Report: Obama Moving Towards Regime Change in Syria
Yes, you read that title correctly. According to the Associated Press, the Obama administration is close to changing course on Syria and supporting the removal of Bashar Assad from power.
The decision has not yet been made — and this is likely a calculated leak meant to deliver a last warning to Assad — but this is nonetheless a huge change in policy. An official has told the AP: “we are getting close” to demanding the Syrian dictator’s resignation. Apparently the language is already being crafted, with the report stating: “The first step would be to say for the first time that President Bashar Assad has forfeited his legitimacy to rule.” This will be coupled with language supporting a transition towards democracy — a softer way of saying two words the Obama administration is so reluctant to utter: “regime change.”
Earlier this month, the French foreign minister publicly predicted Assad would fall if his regime continued its methods: “If the regime perseveres down this path, it will fall one day or another, but it will fall.” An advisor to President Sarkozy also said: “The crimes of the Syrian regime are on the same level as the crimes in Libya.”
The Israeli defense minister contradicted reports that Israel fears the fall of Assad, saying: “I don’t think Israel should be alarmed by the possibility of Assad being replaced,” and that he is “approaching the moment in which he will lose his authority … the more people are killed, the less chance Assad has to come out of it.” Israeli President Peres said in April: “I believe finally that a democratic system in Syria is our best bet for the future.”
This change may be partly due to Secretary of Defense Gates, who boldly said: “The Egyptian army stood on the sidelines and allowed people to demonstrate and in fact empowered a revolution. The Syrians might take a lesson from that.” Senator John Kerry, who has met with Assad, now says attempts to engage Assad must now come to an end. “The chance was lost and that’s the end of it,” he said.
Only this January, Ambassador Robert Ford arrived in Damascus hoping to initiate a new era in Syrian-American relations. As the uprising began and innocents were slaughtered in the streets, the U.S. was slow to react and offered only condemnations of human rights abuses without any substantive change in policy. Secretary of State Clinton even said on March 27: “Many of the members of Congress of both parties who have gone to Syria in recent months have said they believe he’s a reformer.”
Now, the State Department spokesman is saying the “window is narrowing” and the condemnations on the Syrian regime have gotten harsher. The administration is also wisely pointing out the Iranian hand involved in the oppression. The White House has said it is working with the international community to respond to the violence. The U.S. has sanctioned three senior officials — which is a small but significant start — and is seeking access to a detained Al-Jazeera reporter covering the revolution.
Well, here we go again. Gates is nuts. The composition of the Syrian army and the Egyptian army are entirely different and the uprising in Syria does not have a true cross section of the country.
Put those two together and you have live fire on Syrian citizens.
Since the administration had no clue as to what was happening in Egypt, Libya or Syria, is the idea to just do something, anything?
Can’t be worse than Gaddafi, can’t be worse than Assad. It can.
According to the Tehran Bureau at PBS Dorothy Parvaz has been deported to Iran (so she can die of head trauma like the last poor Canadian/Persian reporter).
Everyone was worried that Obama was a pacifist. We are going to end up head to head with the Iranians over Syria. Are we ready for that? He is turning into Wilson whom he likes to believe he emulates. Too damn weak to have a position so he and we are pulled into a giant freaking conflict that will turn into global warfare.
Iran and China and Russia are best buds. barring that, they won’t mind sitting back while we get bloody and they take what’s left.
F$%$%!
How about moving toward regime change in the United States? Vote Republican in 2012.
Can we really afford to lose our “partner for peace” in solving the most important conflict in the Middle East? Aren’t we forgetting that the Zionists are behind all the troubles in the region?
Can’t wait to see posters of Assad with Jewish stars drawn on his forehead. As in Egypt and Libya, the Arab Spring has exposed another pawn of the Jews. Oh Allah, will the betrayal of the Arabs never cease?
If this cr@p keeps up, I’m going to turn into a peacenik.
Oh good. When does “NATO” start bombing?
Obama is doing no such thing; he is hunkering down in his bunker hoping the world will go away.
The issue is about fundamental American interests –the DoD tells him what they are and he follows their advice
we need need to end dual citizenship in the the USA, it brings into question loyalty and patriotism -enough is enough
Syrian population should get more medias support, so that they won’t give up to contest Assad.
Someone should call Erdogan, he is the one that has more clues to press on Assad
What a coinkydink….I’m ‘moving toward’ regime change in Washington….have been for over 2 yrs now in fact
for a reminder, it might be useful to “study” the syrian revolts under the french mendate:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Syrian_Revolt
The change America needs is in this White House!
When will Obama and Gates admit this is exactly the Neocon’s plan enfolding? This is a once in 1300 year opportunity for peace and prosperity for billions of miserable people and Obama withdrew all support of democracy in the ME upon inauguration.
We should simply drop a bomb on Assad and send in the same experts who set up Chile.
“moving toward a decision”
Translation: “A few more rounds of golf, a game of pick-up or two and several celebrity dinners and I’ll be ready to announce that I have formed a committee to STUDY the situation.”
When Assad is gone the Christians in Syria will be persecuted and driven out. They still speak Aramaic in some places and have been there for almost two thousand years. There’s probably a biblical prophecy that will be fulfilled when that happens.
Perhaps we can go in there, overturn their government, and find out just what Saddam shipped into the country in those days before the second Gulf War.
Yes! With all the criticism of the Bush administration regarding the fact that WOMD were never found in Iraq, I always wondered if anyone at all had paid attention to the fact that tons of materiel were trucked across the border into Syria in the months before the war. Want to guess what was included? It wouldn’t surprise me if Syria’s relations with NK nuclear advisors began shortly after importing technology from Saddam; why not chemical weapons, etc. as well?
Sorry, that should have read “WMD”, but hopefully my typo won’t offend too many. Still think the Bush admin got the short end of the stick on that issue – “lied to the American people” indeed. Remember all the print and talk time wasted on that, as though it were a conspiracy?
Here’s what’s going to happen. Iraq will succeed. Iran and Syria will undergo regime change due to the rot endemic to their systems. The info that will become available as a result will fully vindicate the Bush admin aka “neocon” view of ME politics. The Obama admin will then take credit for any positive developments.
Besides weak Jordania there are three strong influentional Israel`s neighbours:
Egypt with 1 mlllion strong army,Syria,controlling Lebanon with Hisballah`s tens of thousands of rockets,Syria being controlled by Iran,busy with his Bomb.
Is it strange that Obama tried to make friends with Israel`s enemies-Lebanon,Syria,Iran till the last moment,while the loyal Mubarak was thrown out by the president at once?
I think the answer is simple: Obama search the pressure lever for his ally!