If at first you don't succeed .....
http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2013-09-06/we-have-officially-jumped-shark-al-arabiya-reports-another-gas-attack-syrian-regime
Submitted by Tyler Durden on 09/06/2013 15:12 -0400
http://news.antiwar.com/2013/09/05/us-blames-russia-but-opposition-to-war-is-much-broader/
( anyone surprised a little more sarin tossed around after the G-20 beat down Obama took ? )
Like the rest of the narrative, that position is on very shaky ground, however, as President Obama arrived for the G20 summit and faced myriad statements of opposition from around the world, including the European Union, the United Nations, and BRICS, as well as Russia and China.
A little mockery.....
http://www.michellesmirror.com/2013/09/you-go-to-war-with-clowns-youve-got.html
http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2013-09-06/fact-or-fiction-poll-says-majority-americans-approve-sending-congress-syria
( The Onion shoots and scores .... )
Submitted by Tyler Durden on 09/06/2013 15:46 -0400
http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2013-09-06/we-have-officially-jumped-shark-al-arabiya-reports-another-gas-attack-syrian-regime
We Have Officially Jumped The Shark: Al-Arabiya Reports Another "Gas Attack" By Syrian Regime
The script just jumped the shark:
- SYRIA GOVT FORCES SHELL QABUN, DAMASCUS WITH GAS: AL-ARABIYA
- AL-ARABIYA CITES UNIDENTIFIED ACTIVISTS - so the same CIA-trained, al Qaeda funded, Qatari mercenaries?
Actually it is surprising: the odds were today's false flag would take place in Iran to get the Israel card in play. Apparently nobody was dumb enough to assume the government would go with two false flags in a row in the same place. And now bring on the 1000 YouTube clips of "undisputed proof."
http://news.antiwar.com/2013/09/05/us-blames-russia-but-opposition-to-war-is-much-broader/
( anyone surprised a little more sarin tossed around after the G-20 beat down Obama took ? )
US Blames Russia, But Opposition to War Is Much Broader
Obama Faces Huge Opposition During G20 Meeting
by Jason Ditz, September 05, 2013
To hear the Obama Administration tell it, the whole world is on board with a war in Syria, and it is only Russian mean-spiritedness that is keeping the UN from endorsing the US attack.
Like the rest of the narrative, that position is on very shaky ground, however, as President Obama arrived for the G20 summit and faced myriad statements of opposition from around the world, including the European Union, the United Nations, and BRICS, as well as Russia and China.
Secretary of State John Kerry has been claiming a broad coalition of supporters for the war, but it’s becoming increasingly apparent that this secret coalition amounts to little more than Saudi Arabia and its satellites.
Even France, repeatedly presented as on board, is dramatically less-so than advertised. President Francois Hollande remains pro-war, but much as with Obama is finding some major opposition in its parliament, and could quickly be going down the British path of having to bail out in the face of that opposition.
A little mockery.....
http://www.michellesmirror.com/2013/09/you-go-to-war-with-clowns-youve-got.html
Friday, September 6, 2013
You Go to War with the Clowns You’ve Got
Oh-oh! As reported by both leftist and righteous on-line sources, Syrian rebels have admitted to using chemical weapons in pursuit of Osama Bin Laden’s directive to kill women and children.
This doesn’t sound good for the regime, the Syrian regime I mean, butt since you brought it up, it doesn’t sound good for our regime either.
The Cheese stands alone
Accordingly, war plans are kind of stalled for the moment, as they are being re-tooled (by the hour, as reported by Pentagon sources). Indeed, there’s even a growing lack of enthusiasm among our former varsity cheer leading squad:
Okay, we’ve got the first one nailed.
It might be helpful if Big Guy’s ego would allow him to consult with a former president – one who has experience initiating a war. Preferably someone other than Bubba, butt even experience with a “tail” wagging the dog war might be helpful.
By all accounts, even the highly regarded John F. Kennedy, who was pretty green at the time of the Cuban Missile Crisis, sought advice from those with more military experience than himself. He clandestinely consulted with Dwight D. Eisenhower to gain insight and perspective on how best to proceed with the deathly serious situation of Russian nuclear warheads headed for Cuba. Eisenhower coached the young President thorough the negotiations and mechanics of the Cuban blockade. At one point Kennedy seemed to waver, asking his mentor, “but what do I do if the Russians call my bluff?” To which Eisenhower replied, “You’re not bluffing, John.”
Big Guy could benefit from some counsel along those lines.
