Kerry: Syria attack to be 'unbelievably small' (No, not the Onion, Borowitz, etc.)

[MannyGoldstein]

I. Can't. Stand. These. People. Anymore.

Kerry's right: it's un believable.

From The Guardian, emphases mine:

John Kerry gives Syria week to hand over chemical weapons or face attack

The US secretary of state has said that President Bashar al-Assad has one week to hand over his entire stock of chemical weapons to avoid a military attack. But John Kerry added that he had no expectation that the Syrian leader would comply.

...

Kerry said the Americans were planning an "unbelievably small" attack on Syria. "We will be able to hold Bashar al-Assad accountable without engaging in troops on the ground or any other prolonged kind of effort in a very limited, very targeted, short-term effort that degrades his capacity to deliver chemical weapons without assuming responsibility for Syria's civil war. That is exactly what we are talking about doing – unbelievably small, limited kind of effort."

So let me be clear," he continued. "The United States of America, President Obama, myself, others are in full agreement that the end of the conflict in Syria requires a political solution."

...

Kerry said he did not know if Obama would release further intelligence proving the culpability of Assad in the chemical weapons attack, saying the administration had already released an unprecedented amount of information.

Of course, Kerry and Obama are telling McCain et al that this will be a sweeping, expansive effort.

I just can't stand this anymore. Saying anything to anyone without shame has now become acceptable.

[bowens43]

1. any attack is war

[MannyGoldstein]

3. But.. but... c'mon guys, it's *unbelievably* small.

We're going to drop Nerf footballs one foot into Syrian territory. If that's too dangerous, then we'll pretend we're Assad and order a pizza to his house.

OK? Can we? Please?

[Cryptoad]

37. Funny how yall think

the only response has to be like the GOP's mindset responses.

[Dash87]

39. We're going to steal the lawn gnomes out of his garden too!

Yeah, we're going there.

[cali]

2. Just call him Baghdad Johnny.

The shit coming out of his mouth is unbelievable.

[leveymg]

4. Memo to John K: The Pentagon has already "adjusted' that detail. See below.

Pentagon adjusts plans for more intense attacks on Syria
http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2013/09/09/201512/pentagon-adjusts-plans-for-more.html

Pentagon adjusts plans for more intense attacks on Syria
Posted on Monday, September 9, 2013
By DAVID S. CLOUD | Tribune Washington Bureau

WASHINGTON — The Pentagon is preparing for a longer bombardment of Syria than it originally had planned, with a heavy barrage of missile strikes followed soon after by more attacks against targets that the opening salvos missed or failed to destroy, officials said.

The planning for intense attacks over a three-day period reflects the growing belief in the White House and the Pentagon that the U.S. needs more firepower to inflict even minimal damage on Syrian President Bashar Assad's forces, which have been widely dispersed over the last two weeks, the officials said.

Two U.S. officers said the White House asked for an expanded target list in recent days to include many more than the 50 or so targets on the initial list. As a result, Pentagon planners are weighing whether to use Air Force bombers, in addition to five warships now on patrol in the eastern Mediterranean Sea, to launch cruise missiles and air-to-surface missiles from hundreds of miles offshore, well out of range of Syrian air defenses.

Syria is also within range of an aircraft carrier strike group in the Red Sea, which includes one cruiser and three destroyers, all capable of firing cruise missiles.

[durablend]

7. Apparently he didn't get the memo n/t

[Cryptoad]

38. you seem not

to understand how war plans are drawn up at the top.... the Pentagon has plans ranging from a very small personal attack on Assad to a WW3 scenario and every thing end between....

[leveymg]

41. Please, don't explain to me what I do or don't understand

unless you have some particular reason to believe that you understand it better. That isn't readily apparent on its face.

[Cryptoad]

44. You are one whose postings are nto accurate.

If you don't wont to confronted with it. dont post it!

[Smarmie Doofus]

5. Oh no he di'n't!

There's degrading and "degrading".

This is friggin' degrading.

