SSS

SSS = Syria Situation Sucks

This whole Syria situation has the potential to rapidly escalate into World War 3, if cool heads don't prevail.

We (the U.S.) simply cannot be the world's "good cop".... getting ourselves involved in situations around the globe where we really have no business getting involved.

Our military is tired and defunded and has very little respect for their commander-in-chief.

Our country has no money.  The American dream is being crushed by debt and recession.

Our leaders have other priorities that must be addressed... and addressed quickly.  Debt ceiling and budget being the biggest one.  Very few out in Washington seem to have any concern about solving issues though.  The last thing they need right now is another distraction.

Below are a few quotes I've collected about Syria over the last few days.  Enjoy reading them (if that's possible).

Out for now....

Matt

"Having leaked to the world, and thus to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, a detailed briefing of the coming U.S. air attack on Syria - (1) the source (offshore warships and perhaps a bomber or two), (2) the weapon (cruise missiles), (3) the duration (two or three days), (4) the purpose (punishment, not "regime change") - perhaps we should be publishing the exact time the bombs will fall, lest we disrupt dinner in Damascus."  (Charles Krauthammer)

"I want to be proud of the president, but every time I get close to it, I find out that he didn't really mean it." (Sen. Rand Paul)

"John, John, (to Kerry), when you tell the enemy you're going to attack them, they obviously will try to disperse." (Sen. John McCain)

"Watching events unfold in Washington this week has been like living in the Twilight Zone. Who would have thought five years ago that Barack Obama, an anti-war liberal, would be asking Congress for the authority to bomb Syria? "  (Gary Bauer)

"If we stand by while a dictator like Assad uses chemical weapons against his own people, we will be giving carte blanche to other dictators to do the same." (Sen. Jeanne Shaheen)

"There are always risks in taking action, but there are also risks with inaction. The Assad regime, under increasing pressure by the Syrian opposition, could feel empowered to carry out even more devastating chemical weapons attacks. Chemical weapons make no distinction between combatants and innocent civilians, and inflict the worst kind of indiscriminate suffering, as we have recently seen." (Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel)

“The moral thing to do is not to stand by and do nothing."  (Obama)

"The world is wondering whether the United States of America is going to consent with silence."  (John Kerry)

“I didn’t set a red line, the world set a red line.  The world set a red line when governments representing 98 percent of world population said the use of chemical weapons are abhorrent.  Congress set a red line when it ratified that treaty.”  (Obama)

“A refusal to act would undermine the credibility of America’s other security commitments — including the president’s commitment to prevent Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon.”  (Chuck Hagel)

“Syria today is not about choosing between two sides but rather about choosing one among many sides ... We should evaluate the effectiveness of limited military options in this context.” (General Martin Dempsey) 

“Syria, that’s a serious situation. Syria’s leader Assad referred to President Obama as weak. Obama was so angry, he plans to ask Congress for permission to think of a good comeback.”  (Conan O'Brien)

“The real story was about chemical weapons in Syria. The United States has no choice but to attack Syria because dictator Bashar al-Assad is killing his own people with chemical weapons. Before, he was just killing them with bullets. But if America cared about shooting people, we’d be invading Chicago.”  (Stephen Colbert) 

“As for that footage, video footage showing the dead children allegedly killed in the chemical attack, it is horrible. The question is only who did it and what they did, and who is responsible for this. These pictures do not answer the questions I have just posed. There is an opinion that it’s a compilation by these very rebels, who are connected with al-Qaida and who were always distinguished by exceptional brutality.”  (Vladimir Putin)

“In case of a U.S. military strike against Syria, the flames of outrage of the region’s revolutionaries will point toward the Zionist regime."  (Iranian Parliament member) 

“The State of Israel is ready for any scenario. We are not part of the civil war in Syria but if we identify any attempt whatsoever to harm us, we will respond and we will respond in strength.”  (Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu) 

"If you are going to do this, Mr. President, do it seriously. This is not about you and your conscience. It's about applying American power to do precisely what you now deny this is about - helping Assad go, as you told the world he must.  Otherwise, just send Assad a text message. You might incur a roaming charge, but it's still cheaper than a three-day, highly telegraphed, perfectly useless demonstration strike." (Charles Krauthammer)


"Whatever one's position on U.S. military involvement in Syria, there is a growing consensus that Obama has shown the world a textbook case of how not to conduct foreign policy. He has turned Teddy Roosevelt's great advice -- "Speak softly, and carry a big stick" -- on its head. Obama has talked big by publicly setting "red lines" that he dared Assad not to cross. Once crossed, Obama has appeared uncertain as to how he should respond." (Gary Bauer)