Don’t call my bluff!
Unfortunately, he doesn’t consult anyone other than Val-Jar and she doesn’t have any more experience than he does. The only one around here who’ll consult anyone from a previous administration is Chuck Hagel, who did seek advice from his counterpart in the Bush administration.
Unfortunately, he managed to get the correct cadence of Rumsfeld's counsel, without processing its import. Hence, he advised the press today, “As you know, you go to war with the clowns you have, not the clowns you might want or wish to have at a later time.”(h/t Great Minds Mock Alike)
An Army of Clowns: Harry, Gibbsy, JJ, Jean Carré, Big Guy, Axe-man and Joey
This doesn’t sound good for the regime, the Syrian regime I mean, butt since you brought it up, it doesn’t sound good for our regime either.
The Cheese stands aloneThat’s as close to mutiny as you get, as far as the new rules for old media go. What next, one wonders - unbiased reporting?Rather than rallying to Obama's side — as they have on so many other occasions — the press are actually, almost unbelievably, pointing out some unpleasant facts:How little support Obama is getting at home, even from fellow Democrats. How little support he's getting abroad. Bogus administration claims about the nature of the rebels.
And it looks like John Kerry’s insistence that evidence of the Assad regime’s use of chemical weapons has been downgraded from “beyond a reasonable doubt” to “some degree of varying confidence."Ha! Don’t hold your breath.
Okay, we’ve got the first one nailed.By all accounts, even the highly regarded John F. Kennedy, who was pretty green at the time of the Cuban Missile Crisis, sought advice from those with more military experience than himself. He clandestinely consulted with Dwight D. Eisenhower to gain insight and perspective on how best to proceed with the deathly serious situation of Russian nuclear warheads headed for Cuba. Eisenhower coached the young President thorough the negotiations and mechanics of the Cuban blockade. At one point Kennedy seemed to waver, asking his mentor, “but what do I do if the Russians call my bluff?” To which Eisenhower replied, “You’re not bluffing, John.”
Big Guy could benefit from some counsel along those lines.
Don’t call my bluff!Unfortunately, he managed to get the correct cadence of Rumsfeld's counsel, without processing its import. Hence, he advised the press today, “As you know, you go to war with the clowns you have, not the clowns you might want or wish to have at a later time.”(h/t Great Minds Mock Alike)
An Army of Clowns: Harry, Gibbsy, JJ, Jean Carré, Big Guy, Axe-man and Joeyhttp://www.zerohedge.com/news/2013-09-06/fact-or-fiction-poll-says-majority-americans-approve-sending-congress-syria
( The Onion shoots and scores .... )
Fact Or Fiction: Poll Says Majority Of Americans Approve Of Sending Congress To Syria
WASHINGTON - As President Obama continues to push for a plan of limited military intervention in Syria, a new poll of Americans has found that though the nation remains wary over the prospect of becoming involved in another Middle Eastern war, the vast majority of U.S. citizens strongly approve of sending Congress to Syria.
The New York Times/CBS News poll showed that though just 1 in 4 Americans believe that the United States has a responsibility to intervene in the Syrian conflict, more than 90 percent of the public is convinced that putting all 535 representatives of the United States Congress on the ground in Syria—including Senate pro tempore Patrick Leahy, House Speaker John Boehner, House Majority Leader Eric Cantor, and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, and, in fact, all current members of the House and Senate—is the best course of action at this time.
“I believe it is in the best interest of the United States, and the global community as a whole, to move forward with the deployment of all U.S. congressional leaders to Syria immediately,” respondent Carol Abare, 50, said in the nationwide telephone survey, echoing the thoughts of an estimated 9 in 10 Americans who said they “strongly support” any plan of action that involves putting the U.S. House and Senate on the ground in the war-torn Middle Eastern state. “With violence intensifying every day, now is absolutely the right moment—the perfect moment, really—for the United States to send our legislators to the region.”
“In fact, my preference would have been for Congress to be deployed months ago,” she added.
Citing overwhelming support from the international community—including that of the Arab League, Turkey, and France, as well as Great Britain, Iraq, Iran, Russia, Japan, Mexico, China, and Canada, all of whom are reported to be unilaterally in favor of sending the U.S. Congress to Syria—the majority of survey respondents said they believe the United States should refocus its entire approach to Syria’s civil war on the ground deployment of U.S. senators and representatives, regardless of whether the Assad regime used chemical weapons or not.
