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President Barack Obama gestures during his joint news conference with Swedish Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt today. AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais

'The world set a red line on Syria, not me' - Obama

The US president said that he believed he would get Congressional backing for strikes on Syria.

US PRESIDENT BARACK Obama has said at a press conference today that he would not repeat the mistakes made in Iraq as his country mulls military action in Syria.

He said in Stockholm during a trip to Sweden today that the international community “cannot be silent” following Syria’s alleged use of chemical weapons against its own people.

In addition, he said that “the world set a ‘red line’ on Syria”, not him.

“I discussed our assessment and (Swedish Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt) and I are in an agreement that in the face of such barbarism the international community cannot be silent,” he said.

Failing to respond to this attack would only increase the risk of more attacks and that possibility that other countries would use these weapons, as well.

Obama said he would not repeat mistakes made in Iraq as his country mulls military action in Syria, adding he believed he would get Congressional backing for strikes.

“I’m somebody who opposed the war in Iraq. And I am not interested in repeating mistakes of us basing decisions on faulty intelligence,” he told a briefing in the Swedish capital.

The US leader also added that he hoped Russian President Vladimir Putin would change direction on a military intervention in Syria.

“I’m always hopeful … Ultimately, we can end deaths much more rapidly if Russia takes a different approach to these problems,” he said.

Reinfeldt said at the same press conference that Sweden “condemns the use of chemical weapons in Syria and the strongest possible terms.”

It’s a clear violation of international law. Those responsible should be held accountable.

He added that he believed he would get Congressional backing for strikes.

- © AFP, 2013

Read: UN delays Irish troops heading to the Golan Heights by three weeks>

Read: Putin on Syria action, Snowden and Russia’s anti-gay policies>

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    Mute Robin Pickering
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    Sep 4th 2013, 3:08 PM

    “beep, beep, beep, beep, President reversing, beep, beep, beep, beep, President reversing…”

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    Mute Val Kearney
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    Sep 4th 2013, 3:21 PM

    That’s all well and good, but who are they planning on striking exactly?!? His own quotes say “striking Syria”. Not “striking the Syrian government” or “striking the Syrian rebels”. Just “striking Syria”. “Syria” is a country with a population of nearly 21 million people.

    He’s right, the world did set a red line, and the perpetrators should be brought to justice, but tell the world who “they” are and present the evidence first.

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    Mute mohamad oconnor
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    Sep 4th 2013, 5:02 PM

    A good point was made on rt news that Assad was winning the war and if he did use chemical weapons it was very stupid as it just provoke more foreign intervention the only people who have to gain is the rebels, America are clearly looking for a way in to Syria. America is one of the biggest consumers of oil and gas and they will stop at nothing to keep the wheels and wallets greesed.

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    Mute Michael Jordan
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    Sep 4th 2013, 6:05 PM

    Mohamad. It is very likely the Syrians have previously used CW on a smaller scale. Testing the fortitude of the West to act. And when the West did nothing he pushed the envelope a bit more. And all you have is look at the chaos the West is in over whether to act or not. Something Assad would have hoped for. And most likely had good intelligence from the FSB to as to how the reaction of the West would play out.

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    Mute Ignoreland
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    Sep 4th 2013, 8:23 PM

    RT would say that seeing as it’s a Russian news channel that likes to criticise the USA and the West but says nothing on Putin’s crackdown on gay people. Assad has used chemical weapons now, because it was the ideal time to make it look like a blatant opposition ‘false flag’ attempt to get the West involved. http://www.newstatesman.com/2013/08/syrian-atrocities

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    Mute Michael Jordan
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    Sep 4th 2013, 9:04 PM

    Great article .Ignoreland.

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    Mute Scarr
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    Sep 4th 2013, 3:05 PM

    Obamas getting on my wick.

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    Mute Chopstix
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    Sep 4th 2013, 3:13 PM

    Oh it’s all our fault he wants to attack

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    Mute Ignoreland
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    Sep 4th 2013, 3:43 PM

    If he wanted to attack why hasn’t he done it already? Why didn’t he do it a year ago? The fact is that he doesn’t want to attack but circumstances are beyond his control that he has to do something… but he doesn’t know what that something should be because the situation is a proper cluster f**k!!

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    Mute Tony Canning
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    Sep 4th 2013, 6:12 PM

    Pretty naive question?!!!
    He does indeed want to attack. But he doesn’t want to risk Russia and China being at odds with that attack.

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    Mute Michael Jordan
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    Sep 4th 2013, 7:40 PM

    Russia will not confront America directly to do so would invoke the NATO treaty. Russia longer has the Warsaw Pact to back it up nor does it have the support of the other old soviet states. China has no interest ingetting involved Militarily as it has no strategic interests in Syria. It’s just playing politics in the UN.

