Kerry: We have to attack Syria or the rebel forces will gain strength. Er, what?

[cali]

Secretary of State John Kerry responded to the video posted by the New York Times on Thursday that appeared to show Syrian rebel fighters summarily executing regime soldiers, saying that the men in the videos are another reason why Congress needs to authorize President Obama to strike against Syria.

“I guarantee you if we turn our backs today, the picture we all saw in the paper today and the media of those people shot, that will take place more because more extremists will be attracted to this,” Kerry said in an interview with MSNBC’s Chris Hayes.

“Because they will be funded as the only alternative in order to take on Assad,” he warned.

Kerry has come under fire for his claims during congressional hearings this week that the administration estimates only “15 to 25 percent” of the estimated 70,000 to 100,000 rebel fighters are extremists, with the majority of the opposition being made up of moderates. But he defended the assertion, telling Hayes that the administration knows there are about 11 really bad opposition groups — so-called opposition,” he said.

<snip>

http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2013/09/john-kerry-warns-of-more-syrian-extremists-if-congress-votes-no/

He is so full of shit.

[Ichingcarpenter]

1. Botox May Affect the Brain-scientific study

A study now shows that Allergan Incorporated’s Botox, or botulinum neurotoxin type A, a wrinkle remedy, may move from the site of the injection to the brain. On April 2nd a study published in the Journal of Neuroscience claimed that botulism was found in the brain stems of test rats. Scientists had previously injected these rats’ whisker muscles with the botulism toxin, and tests of their brain tissue revealed these surprising results.

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A spokeswoman from Allergan, Caroline Van Hove says that more work is necessary because the study contradicts previous findings and it lacks a conclusion. In a statement, Van Hove said, “The authors used a laboratory preparation of botulinum toxin and did not use Botox, and data suggest that different preparations of botulinum toxin react differently in both the laboratory and in clinical practice.”

http://www.redorbit.com/news/health/1323984/botox_may_affect_the_brain/

I can't explain his behavior lately otherwise.

[cali]

2. I never thought highly of Kerry.

Somehow his rhetoric doesn't surprise me at all. Disgusts me, but doesn't surprise me.

[L0oniX]

35. The DC bubble causes brain disease. n/t

[David__77]

3. That's right up there with "he has to destroy the village to save the village."

..

[KoKo]

32. Well his beloved moderate insurgents just attacked an ancient Christian City in

Syria where they speak Aramaic the original language of Jesus. So....this would seem to give the lie to how these people would be more stabilizing for Syria than Assad who protected this city and Christian communities in other parts of Syria.

[Downwinder]

4. He is as loose a cannon as McCain.

[idwiyo]

5. k&r Let us bomb or we will fund 'rebels', INCLUDING AQ? Is that what he is actually said?

WTF? That's a BLACKMAIL if I ever heard one.

[Celefin]

6. So he's already moving away from 'must strike because of chemical weapons'?

That was fast. The operation hasn't even begun yet and they are also already talking about US and French fighter jets, expanded lists of targets and now also using new reasons to attack NOW that they easily could have used over all of the last 2 years...

When you spin too much you may loose your footing.

[Bolo Boffin]

7. "more extremists will be attracted to this" - not what you've mangled into your OP title.

It's easy to turn John Kerry into a fool when you get to misrepresent what he's saying.

[cali]

8. oh fucking please. It's exactly what I said and it's digusting bullshit for that man

he's desperate and so is the administration and the fear tactics are slimy and dishonest.

[Bolo Boffin]

9. What Kerry said is NOT what you made it out to be.

Are you saying you don't know how to read? Horseshit. You mangled what he said to mock him.

Kerry said extremists could grow stronger within the rebel forces if we did nothing, which is true. You made it out that we had to attack or the rebel forces would grow stronger, a foolish crazy statement meant to mock Kerry. It was rather silly of you to provide the quote that shows how badly you mangled the statement in your OP title, though. It reflects badly on you, not John Kerry.

[cali]

10. It is precisely what I said. And you fucking know it.

disgusting games that YOU are playing.

You know damned well that he's referring to bombing Syria. And as you admit, he said if we didn't "do something" the rebels will grow in strength. When he says "do something" he absolutely is talking about attacking Assad's forces. What the fuck do you think he's been pushing for like crazy over the past few days? Gonna actually deny that? Gonna claim that Kerry is advocating for some other avenue to pursue outside of a military attack? Dog Shit.

Mock him? With his idiotic comparisons to Nazis etc, it's totally unnecessary to mock him.

And no, we don't fucking know that the rebel forces will grow stronger if we don't attack. In fact, many if not most analysts believe the opposite is true.

