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Post by jeffolie on Aug 31, 2013 11:55:06 GMT -6
Obama aides to brief Senators on Saturday, House members Sunday as Syria strike looms With the United States edging closer to a possible military strike on Syria, President Barack Obama on Saturday ramped up efforts to convince skeptical American lawmakers and wary international partners of the need to act. Obama’s top national security aides planned to hold the first of two days of weekend briefings for Congress. And the president and top aides were expected to continue consultations with foreign allies. Senate Republicans and Democrats were to get separate briefings on Saturday. House members of both parties received an invitation to attend a members-only classified briefing at 2 p.m. ET Sunday. It was not clear what the weekend sessions meant for the timing of a possible attack. Obama has signaled that he does not think he needs explicit congressional authorization to make war on Bashar Assad’s regime — but it seemed somewhat unlikely that the president would pull the trigger before the Sunday briefing.National Security Adviser Susan Rice, Secretary of State John Kerry, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel, Director of National Intelligence James Clapper, and the vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Admiral James Winnefeld, were to update Senators via an unclassified conference call "this afternoon," a senior administration official said. The calls aimed “to continue the Administration's consultations regarding the Assad regime's use of chemical weapons in Syria on August 21,” the official told reporters by email. House members were to get briefed on Sunday, according to a message from Republican House Speaker John Boehner. “Please note, that if your Member is unable to participate that this will be one of many classified briefings. However, given the numerous requests made, the Speaker wanted Members to have an opportunity this weekend,” according to the message. Boehner also invited representatives to review the Obama Administration’s classified intelligence finding that the Assad regime was behind an Aug. 21 chemical weapons attack. Lawmakers were required to review the document in person in the offices of the House Intelligence Committee. The briefings come after administration officials briefed House Armed Services Committee and House Foreign Affairs Committee members on Friday. Republican Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell’s office announced the Senate GOP briefing late Friday, saying it was being held at his request. “Sen. McConnell believes it’s important for the whole Conference to have the opportunity to communicate directly with the administration on this important issue,” spokesman Don Stewart said in a statement. The briefings came at a time when a growing chorus of lawmakers was insisting that Obama secure explicit congressional authorization for any military action against Assad’s regime in Damascus. The White House repeatedly has said it will “consult” with Congress, but has made it clear Obama does not think he needs the green light from lawmakers. The Republican Senate briefing was to occur at 1 p.m. Washington time. It was not immediately clear at what time Democrats were to get their briefing. news.yahoo.com/-obama-aides-to-brief-all-senators-as-syria-strike-looms--130540322.html
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Post by jeffolie on Aug 31, 2013 11:55:48 GMT -6
Obama aides to brief Senators on Saturday, House members Sunday as Syria strike looms With the United States edging closer to a possible military strike on Syria, President Barack Obama on Saturday ramped up efforts to convince skeptical American lawmakers and wary international partners of the need to act. Obama’s top national security aides planned to hold the first of two days of weekend briefings for Congress. And the president and top aides were expected to continue consultations with foreign allies. Senate Republicans and Democrats were to get separate briefings on Saturday. House members of both parties received an invitation to attend a members-only classified briefing at 2 p.m. ET Sunday. It was not clear what the weekend sessions meant for the timing of a possible attack. Obama has signaled that he does not think he needs explicit congressional authorization to make war on Bashar Assad’s regime — but it seemed somewhat unlikely that the president would pull the trigger before the Sunday briefing.National Security Adviser Susan Rice, Secretary of State John Kerry, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel, Director of National Intelligence James Clapper, and the vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Admiral James Winnefeld, were to update Senators via an