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    Mute Ignoreland
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    Sep 4th 2013, 8:13 PM

    Pretty naïve question? Talk about a pretty arrogant answer. How about you actually read about the situation first before commenting. The whole point of Obama saying chemical weapons were a ‘red line issue’ was to give him a reason NOT to intervene. That’s why he said it over a year ago. It’s bought him time. But now Assad has crossed that line and he’s forced Obama’s hand. But if Obama can’t get a resolution through the UN Security Council, he’s in a predicament. Assad knows all this and he’s played them all like an expert poker player.. Read these articles and you’ll see the situation is much more nuanced than how you portray it, and maybe then you’ll see that it’s NOT a naïve question.
    http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/sep/03/enough-hamlet-obama-act-now-syria
    http://www.newstatesman.com/2013/08/syrian-atrocities

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    Mute Liam O'Reilly
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    Sep 4th 2013, 3:17 PM

    Edward Snowden and Bradley Manning didn’t stay silent, worked out well for them.

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    Mute susanna smyth
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    Sep 4th 2013, 3:21 PM

    I’m sure, the last thing the people of Syria want is their country turned into another Iraq.

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    Mute Declan Noonan
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    Sep 4th 2013, 3:24 PM

    Susanna, it already is. 2 million refugees, 100,000 dead.

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    Mute Adam Power
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    Sep 4th 2013, 3:57 PM

    *200,000 dead

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    Mute Stephen Howlin
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    Sep 4th 2013, 4:12 PM

    Where did you two get the 100000/200000 numbers from?

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    Mute Bobbie Byrne
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    Sep 4th 2013, 4:30 PM

    Ah well in that case Declan, Obama may as well send in 1000 missiles and just turn the place into rubble eh? Might as well considering all the damage down already!
    A ‘red line’ is all well and good but when there’s no proof of the perpetrators then Obama should do f*ck all! A president who followed the rule of law would adhere to this. A dictator who has a self serving agenda would just bomb without proof!
    This is Iraq all over again and people are still falling for it. WMD, Dictator in power, liberation of Syrians, Sending a message to our foes. etc etc…Lies lies lies and more f*cking lies!

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    Mute Declan Noonan
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    Sep 4th 2013, 5:09 PM

    Stephen, that’s what’s been reported.

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    Mute Declan Noonan
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    Sep 4th 2013, 5:10 PM

    Bobbi, I never said that Obama should!

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    Mute Stephen Howlin
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    Sep 4th 2013, 5:18 PM

    Declan which number, the 100k or 200k?

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    Mute Declan Noonan
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    Sep 4th 2013, 5:24 PM

    Stephen,100,000 dead is what I hear. The other day it was reported that the number of refugees has reached 2 million and that includes people displaced internally and those who have fled to other countries.
    That figure was reported by the UN.
    Don’t shoot the messenger.

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    Mute Declan Noonan
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    Sep 4th 2013, 5:52 PM

    Bobbi, are you aware that assad’s forces have already turned Syrian cities into rubble? Or are you just being ignorant.

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    Mute Michael Jordan
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    Sep 4th 2013, 6:08 PM

    Stephen those numbers come the UNHCR.

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    Mute Adam Power
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    Sep 4th 2013, 7:01 PM

    200,000 is the UN estimate according to The Economist.

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    Mute Bobbie Byrne
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    Sep 4th 2013, 7:08 PM

    You must be arguing with yourself Declan. If you read my post I mentioned nothing of who’s responsible for turning Syria into rubble. When a country is already bombed fairly hard does that give a dictator like Obomber the right to finish the job off completely because it seems to be going that way anyway?

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    Mute Declan Noonan
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    Sep 4th 2013, 7:18 PM

    Bobbi, Obama has not bombed Syria! Assad’s military has.
    End of discussion

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    Mute Michael Jordan
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    Sep 4th 2013, 7:50 PM

    Bobbie. The logical targets for the Allied Missiles will be Command and Control centres, Air Fields and Arms Depots.

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    Mute Fran Rooney
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    Sep 4th 2013, 8:19 PM

    Bit naive Michael? Obama will bomb Syria and just like Iraq and Afghanistan he will bomb it back to the stone-age.

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    Mute Michael Jordan
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    Sep 4th 2013, 8:27 PM

    Fran He doesn’t have the political backing for that. Obama is a political coward. He wants to keep his political legacy clean to the domestic audience.

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    Mute Jason Culligan
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    Sep 4th 2013, 8:54 PM

    Bobbie, how could Obama possibly be a dictator when he needs the approval of Congress before he could declare war on Syria? I’ve never heard of a democratically elected dictator needing the support of a democratically elected house filled with a majority of a party opposed to his in order to declare war.

