White House officials are loudly trying to downplay the warnings about their failing Syrian policy made clear in a recent memo by Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel, saying that the policy is definitely working.
“The policy that we have for Assad is really clear: We believe that he’s lost the legitimacy to lead,” insisted White House spokesman Josh Earnest. Hagel’s memo warned that the White House insistence on being anti-Assad was being undercut by the war effort helping Assad.
The memo further warned that the US has no end game strategy for the conflict, something which didn’t seem to be seriously contested by the White House, which continues to talk up an extremely long war with no end in sight.
The Pentagon also downplayed the idea of disconnect, saying that the memo was simply part of the constant review of the ongoing conflict, and not reflective of a serious shift in policy.
Though officials are often downplaying their internal disagreements when they become a matter of public knowledge, the claims that the current strategy is “working” are particularly bizarre, as the situation is clearly worsening, and the US policy, ill-defined, is not achieving any of its stated goals.
If they say that the policy is "clear and working", we can easily surmise that the opposite is true.
The policy is clear and working. Obama will leave office and DUMP the ISIS war on the next president- just like Bush did to him with Iraq and Afghanistan. Obvious, simple.
"THE GOVERNMENT SAYS THERE IS NO CAUSE FOR ALARM"
Well, it's working for various constituencies like arms makers and friends of the zionist enterprise.
"…US policy, ill-defined, is not achieving any of its stated goals."
I was unaware that the administration had stated what their goals were, ill-defined or otherwise.
Hidden goal — Too explosive to ever mention
Since 1948 when Israel was created to be a terrorist state, by far the largest consumer of war materials has been the Middle-East. You see, it all functions on the principle that before you can sell a bomb to the oil rich nations first you must get them to explode the ones they already have.
And you had better believe that the merchants of death that sell explosions to the oil rich in the form of ready to fire bombs, surely they also keep readily supplied to freedom fighters and terrorists all the explosives they desire for making bombs.
So, the hidden goal is to maximize the number of explosions, with stability being achieved by a steady increase in weekly explosions and an increase in the probability that the explosions will never end.
And so, looking at the weekly body counts on AntiWar.com, reflecting on the number of explosions it took to achieve that many bloody body parts, I would say that the criminal general spoke a profound truth.
To — curmudgeonvt
Your comment makes no sense, as Hagel is carpet bombing troops of the Islamic State and this speaks volumes as to his intent and goal. Also, look at all the grain silos and infrastructure in Syria that Hagel so loves to destroy.
I ‘m sorry, but if you cannot concentrate on the truth being communicated here, to the point that you contradict such a self-evident truth, then please do stop destroying this place.
Hidden or unclear agendas breeds distrust of the government. Not a healthy situation
Hagel has certainly not turned out the way that antiwar.com and Justin Raimondo had hoped. But just maybe he has more smarts than the sycophants surrounding Obama that have never been in a war and are clueless. Since it appears that they will not listen to him, a Vietnam combat veteran, he should resign and make his case to the American people.
I don't think there was ever any collective "antiwar.com position" on Hagel.
Some of us thought Justin was out of his mind to consider Hagel anything other than business as usual.
He was wrong. We were right.
Ditto Rand Paul.
Keeping in mind Hagel works for Obama, he has had the guts to call this fiasco for what it is
The President must decide which he prefers, ISIS or Assad… Or shoot the messenger.
“The policy that we have for Assad is really clear: We believe that he’s lost the legitimacy to lead,” insisted White House spokesman Josh Earnest.
Wha? This after he won elections in June? this after most of the Sunni Arabs in the Army are fighting tooth and nail to defend the secular composite of Syria, despite the narrative being created of sectarianism tearing the country apart?
Syrian gov and mil are doing the right thing: fighting drugged-out, terrorist thugs and child-killers which came under the guise of a "popular uprising" against the "dictator" but which was quickly seized upon by neighboring monarchies with their own agenda.