Big rally in the US Congress: Secretary of State Kerry, hail and Defense Chief of Staff Dempsey have referred to the Senate for a military strike Syria. Now a compromise is looming – a limited operation, the weary, the war can agree.
Almost half an hour argues John Kerry, fixed, determined, unchallenged. Only when the U.S. Secretary of State is ready, jump back on a woman. “No one wants this war,” she protested, before they take ushers. “The American people do not want him!”
Kerry shows understanding: “The first time I testified before this committee when I was 27 years old, I had very similar feelings.” 1971 was when the Vietnam veteran against the war argued before the Senate. 42 years later he is now arguing the same location for it: “This is not the time for armchair-isolationism.”
Kerry’s appearance on Tuesday’s highlight of the PR campaign, with U.S. President Barack Obama – the departed in the evening to Sweden and Russia – the Congress is vying for a military strike against the Assad regime. Flanked by Defense Chuck Hagel and Chief of Staff Martin Dempsey, Kerry evokes moral obligation, political coercion and military restraint: Wanted is only a remote-controlled missile attacks without ground troops – a point at which it wobbles around a bit first.
“President Obama is not asking to be allowed to go to war,” says Kerry. Not a right in any case, a la Afghanistan and Iraq. It would only punish Bashar al-Assad, “degrade and deter.” In other words, a little war.
Kerry knows: That’s all for which this Convention is carried away, if ever. Although hardly anyone doubts in Washington that Assad’s troops for the poison gas massacre of 21 August were responsible. The question remains: How should a war-weary nation like the United States react to it – without losing credibility?
War at Syria:In the Senate, a majority is emerging
And so begin the Senate and House of Representatives on Tuesday independently, the Syria resolution stifle Obama’s strong – so that even the most critical members of Congress can swallow it. Say: The U.S. military operation will be trimmed to the lowest acceptable denominator.
In the Senate, it looks like this: time frame 60 days plus 30 days, if necessary, explicit prohibition of ground troops. Starting this Wednesday the committee to vote on the text.
The nearly four-hour meeting on Tuesday shows that at least in the Senate can hope for scarce good will the White House. Strongly contributes Kerry ago, which is why the use of chemical weapons Assad should not let it go. Iran and North Korea were only waiting that the U.S. wegsähen: “The risk of inaction is greater than the risk of action,” he says, comparing Assad again with Adolf Hitler and Saddam Hussein.
At the end are even on the Tea Party Senator Rand Paul. The Republican voices the loudest doubts, eventually he wants to distinguish itself for its own presidential bid in 2016. But then he predicts Kerry: “They will probably win.”
War at Syria:Obstacles in the House of Representatives
Despite the nitpicking comes to every single voice on. Because so simple it should the Obama team will not have – especially in the House of Representatives.
Although there is also filed on a resolution calling for an even more truncated operation command: Maximum 60 days, no soldiers on the ground, restriction on “a single round” of missiles, so that by the “Washington Post” bandied details. But it remains completely unclear whether the support of a majority in peace moving Left and isolationist right.
Sure, the two top Republicans on Tuesday put behind Obama John Boehner, the Speaker of the House, and Majority Leader Eric Cantor – otherwise sworn enemies of the President. But that means little: All 435 MPs have next year to fear for their re-election, often in districts with populist challengers. As a military vote can be fatal quickly.
Especially in this climate. According to a new survey of the “Washington Post” and ABC News, 59 percent of Americans are against a military strike Syria. The rejection beyond party lines: 54 percent of Democrats, 55 percent of Republicans and 66 percent of independents say war? Not with us.
One seems to be the result but even so sure that he is listening any more. Republican John McCain, Obama’s opponent otherwise so shrill, switches when the Kerry Senate hearing in parts from – and plays on his iPhone prefer online poker.
“The worst part,” he smiles later on CNN: “I have lost thousands of dollars.”
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