.01.13)
Art 1, Sec 6 Clauses 11 &12 reserve certain powers to Congress when the US has not been attacked. The US has not been attacked.. The US founders specifically did not empower the POTUS as a medieval European king. Congress can now stand with the POTUS or with those who gas children to death.
36. Obama
Stephen Darori ,   Jaffa   (09.01.13)
Clucl , cluck ... let the mother hen the Congress make the obvious decision ... cluck, cluck ...
37. Sorry, who blinked first????
Shachar ,   Eilat   (09.01.13)
The world has been blinking so rapidly for the last two years, it could be mistaken for REM, dream mode! And the Israeli gov't is one of the great blinkers. Obama is the only one threatening to do something...where does that leave the rest of this pathetic world. And yes this fiasco has given Iran carte blanche to develop nuclear weapons.
38. Chill out, guys, this doesn't mean a thing
Vered, Israel   (09.01.13)
If anything it sends a message to anyone who is listening that the US is a mature society, not dashing off to war to save face. That England and the US must follow the law, and even if the president or PM want to go to war, they still must take a vote. Only thing, though, no one is listening. The Arabs don't need any action whatsoever from the West to spin their macho delusions. Assad involed the memory of the YK War, for heaven's sake, as if he didn't lose his entire air force. So, if the US tries to stop Assad or doesn't, innocent people will still be murdered for the foreseeable future, all across the globe. The only thing we can hope for is to win the war of ideas, and the message of restraint and congressional approval is a good start
39. #15, .....
Israeli Citizen ,   Haifa   (09.01.13)
You comment is disingenuous. It was Obama who stepped forward and blabbed he was going to attack. No one asked him to. Asto ourselves attacking Syria, sorry but we don't have YOUR big guns and boats, and we have a limited arsenal. And...just in case you didn't notice, we have a border with Syria. You don't. So stop your nauseating American self righteousness.
40. The no good side to support- problem
Shalom Freedman ,   Jerusalem Israel   (09.01.13)
Obama is appearing as to put it mildly reluctantant to get involved in Syria. His policy after all is withdrawal of U.S. military from the region insofar as it is possible. Another great problem he has is that Assad's major opponents are in good part Jihadists. There is no side he can promote the victory of. PS It would be preferable if he went to the 'head' of the snake and pre-empted Iran's nuclear program. But now it looks as if he will do nothing but delay in regard to this. PPS The real message may be for Israel one it itself long promoted i.e. No one is responsible for its defense but itself.
41. Response to spyguy
US Patriot ,   El Paso, USA   (09.01.13)
Some Americans care whether innocent women and children are gassed, so don't assume to speak on behalf of America. Your words and world-view are self-centered and unrealistic--WWII demonstrated that isolationism and appeasement allows the corrupt to fester until it is a force to be reckoned with; hiding one's face in the sand does not make threats less ominous.
42. The phrase "red line" has been profaned by President Obama
Nelson Mason ,   Monticello, NY USA   (09.01.13)
President Obama will NOT get congressional authorization to bomb Syria, and everybody knows it. I criticize him for not having an effective policy on the Syrian Civil War. We should be supporting pro-democracy forces in Syria, if there are any. We should NOT support the current rebels, who are aligned with Al-Qaeda.
43. #21: Yes. But why did Congress "blink"?
Dee Bee ,   Israel   (09.01.13)
They blinked because the people of the USA closed their eyes to the horrors of Syria under the Assad/Putin yoke! The pictures of gassed Syrian children which have revolted Israelis who know that given half the chance, Syrians would gas Israelis in the same way, don't seem to affect the consciences of the holier than thou citizens of the United States who are always telling other how to live!
44. Delayed or non-action will be far...
Raoul ,   Israel   (09.01.13)
far worse than had Obama not decided to take action beyond that red line, in the first place.
45. 21# 43#...With Pinocchio making promise after promise...
Steven Wilson ,   Anchorage, Alaska   (09.01.13)
Lecture after Lecture....about what he is going to do every day of the week... like dripping matter from a camels hinder...why would Congress take on any of this idiots promises to the nation or the world? When you have a imposter in a political position making bold statements every day...that you know are probably never going to be carried out...who in their right mind would carry these ideas out and take responsibility for them ? A real leader...makes decisions and acts on them decisively. They don't hang out on a tele prompter every day making promise after promise...then go golfing with their buddies after telling the World...that they had made a decision to go to war. This man is good at only one thing...verbal manure. He's dumping his stupid promises... like a little child...in Congresses lap. Beware of the little boy who cries Wolf to many times. Save me!...is heard from them in the end.
46. #26.spyguy: Surprise! We're on the same page
Tom W ,   USA   (09.01.13)
We're ideologically polar opposite but your judgement about America is 100% accurate. When the British attacked the nascent Israel in '48 the U.S. ordered an arms embargo against Israel and - Oh the horror! - it was Stalin who saved Israel with Czech arms shipment. Hungarians, Czechs, Poles, Vietnamese etc. have first hand experience with American "help" and their enthusiasm for America is quite muted nowadays.... People with foresight can see the emergence of a new world configuration which will replace the legacy of the WWII Yalta pact.
