Obama: Russia Can Choose Assad Or Legitimate Syrian Gov't

[Purveyor]

Source: Associated Press

MANILA, Philippines (AP) -- President Barack Obama says Russia and Iran must decide whether they want to prop up Syrian President Bashar Assad or "save the Syrian state" by finding a Syrian government that can be legitimate.

Obama is speaking during a meeting with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

He says it's unimaginable that Syria's civil war can be stopped without Assad leaving power. He says Assad "cannot regain legitimacy."

Obama says the goal of recent diplomatic efforts is to create space that could eventually lead to a "pivot" and political transition. He says a hoped-for cease-fire might not be observed by all parties but would create "pockets of calm."

Read more: http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/A/AS_OBAMA_SYRIA?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2015-11-19-02-22-48

[murielm99]

1. The whole trouble with

"finding a Syrian government" could be another mess like the one Dubya created. Outside meddling is disastrous.

[DetlefK]

3. Well, "inside meddling" caused the syrian civil-war.

[NuclearDem]

29. Actually, that was caused by Assad firing on Arab Spring protesters.

Last edited Thu Nov 19, 2015, 03:37 PM - Edit history (1)

[DetlefK]

36. My buddy?

Who are you refering to?

[NuclearDem]

37. Crap, sorry, mistook you for another poster.

[Art_from_Ark]

2. How many Middle Eastern countries have "legitimate" governments?

[Spitfire of ATJ]

4. Ask Palestine.

[Demeter]

8. Legitimate? By whose definition? Obama's?State Dept?

Maybe they accept Israel's government as legitimate, but not Netanyahu....

The only "legitimate" governments are those who let the US put its armies in charge. With our foot on their necks, they become vassal states, thus, "legitimate".

[truth2power]

10. Exactly, Demeter. They're only legitimate if WE say so...

I cannot BELIEVE the arrogance of the American government. You would think they would be embarrassed to behave in such a childish way.

Obama has no shame.

[MattSh]

5. Obama: Russia Can Choose Assad Or Legitimate Syrian Gov't. Really?

So, do it our way and it's a legitimate government. Arrogance again, but what do you expect from DC these days?

[Demeter]

6. It goes along with his whiny letter to the people

http://www.democraticunderground.com/1016137252

This man has no political skill whatsoever, nor any understanding of the job he's supposed to do. No wonder he's putty in the hands of the MIC.

[NuclearDem]

26. Perhaps you don't remember exactly how the civil war started.

Hint: It wasn't because a lot of Syrians loved the Assad government.

[n2doc]

7. And who might that Government be?

Probably Saudi-hand-picked Sunni extremists. Just not Daesh. But their buddies.

The so-called moderates don't exist. They fled or died.

[truth2power]

9. Assad IS the legitimate government...

Sorry that doesn't meet with Obama's approval.

[Nihil]

11. +1 (n/t)

[truth2power]

12. Thank you...

When I saw that my post had been replied to, I though for sure it was one of THEM telling me I was full of sh*&t.

[Myrina]

21. +2

n/t

[EX500rider]

24. In the same way Hitler or Idi Amin were the legitimate leaders of their countries.

[bemildred]

13. Well I must say this renewed concern for legitimacy in government is welcome.

However somebody is feeding him bullshit if he is saying the Syrian government is not legitimate. And further the US government has a lot of chutzpah to whine about legitimacy when it has been rigging its own elections since forever and waging war and domestic policy both against the expressed wishes of the majority of its citizens.

[Demeter]

14. Not to mention, citizens of other nations

[bemildred]

16. Right, but that is not what legitimacy is about.

Legitimacy is having the support of your own people, we have been ignoring that overtly in favor of "managed democracy" for well over half a century, and it's not like the denizens of the US' government and business elites have ever really cared a fig for what us great unwashed masses think. They treat us like cattle most of the time, and think of us like cattle too.

[truth2power]

23. i agree with all your points, bemildred..

rigging its own elections...check

waging war against expressed wishes...check

And Obama knows very well what the word "legitimate" means, having taught Constitutional law and all. Course, we're not supposed to call him a liar. Hmmm...a conundrum, for sure.

[DonCoquixote]

15. Or Obama can choose to hate assad

Or simply admit that Hillary's "assad must go" and her "we came, we saw, he died" helped plant the seeds that brought this harvest.

[bemildred]

17. I'll show you a government with a legitimacy problem:

Americans Aren't Sure Anything In America Works Anymore

---


Here's a brief, non-exhaustive list of things that a new poll says Americans don't have much faith in: the government, businesses, the economy, the power of their vote and the future of the United States.

The overall mood of the country is one of "anxiety, nostalgia and mistrust," according to the 2015 American Values Survey, which was released Tuesday by the nonpartisan Public Religion Research Institute.

"Fear is not an emotion that you see often in public opinion polls, but it was clearly there in the fall of 2008 and early 2009" after the economic collapse, said Karlyn Bowman, of the conservative American Enterprise Institute, during a Tuesday panel discussion of the survey. "Americans aren't confident that we've fixed what went wrong.

Many, in fact, see the country as on the decline. The poll found that 53 percent of Americans say the nation's culture and way of life have changed for the worse since the 1950s. Forty-nine percent now say America's best days are behind it, up from 38 percent who said the same in 2012. Democrats remain more bullish, while Republicans and tea party members are the most pessimistic.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10027359297

[rockfordfile]

18. liberals see it differently

Democrats love our country. Republicans attempt to do anything to undermine our country.

[pampango]

19. In a perfect world, dictators would never be legitimate. Unfortunately, he is the lesser of two

evils and we have to deal with reality. The world (particularly Syria) are far from perfect.

As much as a majority of Syrians may hate him (I would hate any dictator I lived under too regardless of warnings that the 'alternative' is worse), they are going to be stuck with him for another generation.

[harun]

22. Assad doesn't even control the majority of the land of Syria anymore, hence not legit

He will be gone within two years.

As soon as the upper class of Syria finds an exit strategy that maintains their upper classness with removing Assad he will be gone.

[truth2power]

25. He was legitimately elected.

Re-elected with 88.7% of the votes.

And you know that the majority of Syrians hate him, how?

[NuclearDem]

28. You can't be serious.

You actually believe that bullshit?

[truth2power]

32. Your post makes no sense...

A rofl smilie and a claim of bullshit is without substance.

[NuclearDem]

33. You can't seriously be claiming those election results were legitimate.

The elections you're talking about were held in 2014, right in the middle of the civil war.

[pampango]

35. If you think he is not a dictator, you are welcome to your opinion. n/t

[coyote]

20. Whaaat??? Last time I checked, Assad is the legitimate government.

How does it feel to want Obama? I am sure Russia will just laugh this one off.

[Truprogressive85]

27. Have we not learned anything ?

I will say this Assad is toppled or replace
Syria falls into a deeper civil war and which will allow Daesh to grow

[geek tragedy]

30. It's pretty simple:if Assad stays, Syria gets partitioned and Assad is king of a rump Allawite state

[SolutionisSolidarity]

31. So much h for hoping anything would change.

Apparently the new cold war is still a bigger priority for the administration than ISIS.

[840high]

34. Let's stop meddling.

[betterdemsonly]

38. Obama's thinking that we have a right to arbitrate foreign governments is the reason Isis exists.

Last edited Thu Nov 19, 2015, 06:36 PM - Edit history (2)

but don't expect the neocon media to call him on this stupidity. Jesus Christ!