In his much hyped Mideast speech earlier today, President Obama made no bones about the fact that near-term US interests sometimes run afoul of the cause of pro-democracy protesters in the Middle East. Most saw this as a nod to Bahrain, Yemen, Egypt et al, but perhaps less appreciated was the US position on Syria.
Despite being a popular bogeyman regime for US officials, the Assad government in Syria has also been quietly supported as a “stabilizing” influence, with officials extremely concerned of what might happen if the nation saw actually free elections.
But with protesters in the streets and Assad increasingly unable to control them, Obama made the unusual move of saying that he must follow through with promised reforms or leave office.
Wheher anythings comes of this remains to be seen, but as with the revolution in Egypt US officials seem to be late in the game in realizing that a once cherished dictator can no longer tamp down inconvenient calls for free elections. Though the public distancing from Bashar Assad will be much easier than the one from Hosni Mubarak, it is no less dramatic a shift in US policy.
Mr. Obama you have alot of nerve saying that Assad must leave office if he does not follow through with promised reforms! You promised the American people change and what did we get? We got the continued military occupation of Iraq that you want to make permanent. We got an expanded war in Afghanistan that you want to extend to a nuclear armed Pakistan. We got your unconstitutional and immoral war of aggression against the people Libya. We got more bailouts for plutocratic banksters, and bailouts for dumbass automakers who cannot make a profit selling cars in the United States. We got torture. We got your claim not only to put people in prison for the rest of thier lives, but also your claim that you can murder American citizens if you deem them a national security threat. Let me tell you something Mr. Obama. Assad is a piker compared to you and your sorry child killing self. You should take your advice to Assad and apply it to yourself. Resigning from office would be the decent thing to do, however, expecting decency from a child kiling murdering scumbag like yourself is expecting to much.
Obama should also follow thorough with his promised reforms or leave office.