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Full Circle: Obama Asks Congress For Troop Deployment In Iraq, War Authorization On Islamic State
Update:
- OBAMA ASKS CONGRESS TO AUTHORIZE WAR AGAINST ISLAMIC STATE: AP
- OBAMA SAYS REQUEST WON’T AUTHORIZE LONG WAR LIKE IRAQ: AP
And so it begins, and this time it will be different, because Obama's wars are... shorter.
* * *
Several years ago, Obama impressed a handful of crusty, old people in Norway who believed the recent Illinois senator's vision of a world without war, validated by his eagerness to end the war in Iraq and withdraw US troops to their native country. He got an award for it.
Today, Obama will finally complete the circle started in August when, under the premise of "humanitarian intervention", allegedly meant to save a group refugees stranded on a mountain, Obama launched an airborne coalition effort to destroy the same group of radical jihadist extremists that the US was assisting when they were merely fighting the Assad regime in Syria. Because today is when Obama will officially request that those same troops that he so liberally pulled out in compliance with his Nobel Peace Prize, be put back in Iraq in order to declare war on, drumroll, a nation that doesn't technically even exist: the Islamic State.
As Reuters reports, "U.S. President Barack Obama will propose to Congress on Wednesday a new three-year authorization for the use of force against Islamic State with limits on U.S. combat troops' involvement, lawmakers and congressional aides said."
The proposal would allow the use of special forces and advisors for defensive purposes but bar "enduring offensive ground forces," lawmakers and aides said. It would not, however, set geographic limits for the campaign against the group.
Just like Jordan piling thousands of troops on the Iraq border to invade Iraq in a preemptive strike is "defensive"?
A brief history of Obama's less than triumphal (and less than Nobel Peace Prizy) return to Iraq:
Obama has defended his authority to lead an international coalition against Islamic State since Aug. 8 when U.S. fighter jets began attacking the jihadists in Iraq. But he has faced criticism for failing to seek the backing of Congress, where some accuse him of breaching his constitutional authority.
Facing pressure to let lawmakers weigh in on an issue as important as the deployment of troops and chastened by elections that handed power in Congress to Republicans, he said in November he would request formal authorization for the use of military force (AUMF).
An outline of that request, expected to be handed to Congress on Wednesday, could stir debate over how U.S. troops should be deployed and the extent of U.S. engagement in Iraq and Syria.
Actually it won't stir any debate among the neo-cons, whose compensation is largely determined by the military-industrial complex lobby dollars - they will be quite delighted. It may stir some debate among the progressive rank of democrats as they scramble to resolve the cognitive dissonance that the peace-loving president is going back to George Bush's so much hated ground zero, and find a way to spin and package it for public consumption. The good news: there is a catalyst:
Fueled by outrage over the death of aid worker Kayla Mueller, the last-known U.S. hostage held by Islamic State militants, as well as the slayings of journalists and a Jordanian pilot, lawmakers said they planned quick hearings on the authorization, and a vote within weeks of Congress' return from a Feb. 16-20 recess.
As a reminder, according to ISIS it was Jordan airstirkes, obviously with the US blessing, that killed Mueller. We doubted this explanation, but it was not until the CIA and the Pentagon chimed in and made it very clear just who killed the US hostage, that we knew for certain what had happened:
Navy Rear Adm. John Kirby was asked Tuesday if there was any doubt who killed the aid worker.
He replied: "No doubt. ISIL," using the initials the group is known by.
Kirby says U.S. officials still don't know how Mueller died. But he added that officials are certain it was not in one of the airstrikes Jordan launched in retaliation for the killing of one of its pilots.
So... the US doesn't know, but it is certain it wasn't a Jordanian airstrike. And a little over decade ago the US was certain it was Iraqi WMDs too...
In any event, next up in Congress: the usual circus as the US prepares to invade a nation once again under a humanitarian intervention pretext.
Many of Obama's fellow Democrats, war-weary after more than a dozen years of fighting in Afghanistan and Iraq, say they will oppose any AUMF that includes "boots on the ground." Obama's opposition to the Iraq War helped propel him to victory in the 2008 campaign and bringing troops home from Iraq and Afghanistan has been a focus of his presidency.
"I worry that this AUMF gives the ability for the next president to put ground troops back into the Middle East," said Senator Chris Murphy, adding that that would be a sticking point for himself and many other Democrats.
Some hawkish Republicans oppose restrictions on military commanders such as a ban on ground troops. Others are calling for a more extensive authorization allowing U.S. forces to challenge President Bashar al-Assad of Syria, where a four-year-long civil war has fueled the rise of the Islamic State group.
