Blinken briefing: U.S. to take a hard look at the Russia/Syria proposal to secure chemical weapons.

[pnwmom]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/middle_east/john-kerry-in-london-campaigns-for-world-to-support-military-strike-against-syria/2013/09/09/e8ad7a72-193d-11e3-80ac-96205cacb45a_story.html

In a White House news briefing, Blinken said, “We want to take a hard look at the proposal” and talk to the Russians about it. He noted that the international community has tried for 20 years to get Syria to sign on to the Chemical Weapons Convention and that Assad only last week refused to admit that he even has chemical weapons, “despite overwhelming evidence.”

He said U.S. intelligence believes that Assad ultimately controls the deployment of chemical weapons in Syria.

“We would welcome Assad giving up his chemical weapons and doing it in a verifiable manner,” Blinken said. He added that “unfortunately the track record to date” does not inspire confidence.

[DonViejo]

1. I'm guessing everyone still believes Presidents Putin

and Obama didn't meet or speak with one another during the G20 meeting, huh?

[Harmony Blue]

2. If they are second guessing this proposal

they are nuts.

[pnwmom]

4. If they acted too eager they might get Assad to run in the opposite direction.

Reverse psychology on the dictator might be the perfect tactic.

[JoePhilly]

3. Keep the pressure on.

Assad buys himself some time with the international community if he makes a deal.

[Harmony Blue]

6. Pressure on for what a strike?

...how about a deal instead?

[JoePhilly]

8. Maintain the pressure, until we have the deal.

Assad will walk away from the deal if we take strikes off the table before the deal is made.

I should also mention that Congress would really like a deal. They never wanted to take an official position on any of this.

Much easier to whine and second guess from the sidelines than take a position on something as complex as this.

[LittleBlue]

5. They don't really have a choice

The moment those words left Kerry's mouth, it offered a path down this road. They want strikes, but with so much congressional opposition, Putin offered him the only option out of this.

Obama avoids an embarrassing vote, and Putin gets to be peacemaker and a big political boost. Even though it's only a ploy by the Russians to support Assad, it may be the only option the administration has available.

[pnwmom]

7. Maybe those words of Kerry's were a purposeful trial balloon. n/t

[David__77]

9. The solution is to restore normal relations with Damascus and vote NO to intervention.

Good things can happen.