[The Link]

6. He makes himself sound like such an idiot with that statement.

[MannyGoldstein]

8. It's almost Romney-esque

Does this thing have an "off" switch?

[enough]

24. I'm wondering what switched it on. (nt)

[ProSense]

9. "unbelievably small, limited kind of effort"

Keep twisting his words. He obviously was refering to the scale of the operation.

[MannyGoldstein]

11. Um. Yes. Those were his words. Your point? nt

[ProSense]

12. I think you know my point, but carry on. n/t

[MannyGoldstein]

14. The point whose name cannot be uttered? nt

[jsr]

10. It's going to be minuscule, negligible, microscopic

[warrant46]

18. Just an aside on the photo ---That guy has had massive Botox treatments

Either that or his kidneys are not functioning. He looks Bloated

[pscot]

26. I've been wondering about that

[Divernan]

27. "Moon face" from long term use of steroids?

Cancer patients are warned that the steroids they take to prevent an allergic reaction to the chemo can create a puffy "moon face" and make them put on weight;

[warrant46]

28. I hope thats not his issue

I don't like his push on Syria-- However I certainly don't wish him physical pain and suffering

[Divernan]

29. Me neither; but his appearance is so severely altered as to merit an explanation.

If he has major health issues, he is not in shape to handle the pressures and stress of negotiating life & death; war % peace matters.

[warrant46]

35. Yes you are correct

He didn't look like this a few months ago

[Cryptoad]

40. Hope you aint sick John-wishes

But yall are willing to allowAssad to use WDM's again ,,,,, what wrong with this picture?

[leveymg]

49. You're sniping again. Please don't attribute hidden motives or agendas to other members.

Most of us have reached the conclusion that a US military attack on Syria will simply further splinter an already fragmented command and control over the military. Like throwing fuel on a fire. The use of chemical weapons by both sides would be more not less likely after an attack on the regime.

So, please don't attribute to any of us a willingness to allow the renewed use of CWs, when that is what we are trying to prevent.

Your comments aren't constructive.

[Cryptoad]

52. NOt sniping

when some one post something and its logic is flawed , you are saying no one should point it out?

[TwilightGardener]

30. That's what I think is going on.

He seriously does not look like himself, and that droopy/off-kilter right eye says to me he might have some nerve issues going on.

[jsr]

32. He didn't look bloated in another recent pic

[truth2power]

42. But his fingers don't look puffy. I wonder if someone didn't do a little Photoshopping

on that photo. He really looks grotesque there. But there's a more normal photo futher downthread.

[warrant46]

43. I guess we blame that on Syria too

[jsr]

50. Doubt it. They look the same as in the WP story:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/reliable-source/wp/2013/09/04/john-kerrys-face-looks-different-exhaustion-illness-botox/
John Kerry’s face looks different: Exhaustion, illness, Botox?

[truth2power]

55. Ya' know, I don't have any use for Kerry. He's such a sell-out, but I wonder if

Theresa is more ill than the public has been told. If so, that would account for his appearance. Couldn't blame him.

[Butterbean]

13. Unless it's just the top brass who are calling for/starting these wars in the first place,

all locked in a room together, duking it out on their own with nobody else involved, it's not small enough for me.

[L0oniX]

56. You mean like this?

[Autumn]

15. Obviously Kerry hasn't gotten the memo.

I find it very perplexing that I know more about the Pentagons plans than he does. Unless he's lying.

[KurtNYC]

20. He's selling. Just telling some what they want to hear.

It reminds me of those telemarketers that have a binder with tabs and whatever the prospect objects to, they flip to that tab and start reading.

P: What are you selling?
JK: I'm not selling anything. Just wanted to make you aware of an unbelievable offer!
P: No thank you. We don't want any more wars. We already have 2.
JK: (flips to "war" tab) Oh it's not a war. It's just a shot across the bow. An unbelievably small shot across the bow. And you act now it's free -- the Saudis will pay for the whole thing.
P: Wasn't the Iraq war going to be free too?
JK: ummm...one second...(there is not tab for that one)...um, did I mention "no boots on the ground"?