"If the authorization doesn't let us counter Assad's air power, I think it will fail," said Senator Lindsey Graham, a leading Republican foreign policy voice.
Surely the only way this tragicomedy would be even more complete is if Brian Williams delivered the news that America is about to bomb some more folks straight into a modern democracy to the people.
The best part: between the European Union admitting later today it is anything but, and the US on the verge of another land war in Asia, the stock market is poised to hit a fresh all time high, just because.
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Oceania had always been at war with Eastasia
Obomber to the rescue, the hypocrit. Give back that Peace Prize, you warmongerer!
In 2016 it'll be the same thing except a new face.
Just need to insert picture of Jeb Bush, Scott Walker (a Bush also), Hillary, or Warren.
What exactly are our war aims against ISIL? Please don't authorize this. Unless he decides to side with Assad as the lesser of two evils and wipe out ISIL utterly, I don't see what he can accomplish. I thought the lesson we learned is that US troops are very good at turning things to rubble, but without local allies and powerful local factions then all we have is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing.
https://public.isishq.com/public/SitePages/ISIS%20HQ.aspx
ISIS Headquarters is located in the heart of Sierra Vista, Arizona just outside the gates of Ft. Huachuca, home of the United States Army Intelligence Center and the US Army Network Enterprise Technology Command.
During interviews or talks, I always hear the top brass correct folks when they call Islamic State "ISIS", they are very careful to call the organization ISIL. I wonder if the reason is because they don't want people to get "confused"...
If she was the final US hostage, I am not clear on what dog we have in this fight. I say we give Jordan and KSA all of the bullets they need.
We have no interests in this area.
The management is stuck on full fucking retard.
fuck Skippy Obama.
I should have stayed in New Zealand
LOL...whatever. I guess the troops have a decision to make...
The Obama Doctrine: Neoliberalism + Neoconservatism = Neocolonialism
American Hypocrisy
Finish Off ISIS in One Month versus Several Years
I. USA Method – “Civilized”
Drones, endless bombing, train locals to fight back; goes on for years; costs billions;
= Thousands of Local Civilian Casualties.
II. Cleansing the Pugnacious
Give widespread notice, No Exceptions - for every ISIL combatant found alive or dead, no prisoners, and will track down your family and promptly kill your mother, father, sisters, brothers, aunts, uncles, and cousins, and your pets.
= few local civilian casualties because “WAR” is over before it really gets going.
you forgot to boil them in pigs blood
American troops in the mideast (again) ....just part of our agreement with the Saudi's if they would drive down the cost of oil for a while.
Peace in Egypt, Libya, Syria, Iraq, Iran, Ukraine, Missouri, ...
Ein Volk im Waffen !
http://the-mound-of-sound.blogspot.de/2015/02/the-seven-deadly-traits-of...
Since the government is now avenging deaths, what about Rachel Corrie???
so; he is shorting war
You may have noticed that the Muslim Sunni Diaspora is financing (via the Internet and via local recruiters) the arrival of 20000 or more young recruits from foreign lands to reinforce the Raqa based ISIS.
This is becoming a new Templar State venture where the ISIS jihadis are alike the Red crossed templars of yesteryear all hacking off heads in name of "God Wills it".
The same breed of obscurantist rage now feeds the Sunni youth world wide --(Just imagine how many could come from dislocated Maghreb+ First world ghettos + Afghan/Pak teeming shanty towns-- now all geared up to fight US Drone supported moderate sunni+ heretic shia and kurd deniers).
What an incredible and cynical legacy the ME world has now become, in this ongoing Oil patch mayhem fall out of GWB's Iraq crusade.
Disgusting and predicted by many here including myself. Americans need to say a big fat NO.
Have you all noticed that under this administration, no casualities nor deaths of military service people are even reported anymore. We cannot even speak of those wounded and screwed up for life. Yet they want to cut off medical assistance to these people. Any person with even half a brain knows you cannot control the ground with drones, aircraft, and mercenaries. So now this dick head wants to send in our ground troops once again. A fucking no brainer smuck. I guess now that the Navy and the Air Force have upgraded their gear it is time to send our young men and women back into the fray in outdated gear and vehicles to get them killed once again. So much for all the pundits and rhetoric coming out of the government and the media about how well our campaigns are going. Celente said it best publically, but I knew long before he was on the scene. When all else fails take the country to war to divert the public attention away from the real problems in our country. A world war is brewing and I honestly hate to type this. I pray I am wrong.
