President Obama Addresses the Nation on the ISIL Threat

[alp227]

Read full remarks at Whitehouse.gov.

[dixiegrrrrl]

1. Thank you for the transcript link.

For us who have no access to tv.

[BlueStreak]

2. Video replay or no, he didn't say anything

I don't get why he even made this speech. That was about the strangest thing I have hear from a W.H. podium.

He didn't recount the chain of blunders that got us to this point.

He didn't call out McCain and the Saudis for putting ISIL in business.

He didn't call for a declaration of war.

He didn't really say anything we will do as part of this "strategy." I understand it might not be smart to provide such plans, but then why call a prime time speech?

And that whole thing about "the Iraqis have to stand up for themselves" is so bogus. They are having a Civil War that we brought upon them. Who would expect any of them to fight for our interests? The army, which is primarily Shia saw no reason to die standing up to ISI, which is Sunni. Much easier to just walk away.

So what was this speech anyway? It wasn't inspirational. It wasn't educational. It didn't ask for a sacrifice. What was it?

[ballyhoo]

5. It was a monologue saying "I am going to do something..."

[blkmusclmachine]

3. "Threat"

[tularetom]

4. Why didn't he dump the whole mess in Congress's lap?

Just ask them for a war powers resolution similar to the one that bush got for the last Iraq CF. Tell them he needs a blank check from them to deal with this "existential threat".

They won't know whether to shit or go blind. They don't want another Iraq war vote hung around their neck and they won't want to be on record supporting anything Obama asks for, but at the same time they have to appease their idiot "base" who wants them to bomb the entire Middle East off the map.

I thought Obama was a better poker player.