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Is Obama's Public Support of the Syrian Rebels a Diversionary Foreign Policy Tactic?

Is Obama's Public Support of the Syrian Rebels a Diversionary Foreign Policy Tactic?


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Re: Is Obama's Public Support of the Syrian Rebels a Diversionary Foreign Policy Tact

No, I don't. I believe that he made a tough-talk statement about the use of chemical weapons being a "red line" with the USA if crossed, so once it was crossed he had to follow through.

I think it's bad policy for our country, though. We'll be arming Islamists of all hues, including Al Qaeda, and it's not a matter of "if" they use those weapons against us, it's a matter of "when".
 
Re: Is Obama's Public Support of the Syrian Rebels a Diversionary Foreign Policy Tact

His foreign policies have been absolutely disastrous. :roll:
 
Re: Is Obama's Public Support of the Syrian Rebels a Diversionary Foreign Policy Tact

His foreign policies have been absolutely disastrous. :roll:

I support Obama's hawk policy. I figure it's thanks largely to Hillary. Qaddafi was a scumbag piece of garbage whose entire family abused their servants and squandered the nation's wealth for over 40 years.
 
Re: Is Obama's Public Support of the Syrian Rebels a Diversionary Foreign Policy Tact

I support Obama's hawk policy. I figure it's thanks largely to Hillary. Qaddafi was a scumbag piece of garbage whose entire family abused their servants and squandered the nation's wealth for over 40 years.

What about his little "talks" with Ahmadinejad? He certainly isn't taking a hard line approach in a lot instances, and I don't think his foreign policies have proven to be successful at all. Besides, we can't fix those countries. It's only a matter of time before there is another problem. A lot of them are just lost causes IMO, and I also think that in a lot of cases, the citizens of those countries should be the ones to overthrow their dictators if that's what they want.
 
Re: Is Obama's Public Support of the Syrian Rebels a Diversionary Foreign Policy Tact

What about his little "talks" with Ahmadinejad? He certainly isn't taking a hard line approach in a lot instances, and I don't think his foreign policies have proven to be successful at all. Besides, we can't fix those countries. It's only a matter of time before there is another problem. A lot of them are just lost causes IMO, and I also think that in a lot of cases, the citizens of those countries should be the ones to overthrow their dictators if that's what they want.

After the whole bowing thing, it's been pretty good. I don't see a problem with offering to talk to the Iranian regime, there's really no reason to ever completely cut off the opportunity for bi-lateral agreement and movement forward.
 
Re: Is Obama's Public Support of the Syrian Rebels a Diversionary Foreign Policy Tact

After the whole bowing thing, it's been pretty good. I don't see a problem with offering to talk to the Iranian regime, there's really no reason to ever completely cut off the opportunity for bi-lateral agreement and movement forward.

I think they've proven time and time again that "talking" is not what they want to do. Does anyone REALLY know what Iran wants?
 
Re: Is Obama's Public Support of the Syrian Rebels a Diversionary Foreign Policy Tact

His foreign policies have been absolutely disastrous. :roll:

I think so too, but probably not for the same reason. I believe his foreign policies have been disastrous because they first belonged to Bush, and Obama carried on with them, despite promising not to. We've still had troops on the ground in Iraq and Afghanistan for the past 4 years, although Obama promised to end the wars immediately. Gitmo is still stuffed with prisoners who have had no trials or legal representation, although Obama promised to immediately shut it down. And tenants of Bush's Patriot Act are still being used, although Obama stated that the USA should not be invading the privacy of US citizens without probable cause. (And yes, I know Obama-the-green as senator voted for it.) :shrug:
 
Re: Is Obama's Public Support of the Syrian Rebels a Diversionary Foreign Policy Tact

I think so too, but probably not for the same reason. I believe his foreign policies have been disastrous because they first belonged to Bush, and Obama carried on with them, despite promising not to. We've still had troops on the ground in Iraq and Afghanistan for the past 4 years, although Obama promised to end the wars immediately. Gitmo is still stuffed with prisoners who have had no trials or legal representation, although Obama promised to immediately shut it down. And tenants of Bush's Patriot Act are still being used, although Obama stated that the USA should not be invading the privacy of US citizens without probable cause. (And yes, I know Obama-the-green as senator voted for it.) :shrug:

I didn't vote for Obama, and I don't necessarily agree with the things that he touted during his campaign, but I am so tired of politicians and they empty promises.
 