You are the one making shit up in a ludicrous defense of the SoS.

[Bolo Boffin]

12. No, it is not, and your distracting and doubling-down defense of it is what's disgusting here.

I've explained how you have misrepresented John Kerry and mangled what he said well enough that anyone disinterested can understand it. You can curse and rant and rail all you like, but you've falsely represented what he said and that's the disgusting game going on here.

[cali]

13. could you split any more very thin hairs?

you claim that Kerry saying "if we don't do something" refers to something other than the bombing of Syria. It does not.

YOU are playing a vile game in defense of someone lying left and right.

[Bolo Boffin]

14. Now you're misrepresenting me. It's a silly game you're playing.

When have I claimed Kerry saying "if we don't do something" refers to something other than the bombing of Syria? I haven't. Produce the link or apologize to me for lying about what I've said. Right now would be good.

[cali]

15. then what the fuck is your problem with my headline?

go play your games with someone else. My op title was accurate and you fucking know it.

And fuck John Kerry. Fuck his Hitler references and fuck all of his lies.

[Bolo Boffin]

17. Your OP title is inaccurate and I've explained why already. n/t

[idwiyo]

26. After reading your explanation I agree with Cali. The title of the OP is correct.

[Bolo Boffin]

29. You're wrong, too. The rebels are not all extremists. Kerry is clearly making that distinction. n/t

[idwiyo]

31. Here, let me post a quote for you:

“I guarantee you if we turn our backs today, the picture we all saw in the paper today and the media of those people shot, that will take place more because more extremists will be attracted to this,” Kerry said in an interview with MSNBC’s Chris Hayes.

“Because they will be funded as the only alternative in order to take on Assad,” he warned.

[Bolo Boffin]

33. They, the extremists, will be funded, as opposed to more moderate rebels.

This OP is a cheap shot at John Kerry.

[idwiyo]

36. Ahhhh, those ellusive 'moderate rebels' that only Kerry knows about. Those ones...

The 'majority of rebels' according to Kerry.

[Bolo Boffin]

37. Disputing the factual basis of what Kerry said is one thing.

But the OP title goes beyond that and pretends what Kerry said is internally inconsistent and foolish.It's a cheap shot and it makes DU suck.

[idwiyo]

40. Actually I think pro-war apologists make DU suck. OP makes DU proud, IMNSHO.

[Bolo Boffin]

41. The OP mangles what John Kerry said in a cheap shot at him. That should make no one proud. n/t

[idwiyo]

42. OP is correct.

[Bolo Boffin]

43. OP is a lie as I've demonstrated. Goodbye. n/t

[idwiyo]

44. The OP will remain correct regardless of the number of times you say it's not.

I am sorry you feel this way.

[morningfog]

20. Lol, apologize right now! My feelings a hurt.

[morningfog]

19. The disgusting game is this bullshit march to a bills it war.

I know you embrace when they lie to you. But those of us who think critically find it disgusting that we are being lied into another war.

[pampango]

22. The confusion may be that some equate "rebels" with "extremists", while the other poster

seems to think that "extremists" refers to the jihadist factions of the rebels.

“I guarantee you if we turn our backs today, the picture we all saw in the paper today and the media of those people shot, that will take place more because more extremists will be attracted to this,” Kerry said in an interview with MSNBC’s Chris Hayes.

“Because they will be funded as the only alternative in order to take on Assad,” he warned.

If you substitute "rebels" in "because more extremists will be attracted to this" ("because more rebels will be attracted to this&quot , your take is correct. Kerry's statement does not make any sense.

If the other poster substitutes "jihadists" in "because more extremists will be attracted to this" ("because more jihadists will be attracted to this&quot Kerry's statement makes more sense. The jihadists have their funding no matter what. If no one funds the non-jihadist factions in the opposition, then the influence of the jihadists in the opposition grows.

I think Kerry means "jihadists" (or 'terrorists' or 'al Qaeda', etc.) when he says "extremists" because he goes on to say “Because they will be funded as the only alternative in order to take on Assad”.

Look, I think Assad's forces are guilty but a strike on them is not a good idea. It may weaken Assad militarily for a short time, but in the long run it may strengthen him because 'he stood up to the US and survived their attack'. It will make negotiations more difficult and that is the only way this will be resolved. Neither side is strong enough to win militarily alone.

They will have to negotiate a settlement in one of two directions. Either Syria remains intact and the government that emerges is based on majority and minority rights. Or, if they (the Sunni majority and/or the substantial Alawite/Shia/Christian minorities) are convinced that the Sunni majority cannot live peacefully with all the minority groups that make up much of the population, there will have to be some kind of partition. The last option is to keep the slaughter going until most Syrians are dead or refugees in other countries and someone emerges on top of an utterly destroyed country; Syria remains intact with a repressive dictatorship either of a Sunni majority repressing Alawites, Shia, Christians and other minorities or of minority groups repressing the majority Sunnis.

