Kerry: '100 Percent' Chance Assad Will Launch More Chemical Attacks Without Intervention

[Coyotl]

Source: theatlanticwire.com

Secretary of State John Kerry is advocating for military action in Syria before the House Foreign Affairs Committee on Wednesday, a day after his somewhat shaky performance on the other side of the Capitol.

The meeting is part of the Obama administration's campaign to get Congressional sign-off on its plan to launch retributive strikes against the regime of Syria's Bashar al Assad for its alleged use of chemical weapons in an attack last month. As Kerry entered, a protester confronted the secretary in opposition to the effort, but with far less energy than Tuesday's Code Pink protests. While he offered his opening remarks, protesters held up hands stained in red, one with pink tape over her mouth.

Kerry is joined before the committee by Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs General Martin Dempsey — the same pair that joined him before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Tuesday. Following that appearance, committee chairman Sen. Bob Menendez and ranking member Sen. Bob Corker unveiled a slightly more restrictive resolution that would grant the administration the authority it sought.

Read more: http://www.theatlanticwire.com/politics/2013/09/kerry-returns-capitol-hill-time-sway-house-syria/69035/

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GD:
**** LIVE on C-SPAN: House Hearing on Military Force in Syria *****
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[delrem]

3. "his fan base".

war propagandist

[arcane1]

6. His fan base? You're with us or with the terrorists? Or with Assad?

What a stupid fucking thing to say.

[HERVEPA]

7. Bullshit post

Probably nobody on this site is an Assad fan.
Disparaging DU community.

[polly7]

10. PROVE Assad ordered the use of gas or stfu. nt.

[enlightenment]

2. 100% chance? Really?

When John looked into Bashar's eyes over dinner, did he see into his soul? 'Cuz I can't think of any other way he could know that there is an absolute 100% chance Bashar's going to launch another chem weapon attack.

I used to think he was a sensible sort of guy.

[cstanleytech]

5. Ya I saw the conflict there to.

You just cannot have a 100% chance as chance is never certain, if it was I would have won the powerball by now.

[pocoloco]

9. Bonesman......

...just doing his job.

[texshelters]

28. I never thought he was sensible,

but I also never thought he was such a liar and warmonger before.

And if he's so omniscient, why didn't he win his election against Bush?

PTxS

[HooptieWagon]

4. There's a 100% chance Assad will use chemical weapons again WITH US involvement.

So it would appear US involvement would make no difference, except to the Syrian civilians we kill.

[bobclark86]

8. Much like Kerry,

You're full of shit.

You don't KNOW he will. He very well might not.

Yes, that goes for both you AND Kerry.

[Salviati]

14. and to the "defense" industry that we pay

[malthaussen]

11. Didn't know Mr Kerry was the Shadow.

100% chance, John? Really? You are looking more ridiculous with each passing opening of your mouth.

I think there is a 100% chance that Mr Assad, the rebels, and everybody else in the world will just go ahead and do whatever they feel like doing whether we bomb them, napalm them, or drop nukes on them.

-- Mal

[leveymg]

12. There is far less than 100% certainty that Assad even ordered the last one. This is absurd.

The public version of the State Dept. report is fundamentally flawed and even the map of "regime-held" territory from which the rockets were launched is grossly inaccurate. Based strictly upon that report, it is virtually impossible that the rockets of the type used even have the range to hit all the targets indicated.

Then there's the little matter that the highest official under the President, the Syrian Minister of Defense, apparently wasn't notified before the attack and ordered it stopped immediately upon learning of it. His conversations that night are described as "panicked."

The Administration has to do a far better job of communicating its case and must declassify its evidence if they hope to get informed public support. Until they do, no deal, Mr. Secretary.

[Coyotl]

13. Indeed. There is a 100% probability the United States lies to start wars, that we know w/ P=100%

[leveymg]

15. I had expected far better from this President and Sen. Kerry and the rest.

"Disappointed" doesn't begin to capture it.

This seems to fit into the pattern of false or misleading casus belli that goes back to the USS Maine and the Tonkin Gulf Incident and extends through Iraq WMD lies.

[Coyotl]

23. False casus belli is one matter, causing a greater war is another, with unforessen consequences

This could explode into a wide regional war that would crash the global economy and could starve hundreds of millions of people to death, raise the price of gas to $10.00 a gallon, etc.

[leveymg]

24. Oh, boy, a twofer. Burn off some deadwood. Ain't war glorious?

Do I have to use the icon?

[arewenotdemo]

18. Let the American public read the intel from that night.

Especially the response to the Ministry official (Minister?) from the Syrian Army commander.

Why aren't they telling us that? Could it be that the commander replied, "What the fuck are you talking about?".

If the Defense Ministry wasn't in the loop, that implies that Assad didn't order any CW use.

But if we're to even believe the Army is responsible, let's hear the goddamned reply of the commander.

And while we're at it, let's just make sure that none of the Army commanders on the ground that night weren't our people (FSA) who just hadn't defected yet. That shouldn't be too hard to do.

[leveymg]

22. If I hear the term "closed session" one more time in these hearings I'll throw up.

There is no need to protect "sources and methods" for items of intelligence that are already publicly known. That is just an excuse for cover-up and obfuscation.

Enough hyperbole and just produce the evidence, Mr. Kerry.

[atreides1]

16. Is this Assad or Hussein?

Does the State Department keep old speeches that they just redo? Wasn't this same comment made about Saddam?

[Scootaloo]

27. Even the drum-beating from the ignorant proles is the same

See the first (hidden) response on this thread.

[Freddie Stubbs]

17. A slam dunk?

[whatchamacallit]

19. "We know because we'll put them there"

[blkmusclmachine]

20. WAR HAWK

[ConcernedCanuk]

21. First of all Mr. Kerry - no one has yet proved chemical weapons were used.

.
.
.

Secondly, if and when UN inspectors determine that CWs were used,

UN's mandate is not to determine WHO used them. That is another process.

Third and lastly Mr. Kerry; when did you graduate from mind reading school?

Or did God talk to you?

CC

[RoccoR5955]

25. So what are the chances of peace if we lob missiles at him?

I don't think that us shooting our missiles will stop him from launching more chemical attacks.
Sorry, I just don't buy it.
Maybe if it came from some country in the region, but WTF does the US need to get their nose into EVERY other country's business, and then start banging the war drums if they come close to Israel. What's the matter, can't Israel defend itself? Why aren't the Saudis policing this?
Is the US REALLY the police of the world?

[Bjorn Against]

26. Just like we were told that the smoking gun would come in the form of a mushroom cloud

[daleo]

29. Kerry must have time machine

[Bragi]

30. His 100% ridiculous certainty is unsettling

And arrogant.

[markpkessinger]

31. At this point, there's probably a 100% chance that Assad will use chemical weapons even WITH . . .

. . . U.S. intervention, if for no other reason than to prove Obama's strategy as having been wrong.