Anyone remember how this time last year Obama and Kerry Pushed for Bombing Syria?

[karynnj]

72. You don't need inside information to follow this at all

You just had to listen to what was SAID, not what you feared was meant.

Both Obama and Kerry spoke of the Assad crossing a red line when he used chemical weapons. They also clearly spoke of wanting to have a limited air strike that would sufficiently raise the cost of using chemical weapons in Assad's calculations. They specifically denied that their goal was to force Assad out of power by the airstrike. This is why McCain was pretty verbal against what they planned.

Kerry was asked a good question by a journalist. Was there anything Syria could do to stop the attack? Kerry's answer was 100% consistent with everything he and Obama had said before. If the goal was to make future use of chemical weapons less likely - as they said - his answer was incredibly matter of fact and obvious.

At that point, the Obama team had had no success pushing this idea - which they had proposed as early in spring, before the August use. What is clear is that Putin had not made this push until the US threat. Then note that Obama sent Kerry to negotiate this. Obama has a large number of people he could have sent. If as so many here want to believe, Kerry had completely gone off from administration goals - even by mistake, would Obama trust him for this?

Then read the accounts of the Geneva talks, that the media always thought would be unsuccessful - up until an agreement that met every goal Kerry listed the first day was signed.

Then read the accounts of what happened at the UN. It is clear that both the Russian and US ambassadors tried to amend the agreement - the US adding condemnation of Assad. Kerry and Lavrov again met and the agreement's language returned to what it was in Geneva.