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HardTimes99

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75. First of all, please allow me to compliment you on your civil tone. That said, I

Sun Sep 8, 2013, 08:05 PM

Sep 2013

must take issue with your characterization of the phrase "the Syrian regime launched the gas attacks" as a "statement of fact." It is no such thing, being a mere assertion lacking evidence or proof. Indeed, its non-factual basis no doubt explains why the WH Chief of Staff felt compelled to defend it as 'common sense.'

I would argue that "the Syrian regime launched the gas attacks" occupies roughly the same epistemological space as "We need lebensraum," i.e., assertion\opinion masquerading as fact.

What makes this doubly annoying and utterly demolishes the adminsitration's case for use of military force is that, not five days earlier, Kerry said there was 'irrefutable proof'. Turns out there is no such thing, nor that 'common sense' implies anything other than what the person deploying it wishes it to imply.

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White House: Irrefutable Assad link to gas attack lacking, but passes ‘common-sense test’ [View all] HardTimes99 Sep 2013 OP

Lack of sufficient evidence. dipsydoodle Sep 2013 #1

Or that the NSA buggers have listened and found that the HardTimes99 Sep 2013 #3

common sense, this administration's version of Bush's 'gut' sense. roguevalley Sep 2013 #35

Remembering madamesilverspurs Sep 2013 #2

To say I'm flabbergasted is putting it mildly. Didn't Kerry just a few days ago HardTimes99 Sep 2013 #7

"Proofiness" a word similar to truthiness, meaning to have a common sense feeling he must be guilty. Dragonfli Sep 2013 #29

"Common sense" - two words I am putting henceforth on my permanent shitlist - nt HardTimes99 Sep 2013 #78

"This is not a court of law" Rebellious Republican Sep 2013 #4

Courts of law and due process are so last century - nt HardTimes99 Sep 2013 #5

What was I thinking? Rebellious Republican Sep 2013 #8

Yes, clearly a case of pre-9/11 thinking. nt Beer Swiller Sep 2013 #40

The UN is a court of law??? LOL... reACTIONary Sep 2013 #43

The one that matters? Rebellious Republican Sep 2013 #72

My assertion that the UN is not a court of law... reACTIONary Sep 2013 #76

Very Sensible and Practical.. frylock Sep 2013 #6

And, dare I add, 'banal'? - nt HardTimes99 Sep 2013 #9

Reality based, real world realism seems... reACTIONary Sep 2013 #45

Common sense test says that going to war requires evidence beyond a reasonable doubt leveymg Sep 2013 #10

Bingo deutsey Sep 2013 #34

So, since we have better than probable cause, and we have... reACTIONary Sep 2013 #49

IF this happened beyond Assad's purview... Cooley Hurd Sep 2013 #11

His brother did it, and his brother is the real boss. Nt Sand Wind Sep 2013 #13

Then he needs to go all David Kaczynski over his ass! Cooley Hurd Sep 2013 #15

You and DEBKAfile claim this. leveymg Sep 2013 #20

What if it was actually the rebels who exploded that CBW ordnance? Should Assad HardTimes99 Sep 2013 #14

Few reputable sources have blamed the rebels.... Cooley Hurd Sep 2013 #16

Since we're making 'common sense' our standard these days, why not apply HardTimes99 Sep 2013 #17

Not talking "common sense". Just speaking of what's been reported by multiple sources. Cooley Hurd Sep 2013 #24

The means and opportunity, Assad had both. christx30 Sep 2013 #38

I generally shy away from CT because they fail Popper's 'falsifiability standard' but HardTimes99 Sep 2013 #52

The Assad government was in it's third day of the most cheapdate Sep 2013 #42

Give back your ill gotten Peace Prize blkmusclmachine Sep 2013 #12

Memo to Nobel Prize Committee: Do not hand out peace prizes in advance. Thanks! - nt HardTimes99 Sep 2013 #18

A most excellent point. arewenotdemo Sep 2013 #66

That's just fucking stupid. Autumn Sep 2013 #19

The entire regime change policy toward Syria has been fucking stupid. leveymg Sep 2013 #22

I'd definitely add Samantha Power to that cabal. arewenotdemo Sep 2013 #69

I'm increasingly convinced this was all no series of unfortunate events, and that there's more leveymg Sep 2013 #71

Even Brzezinski can't figure why Obama began his illegal covert war against Syria. arewenotdemo Sep 2013 #73

Brzezinski is one cold-blooded SOB, isn't he? Willing to take the deaths of 3,000 civilians on 9-11 HardTimes99 Sep 2013 #79

No question he is. Yet I find what he has to say about all this to be very convincing. arewenotdemo Sep 2013 #82