"Unbelievable" is the word for it.

[Cronus Protagonist]

16. Truth has become irrelevant

These days it's a currency that's not wanted in the world markets.

[Crimson76]

17. "really guys, its almost like we are doing them a favor"

[Little Star]

19. k&r

[hootinholler]

21. I now have a vision

Of a marine in a zodiac tossing a grenade onto a beach and speeding off.

[adirondacker]

36. I was thinking a SEAL team dropping in and letting off a pack of firecrackers. nt

[deutsey]

46. Or knocking on Assad's door and leaving a burning pile of shit on his doorstep

before running away.

[Divernan]

22. A fraction of a feather-light scintilla of a war; blink & you'll miss it!

Evidently Kerry, on Obama's tight rein, is treating the rest of the world with the same condescending & insulting belief in its gullibility as Obama attempts with the American public. Note to the White House: here's a quarter - buy a clue. Only the bots are gullible enough to believe or trust your war-obsessed spin machine.

[Solly Mack]

23. Alrighty then.

[TwilightGardener]

25. Tiny, even! No, seriously, Kerry should have taken a day or two to get some sleep

and down time, instead of jetting off to England. He needs to step back a little, consider his message instead of engaging in more salesmanship--no matter how anyone feels about the proposed action, gaffes and "rhetorical" peace proposals don't do us any good.

[NCarolinawoman]

33. A quote from the Scottish poet Robert Burns:

"O would some power the gift to give us to see ourselves as others see us."

Hopefully, he can take a break somehow and step away.

[Marr]

31. A sweeping, expansive, unbelievably small strike.

Eh...

[KG]

34. like a wafer-thin mint.

[MNBrewer]

45. Just mind-boggling

I suppose there is a statistical chance that a single thing they say about their war plans may be true, given how many things they've said about it, but all the conflicting things have to therefore be UNTRUE by extension.

When are we allowed to start calling these untrue things LIES? And when are we allowed to start calling the people who say these untrue things LIARS?

I don't see why Obama is rushing us into war with Syria.

[rock]

47. A person with a hammer sees all problems as nails

Did you ever see how a person with a gun drives a nail?

[OnyxCollie]

48. "...one week to hand over his entire stock of chemical weapons..."

Who determines what "entire" means?

When UN inspectors couldn't find WMD in Iraq, Rummy said that was evidence of Saddam's deception.

[truth2power]

51. It's become like farce, hasn't it? Someone in the comments section over at Common Dreams this a.m...

described Kerry as a "tiresome, cadaverous, horseface" trying to sell the American people this bill of goods.

Gave me a little chuckle to start off my day. One has to find humor wherever one can these days.

[David__77]

53. Again, there is definitely something in his water supply.

This is getting weirder and weirder.

[Dragonfli]

54. The problem is, when you pull out your missile it starts out small sure, very small in fact on hawks

Then you stroke it a couple of times and it gets bigger, you get more excited and stroke it some more and it gets bigger still. Then there is an exquisite explosion full of gratifying pleasure and you are left with a mess in your hands.

Please, Mr Secretary, no one wants to see your missile, for God's sake just control yourselves and keep it in your pants before somebody gets hurt, or you go blind (to human casualties to include children).


And resist the urge to continue taking that supplement that keeps stiffening your war resolve!

[markiv]

57. Kerry does have strong credibility on the unbelievable nt

[Ian_rd]

58. This is what happens when you decide on a course of action without first thinking it through

We don't want to help the rebels, many of whom are terrorists. So the attack will be "unbelievably small" so it doesn't give them an advantage. But if it's so small, it also won't hurt the Assad government. And if it doesn't hurt the government, then it will not actually have any punitive effect. And also therefore not serve as a deterrent against further use of chemical weapons.

But oh shit, now that we already SAID we'd do it, we have to or we'll look weak. No matter that it was stupid to say it in the first place.

This "when in doubt, bomb someone" bullshit is currently on display for its idiocy.

[frylock]

59. courageous and honorable

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

60. Cruise Missile..

l

(actual size)