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    Mute Fran Rooney
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    Sep 4th 2013, 9:41 PM

    @Michael

    Yes you’re correct when you mean he does’nt have political backing for the initial strikes, but Syria unlike Iraq and Afghanistan has the military capability to strike back and when that happens which I’m sure it inevitably will is when the real full on destruction of Syria will take place.

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    Mute Michael Jordan
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    Sep 4th 2013, 10:01 PM

    If Syria where to strike back who would they Strike at? Israel? That would be suicide on their part. The Israeli response would be massive and most likely obliterate the Syrian Military. Turkey. Again suicidal. A strike on Turkey a NATO member. If Turkey invoked the NATO treaty every single NATO country would be obliged to respond. So that leaves Saudi. Do Syria have missiles with the range to hit Ryiadh or Jedda? Even Assad is not mad enough or stupid enough to attack Mecca.

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    Mute Jim Flavin
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    Sep 5th 2013, 1:07 PM

    I’ve never heard of a democratically elected dictator needing the support of a democratically elected house filled with a majority of a party opposed to his in order to declare war.”
    Obama has gone to war without congreressional support before – and will do so again

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    Mute al shamen
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    Sep 4th 2013, 3:34 PM

    Obama is playing checkers,while Putin is playing chess.

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    Mute Goebong
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    Sep 4th 2013, 3:46 PM

    He promise “change” now he is changing the way America goes to war now the world says its a red line issue the only person that talked about a red line issue was Obama himself .. Well apart from that time Gilmore said reducing child benefit was a redline issue

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    Mute Morticia
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    Sep 4th 2013, 7:25 PM

    @al shamen Obama is playing pocket billiards ;-)

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    Mute Karl Harty
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    Sep 4th 2013, 8:28 PM

    so you support Putin the homophobe? Yeah im sure his views on Syria are not skewered at all seeing as he treats his own people so good. I think how people are saying stay away its nothing to do with us is a disgrace. Would you walk past someone in the street murdering a child and say nothing because its nothing to do with you? At least Obama wants to intervene here and try helping to sort out this shitepile.

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    Mute al shamen
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    Sep 5th 2013, 12:02 AM

    Where did I state my support for him?But I certainly do support his stance on Syria.It’s by far the most logical.
    I’m sure Obama does want to help,but bombing Syria back to the stone age helps no one except Al Qaeda.

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    Mute Karl Harty
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    Sep 5th 2013, 12:10 PM

    “Where did I state my support for him?But I certainly do support his stance on Syria.It’s by far the most logical.”
    Eh just there is your support for a homophobe. Again yes Putin is a very logical person and has no alterior motive. He is definately not just stirring the pot and flexing his muscles for a show of power.

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    Mute Usawadee Wannapho
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    Sep 4th 2013, 3:07 PM

    Yes, George W. Bush.

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    Mute Ignoreland
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    Sep 4th 2013, 3:49 PM

    If you think Syria and Iraq are the same scenario then I can only conclude that you’re basing your complex analysis on the fact that
    (a) They’re both in the same region of the world.
    (b) Both involve Muslim peoples…
    (c)…. that’s it. There’s no other comparison. So this is just a lazy comparison.
    A better comparison would be to look at Saddam and his gassing of the Kurds back in the 80s. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halabja_poison_gas_attack

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    Mute Tony Canning
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    Sep 4th 2013, 6:28 PM

    It’s reasonable to compare the 2. This is quite simply NOT being pursued due to human tragedy. It’s due to protection of interests.

    From that perspective, Iraq and Syria are very comparable.

    If the US regime truly cared there are many worldwide examples of where they could go to. They’re itching for Syria – and they know it’s a step towards getting a row up with Iran too.

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    Mute Ignoreland
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    Sep 4th 2013, 8:17 PM

    It’s absolutely not reasonable to compare the two because the Iraq War in 2003 was started by the West with no provocation from Iraq. At that time, Saddam was not gassing and killing Iraqis. Whereas here a conflict is already occurring and genocides, war crimes and mass killings are happening right now.
    The fact that they haven’t gotten involved yet shows that the west has no appetite to start another war, or Obama at least.

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    Mute Dermot Ryan
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    Sep 4th 2013, 3:29 PM

    Jihad means “holy war ”
    Crusade means “Holy war ”
    Both express the notion that a difference in religious ideology is an excuse for war !
    There is no excuse for a jihad in the West and no excuse for a crusade in the East !

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    Mute al shamen
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    Sep 4th 2013, 3:39 PM

    The only difference been that it is over 500 years since the last crusade was declared,whereas’ jihads’ are currently been waged in numerous locations worldwide.