47. #11. Avi you liar!
Tom W ,   USA   (09.01.13)
Not a single U.S. G. I. died in Israel's war, you Obamabot leftist scumbag. The opposite is true: many Jewish G.I.died in America's wars. Go to the national cemetery and behold the thumb-stones. What-an immoral lying person are you.
48. bho only had the experience of a community organizer.He is
in over his head & ,   the world know it!!   (09.01.13)
49. #47: Who is the lier?
Avi ,   NYC, USA   (09.01.13)
No American soldiers died for Israel? How about the 5,000 who died in Iraq, a war promoted and orchestrated by Wolfowitz, Feith, Pearl and their friend? How about those murdered on the Liberty? And have you heard about the Lavon affair? Our fraternity requires a steady stream of human sacrifice.
50. The President's Power: or Bellum Interruptum
Pero Kahana ,   Coimbra, Portugal   (09.01.13)
Although only Congress can declare war, wars in recent decades have been fought without such a declaration. The President has the power to act, but must inform the Congress and seek its approval for any continued operation. The problem here is not legal, but political and strategic. For political reasons, domestic and international, the President of the United States has stunned the world with an abrupt reversal of his proudly trumpeted position (assuring us that there has been no reversal) and left his political and military allies around the world asking if this man can be trusted.
51. The buck stops...
PaulZion ,   Israel   (09.01.13)
Where? Definitely not with Obama. What an ineffectual weak leader. He has NO IDEA how much damage he has caused the whole of the Free World, who have to stand up against these barbarians with no conscience or sense of responsibility. One word for Obama: Woos. Even Chamberlain had a backbone, in comparison to him.
52. No reasons to assume Obama Blinked.
Gaby ,   North Miami Beach   (09.01.13)
Bush elder also gave some time to Hussein to mend his ways before striking him. Let us reserve the judgement until Congress approves it.
53. #32
Harold ,   USA   (09.01.13)
Just remember The Israeli inteligence report regarding Iraq sub,itted to George W. Bush bush Sharon and now a similar inteligence report about Syria.
54. #27
Harold ,   USA   (09.01.13)
# 15 is right. I don't want my sons die for a foreign country.
55. A black day for America... this one will go down in history
Rafi ,   US   (09.01.13)
... as equivalent to Chamberlain's Munich in 1938. Ron Ben Yishai has got it exactly right regarding let down & exposure of US allies on the front lines around the globe...
56. # 49 The Liberty
Eaglebeak ,   Left Coast, USA   (09.01.13)
was a U.S. Navy ship being operated by the CIA. It was intercepting communications and relaying information to Israels enemies. Had they not done that Israel would not have been forced to do what they did. As to Iraq, what have Jews and Israel have to do with that? Is Haliburton a Jewish company? That is what we were there for and not to help Israel.
57. I'm Glad Obama 'Blinked'
Christy ,   Boston, US   (09.02.13)
There's not much support in the US for any military intervention in Syria. It's not that we don't care about the mass execution of Syrians - we do care. However, we fail to see how a missile attack will solve the conflicts being played out in Syria. The problems in Syria require far more intervention than a missile attack would bring. I'm very glad Obama decided to wait and hear from congress. I pray Obama abandons all thoughts of military intervention in Syria.
58. Syria and red line
Noah Knapp ,   Bryant AR, USA   (09.02.13)
Red line! Leader of a country! Sounds like kids daring one another to cross a line. "If you cross this line, I'm going to whip you." A John Wayne line in one of his movies. Obama made the remark so will have to do something, or hope congress will get him off the hook. War is always hell, with humans of all ages getting wounded and killed. Notice, no other country wants to line up with the good ol USA, and why should they? One of the best ways a leader might accomplish getting Assad to stand down, is putting some real strong words into the ears of those countries who support Syria. a couple of leaders comes to mind such as Regan and Kennedy. Many years ago I was stationed in Tripoli for about 2 years. These people will never become democratic. They have fought for centuries, clan against clan. The most ruthless one who can stay in command by any means will be the leader. There will always be others who will try to take control and lead. I don't know by what means, but Damascus will be destroyed completely. Noah
59. The Celebrity dropped a thousand megaton display of weakness
BH ,   Iowa   (09.02.13)
"On the job training" indeed.
60. End of an empire
Etienne Prinsloo ,   Nova Scotia, Canada   (09.02.13)
For every empire there is a pivotal event when decline becomes irreversible. The hollow threat against Assad and before that Iran is just that for America. Electing an Islamophilic socialist as president ended America's status and position as leaders of the free world. Putin openly holds him in contempt, Assad treats him like a clown. So Mr Hussain Obama, only make threats that you can follow though on. Also, surround yourself with capable people not yes nodding apparatchiks.
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