The first option is the best because, as a liberal, it is hard to favor any option that involves someone being repressed, but it looks very difficult to achieve given how long this conflict has gone on.

[David__77]

11. Here are some "moderate" non-AQ rebels...

That's right SADDAM HUSSEIN is popular among some "FSA" groups - there is even a battalion named after him.

[bigdarryl]

16. I told you he was a IDIOT!!!

[florida08]

18. so that means

He is taking us to get involved in the civil war that he said he was not. Wow nothing like talking out both sides of your mouth. The extremists are already there John. We all saw the execution they did yesterday in the NYTimes.

[morningfog]

21. I noticed a similarly twisted argument from Kerry.

Basically, we have to attack Assad and destroy the chemical weapons because there is a risk that those fighting Assad could overtake him and gain access to the chemical weapons. It is so circular and transparent. And it is bullshit.

[Little Star]

23. Cali, I have a question about this part of your OP article....

“I guarantee you if we turn our backs today, the picture we all saw in the paper today and the media of those people shot, that will take place more because more extremists will be attracted to this,” Kerry said in an interview with MSNBC’s Chris Hayes.

Is this the NY Times picture/video Kerry was talking about? The times has corrected their mistake, the date of the picture/video was taken in the spring of 2012 not April of 2013 as they originally stated.

http://www.nytimes.com/video/2013/09/05/multimedia/100000002421671/syrian-rebels-execute-7-soldiers.html?ref=syria

The reason I think it might be is because Alex of "Now with Alex Wagner" was a guest on Lawrence's show last night. And as they were talking about Kerry/the photo she pointed out that The Times had corrected their mistake.

[karynnj]

24. You are smarter than this - Kerry is referring to the AQ extremists, not to ALL rebels

Kerry - and everyone else has spoken of the fact that there are many different groups all - for their own reason - fighting Assad. A concern of the US is that one of them is the AQ connected rebels in that video.

Putin took the opposite approach in attacking Kerry - suggesting that he said there were no AQ in Syria, when he even when asked to gave an estimate of the percent they were of the total.

It is entirely possible if people who hate Assad because of his actions - including gassing and shelling their suburbs - see no alternative leaders other than the AQ group, that group will expand. The US pulling back could also lead many moderates to flee as refugees.

[cali]

25. I realize that he's referring to some factions- not just A-Q related, btw

but there is certainly reason to believe that U.S. bombing could empower those factions. Look, the rebel factions can't easily be divided into bad and good rebels. There are dozens of different factions that flow together and then separate and then merge again. The FSA itself is fragmented.

[ProSense]

27. Then why the distortion of his point? n/t

[karynnj]

28. His point is if the US drops support of the moderates - (ie "turns its back"), then the

moderates may give up and leave -- or worse join the worse factions because they will be the ones with money and weapons.

I really hope for something that is likely impossible - that Syria is pressured and agrees to give up chemical weapons. That would end this crisis. I don't see it happening as there is no real pressure on Syria to do so - and Russia is not pushing anything like that. I would love to see ANYONE -- Kerry, the pope, Putin or even Rand Paul broker a way to end this without war - and addressing the chemical weapons issue.

[Marr]

38. "Moderate rebels".

Sounds like a unicorn to me.

[SomethingFishy]

39. You post illustrates the problem with Syria in a nutshell.

We don't actually know who we are defending. John McCain managed to babble that we know who we support, we know who the "bad guys" are and "we know what we are doing". However when he went on his little "let me show you the good guys" tour of Syria he actually had his photo op with some kidnappers.

When you can't identify the actual "enemy" dropping bombs is probably a serious mistake.

[ocpagu]

30. Pathological liar. n/t

[L0oniX]

34. Decisions ...decisions ...which terrorist group to help out? Hezbollah or Al-Nusra?

I'll take US fuckups for $10 ...Alex

[jsr]

45. Kerry looks like shit.

[bluestate10]

46. Kerry is right about the worst elements of the rebels gaining strength if nothing is done

to Assad. If nothing is done but talk, the worst elements of the rebel side will have a golden tool that allows them to get money and more fighters, because "no one but them care". Striking Assad won't solve any problems other than re-enforce the world's restriction on the use of chemical weapons. One other possibility from a strike on Assad is that the strike tips the balance in the civil war enough that Assad will feel the need to negotiate, but the world must be ready to drive serous negotiations and must have Iran and Saudi Arabia at the table.