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    Mute Dermot Ryan
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    Sep 4th 2013, 4:22 PM

    Oil is the new religion ; crusades were all about empire building for Feudal Europe!
    Iraq was a crusade for OIL according to some commentators ……

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    Mute Dermot Ryan
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    Sep 4th 2013, 4:24 PM

    Having said that and being no fan of anyone who has held the post of American President over the last 50 years or so I am delighted to see barrack referring to congress ;
    I’m just worried that he and Kerry are doing a good cop bad cop routine ; Time will tell !

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    Mute al shamen
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    Sep 4th 2013, 4:34 PM

    Actually the Crusades where an attempt by Christians to win back land lost to the ‘infidel’.If Iraq was a ‘crusade’ for oil it was a highly unsuccessful one.Western consumption of Iraqi oil is negligible.

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    Mute Declan Noonan
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    Sep 4th 2013, 5:55 PM

    Dermot, I think that you should revisit the history behind the crusades. I’m not defending them.

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    Mute Dermot Ryan
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    Sep 5th 2013, 3:20 AM

    The crusades were largely a land grab with papal “blessings” and were largely manned by the second sons and younger who were not in line to inherit their father’s lands .
    Jerusalem has been besieged something like 22 times and has changes hands about 44 times ; or vice versa ; working of memory !
    They were a land grab plain and simple !
    Re oil ;Bush senior is quoted as saying it was all about oil !
    fair enough Declan no religion should advocate war in my opinion, but what was Henry 8 dissolution of the monasteries but a land grab as well!
    You could even argue that there is a “Euro” crusade in Ireland at the moment ; Evictions and sell the houses to the “new Irish ” who can rent them back to the old Irish !
    The whole lot of it is greed ! Plain and simple greed driven by whatever !
    Peaceful co-existence is based on respect ; in war respect disappears quicker than a lie out of a politician’s mouth !
    I will support America in Syria if Obama and Kerry, personally involve themselves in the heaviest urban warfare on the side of the whichever side they like Al Qaidia or Assad right at the front line until the conflict is over !
    And none of that Prince Harry Helicopter shit either ; that was disgusting !
    People are people the same the world over , all they want to do is have a few kids see them grow up safely and have a relatively peaceful death ; Then there’s about 0.0000000001 % percent of the world who when given a bit of power Fancy themselves as People butchers ; disgusting !

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    Mute Michael Jordan
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    Sep 5th 2013, 10:55 AM

    Dermot. Prisons around the world are full of people that wanted something someone else had and took it. Since Man stood upright we have been fighting each other. Humans are a naturally aggressive species.

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    Mute Padraic O'Dwyer
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    Sep 4th 2013, 3:04 PM

    Stepping back ?

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    Mute royston T justice
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    Sep 4th 2013, 3:35 PM

    There will be an action in the coming weeks, he’s playing out the reasons now..

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    Mute the truth hurts
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    Sep 4th 2013, 10:05 PM

    He’s a puppet of the power hungry elite who control Washington. He does as he’s told, and lies when he’s told. Same as Bush, Blair, Colin Powell etc. Like Dorian Grey, he smiles but his soul is poisonous black.

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    Mute Ben Black
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    Sep 5th 2013, 2:40 AM

    When I first saw this man’s face, I thought, like everyone else, hope.

    Now, I just see the truth.

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    Mute Ashleigh Moynan
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    Sep 4th 2013, 4:17 PM

    The world set a red line not him??

    Obama is a big eejit!

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    Mute Jim Flavin
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    Sep 4th 2013, 4:33 PM

    Obama is a big eejit!.”
    Obama is not an ” eejet ” . He does what he is told and gets paid well for it – and will get a lot more once he leaves office
    – the ” eejets ” are anyone who believes that headline -” The world etc etc ”

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    Mute Ashleigh Moynan
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    Sep 4th 2013, 4:44 PM

    He put himself in this predicament by saying last year that if they used chemical weapons they would be crossing a red line. So one year on, they have supposedly used chemical weapons and Obama has to act on his words from the previous year or he looks like a fool. So in order to go back on his words he says that the world said they would be crossing a red line and not him…. He is a big eejit!

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    Mute Michael Jordan
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    Sep 4th 2013, 6:18 PM

    Ashleigh. The use of poison gas has been prohibited under the Geneva Convention. And the Convention on having/storing/manufacturing CW was signed by all but 6 countries. SYRIA being one of the 6. So when Obama says the World drew a Red Line on the use of these Weapons he was quite correct. The Red Line was drawn nearly a century ago.

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    Mute Tony Canning
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    Sep 4th 2013, 6:29 PM

    That’s true Michael. BUT we all know full well that Obama is now backtracking.