unclassified conference call "this afternoon," a senior administration official said. The calls aimed “to continue the Administration's consultations regarding the Assad regime's use of chemical weapons in Syria on August 21,” the official told reporters by email. House members were to get briefed on Sunday, according to a message from Republican House Speaker John Boehner. “Please note, that if your Member is unable to participate that this will be one of many classified briefings. However, given the numerous requests made, the Speaker wanted Members to have an opportunity this weekend,” according to the message. Boehner also invited representatives to review the Obama Administration’s classified intelligence finding that the Assad regime was behind an Aug. 21 chemical weapons attack. Lawmakers were required to review the document in person in the offices of the House Intelligence Committee. The briefings come after administration officials briefed House Armed Services Committee and House Foreign Affairs Committee members on Friday. Republican Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell’s office announced the Senate GOP briefing late Friday, saying it was being held at his request. “Sen. McConnell believes it’s important for the whole Conference to have the opportunity to communicate directly with the administration on this important issue,” spokesman Don Stewart said in a statement. The briefings came at a time when a growing chorus of lawmakers was insisting that Obama secure explicit congressional authorization for any military action against Assad’s regime in Damascus. The White House repeatedly has said it will “consult” with Congress, but has made it clear Obama does not think he needs the green light from lawmakers. The Republican Senate briefing was to occur at 1 p.m. Washington time. It was not immediately clear at what time Democrats were to get their briefing. news.yahoo.com/-obama-aides-to-brief-all-senators-as-syria-strike-looms--130540322.htmlPerhaps it will start at night in Syria following the Sunday House of Reps briefing ... past such cruise missile events have been in the dark morning hours followed by observations in the light of day to determine follow up missiles to complete ineffective results.
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Post by jeffolie on Aug 31, 2013 15:11:06 GMT -6
Aug. 31, 2013 Obama to ask Congress to approve strike on Syria President: U.S. can’t turn a blind eye to chemical attack on civilians ... President Barack Obama says he has decided the U.S. should strike Syrian government targets in response to a deadly chemical weapons attack, but would seek congressional approval of any military action. NEW YORK (MarketWatch) -- President Barack Obama on Saturday said he has decided that military action against Syria is necessary, but will seek congressional authorization on the use of U.S. force to retaliate for what he called “the worst chemical weapons attack of the 21st century.” Click to Play Obama: Ready to act against Syria, but will seek authorizationPresident Obama said he favors taking military action against Syria for the alleged use of chemical weapons against its own people, but he will seek authorization from Congress before acting. “After careful deliberation, I have decided that the United States should take military action against Syrian regime targets,” Obama said in a speech in the White House Rose Garden. Obama said he believes he has the legal authority to order the strikes without consulting Congress. “But having made my decision as commander-in-chief based on what I am convinced is our national security interests, I’m also mindful that I’m the president of the world’s oldest constitutional democracy,” Obama said. “I’ve long believed that our power is rooted not just in our military might, but in our example as a government of the people, by the people, and for the people. And that’s why I’ve made a second decision: I will seek authorization for the use of force from the American people’s representatives in Congress.” Congressional leaders have said they would schedule a debate and then a vote on the use of military force against Syria when lawmakers return from their current recess, Obama said. Unless congressional leaders call back members sooner, the House and Senate are scheduled to be back at work on Sept. 9. more... www.marketwatch.com/story/obama-to-ask-congress-to-approve-strike-on-syria-2013-08-31
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Post by jeffolie on Aug 31, 2013 15:59:49 GMT -6
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Post by jeffolie on Aug 31, 2013 16:23:42 GMT -6
