Stacy`s Soapbox: Expect Everything (Via Randi Rhodes)

Monday, September 9, 2013

Expect Everything (Via Randi Rhodes)

Syrian President Bashar al Assad warned that, if the US strikes Syria, we should “expect everything.” A native English speaker would probably have said we should “expect anything,” but somehow “expect everything” comes off as a much more potent threat. He also said a strike against Syria would “support al Qaeda.” Unfortunately for him, to most Americans, “al Qaeda” is anybody who talks like he does. Assad says that attacking him will strengthen al Qaeda, President Obama says that not attacking him will strengthen Hezbollah. We’re not sure who has the poison gas, but at least we get to pick our poison.

Meanwhile, President Obama is pulling out all the stops on a push for an attack. It remains to be seen if he’s as effective at getting people to mistrust Bashar Assad as Bashar Assad is. Tonight, interviews with Obama will air on ABC, NBC, CBS, PBS, CNN, and Fox News. That’s every network with a credible news organization… AND Fox News! After all the network interviews air tonight, Obama will give a televised speech to the nation tomorrow night. Obama is going to be on TV constantly. What does he think he is... a Kardashian?

When pressed on CNN about the quality of the evidence, White House Chief of Staff Denis McDonough said that it passes “the common sense test.” Actually, common sense says not to go to war over something that is being sold as “common sense.” The common sense test says that a bumblebee can’t fly—I prefer more rigorous tests.

McDonough said “do we have a picture, or do we have irrefutable, beyond-reasonable-doubt evidence? This is not a court of law. Intelligence does not work that way.” “This is not a court of law”?! Shouldn’t the threshold for sending a nation to war be much higher than the threshold for sending a person to prison? I want a lot more evidence to send the sons and daughters of Americans into a war than I do to send any one of them to jail. Meanwhile, Secretary of State Kerry is saying “The evidence speaks for itself.” Then why does the White House have so many people out there speaking for it?

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