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    Mute Michael Jordan
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    Sep 4th 2013, 7:30 PM

    Tony. I don’t like Obama. I never have. And I have stated so on the Journal several times. He is a flip flopper. This should have never gotten to this stage. But that is history and present is what has to be dealt with. And going on the Facts that are known (not my facts as had been suggested before. But THE Facts) and adding logic to those facts the most probable likelyhood of who was responsible points at the Syrian Government. Now the Western Intelligence Services may have much more concrete proof that has been shown to other politicians and Heads of States but because of the nature of it’s collection (eg: An Agent within the Syrian Government or Military) may be security sensitive and that is why it haven’t been made public.

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    Mute Dermot O'Reilly
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    Sep 4th 2013, 8:51 PM

    Why does the UN not bring in economic sanctions against all 6 countries who have not signed the convention against chemical weapons?

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    Mute Michael Jordan
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    Sep 4th 2013, 9:09 PM

    The Security Council Vetoes. Simple answer.

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    Mute Seoirse M H
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    Sep 4th 2013, 3:49 PM

    One would imagine congressional backing is a given as they are all in the pockets of lobbyists.
    Given that it takes ten million for the average senatir campaign and that that the only groups with that money are in the top 1%, you would have to wonder is there any democracy in the US.

    The US has already said that they do not believe the Syrian ‘rebels’ are capable of a Chemical Weapons attack yet the Syrian ‘rebels’ were caught at the Turkish border with 2KG of Sarin Gas.
    Very little to no mention of this I’m the Western media when they were doing their analysis.

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    Mute Stephen Howlin
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    Sep 4th 2013, 4:11 PM

    Where is the evidence of the rebels having the gas?

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    Mute GOLDEN ARMS
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    Sep 4th 2013, 4:47 PM

    The UN investigators were there last week to originally investigate an alleged gas attack on civilians and soldiers by the ‘REBELS’.

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    Mute Michael Jordan
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    Sep 4th 2013, 6:26 PM

    Correction Golden they were not their to see if the Rebels used the they were there to see if CW were used. Their Mandate had already been set. It was one of the preconditions set by the Syrian Government and backed by Russia and China in the Security Council. The 5 day delay had nothing to do with changing the Mandate as the UN team were ready to roll hours after the attack but were refused permission to do so by the Syrian Government while they bombarded the area for the next 5 days.

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    Mute Gerard McAuliffe
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    Sep 4th 2013, 7:22 PM

    The pesky mainstream media!

    Seoirse has the inside track though. She knows things we simply don’t and for the love of God if we’d just stop listening to the BBC, reading the Economist, looking at Wikipedia and instead focus on the amazing, credible sources she does we’d see the truth as well.

    Jim Corr and yourself would get on great – it’s all a big Rothschild conspiracy, maybe even more like the Matrix. The wool’s been pulled over our eyes. Nice Mr.Assad and Mr.Putin are our only hope.

    Dumbass.

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    Mute Seoirse M H
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    Sep 4th 2013, 8:30 PM

    Re Gerald.

    The name is he not her. That’s male, not female.
    What were the words you used again, oh yeah, they were ‘dumb ass’.

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    Sep 4th 2013, 9:10 PM

    Bitchy Seoirse Bitchy.

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    Mute willie
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    Sep 4th 2013, 3:31 PM

    Bunch of tree huggin hippies on here….. He is right, we can’t stand back and watch this happening…..
    I for one support him.

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    Mute Morticia
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    Sep 4th 2013, 3:40 PM

    He has already stood back during the Benghazi attack and this showed the Arabs that he was useless.

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    Mute al shamen
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    Sep 4th 2013, 3:45 PM

    @Willie I suggest you head over to Syria yourself,and put your money where your mouth is.I believe Jabhat al-nusra/Al Qaeda are looking for volunteers.

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    Sep 4th 2013, 4:24 PM

    No Willie, you’re right.

    We should sit back and relax and watch it all happening on Sky News or CNN. It’s wonderful entertainment, Kerry, Biden, Obama and all the other warmongers all feigning compassion and sorrow for the poor people of Syria while they themselves engage in torture, murder, and terrorism.

    It’s like and episode of Love/Hate but with politicians instead of drug dealers.

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    Sep 4th 2013, 5:54 PM

    #1 Against international law he says, what law? There is the CWC chemical weapons convention, however Syria has not signed, and Israel also has not ratified.
    #2 America and Israel have both recently used chemical weapons against civilians, in fallujah and Lebanon, phosphorous falls under the definition.
    #3 It is the job of the UN to decide not Obama. They are happy to veto all action against Israel, but suddenly the UN doesn’t matter when it is in their own way. Disgusting.
    #4 Obviously anyone with a brain can see that the benefit of the chemical attack favours the “rebels”..