Russia Restructures Cyprus Debt; Cyprus Prohibits US Strikes On Syria 08/31/2013 Yesterday afternoon, Russia agreed to restructure Cyprus' EUR 2.5 billion loan terms to a much more affordable 2.5% semi-annual coupon through 2016 and a principal re-payment over the following four years. While probably still out of reach for the desparate economy, it was a positive step. Of course, this 'offer' by Russia has its quid pro quo. This morning, Foreign Minister Ioannis Kasoulides has stated that Cyprus territory will not be used to launch military strikes against Syria, as "Cyprus wants to live up to its responsibility as a shelter if needed for nationals of friendly countries who evacuate from Middle East". It would appear Obama's influence is fading everywhere... Cyprus is located ~183 nautical miles west of Syria and is the EU member nearest to Syria. Russia restructures Cyprus loan (via ITAR-TASS - ): The Russian government has endorsed restructuring of the terms of the Russian loan to Cyprus, Deputy Finance Minister Sergei Storchak told reporters Friday. “The restructuring was endorsed at the last meeting of the Cabinet,” he said Cyprus is to repay a EUR 2.5bn loan to Russia in eight semiannual installments starting in 2016, Deputy Finance Minister Sergey Storchak told reporters today, citing a revision of repayment terms approved at the latest cabinet meeting. The interest rate was lowered to 2.5% from 4.5%. Russia extended the loan in 2011 for 4.5 years. Cyprus UK Bases (via Bloomberg) The U.K. has 2 sovereign bases on Cyprus; and despite its vote against a strike, the U.K. Ministry of Defence said today 6 RAF Typhoon interceptor fast jets deploying to British base at Akrotiri in Cyprus as precautionary measure "to protect British bases on island" Cyprus Refugee Camp (via Bloomberg) Cyprus Foreign Minister Ioannis Kasoulides says his country is prepared for any influx of foreign nationals in the event of military action against Syria, in comments to reporters in Nicosia today. Cyprus can accept up to 10,000 people daily on basis they remain for 48 hours before repatriation (Cyprus received more than 40,000 evacuees from Lebanon after 2 weeks fighting between Israeli forces and Hezbollah fighters in 2006). Cyprus Refuses To Allow Strikes From Its Territory against Syria (via Bloomberg) Cyprus assured its territory won’t be used to launch military strikes against Syria, Foreign Minister Ioannis Kasoulides said, according to a transcript of his comments posted on govt’s press-office website Kasoulides commented that "Cyprus wants to live up to its responsibility as a shelter if needed for nationals of friendly countries who evacuate from Middle East" So, it would appear there is the 'quid' and the 'quo'... what next? US offers to build Cyprus casinos, Google 'Glass' for everyone, and the rights to "American Idol" for free? www.zerohedge.com/news/2013-08-31/russia-restructures-cyprus-debt-cyprus-prohibits-us-strikes-syria
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Post by jeffolie on Aug 31, 2013 17:11:40 GMT -6
And Another Deserts As NATO Says Obama On His Own08/30/2013 They are falling like flies... following the British vote not to join Obama in his latest crusade, it s now NATO's turn as Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen tells Dutch TV2 that "NATO will have no role in any military action in Syria." Of course, there's still the French; and as Rasmussen notes, should any retaliatory action take place to endanger NATO member Turkey then the situation may well change. Quoted as urging a political resolution rather than military, and supportive of the UN inspectors, Rasmussen added "A sustainable solution is a political solution. But an international reaction is necessary." Via TV2 (via Google Translate), NATO Secretary General, Anders Fogh Rasmussen, setting the stage for the defense alliance NATO will have no role in any military action in Syria. ... "I predict not a NATO role in what I here call an international reaction to the regime in Damascus, says Anders Fogh Rasmussen at a press conference in Vejle. However, it can change the situation if NATO member Turkey, which shares a border with Syria is attacked. At present, Nato keen rockets along the border in order to respond to any aggression. But even Fogh therefore does not foresee that NATO should play a role, so he believes that some form of military intervention would be important to give a clear message that the use of chemical weapons will not be tolerated. - There is not a long-term military solution to this. A sustainable solution is a political solution. But an international response is needed, says Anders Fogh Rasmussen. He does not believe that there is no doubt that President Bashar al-Assad's regime used chemical weapons. - Everyone knows that there has been a chemical attack place. Everyone has seen the terrible pictures, so there's no discussion about that there has been a chemical attack place. - Then there is a discussion about who is behind. And when you look at who has stocks and capacity, it is the regime. There is not much to suggest that it is the opposition that is behind. - And it requires a cynicism beyond what is reasonable to believe that the opposition stand behind a chemical attack in an area they already largely control, says Anders Fogh Rasmussen. Fogh stresses, however, that NATO countries support the study by UN weapons inspectors is currently doing. Inspectors are expected to leave Syria Saturday. www.zerohedge.com/news/2013-08-30/and-another-deserts-nato-says-obama-his-own
