Kerry turns tables on Rand Paul

[Tx4obama]

Kerry turns tables on Rand Paul

After weathering a barrage of criticism from Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.), Kerry turned the tables and demanded to know whether or not he believed that air strikes would make Assad more or less likely to use chemical weapons again.

“It’s unknown,” Paul replied.

Jabbing his finger, Kerry disagreed, saying it was guaranteed that Assad would use chemical weapons again if the U.S. doesn’t act.

Kerry, a Vietnam veteran, reminded Paul that “you’ve got three of us here who have gone to war” and that they know what it involves. “The president is not asking you to go to war,” he said, urging Paul to go to a classified briefing “and learn that.”

Concluding his comments, Kerry turned to Gen. Martin Dempsey, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, for back-up, asking if he wanted to “weigh in on this.”
“No, not really,” came the reply, prompting laughter from the panel.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-politics-live/the-senates-syria-hearing-live-updates/?id=495d87f0-607f-4d8e-9b57-f7f3933892a1

Jump forward to the 7:30 minute mark on the video below

[baldguy]

3. That comment is unjustfied & extremly disengeneous.

that would be fucking obvious to anyone who knew anything at all about Sec. Kerry.

People who support Assad - like Rand Paul - have the blood on thousands of Syrians on their hands.

[former9thward]

2. How come Kerry said nothing when the rebels used chemical weapons in May?

Will the rebels use them again?

http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/05/05/us-syria-crisis-un-idUSBRE94409Z20130505

[avaistheone1]

6. Hhmmm...

that's disturbing. I wonder then if Kerry/USA ignored it because they were trying to setup Assad for a fall. Awfully curious about how Great Britain exported key ingredients for the chemical weapons into Syria as well. It seems the US (and GB) may have been working together to create an incident in Syria.

[former9thward]

10. I trust absolutely nothing coming out of that region.

I don't care if it is coming from the U.S,. Russia, the UK, France, Assad or the rebels. I hope we do not get drawn into this.

[karynnj]

15. That GB sent chemicals has been debunked many times

[avaistheone1]

16. B.S. Debunked by who?

link please.

[karynnj]

18. Here you go

http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=3586467

[msanthrope]

4. Rather well done on Kerry's part. nt

[LibAsHell]

5. Only John Kerry looks foolish here

Hurts me to defend Rand fucking Paul but when he said "it's unknown" he was absolutely right.

What else is unknown is what the strikes will accomplish, whether they will help opposition fighters gain any advantage over the Syrian army, or what will happen if they manage to overthrow Assad.

[woo me with science]

7. It is beyond pathetic when the Democratic Party is reduced

to attacking fringe, extremist libertarians because they cannot bring their corrupted corporate selves to own the issues they *should* own.

There's an easy answer to Democratic angst about the Pauls. Democrats could become the party *against* spying, *against* warmongering, and in favor of *increasing,* rather than cutting, safety nets.

[ProSense]

9. "attacking fringe libertarians"

Stand with Paul "drone a potential liquor store robber" Rand.

[avaistheone1]

8. I don't think Kerry looks good at all in this exchange.

[longship]

11. Too late, my friend.

Many DUers have already thrown Secy Kerry under the bus. Calling him a liar, etc.

I say that as a person who is against any action by the US in Syria.

But I will not throw the Obama administration under the bus just because I disagree with what they are doing, or are intending to do. To do that under our current political structure lies madness and future Republican regimes who would do far, far worse.

I can disagree, even passionately, without setting my hair on fire about it. I have had things to complain about every Democratic majority for over four decades.

But by all means DUers should proceed. It's all so simple. Either they're for us 100% , or against us 100%.

Reality is more nuanced. Governing in the 21st century is difficult. I disagree with my party on this. But I unapologetically support my party even while disagreeing on certain individual policy issues.

[Snotcicles]

12. Rand Paul is such a zero, he gets exposed after only a few minutes of talking. nt

[daa]

13. Keep selling him short, your mistake Nt

[Red Mountain]

14. Kerry was nicer than I would have been.

All the 'we can't know this and we can't know that'.


There are things we do know Senator. And at some point you have to make a decision.

Pick a side.

[avaistheone1]

17. Rushing to judgement on Iraq proved foolish.

All the propaganda and the lies were criminal. More than 100,000 lives lost due to those fabrications.

There is no need to lose more lives in Syria over half-baked information. Not having adequate data should be a RED FLAG to not initiate military action against another country. That is the prudent course of action.