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    Sep 4th 2013, 6:29 PM

    HelloGoogle. In reference to what international law. The Geneva Convention. That one.

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    Sep 4th 2013, 7:11 PM

    Cheers for that,

    But the Geneva conventions were drafted for international warfare between co-signees, or at least one signee.
    The CWC that I referred to is an addition and amendment to the Geneva protocol, this would have banned their use domestically and the storage production etc etc

    However as I said Syria has not signed that so has not broken the law.
    Also as a point of information Israel signed but did not ratify…interesting eh?

    So if Syria has not signed and agreed, what law has been broken?

    Don’t get me wrong, I don’t agree with the use….just a technical question, and relevant legally.

    Finally it is the UN’s job to determine if the Geneva protocol has been breached, and the UN’s job to decide on action, through the security council.

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    Sep 4th 2013, 7:33 PM

    The Geneva convention prohibited the use of these weapons but on the handling/storage/manufacture. The CW convention rectified that making even possession illegal. But Syria and 5 other countries refused to sign it.

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    Sep 4th 2013, 7:34 PM

    Not*

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    Mute Jason Culligan
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    Sep 4th 2013, 8:56 PM

    Phosphorus rounds do not actually classify as chemical weapons. There is currently a movement looking to have them classified as such but no military actually does.

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    Sep 5th 2013, 12:17 AM

    Phosphorous if use as a weapon against civilians of combatants is a chemical weapon.

    Chemical weapons have a clear definition, and phosphorous mets those criteria.

    Simply because a military choses to ignore this does not change the facts.

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    Sep 5th 2013, 12:46 AM

    HelloGoogle. Then you can say that Napalm is a Chemical Weapon. A weapon the Syrian Air Force used recently against children in a school.

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    Mute Morticia
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    Sep 4th 2013, 3:29 PM

    “So, whether he attacks or not, Obama is seen for the indecisive, weak, and timid U.S. president, guided by his own arrogance rather than by any clear and concise foreign policy.”
    Justin O. Smith describing Obama. The Arabs will make mince meat of him.

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    Mute john ferguson
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    Sep 4th 2013, 5:05 PM

    Obama.. you were be remembered for being a lying murdering sheep. Someone who served his masters agenda very well. Also, being remembered for becoming a more despised American president than George W Bush is not a legacy anybody would ever want.

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    Mute maurice
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    Sep 4th 2013, 5:26 PM

    When Obama says the world – does he mean the people of the world or just the rich who use wars to make money at human cost. I doubt the people of the world support elite big business moving into a strategic country near oil bases but Obama is going ahead anyway.
    Why isn’t the media reporting about the authenticity of this supposed evidence the USA says it has detailing Syria’s chemical arsenal. Another thin veil of a lie just like WMD’s and Iraq.

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    Sep 4th 2013, 4:50 PM

    the have been using this phrase ” the World — ” for some days now – trying to create the impression that it is the World [ not US terrorist government ] that is acting against Assad . Well South America seems out of it – and most of EU – but they have France and Israel .
    No this is not the world acting – it is Yankee warmongering – at the behest of AIPAC .
    Kerry was reported on BBC radio this morning that they could not watch this slaughter going on . Which slaughter – the ones done by the ” Rebels they support ” – .
    – Also has he forgotten the slaughters of Iraq , Vietnam , the slaughters caused by the weekly Drone attacks – . Hypocrisy and lies – that is all u will get from US govt – and oh Yes – lots of Bombs – ask the people of, Vietnam , Laos , Hiroshima , Nagasaki , Afghanistan , Yemen etc etc .
    Obama condemns use of chemical weapons – yet it is ok for US to use them .

    ”Weapons with depleted uranium were previously used during the first Gulf War in 1991. The city of Basra suffered harshly. In 2004 the US carried out two big attacks against the city of Fallujah. Uranium weapons as well as white phosphorus were used against the civilian population. Many deformed children have been born in Fallujah at the General Hospital since then. In Fallujah, Basra, Najaf, Bagdad, Hawija and other cities children suffer from deformities, cancer and other illnesses.”

    ”President Obama´s Secretary of State John Kerry has said that the US condemns the use of chemical weapons. In order for this statement to be able to be taken seriously President Obama must account in detail for the US use of chemical weapons and demand legal responsibility for the crimes committed. Instead President Obama´s Justice Department has demanded immunity for his predecessor George W Bush and five of his close conspirators for war crimes. No responsible person on a high level in the US administration may be charged with war crimes”
    Repeat –
    No responsible person on a high level in the US administration may be charged with war crimes”
    – so basically they are admitting that they are war criminals .
    se full article
    http://www.globalresearch.ca/syria-and-iraq-the-extensive-use-of-chemical-weapons-by-the-united-states-in-iraq/5348033

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    Sep 4th 2013, 6:03 PM

    The World didn’t draw the red line.
    Obama did with the blood of the innocent men, women and children that’s on his hands.