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Post by jeffolie on Sept 2, 2013 16:49:34 GMT -6
www.zerohedge.com/sites/default/files/images/user5/imageroot/2013/08-2/Nimitz%20strike%20group.jpgNimitz Rerouted To Syria As More Destroyers Arrive ... 09/01/2013 While it is unknown is the US is suddenly focusing more on non-Cyprus based air support in the aftermath of the Cypriot decision to prohibit the launch of air strikes from its territory (just in time following a Russian agreement to restructure Cyprus debt), what is known, according to Reuters, is that while broad popular opinion is that the war drums are beating far more quietly following Obama's Saturday punt to Congress (a decision which can certainly still go either way), the US has decided to reroute CVN-68 USS Nimitz, and other ships in its strike group including four destroyers, in direction west toward the Red Sea "to help support a limited U.S. strike on Syria, if needed, defense officials said on Sunday." From Reuters: The Nimitz carrier strike group, which includes four destroyers and a cruiser, has no specific orders to move to the eastern Mediterranean at this point, but is moving west in the Arabian Sea so it can do so if asked. It was not immediately clear when the ships would enter the Red Sea, but they had not arrived by Sunday evening, said one official. "It's about leveraging the assets to have them in place should the capabilities of the carrier strike group and the presence be needed," said the official. President Barack Obama on Saturday delayed imminent cruise missile strikes by five destroyers off the coast of Syria, and sought approval from Congress, a move that effectively put any strike on hold for at least nine days. The delay gives military planners more time to reassess which ships and other weapons will be kept in the region - and which may be swapped out - before the U.S. military launches what defense officials say is still intended to be a limited and narrowly targeted attack on Syria. The U.S. Navy doubled its presence in the eastern Mediterranean over the past week, effectively adding two destroyers to the three that generally patrol the region. The five destroyers are carrying a combined load of about 200 Tomahawk missiles, officials say. But that's not all: as reported yesterday, the US dispatched the USS San Antonio, an amphibious ship with 300 Marines and extensive communications equipment on board, to join five US destroyers already in proximity to Syria, diverting it from a previously scheduled mission that would have taken it farther west. It could serve as an afloat forward staging base, which could provide a temporary base for special operations forces, if they were needed. Today we learn that yet another amphibious assault ship, the USS Kearsage, with yet more marines is joining in the supposedly demilitarized fray: The USS Kearsarge, a large-deck amphibious ship that is part of a readiness group with the San Antonio, is also on the way toward the Red Sea after a port call in the United Arab Emirates, officials said. No further specific orders had been issued to the ship, they said. So to sum up: since last week, when the entire world expected the US to attack Syria imminently, and when there were "only" 5 destroyers within striking distance, now that the sentiment is that war is far less probable, the US has an additional 4 destroyers from the Nimitz group, two marine ships, and an aircraft carrier. De-escalation? Not really. Perhaps this has something to do with it - going back to the fundamental driver behind it all, Saudi Arabia, the NYT reports that the Kingdom of Saud will hardly rest peacefully until the Assad scourge is wiped off the face of the planet... and room for one or more gas and/or oil pipelines is made below a receptive Syrian government. Saudi Arabia and the other oil-rich Persian Gulf monarchies on Sunday stepped up their efforts to drum up support for Western airstrikes against Syria. With the Arab League meeting on Sunday evening for a second time to discuss responses to the Syrian crisis, Saudi Arabia’s foreign minister, Prince Saud al-Faisal, broke the kingdom’s public silence on the subject at a news conference in Cairo on Sunday afternoon, urging