Kerry: Obama 'has the right' to strike Syria regardless of Congress vote'

[bigtree]

tweeted by, Spencer Ackerman ‏@attackerman 52m
Obama 'has the right' to strike Syria regardless of Congress vote, says Kerry http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/sep/01/obama-strike-syria-congress-kerry … new from me


The Obama administration indicated on Sunday that it would launch strikes against Syria even in the face of rejection by the US Congress, less than a day after vowing to put an attack to a congressional vote.

President Obama "has the right to do this no matter what Congress does", said secretary of state John Kerry, one of the leading advocates of a military assault on dictator Bashar al-Assad for allegedly using chemical weapons on 12 neighborhoods outside Damascus on 21 August.

Kerry said the Obama administration's clear preference was to win a vote in Congress that could occur as early as next week, after Congress returns from its summer recess on 9 September. In an effort to bolster the case that he first laid out on Friday, Kerry said the administration had evidence, independent of UN weapons inspectors, that Sarin gas had been used in the August attacks.

"We are stronger as a nation when we act together," Kerry told CNN, defending a decision to seek congressional authorization that has stunned Washington and foreign capitals alike. He said he could "hear the complaints" about presidential abuse had Obama not gone to Congress.

But, Kerry said, "America intends to act."


read: http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/sep/01/obama-strike-syria-congress-kerry


Justifying War; 'Just' Wars
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10023568932

[LuvNewcastle]

1. That's what I thought Obama was saying in his speech yesterday.

If Congress votes against this and he does it anyway, it will be a crime.

[whatchamacallit]

2. *WE* are stronger as a nation when *WE* act together?

Don't include me in your bullshit misadventure, asshat!

[Little Star]

4. You are gonna get killed for using those sources. This is a better one....

http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/05/30/us-syria-crisis-turkey-idUSBRE94T0YO20130530

Here's another:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/08/25/syria-nusra-chemical-attacks_n_3812732.html

Nusra's Sunni Muslim fighters have claimed responsibility for the deadliest bombings in the two-and-a-half-year-old Syrian conflict and their brigades have led some of the most successful rebel offensives against Assad's forces.

The group has been formally designated a terrorist organization by the United States, a step which Washington said was vindicated by a declaration in April that it was merging with al Qaeda's Islamic State of Iraq group. Washington now says Nusra is little more than a front for al Qaeda

So the Damascus assault "may" have been the Syrian Govt. but the rebels have been using gas attacks on civilians themselves.

Imho, there are no good guys in Syria's civil war other than the innocent citizens.

[pnwmom]

5. Regardless of the current situation, it is important that Kerry and Obama

make that assertion.

No SCOTUS has ever ruled that a single strike or set of strikes constitutes going to war under the Constitution. Obama doesn't know what kind of situation could occur in the future that might require him to take such action, so he's reserving the option that every President has had.

[bigtree]

6. talk about the War Powers Act

. . . and the slippery language which the administration uses to assert that the chemical attacks inside of Syria constitute a threat to our national security; something that I think is ludicrous and self-serving to their oft-stated intent of removing Assad from power.

To me, that reasoning and justification for attacking another nation is an insult to the intent of the Act that such unilateral action by the president be in response to an attack on our nation or one of our allies.

[pnwmom]

7. No President has ever accepted that the War Powers Act is constitutional

and it has never been tested in court.

[bigtree]

10. that's it then? You think it's unconstitutional?

Tell me what it's all about with the President deciding that Congress should vote on the issue. Is it sincere, or, do you believe it's just some political exercise that the president views as cynically as you suggest?

[Lizzie Poppet]

9. Syria's chemical weapons are about as much of a threat to our national security...

...as Daleks and Voldemort.

[MNBrewer]

8. He may have the "ability", but does not have the "right"

[Coyotl]

11. Kerry said, "America intends to act." Who the F is "America"?

[Coyotl]

12. And Hitler had the right to invade Poland. Talk about inside the fucking bubble of delusion.

I agree with Putin on this one. We are a world with international laws that must be adhered to.

[Little Star]

15. I think I do also.

[kpete]

13. but:

In our opinion, and from our experience, there is nothing in South Vietnam which could happen that realistically threatens the United States of America. And to attempt to justify the loss of one American life in Vietnam, Cambodia, or Laos by linking such loss to the preservation of freedom, which those misfits supposedly abuse, is to us the height of criminal hypocrisy, and it is that kind of hypocrisy which we feel has torn this country apart.

http://www.democracynow.org/2004/2/20/john_kerry_then_hear_kerrys_historic

[Little Star]

14. +1000000000000000000000000

[reformist2]

16. Sorry Mr. Kerry: You cannot just state you have the authority - point to where it is written!

[alcibiades_mystery]

17. Obama said that himself in his speech yesterday

Yet, while I believe I have the authority to carry out this military action without specific congressional authorization, I know that the country will be stronger if we take this course, and our actions will be even more effective.

[Catherina]

18. It's become surreal. n/t