And after Bush and Iraq MissDeeds Sep 2013 #27

wow, so he's a 'gut player' ? phantom power Sep 2013 #21

Yeah, Syria is *nothing* like Iraq durablend Sep 2013 #23

"Common Sense" said Spain attacked the Maine, Uncle Joe Sep 2013 #25

heh, nice try at swapping ontology and epistemology MisterP Sep 2013 #26

Actually, the "common sense test" is exactly how the baggers "know" Obama needs to be impeached. beerandjesus Sep 2013 #93

Is the "common-sense test" sufficient to launch a war of aggression other than to fulfill a indepat Sep 2013 #28

Everyone knows that there is no common-sense in Washington. NONE. :-| n/t DeSwiss Sep 2013 #30

Common sense dictates Unknown Beatle Sep 2013 #31

Thank you. My wife would tell you that I started channeling the same rage I used HardTimes99 Sep 2013 #47

An image is worth a thousand words... soo... Scootaloo Sep 2013 #32

I'm not the world's greatest at the graphics thing (my wife's area of HardTimes99 Sep 2013 #56

some of us 'old timers' should remember a 1960's political term azurnoir Sep 2013 #33

More of a "credibility ABYSS", i.e., bottomless depths of hubris shading into total darkness Divernan Sep 2013 #41

Wow! I really wish you would make this its own OP. Magnificent HardTimes99 Sep 2013 #68

I'm so channeling Ron Nessen's (Nixon's press secretary) repeated assurances that HardTimes99 Sep 2013 #54

The standard for war is lower than the standard for criminal law? daleo Sep 2013 #36

Absolutly, Without an overarching... reACTIONary Sep 2013 #44

That was the idea behind the UN daleo Sep 2013 #48

I don't think that was the idea behind the UN... reACTIONary Sep 2013 #55

There are only two justifcations for acts of war. another_liberal Sep 2013 #53

"Common sense" said Hitler needed lebensraum, so buh-bye Poland and the USSR - nt HardTimes99 Sep 2013 #58

You are confusing "common sense" with "self interest".... reACTIONary Sep 2013 #64

Actually, it is you who conflates the two. I find DU a pretty sensible place compared HardTimes99 Sep 2013 #65

I agree, DU is a pretty common sense community... reACTIONary Sep 2013 #70

First of all, please allow me to compliment you on your civil tone. That said, I HardTimes99 Sep 2013 #75

I still must disagree, on both points... reACTIONary Sep 2013 #81

Sorry, but I have to disagree... reACTIONary Sep 2013 #61

We signed the treaty which established that standard. another_liberal Sep 2013 #63

I looked into it a bit more carefully... reACTIONary Sep 2013 #74

The Syrian government is still sovereign, no matter how disreputable we may view it to be. another_liberal Sep 2013 #89

Thats the interpretation we have been operating on... reACTIONary Sep 2013 #96

As long as we don't act as a Security Council unto ourselves. another_liberal Sep 2013 #97

It was once "common sense" that the sun orbited the earth deutsey Sep 2013 #37

Plus the Earth couldn't rotate, because we would fly off daleo Sep 2013 #51

Harvard produces some real Crap. GeorgeGist Sep 2013 #39

Hah! One of the few laughs I've had today. :) - nt HardTimes99 Sep 2013 #77

Everyone close your eyes now and say along with me: another_liberal Sep 2013 #46

Mmm he probably did but if so evidence is going to be damn hard to get cstanleytech Sep 2013 #50

"Damn hard to get . . ." another_liberal Sep 2013 #57

"We need to set that bar very high indeed!" Oh I agree. nt cstanleytech Sep 2013 #59

If it's so common sensical, why isn't the rest of the world on board? One person's HardTimes99 Sep 2013 #60

Because the rest of the world doesnt want to get caught with its pants down cstanleytech Sep 2013 #62

I can tell you why Russia isn't on board... reACTIONary Sep 2013 #83

Don't forget to click your heels three times! deutsey Sep 2013 #87

Given that our congress has no common sense NV Whino Sep 2013 #67

Sense ???? SamKnause Sep 2013 #80

All it takes AnnieBW Sep 2013 #84

You mean you weren't comforted by SoS Kerry's assertion that there HardTimes99 Sep 2013 #85

Kerry had previously claimed it was "undeniable". The WH is walking this back. Pterodactyl Sep 2013 #86

Interesting development, huh? n/t deutsey Sep 2013 #88

Frankly, this DOES make sense to me. AverageJoe90 Sep 2013 #90

Whose common sense? Mz Pip Sep 2013 #91

His "common sense test" sounds like something less than the least truthful thing Kerry could of avaistheone1 Sep 2013 #92

"truthiness" /nt Ash_F Sep 2013 #94

No, Mr. President, it doesn't. Without irrefutable evidence, you can't justify this. Arkana Sep 2013 #95

It's better than proof: it's in his gut MannyGoldstein Sep 2013 #98