other Arab nations to back the Syrian rebels with military action against the government of President Bashar al-Assad after a suspected chemical weapons attack that killed hundreds. Saudi Arabia, its Gulf allies and Jordan have all pushed hard behind the scenes for Washington to lead strikes against Mr. Assad, whom they consider the most important regional ally of their greatest enemy, Iran. That pressure continued on Sunday, but until now the monarchies have refrained from publicly endorsing Western military action, presumably because the idea of Western intervention is overwhelmingly unpopular across the Arab world. Several analysts said Sunday that President Obama had badly damaged American credibility in the Arab world by appearing to back down from airstrikes just hours before many Arab government expected them to begin. “He is seen as feckless and weak, and this will give further rise to conspiracy theories that Obama doesn’t really want Assad out and it is all a big game,” said Salman Shaikh of the Brookings Doha Center. “Many Arab leaders already think that Obama’s word cannot be trusted — I am talking about his friends and allies — and I am afraid this will reinforce that belief.” more... www.zerohedge.com/news/2013-09-01/nimitz-rerouted-syria-more-destroyers-arrive-saudis-drum-support-syrian-strikes
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Post by jeffolie on Sept 6, 2013 11:00:30 GMT -6
Obama to address a skeptical nation Tuesday on Syria September 6, 2013 ST. PETERSBURG, Russia – President Obama said Friday he will take his case for military strikes in Syria to the nation in an address next week as he argued against letting “paralysis” at the United Nations stand in the way of an international response to the reported use of chemical weapons. Speaking at a news conference at the end of a two-day trip to Russia, Obama said he will address the American public from the White House on Tuesday in an attempt to win support for his plan. “In the coming days, I'll continue to consult with my fellow leaders around the world, and I will continue to consult with Congress,” he said. “And I will make the best case that I can to the American people, as well as to the international community, for taking necessary and appropriate action.” Obama said that the world doesn’t need “another statement of condemnation,” suggesting he will not leave the question of military action up to a vote of the U.N. Security Council, which has so far been unable to take action against Syria because its allies Russia and China have vetoes. “Given the Security Council paralysis on this issue, if we are serious about upholding a ban on chemical weapons use, then an international response is required,” he said. “If we end up using the U.N. Security Council not as a means of enforcing international norms and international law, but rather as a barrier to acting, then I think people rightly are going to be pretty skeptical about the system.” Obama refused to say whether he would proceed without a vote of authorization from Congress, saying only that he would continue making his case to lawmakers and to the public. Making sure the American people understand his reasoning is important “before I take action,” Obama said. Obama has been under pressure from Democratic lawmakers to make a forceful public case for the strike. Secretary of State John F. Kerry suggested earlier this week that Obama would make such a speech, although the White House said the president was not yet decided. Obama was in Russia for a meeting of leaders of the Group of 20 major economies. Immediately after he spoke, leaders of 10 nations at the G-20 summit issued a joint statement with the U.S. supporting "efforts undertaken by the United States and other countries to reinforce the prohibition on the use of chemical weapons." The Obama administration says the government of Syrian President Bashar Assad killed at least 1,429 people, including at least 426 children, in an Aug. 21 chemical attack on the suburbs of Damascus -- charges denied by the Syrian authorities. Britain and France have cited lower confirmed death tolls. "The evidence clearly points to the Syrian government being responsible for the attack, which is part of a pattern of chemical weapons use by the regime," said the statement from "leaders and representatives" of Australia, Britain, Canada, France, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Saudi Arabia, Spain and Turkey, as well as the United States. "We call for a strong international response to this grave violation of the world’s rules and conscience that will send a clear message that this kind of atrocity can never be repeated." www.latimes.com/world/worldnow/la-fg-wn-obama-syria-20130906,0,6749160.story
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