• This is a political forum that is non-biased/non-partisan and treats every person's position on topics equally. This debate forum is not aligned to any political party. In today's politics, many ideas are split between and even within all the political parties. Often we find ourselves agreeing on one platform but some topics break our mold. We are here to discuss them in a civil political debate. If this is your first visit to our political forums, be sure to check out the RULES. Registering for debate politics is necessary before posting. Register today to participate - it's free!

Exclusive: John McCain Slips Across Border Into Syria, Meets With Rebels

If the President was anyone but Obama, do you think a Senator would need to ask then?

John McCain, a grown man, a US Senator, a war veteran and a former POW, needs no one's permission. Some Senators should ask permission to cross the street. The identity of the POTUS doesn't matter.:cool:
 
Perhaps you been watching too much TV. It is quite one thing to sneak into rebel held territory where the welcoming mat is out and they want you to come for a visit. It is another thing to sneak into government territory where he probably would have been shot on site or captured. Aasad I would be has plenty of body guards around him, around his palace or residence and in Damascus.

I was kidding Pero ... I do think a Senator should get the WH O.K., even if unofficially, to do something like this ...
 
John McCain, a grown man, a US Senator, a war veteran and a former POW, needs no one's permission. Some Senators should ask permission to cross the street. The identity of the POTUS doesn't matter.:cool:

you don't believe in protocol I see ... I'm surprised ... yet, I have this sneaky feeling that if it had been Bush as Prez and Kerry had gone in, you would 've thought differently and said that it was inappropriate for an individual to go in like this and possibly mess up something that was being done to fix the problem ... but we'll never know will we ... still, I think McCain let the WH know first to make sure there wasn't something afoot that he could mess up ...
 
you don't believe in protocol I see ... I'm surprised ... yet, I have this sneaky feeling that if it had been Bush as Prez and Kerry had gone in, you would 've thought differently and said that it was inappropriate for an individual to go in like this and possibly mess up something that was being done to fix the problem ... but we'll never know will we ... still, I think McCain let the WH know first to make sure there wasn't something afoot that he could mess up ...

I'm sure we'll find out if there were any discussions beforehand. The WH in particular will be alert for opportunities to show that they're in charge. Kerry wouldn't have gone; he's not that kind of guy. He's a permission-seeker, and that's one reason why he was a weak POTUS candidate. The moment to act in Syria was long ago; now it's just a matter of finding a way to catch up.:cool:
 
I'm sure we'll find out if there were any discussions beforehand. The WH in particular will be alert for opportunities to show that they're in charge. Kerry wouldn't have gone; he's not that kind of guy. He's a permission-seeker, and that's one reason why he was a weak POTUS candidate. The moment to act in Syria was long ago; now it's just a matter of finding a way to catch up.:cool:

ah, the old bravado .. kinda reminds me of "bring it on" ...
 
I was kidding Pero ... I do think a Senator should get the WH O.K., even if unofficially, to do something like this ...

I should have realized, but I am an old coot too. I do not know if Senator McCain needed White Approval or not, but he needed to inform the administration of his intentions, then immediately upon return to Washington, meet and briefed the president on everything that happens, that was said and what he heard. It is not like he went to visit an enemy of the United States, we are semi quasi supporting the rebels. There was a time when politics ended at the waters edge.
 
Why? So the Islamist extremists you continually warn us about continue to eek out a larger share of influence within the opposition? No thank you. I'd rather work to minimize theirs and increase the power and influence of the more moderate factions that are more aligned with US interests and values.

Whose the lesser of two evils in the situation? Both sides suck.
 
I should have realized, but I am an old coot too. I do not know if Senator McCain needed White Approval or not, but he needed to inform the administration of his intentions, then immediately upon return to Washington, meet and briefed the president on everything that happens, that was said and what he heard. It is not like he went to visit an enemy of the United States, we are semi quasi supporting the rebels. There was a time when politics ended at the waters edge.

I'm guessing he notified the WH to make sure his visit wouldn't mess up something that was afoot (including costing the lives of some people) ... who knows, this could all be orchestrated by the WH and McCain, i.e., a way of reaching out to the rebels in a quasi-official way without getting the WH involved and thereby giving the WH more room to manuever ...
 
I wonder if he brought any of this along with him::cool:


2009-07-30-budweiser.jpg
 
I'm guessing he notified the WH to make sure his visit wouldn't mess up something that was afoot (including costing the lives of some people) ... who knows, this could all be orchestrated by the WH and McCain, i.e., a way of reaching out to the rebels in a quasi-official way without getting the WH involved and thereby giving the WH more room to manuever ...

That has been done before. I haven't heard, on the news anyway of President Obama or anyone else in the administration saying or giving a comment on the Senators visit, have you?
 
