Trump blasts Obama for using Trump approach in Syria

[Tom Rinaldo]

I've seen some recent media coverage of the tweets Trump made a few years back urging Obama to stay out of Syria. Here 's some coverage in "The Hill from that time:

Trump: Obama should ‘stay out’ of Syria
By Meghashyam Mali - 04/29/13 11:41 AM EDT
http://thehill.com/video/in-the-news/296631-trump-obama-should-stay-out-of-syria

"The billionaire and frequent Obama critic dismissed growing calls for the U.S. to provide more assistance to rebel forces seeking the ouster of Syrian President Bashar Assad, amid claims the strongman may have used chemical weapons, crossing President Obama's “red line.”

“Al Qaeda is a member and a very strong member and really pushing the rebels, so now what we are going to be doing if we do this is funding al Qaeda, which is just what we’ve been doing,” said Trump, citing Islamist elements in the opposition forces.

Trump’s comments come as calls from lawmakers to take action against Assad’s regime intensified after the White House said last week that it had evidence chemical weapons had been used. Obama had warned that such an action would invite a U.S. response, but last week the administration said it needed more time to continue gathering evidence...

...“From a human rights standpoint, from a human standpoint we’ve been through this before,” Trump said. “Who knows what weapons they have, who really knows what weapons they have? But wouldn’t you think maybe it’s time to stay out of one of these?”

OK, so here's the kicker, and I'm surprised that no one else seems to be making this obvious connection: Obama then followed the Trump playbook for Syria. Obama worked together with Russian President Vladimir Putin to broker a deal inside Syria. That is what Trump campaigned on for all of 2016. Trump said that the U.S. has common interests in Syria with Putin, and that we should seek to work together with Russia to advance them. And that is exactly what Obama did. He didn't send cruise missiles into Syria after Syria used chemical weapons (and after the Republican controlled U.S. Congress signaled opposition to the use of the U.S.military in response.) No, Obama worked with Putin to guarantee that Syria gave up it's chemical weapon stockpiles, with Russia taking an active role in assuring full implementation of the accord.

It's not just that Trump once told Obama to stay out of Syria. He instead advocated, as an alternative, that the U.S. work closer with Russia in Syria to pursue joint ends. And that is what Obama did vis a vis Syria crossing that "red line". We struck a deal with Putin (who of course also claims to be against the use of chemical weapons). The U.S. didn't attack Syria and Putin "got Assad to agree" to give up and destroy his entire stockpile of chemical weapons.

Obama tried the Trump plan. The Trump plan didn't work.

[Jonny Appleseed]

1. "Russia taking possession of them for destruction"

Barry, I know you're a bit of a starry eyed optimist, but come on.

[Tom Rinaldo]

2. I just went back and did more research. That quoted line is mistaken - and I changed it

This is a more accurate summary: Gas was taken out of Syria and destroyed by a number of nations. For example:

"On 15 November, the OPCW approved a plan to transport Syria's chemical weapons to a location outside its territory by 5 February 2014, where the weapons would then be destroyed.[83] Acceptance of shipments of the 1,000 tons of chemical agents for destruction have been refused by most countries approached by the OPCW.[76][84] As of November 2013, Belgium and France were still considering whether to agree to such shipments.[76][83][84]

The countries of Norway and Denmark agreed to transport the chemical weapons from Syria to Italy where they were to be handed over to a United States Navy ship for destruction in international waters..."
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Destruction_of_Syria%27s_chemical_weapons#Implementation

But I think you missed the point in your derogatory reference to Obama. Russia doesn't need nations like Syria to supply itself with Chemical weapons. Russia has the capacity and needed secrecy to make as much as they want on their own any time they want to.

[Jonny Appleseed]

3. It's not really derogatory, Obama being an optimist to a fault is a self-admitted character flaw

He said he thought the office would humble Trump in the final press conference, to which he claimed that even Michelle thought he was being naive.