Re: Is Obama's Public Support of the Syrian Rebels a Diversionary Foreign Policy Tact

I think supporting and providing arms to one group who is in alliance with another group we are currently battling against is asinine. Let Syria sort itself out.
 
Re: Is Obama's Public Support of the Syrian Rebels a Diversionary Foreign Policy Tact

. We'll be arming Islamists of all hues, including Al Qaeda, and it's not a matter of "if" they use those weapons against us, it's a matter of "when".

The US is arming only the Supreme Military Council, a collection of rebel forces that excludes Islamist elements.
 
Re: Is Obama's Public Support of the Syrian Rebels a Diversionary Foreign Policy Tact

The US is arming only the Supreme Military Council, a collection of rebel forces that excludes Islamist elements.

Interesting, since the rebel groups are working together and, I once read, share armories and weapon storage facilities. Do you happen to have a link for that? Not trying to be a pain, just trying to sort out what's going on.

In either case, weapons given to groups containing our enemies usually end up in the hands of our enemies at some point. That is, unfortunately, documented fact, and why Obama refused to give weapons to Libyan rebels, opting instead to offer offshore support to our allies who did.
 
Re: Is Obama's Public Support of the Syrian Rebels a Diversionary Foreign Policy Tact

The US is arming only the Supreme Military Council, a collection of rebel forces that excludes Islamist elements.

The Muslim Brotherhood isn't included as one of those groups?
 
Re: Is Obama's Public Support of the Syrian Rebels a Diversionary Foreign Policy Tact

Well, I just looked it up, and here is what I found out.

The Structure and Organization of the Syrian Opposition | Center for American Progress

Leadership
The Syrian Opposition Coalition is made up of 71 representatives of key opposition groups, including the Syrian National Council, the Muslim Brotherhood of Syria, the Syrian Revolution General Commission, Local Coordination Committees, local revolutionary councils from across the country, individuals with long histories of opposing the regime, and a small number of Kurdish political leaders. Ghassan Hitto, a Western-educated businessman strongly backed by the Syrian National Council and the Muslim Brotherhood, was elected prime minister of the Syrian Opposition Coalition’s transitional government in March 2013. Moaz al-Khatib, a moderate Islamist opposition leader, served as president of the SOC from its formation in November 2012 until his resignation this April following a dispute over Hitto’s election as prime minister. George Sabra—a Christian teacher, former communist, and chief of the Syrian National Council—is serving as the interim president in Khatib’s absence.
 
Re: Is Obama's Public Support of the Syrian Rebels a Diversionary Foreign Policy Tact

The Muslim Brotherhood isn't included as one of those groups?

I don't know for certain. It they were extremists, then no. But again, some in the Muslim Brotherhood are more moderate.
 
Re: Is Obama's Public Support of the Syrian Rebels a Diversionary Foreign Policy Tact

Interesting, since the rebel groups are working together and, I once read, share armories and weapon storage facilities. Do you happen to have a link for that? Not trying to be a pain, just trying to sort out what's going on.

http://www.understandingwar.org/sites/default/files/The-Free-Syrian-Army-24MAR.pdf

In either case, weapons given to groups containing our enemies usually end up in the hands of our enemies at some point. That is, unfortunately, documented fact, and why Obama refused to give weapons to Libyan rebels, opting instead to offer offshore support to our allies who did.

That is a risk, however as I understand the armerments are being limited to small arms and possibly some anti-tank weapons; not exactly stuff that's impossible to get through other means.
 
Re: Is Obama's Public Support of the Syrian Rebels a Diversionary Foreign Policy Tact

I don't know for certain. It they were extremists, then no. But again, some in the Muslim Brotherhood are more moderate.

So THEY say, but you must be familiar with their history.
 