    America should butt out from where it’s not wanted.

    It’s obvious that the moves it is making are for their own gain or rather the gain of the already rich and wealthy.

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    Mute Jason Culligan
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    Sep 4th 2013, 9:04 PM

    All but six countries signed an agreement which condemns the use of chemical weapons. So yes the international community did draw a red line. That was 100 years ago which means Obama wasn’t even around to draw lines in blood at the time.

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    Sep 4th 2013, 9:54 PM

    America has trained terrorists. America dropped nuclear bombs, used napalm, still condone the use of torture, have killed countless innocent men and women.
    Obama and the American Govt have more blood on their hands than any terrorist group that you could ever mention but yet you still want to use them as moral compasses.
    Next you’ll be telling us that Obama can turn water into wine.
    We already know that he can make weapons of mass destruction out of thin air and then make them disappear again.

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    Mute Tony Canning
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    Sep 4th 2013, 6:29 PM

    Some interesting stuff said above. Obama is far from a “rule of law” guy. Ask the people of Yemen, Somila, Pakistan (and who knows where else) about how Obama has presided over what amounts to summary executions on foreign soil (WAY more than any previous US president).

    This current build up to war bears more resemblance to going into Afghanistan to me than Iraq. The rhetoric is similar – and in going after Afghanistan it provided a nice platform for the US to hit Iraq.

    In the same way, Syria would be a perfect springboard for the US to get into Iran, an ally of Syria who simply won’t be able to stand by if Syria is attacked.

    If Obama had any kind of sound indication that there would be no repercussions from China and Russia then they’d have already hit key military targets in Syria. Not long after that, some excuse or reason would drag the British in from their Cyprus base to head over and keep an eye on Iran.

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    Sep 4th 2013, 8:07 PM

    Tony. The problem with international Terrorism is the only way you CAN combat it is to Fight Fire with Fire. In Yemen the rule of the Government barely extends outside the capital Sana (Tribal and Clan rule being the order of the day). Somalia. Is there a Government in Somalia? It has been in the run of dozens of Warlords since the early eighties. And Pakistan. The Pakistani Government have control of the North West in name only. So to expect any of these governments to assist in capturing the targets of the drone strikes is basically fantasy. So what other options are open to the West?

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    Sep 5th 2013, 1:05 PM

    In Yemen the rule of the Government barely extends outside the capital Sana (Tribal and Clan rule being the order of the day). Somalia. Is there a Government in Somalia? It has been in the run of dozens of Warlords since the early eighties. And Pakistan. The Pakistani Government have control of the North West in name only”
    And the US govt is run by a crowd of peace-loving politicians – get real .
    u are ignoring the biggest terrorists of all

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    Mute Morticia
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    Sep 4th 2013, 3:50 PM

    Is Obama the first POTUS ever to sound the retreat?

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    Mute Mike Houlihan
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    Sep 4th 2013, 6:54 PM

    Brilliant performance by Dr Shabaan, Syrian government advisor, on sky news just now. The United States should stay out if Syria or it will hand victory to a hotch potch of Islamic fascists. Al Qeada Et al.

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    Sep 4th 2013, 8:22 PM

    Mike you hardly expected her to say anything else. If Assad were to step down and take his entire Family into exile in Iran. The Free Syrian Council and the Syrian Military could set terms for a cease fire. This would Isolate the Islamic extremists. Giving the Syrian Army a free hand to deal with them. And once the situation had stabilised the two parties could begin talks on forming a new Government. One a little closer to what the majority of Syrians want.

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    Mute Steve501
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    Sep 4th 2013, 7:00 PM

    Watching the debate on Capitol Hill here. The chairman of Homeland Security has disagreed with John Kerry and stated he is worried about what will happen if Assads government fall. As bad and all they re, he states there are terrorists flooding into Shria for the past two and a half years who are there only too cause trouble and may end up being a threat to the US and western world. We have seen all this before he says that ended up wit the 9/11 attacks.

    Very sensible speak I though. Assad needs to be removed BUT not by bombing he country and letting the government fall and left to jihad terrorists to run amock.

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    Mute Sexy Taoiseach
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    Sep 4th 2013, 5:20 PM

    Enough talking bomb them

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    Sep 4th 2013, 6:15 PM

    Why on earth is all this prevarication happening? Do we listen to tyrants like Assad and Putin on democracy, free speech, gay rights or anything else to do with our way of life? No.

    There is nothing to do now but mobilise enough naval and air power as necessary to vaporise Assad and his cronies very harshly and very quickly.

