CNN- Russia Asks Syrian Leader To Put Chemical Weapons Under International Control

[DemocratSinceBirth]

That seems like a face saving and war averting solution for everybody.


Interesting, to say the least...

[geek tragedy]

1. Wait, wuh?

this should be interesting

[DemocratSinceBirth]

3. Per Carol Costello/nt

[geek tragedy]

5. If so, this means major backchannel dealmaking going on between Obama and Putin.

No way Putin does this without pressure.

[wandy]

8. Do I ever hope this is the case, and do you know what............

I hope it comes about because Obama and Putin had a "sit-down".
Obama is one heck of a negotiator. Far better than as a 'war president'.

If anyone could talk this mess to ground it would be President Obama.
That would defiantly be shine on.

[TwilightGardener]

2. UN-escorted shipments to where they can be secured and destroyed--give it three months.

Throw in another carrot for Russia--we'll stop arming and training rebels if Assad allows this.

[panader0]

4. Just heard that too

It makes sense, therefore it probably won't happen.
But I can hope.

[JustAnotherGen]

6. +1

I think it's an excellent idea regardless of who it comes from.

[cthulu2016]

7. link >

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2013/09/09/russia-syria/2785703/

[VanillaRhapsody]

9. I think that was part of the plan all along...

...and it would take Russia to push Assad for it to happen. You cannot make an idle threat like that though....you have to be willing to follow through and in order to get Russia on board would mean having to make the kinds of threats of war that have been made.

Let's see....Russia is forced to push Assad to turn over his Chemical Weapons to International Authority and the Teabaggers were forced to go against their grain and fight against a war...

Is that not brilliant or what?

[TwilightGardener]

11. Russia might be afraid that Assad falls and those chem weapons end up

being used against them or their interests in the region. It's really just best for all parties if the weapons are gone--EXCEPT for Assad, whose family has been lovingly collecting and hoarding them for decades.

[warrior1]

10. kick

looks like Obama is winning this stalemate.

[VanillaRhapsody]

13. I keep reminding people not to underestimate this man....

he is a force to be reckoned with....

Oh ye of little faith...

[ChangeUp106]

12. I will give the President a ton of credit if something good comes of this news

But we will wait and see. The push is still on for a strike.

[KoKo]

14. That's what the UN is there for. And, this is a solution Russia and China

would both support. Bring in Weapons Inspectors and secure the weapons...keep them under some UN Peacekeeping Troops Guard and out of the hands of Rebels and Assad.

That would be the solution....but, if we are supposed to be in a Proxy War...supporting Saudi's (and involved the oil and gas pipeline dispute) then that wouldn't fly because "some" want those CW to be there as the excuse to do the air strikes and then to remove Assad allowing the rebels to take over.

I think Russia called them out. Now we will see if a reasonable solution gets support from Ban-Ki-Moon and from some of our "usual allies" that are lukewarm on a strike or as in the case of GB voted the strike down.

[LittleBlue]

15. Haha no, this has nothing to do Obama

It's Putin isolating Obama from public support. He can claim later that Obama recklessly went to war despite alternative measures.

The BOG crowd trying to claim this is more of Obama's 8 dimensional chess

[KoKo]

16. Whichever....It's still a solution "IF" Chemical Weapons is the "real"

reason for this Attack and not eventual boots on the ground.

[KoKo]

26. RT Reporting that Ban-Ki-Moon is onboard with UN Securing Weapons...

also said that Putin took Kerry's statement about Syria removing CW in 7 days literally and that's why he made the proposal. They are also reporting that Kerry said he wasn't really serious about the offer.

Anyway...Russia is taking the lead for a solution and they can work with Assad on and if he doesn't agree they can cut off aid and weapons to him. Hopefully we will agree that the UN is the solution for marking, securing and eventual disposal of the CW. In the meantime they would be under UN Guard..keeping them out of Assad or Rebels hands.

[The Straight Story]

17. Uh, no.

The russians vetoed our efforts before - this time they know we don't care about their veto power in the UN so will actually do something instead of just whining about it like before.

If this is Putin - why didn't he do something last year when we asked the UN to step in instead of joining up with China to veto?

[LittleBlue]

19. If this is Obama

then why did Obama pointlessly face an embarrassing defeat in congress for no reason?

That he's even in this position is a result of an unexpected failure in Britain's parliament. And he's facing a 300-vote bludgeoning in the House.

Sorry, even Machiavelli would laugh at this claim.

[The Straight Story]

20. Not saying it was planned, but

He could have struck without congress, was able to delay doing so while the UN finishes up, and just the threat of doing it has brought Russia to the table.

Do nothing, nothing happens. Strike quickly and lose a bargaining chip. Take time to move forces into position, let them know you are serious, and if nothing changes then strike.

I know most people would handle it by writing off those people as assad's property to do with as he pleases - but Obama has been in a situation with Syria before and found that simply going one route, the UN, did nothing.

He got the world's, and DU's, attention this time.

[LittleBlue]

22. He could also face impeachment

and an embarrassing outcome in Syria. He punted to congress knowing that he's backed himself into a corner with poorly conceived "red line" claim. It's one of the primary rules of strategy: never back yourself into a corner with hasty declarations. He's spent every moment since maneuvering his way around that statement.

With Kerry running around making fools of the administration, he is probably eager to end it before a damaging vote occurs. If his intention was to go to war anyway, he made a serious error deferring to congress. Now he will face charges of violating the constitution in dictatorial fashion if he goes.

[TwilightGardener]

21. Maybe he isn't going to be all that embarrassed by the vote?

I'm not sure why people assume that it would be some sort of horrible tragedy for him. He's doing the right thing--both insisting that Assad must pay for violating the chem weapon ban, and insisting that Congress must participate in the decision as to how to proceed. If no airstrikes, then no airstrikes. History will remember him as doing what Reagan DIDN'T do in terms of chem warfare.

[LittleBlue]

23. The most recent comments are that there aren't 100 votes

in the House. Meaning the vote would be a margin greater than 335 to 100. That's a political beating.

Which is precisely why Kerry is backtracking today and demanding the turning over of chemical weapons.

[TwilightGardener]

24. No, I don't think it's backtracking--seems more like a plot twist.

But if you're determined to find Obama as the loser or a failure no matter the circumstance, then go right ahead. Give your contempt for the man an outlet.

[andym]

18. A good solution if Assad will listen, otherwise further rounds of gas attacks

are likely down the road. A much better solution than an attack, and Russia has tremendous power here: all they have to do is threaten to abstain from a veto and its likely that the UN will sanction attacks against Syria, so Assad is likely to think over this offer.

[The Link]

25. Cue Russia being seen as the voice of reason internationally being spun as Obama's grand plan...

[TwilightGardener]

27. I don't think most other countries trust Russia or hold it in high regard, or as

a "voice of reason".

[NCTraveler]

28. I picture many Russian planes going to Syria.....

filled to the rim with conventional weapons to make this happen.