Re: Is Obama's Public Support of the Syrian Rebels a Diversionary Foreign Policy Tact


Thank you for the link. It's quite lengthy, so I didn't read enough to find the information you provided earlier. I did, however, note that the organization is a private, non-governmental site with a distinct pro-Sunni and anti-Shiia ideology, so I doubt they have enough information from inside Obama's administration to know what, to whom, and how much of anything the administration may or may not be considering. Even the MSM isn't privy to that at this time.



That is a risk, however as I understand the armerments are being limited to small arms and possibly some anti-tank weapons; not exactly stuff that's impossible to get through other means.

I would nonetheless prefer that they do indeed get such armaments through other means.
 
Re: Is Obama's Public Support of the Syrian Rebels a Diversionary Foreign Policy Tact

So THEY say, but you must be familiar with their history.

If I may make a correction: The section you highlighted was about the Syrian Opposition Coalition, which if I understand is not the same as the SMC.

Furthermore,

Internal divisions

The Syrian National Council—an organization founded in October 2011 in an attempt to form a unified opposition framework—is one of the Syrian Opposition Coalition’s main constituents, and current and former members of the Syrian National Council make up roughly half of the SOC’s leadership. Both Hitto and the Syrian National Council have deep ties to the Muslim Brotherhood, a point of conflict within the Syrian Opposition Coalition’s leadership and among its international backers.
 
Re: Is Obama's Public Support of the Syrian Rebels a Diversionary Foreign Policy Tact

I did, however, note that the organization is a private, non-governmental site with a distinct pro-Sunni and anti-Shiia ideology,

The Institute for the Study of War? Where did you read that?
 
Re: Is Obama's Public Support of the Syrian Rebels a Diversionary Foreign Policy Tact

If I may make a correction: The section you highlighted was about the Syrian Opposition Coalition, which if I understand is not the same as the SMC.

Furthermore,

Those are all the groups that make up the council. There is also the Syrian Islamic Front who's mission is as quoted below from Wiki:

The front's founding statement describes its ideology as based on a Salafi understanding of Islam and declares its aims as toppling the Assad government and establishing an Islamic state, governed by religious Muslim law, for the benefit of all Syrians.[4]

You should really read the link. There are a LOT of different groups that make up the council.
 
Re: Is Obama's Public Support of the Syrian Rebels a Diversionary Foreign Policy Tact

The Institute for the Study of War? Where did you read that?

Did you actually read the articles available on the front page of their website? The headlines alone were enough to see where they were coming from.

I'm not trying to insult them, or denigrate them. If that is their thing, they have a right to discuss it on their own website. You just have to view their site and their writings through the prism of context, that's all.

http://www.understandingwar.org
 
Re: Is Obama's Public Support of the Syrian Rebels a Diversionary Foreign Policy Tact

Those are all the groups that make up the council. There is also the Syrian Islamic Front who's mission is as quoted below from Wiki:



You should really read the link. There are a LOT of different groups that make up the council.

Reading your link, I found this:

The Supreme Joint Military Command

The Supreme Joint Military Command, or SMC, was officially formed to act as the Defense Ministry of the Syrian Opposition Coalition, yet it functions on its own authority. Rebel commanders from across Syria—260 in all—participated in its foundation in December 2012.


While it has representatives from the various factions of the rebels, I do not have enough data to see how close it is with the Islamist elements.

"The level of coordination between these armed groups and the SMC varies group-to-group."

I'll need to read up some more before I can go on ChrisL.
 
Re: Is Obama's Public Support of the Syrian Rebels a Diversionary Foreign Policy Tact

so I doubt they have enough information from inside Obama's administration to know what, to whom, and how much of anything the administration may or may not be considering.

Ben Rhodes, a deputy national security adviser, relayed this information in a press conference. And I believe Obama did as well, I'll try to find a link.
 
Re: Is Obama's Public Support of the Syrian Rebels a Diversionary Foreign Policy Tact

I think supporting and providing arms to one group who is in alliance with another group we are currently battling against is asinine. Let Syria sort itself out.

I concur.
 
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