Here is what the President could say to the nation on Tuesday that would go a long way towards...

[markpkessinger]

... restoring my confidence in him as President. I thought of this when I was thinking about what the President would say to the nation on Tuesday. I really think he should not continue to try to sell us on his strategy. The American people are opposed, and are really pretty clear about why they are opposed. They have heard the President's argument, and they understand it. They simply disagree with it. So then I began wondering, what would I like to hear from the President? What would help restore some confidence in him as a leader. Here is what I came up with.

My fellow Americans:

Many people, including some of my own staff, were shocked when last week I announced that I was presenting to Congress,my case for, and asking for its authorization for, limited military strikes against the government of Syria, in order to send a message to the Syrian government that the community of civilized nations will not tolerate the use of chemical weapons by a government against its own people. I believed then, and I believe now, that it is critically important that President Bashar al Assad be forced to bear a heavy price for his use of those weapons, and it was and is my belief that a series of limited, targeted strikes against Syrian military installations would be the best way to impose that price.

I believe that that the evidence clearly establishes that the chemical attacks of several weeks ago were carried out by the Syrian government, and that we presented a solid case to Congress in support of our proposed action. However, many others have disagreed with my Administration's determination as to both the validity of that evidence, and/or the interpretation of it. And in the course of the past week, the American people have made their will abundantly clear that they are overwhelmingly opposed to the course of action I have proposed. Whenever the United States engages another country militarily, it is crucial to the success of the mission that the nation stands united behind that mission. To undertake any such mission without such support is a fool's errand. Therefore, in light of the vote by Congress against such military strikes, and in acknowledgment of the clearly voiced will of the American people, I am hereby withdrawing my proposal for limited military strikes against the government of Syria.

I remain utterly convinced, however, that the international community must take a firm stand against the use of chemical weapons. Therefore, in the coming days, I will be presenting to Congress and to foreign leaders a series of proposals for economic sanctions, including the freezing of President Bashar's assets held in other nations, as well as discussing any and all available diplomatic means that can be brought to bear in order to express the world's outrage over the use of chemical weapons.

Thank you.

[Scootaloo]

1. Wouldn't that be nice?

[markpkessinger]

2. Wishful thinking, I realize . . .

. . . but seriously, something along those lines would be a face-saving way out of the corner he's painted himself into.

[MoonRiver]

3. Tuesday might be too soon, but maybe later on.

Hope, hope, hope.

[markpkessinger]

4. I believe that's when his address to the nation is scheduled . . .

My point is, I don't think he will help his cause one bit by yet again laying out the administration's argument. I think from a political standpoint and a leadership standpoint, he would do well to acknowledge that his view, while sincerely held, is not sufficiently widely supported to warrant proceeding with his original plan. I think the American people would respect that. I don't think they'll respect being browbeaten with the same arguments he has already made.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

5. Such a position would have been tenable if his Secretary Of State didn't compare Assad To Hitler

“Bashar al-Assad now joins the list of Adolf Hitler and Saddam Hussein who have used these weapons in time of war,”

[markpkessinger]

6. Good point. Kerry's rhetoric . . .

. . . has been reckless and irresponsible.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

7. The president compared it to The Blitz

President Obama has compared America’s reluctance to back military action in Syria with its reluctance more than 70 years ago to help Britain during the Blitz.

[markpkessinger]

8. Also a rash and reckless statement n/t

[DemocratSinceBirth]

9. I don't see how he can walk this back.

Because he will be reminded of his and his surrogates words. It's not just administration officials its members of his own party who have been parroting that line at his request.

This is a political, a moral, and a geo-strategic catastrophe.

[markpkessinger]

10. That it is, sad to say. n/t

[DemocratSinceBirth]

11. I hate cliches but maybe he's playing some game of eleven dimensional chess

I hate cliches but maybe he's playing some game of eleven dimensional chess that folks like me are incapable of understanding. On the other hand sometimes things are what they are.