War is nasty and I served in two wars. Once Obama gets the ok to send troops to Iraq we will move into the other Middle Eastern countries, mark my prediction on this one. This administration is itching to go into Syria and maybe even Iran. We cannot have ragheads with nukes you know!! The stupid Republicans will vote for it and fall into the trap. I hope they do and all of them get tossed out of office. It is time to toss all incumbents out of office. Ukraine will be next and the USA could care less about what France and Germany want. We already conduct war on many fronts without allies. We would still be going it alone if ISIS had not burned that Jordanian pilot.
Many here stated when we were pulling out of the Middle East, we would either be back, or the various factions in the Middle East would be killing each other off as they have done for centuries.
Sorry for the rant all but having been there and done that it is not something I would wish on anyone anymore.
The VA scandal was forever ago. It had issues for a short period and was fixed. STFU and move on. We will always be at war because there are bad guys. /S (enraged sarc)
Nothing to be sorry for, There was a whole generation, called Boomers, that didn't like war, some refused to go,,, many anti war songs, many protests,,, these days they're more than happy to send their grand babies as cannon fodder.
As a boomer I find this most disgusting....
Obama's new military uniforms will be transgender
have a look
http://www.vogue.co.uk/fashion/autumn-winter-2013/mens/jw-anderson
The fashion industry, along with the entertainment industry (see Bruce Jenner) is trying to emasculate us into subjugation to passively accept whatever is jammed down our throats. Give me a tinfoil hat, if you like, but this is getting ridiculous.
Oh,,, Mannnnn.
Just threw up breakfast.... Thanks!
SUPPORT OUR TROOPS.
NO TROOPS LEFT BEHIND.
Buy the Made in China car and fridge magnets. (Both car and fridge made by Korean allies). And be sure to chant "We're #1!" at next sporting event.
Why is it that Lindsay Graham is grinning and stroking Johnny McWar under the table right now? The Neocons are pumped today, baby! Pumped!! I mean, let's go kill some people...
$10 bucks and my right nut says "ISIS" makes a B line for Damascus in the next 6 months, Assad is taken out and the new puppet government is pro a natural gas pipeline beginning in Quatar.... Oh, and the whole thing will be completed using the US Dollar... At least that's the plan unless Mr. Putin intervenes...
It still won't hold off the collapse. Go Greece, go!
Yep,,, Syria will end up like our last great democratic regime change achievement.... Libya.
What a sick country we have become.
Some drummers are playing flute in Minsk today.
Great, also Putin can now declare war on ISIL. He is an ally of the Unites States against the terrorist (as Russia was against the nazis) He will send troops to Syria. US attacks ISIL from Irak, Russia from Syria. One great common goal.
Lest we forget the words of the exalted one...
“The analogy we use around here sometimes, and I think is accurate, is if a jayvee team puts on Lakers uniforms that doesn’t make them Kobe Bryant,” Obama said, resorting to an uncharacteristically flip analogy. “I think there is a distinction between the capacity and reach of a bin Laden and a network that is actively planning major terrorist plots against the homeland versus jihadists who are engaged in various local power struggles and disputes, often sectarian.
http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2014/01/27/going-the-distance-2?curren...
Note to Obama, you and "Plugs" Biden need to go play with shotguns (preferably at 10 paces facing each other...)
So, Feb 5, news breaks that Obama has insulted Christians for engaging in the crusades, a war without geographic boundaries to root out exremists muslims.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/obamas-speech-at-prayer-breakfast...
Six days later, he asks a republican controlled congress for permission to launch a war without geographic boundaries to root out extremists muslims.
Oh, the irony.
Good theatre though. Pretty clear that he is going to leave military equipment laying in piles with "come and get me" signs on it. And he'll probably give ISIL/ISIS the huge military complex we've spent billions building in Iraq so it can serve as the HQ for the islamic caliphate which will function as a region of the new world order. But I guess that would be harder to sell than a new crusade...
Now how long before ISIS is discovered recruiting in the Donbass?
Just nuke'm, Barry, use one of your executive ordures, easier to ask forgiveness than permission. Actually you never ask for forgiveness, so wtf.
WAR!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mn91L9goKfQ
ISIS SchmISIS. This is the last desperate attempt to start WWIII in the middle east. This isn't going to go anywhere. They are finished.
"Surely the only way this tragicomedy would be even more complete is if Brian Williams delivered the news that America is about to bomb some more folks straight into a modern democracy to the people."
I'm pretty sure that's what Korean CGI is for, just wait a day or two...maybe drop it in their suggestions box :)