“The President does not have power under the Constitution to unilaterally authorize a military attack in a situation that does not involve stopping an actual or imminent threat to the Nation.”
These were the words of Presidential Candidate Barack Obama recorded in December 2007 [1]
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It would appear that the wheels may be coming off the US President’s plan to authorize regime change in Syria as part of a humanitarian gesture.
Majority opinion is apparently not on the side of the President. [2] A Gallup poll found support for a military strike in reaction to Assad’s alleged use of chemical weapons is down around 36%. US State authorities seem to hold little sway with the common citizenry lately.
As for the mainstream media, it is interesting that they have acted on cue to disseminate unsubstantiated video of the chemical gas attacks in Damascus.
The same media seem to display nowhere near the same alacrity when it comes to broadcasting or even discussing the footage that captures the brutality of the rebel “freedom fighters” with which the US has allied itself.
(Caution! The following footage is graphic and very disturbing. Viewer discretion is strongly advised!)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iG9x2JGENqA&bpctr=1378532451
US President Barack Obama made it clear months ago that the use, by Syrian President Bassar Al-Assad, of chemical weapons would represent the “Red Line” across which a response by the world community would be warranted. [3] The unveiling of footage of a gas attack dated August 21 would seem to have triggered the call for military strikes.
Curiously, this apparent chemical weapons attack took place at a time when UN chemical weapons inspectors were in the country at the invitation of the Syrian government. Whatever the character of the Assad regime might be, it is difficult to discern the logistical motives of such a move.
Following the defeat in the British Parliament of a motion to respond militarily to the presumed provocation, President Obama has chosen to seek the backing of Congress before proceeding with the military strikes that he clearly champions.
Having failed to produce international agreement at the Russia-hosted G20 meeting on how to respond to the Syrian crisis, or even apparently on who was responsible for the gas attacks, Barrack Obama has returned to the United States. He plans to make the case for military strikes in a Tuesday night White House speech.
That’s right! On the eve of the twelfth anniversary of 9/11, Obama will utilize his exceptional skills as an orator to explain the need to link with the (Al Qaeda-linked) Syrian rebels to subvert the Syrian government. The US Senate and House of Representatives will likewise make up their minds on this solemn anniversary week on whether to go to war apparently in service to Al Qaeda. Or not.
This week’s Global Research News Hour probes Obama’s Casus Beli, the chemical gas attacks, exposes what is known and documented about the opposition forces, links that understanding with recent prison breaks in Iraq, Libya and Pakistan, and attempts to discern the real motives for the US President’s determination even in the face of opposition from his own political base.
Michel Chossudovsky is Director of The Centre for Research on Globalization. and Professor of Economics (emeritus) at the University of Ottawa. His latest book is entitled “Towards a World War III Scenario, The Dangers of Nuclear War”.
Paul Craig Roberts, former Assistant Secretary of the US Treasury in the Reagan administration. He is chairman of the Institute for Political Economy. His most recent book is From 9/11 to the US War/Police State He is a frequent contributor to Global Research.
Julie Lévesque is an independent researcher and journalist, and Associate Editor at the Centre for Research on Globalization.
LISTEN TO THE SHOW
Length (59:31)
Click to download the audio (MP3 format)
The Global Research News Hour, hosted by Michael Welch, airs on CKUW 95.9FM in Winnipeg Thursdays at 10am CDT. The programme is now broadcast weekly (Monday, 5-6pm ET) by the Progressive Radio Network in the US, and is available for download on the Global Research website.
Notes
1) Charlie Savage, Dec. 20, 2007, Boston Globe; http://www.boston.com/news/politics/2008/specials/CandidateQA/ObamaQA/
2) Mario Trujillo, Sept.6, 2013, “ Poll: Support for Syria strike lower than for any action in 20 years” ;
http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/320703-support-for-syria-intervention-trails-past-conflicts#ixzz2eBbo666a
3) August 20, 2012, White House Press Release, http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2012/08/20/remarks-president-white-house-press-corps