The Free Syrian Army does not associate with Al-Nusra.
Sure about that?

Al Nusrah Front conducts joint operation with Free Syrian Army - Threat Matrix
AFP: Syria revolt attracts motley foreign jihadi corps

Al-Nusra does not operate under the FSA command structure and they've actually engaged in skirmishes with each other over disputed territory.
They have however fought side by side, and many FSA leaders claim they are "the special forces of the revolution"

Though, to the poorly informed such as yourself, they may appear to be one and the same.
I never claimed they were "one and the same"

But hell looks like the FSA might be having a defection problem with more people goin go the Al-Nursa front
Report: Entire Free Syrian Army Units Defecting To Al Nusra Front Because Of Its “Islamic Doctrine” And Advanced Weapons… | Weasel Zippers
 
That has been done before. I haven't heard, on the news anyway of President Obama or anyone else in the administration saying or giving a comment on the Senators visit, have you?

not yet at least ... interesting ... McCain is only reckless flying planes ... most of the time he's pretty careful ...
 
not yet at least ... interesting ... McCain is only reckless flying planes ... most of the time he's pretty careful ...

There is so much of what I call back channel, no one can be certain what is or is not going one. Sometimes silence provides the answer. But like I always say, time will tell. Thanks
 
Now what are you doing? Supporting fascist and fascism again? I really start to wonder about you lefties :). J/k. We actually agree.....We have no business in this civil war unless assad decides to attack Israel to gain support from Islamic nations.


Read more @: Exclusive: John McCain Slips Across Border Into Syria, Meets With Rebels - The Daily Beast

Wonder if he knows that he is meeting with a group that allies itself with an extreme islamists groups? God, i hope we stay out of this civil war.
[/FONT][/COLOR]
 
Well, crapping all over a pow war hero is one way to spend the holiday.

Cheers!

When that war hero is a U.S. Senator engaging in a controversial action on Memorial Day, you can hardly expect people to give him deference just because he is a war hero. These actions could affect many people's lives, and worrying about him being a war hero just isn't on the radar.
 
When that war hero is a U.S. Senator engaging in a controversial action on Memorial Day, you can hardly expect people to give him deference just because he is a war hero. These actions could affect many people's lives, and worrying about him being a war hero just isn't on the radar.

T'was was an inside comment.
 
When that war hero is a U.S. Senator engaging in a controversial action on Memorial Day, you can hardly expect people to give him deference just because he is a war hero. These actions could affect many people's lives, and worrying about him being a war hero just isn't on the radar.


Nonsense. Don't get your panties in a twist.:cool:
 
Nonsense. Don't get your panties in a twist.:cool:

Mine aren't. I haven't formed an opinion on the Syria situation. I don't know if I agree with Obama or not. I just think no one should bother worrying about McCain being a war hero with respect to political matters, and certainly not on the matter of Syria. Memorial Day or not.

I want to hear people's honest thoughts about the matter, not thoughts filtered by his status as a war hero.
 
Mine aren't. I haven't formed an opinion on the Syria situation. I don't know if I agree with Obama or not. I just think no one should bother worrying about McCain being a war hero with respect to political matters, and certainly not on the matter of Syria. Memorial Day or not.

I want to hear people's honest thoughts about the matter, not thoughts filtered by his status as a war hero.

My honest thoughts are these. The destruction of the Asad regime would be a strategic defeat for Iran and Hezbollah, and therefore hugely in our interest. The optimum moment for safe, effective support to forces we favor passed long ago. Nonetheless, there may still be an opportunity to do something worthwhile.

John McCain is a grown man, a US Senator, a war veteran and a former POW. He has the right to go and see for himself.:cool:
 
McCain is an idiot. I wonder who gave him the OK to go there?

As much as I detest Obama, Thank God McQueeg wasn't elected POTUS.

Despite mccain's total lack of noodle, he does have some character (a trait virtually non-existent in Washington), given the way he conducted himself in the 2008 campaign.

If the story line of the Game Change movie is true, then he really did put principles above politics, and there's something to be said for that.
 
My honest thoughts are these. The destruction of the Asad regime would be a strategic defeat for Iran and Hezbollah, and therefore hugely in our interest. The optimum moment for safe, effective support to forces we favor passed long ago. Nonetheless, there may still be an opportunity to do something worthwhile.

John McCain is a grown man, a US Senator, a war veteran and a former POW. He has the right to go and see for himself.:cool:

Ok, those are the upsides, and I already agree with you in every respect on those. Have you considered any downsides, and if so, which ones, and what swayed you to dismiss or discount them?

On the matter of US senators... They should act responsibly, and I am not sure that he was. This applies to grown men and POWs as well, but I only care about U.S. senators in this case.
 
Back
Top Bottom