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    Sep 4th 2013, 6:32 PM

    You think America is a democratic nation? You think free speech exists there?

    Not any fan of the rest of them but if you think that your comment represents even a glimpse of what is going on, you’re high.

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    Sep 4th 2013, 8:14 PM

    Tony. Can you stand in Times Square in NY and call Obama a Lying Mangey Dog through a Load Hailer. And Some people would agree with you. What would Law Enforcement do. Nothing you would be practicing your right of free speech. Try the same in Red Square about Putin or on in Tianamin Square about Mao or the present Chairman and see what happens.

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    Sep 4th 2013, 8:32 PM

    Ill say it again to all you anti Americans, 70% of us want nothing to do with Syria! Let them destroy themselves! If you think you could do a better job at keeping world piece then do it! I’m sure France and Sweden would love the job!

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    Sep 4th 2013, 11:37 PM

    Problem is Mark Syrian Regime is sending a message. “We can do what we like, disregard the Geneva convention, Piss on the CW convention and the West will do FA.” So next thing you know Mad Kim is rolling across the 51st Parallel all guns blazing. And America has a much bigger problem.

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    Sep 4th 2013, 8:42 PM

    Obama has a “duty of care” to the free world.

    He must prove to the UN and the free world that the Syrian Government used the chemicals weapons to kill its own people!

    Is it possible that the “rebels” used the chemical weapons in order to discredit the Government of Syria?

    Putin supplied many of the war weapons to Syria but he said he is has now suspended all future deliveries of weapons to Syria pending evidence of who used the chemical weapons!

    It’s time for the correct evidence to be published!

    Sadam did NOT have weapons of mass destructions despite the claims of the USA and British Governments who misled the free world!

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    Sep 4th 2013, 9:32 PM

    Dermot you said “Is it possible that the “rebels” used the chemical weapons in order to discredit the Government of Syria?” Anything is possible. But that’s like saying that its possible I will win the Euro Millions this Friday. Possible but unlikely.
    So lets look at why its unlikely.
    The CW was delivered by rockets. So the Rebels would have firstly had to smuggle large quantities of CW, the Rockets and launchers out of the areas they control with no witnesses seeing them and into government controlled areas without being detected. Then while in the Government controlled area Set up the Launchers and Fire the Rockets all undetected and dismantle the Launchers and sneak back into their own areas. What are these Rebels? Ghosts? Do they have skills that would be the envy of every Special Forces Unit in the World. No unfortunately they don’t. If they did the War would be already over and Assad would be dead.
    So who? Well there is only one other side in this War. The CW was used in a Rebel held area. Only the civilians in those Areas were affected. Not a Single Syrian Soldier was killed by this Gas even though the hold positions only a few hundred yards away from the Rebel front lines. So How did they not get affected. It was possibly Devine intervention by some Guardian Angel or they were already wearing their NBC suits and Gas Masks.

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    Sep 4th 2013, 7:13 PM

    I am sorry, but who appointed the US as the planet’s police?? Allowing Obama to proceed will only set a precedent …

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    Sep 4th 2013, 7:48 PM

    His record in Afghanistan shows that he is a military disaster, God help the Syrians if he is allowed to attack them.

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    Sep 4th 2013, 7:55 PM

    OOOPs , God help the American forces if he attacks Syria.

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    Mute bopter
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    Sep 5th 2013, 10:43 PM

    Man. I used to be an Obama supporter.
    What a lying, dangerous crock of sh*t he has become. Even John McCain supports him now.

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    Sep 4th 2013, 5:10 PM

    According to his autobiography he lived in Indonesia for 12 years, not Indiana, Indonesia. Could this have anything to do with it?

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    Sep 4th 2013, 7:21 PM

    Who is he working for ??
    “U.S. casualties in Afghanistan under President Obama have skyrocketed: 1,639 killed during Obama’s four-and-a-half years versus 630 in the eight years under George W. Bush. Coalition IED deaths have topped 1,068 during the Obama years compared with 310 during Bush’s term. Between 2007 and March of 2013, there were a total of 92 U.S. personnel killed in insider attacks and another 132 wounded” AT.

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    Mute Manik Sethisuwan
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    Sep 5th 2013, 8:26 AM

    @Morticia Americans died by hands of terrorists.

    BUSH
    Iraq: 4539
    Afghanistan: 1049
    9/11: 2996

    OBAMA
    Iraq: 265
    Afghanistan: 2322
    Benghazi: 4
    Pakistan: 0
    Libya: 0
    Syria: 0

    BUSH: 8584 OBAMA: 2591

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    Sep 5th 2013, 8:34 AM

    @Morticia American embassy attacks by terrorists.

    BUSH
    11 attacks, 52 deaths.

    OBAMA
    2 attacks, 4 deaths.

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