In fact, 91 percent of those surveyed agreed that the active use of sarin gas attacks by the Syrian government would, if anything, only increase poll respondents’ desire to send Congress to Syria.
Public opinion was essentially unchanged when survey respondents were asked about a broader range of attacks, with more than 79 percent of Americans saying they would strongly support sending Congress to Syria in cases of bomb and missile attacks, 78 percent supporting intervention in cases of kidnappings and executions, and 75 percent saying representatives should be deployed in cases where government forces were found to have used torture.
When asked if they believe that Sen. Rand Paul should be deployed to Syria, 100 percent of respondents said yes.
“There’s no doubt in my mind that sending Congress to Syria—or, at the very least, sending the major congressional leaders in both parties—is the correct course of action,” survey respondent and Iraq war veteran Maj. Gen. John Mill said, noting that his opinion was informed by four tours of duty in which he saw dozens of close friends sustain physical as well as emotional injury and post-traumatic stress. “There is a clear solution to our problems staring us right in the face here, and we need to take action.”
“Sooner rather than later, too,” Mill added. “This war isn’t going to last forever.”
http://www.france24.com/en/20130906-france-wait-un-report-hollande-before-syria-intervention-g20
( Proving he's not an idiot after all .... )
France will await conclusions by U.N. inspectors investigating last month’s chemical weapon attack in Syria before deciding on any action, President Francois Hollande said on Friday.
That could mean French involvement in any military strikes against Bashar al-Assad not being decided until close to the end of the month at the earliest. U.N. diplomats have said the results of the U.N. analysis may not be ready for weeks.
“We shall await the report of the inspectors just as we will await (U.S.) Congress,” he told a news conference after a summit of G20 nations in Russia’s St. Petersburg, referring to an expected U.S. vote on military strikes.
Domestic critics say Hollande risks diplomatically isolating France by pushing it into a military intervention alongside the United States but without a U.N. mandate. Russia and China are seen vetoing such action in the U.N. Security Council.
The French leader acknowledged that G20 leaders at the summit disagreed on who was responsible for an Aug. 21 gas attacks on the outskirts of the Syrian capital Damascus which Washington says killed more than 1,400 people.
He said a clear U.N. mandate was preferable but said that he would aim to bring together a coalition of states in favour of intervention if the U.N. Security Council could not agree.
“We will do everything we can so that France only strikes military targets to avoid civilian casualties,” he said of any action chosen to punish Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad, adding that the objective would be to push a political solution to the 2-1/2 year civil war rather than directly oust Assad.
He said U.S. President Barack Obama had told him a U.S. Congress vote on any intervention was due around the middle of next week.
“If we did not respond ... it would mean that a dictator who uses chemical weapons and massacres almost 1,500 people and many children would have no punishment for his actions meaning that in Syria or elsewhere dictators could act with impunity,” Hollande said.
Hollande, who has struggled to get backing from European partners on a possible strike, said he was hopeful he could at least get their political support. “I am trying to make sure that the Europeans agree, at least on the political position.
http://rt.com/news/syria-crisis-live-updates-047/
( news item of note for the day..... )
Friday, September 6
20:51 GMT: The UN has drawn up emergency plans for a military strike on Syria, but at the same time will continue to deliver aid to the region, UN humanitarian chief Valerie Amos said after her trip to Damascus, AFP reported.
"We continue to update and look at our contingency planning," Amos stated, noting that the UN has great concern for its staff on the ground and still has “a commitment to continue our humanitarian operations.”
20:35 GMT: US Deputy National Security Adviser Tony Blinken, an aide close to President Obama, told NPR Friday that military action in Syria is unlikely without congressional approval. Blinken asserted that “the president has the authority to act” if Congress votes down the proposal next week, but “it’s neither his desire nor intention to use that authority absent Congress backing him.”
18:55 GMT: Syrian President Bashar Assad barely used any of his chemical weapons stockpile in the alleged attack near Damascus on August 21, according to the US Ambassador to the United Nations.
"We assess that although Assad used more chemical weapons on August 21 than he had before, he has barely put a dent in his enormous stockpile," Samantha Power said at the Center for American Progress think-tank in Washington.
"We have exhausted the alternatives" to military action, she said, adding that Assad counted on Russia’s support.
"We assess that although Assad used more chemical weapons on August 21 than he had before, he has barely put a dent in his enormous stockpile," Samantha Power said at the Center for American Progress think-tank in Washington.
"We have exhausted the alternatives" to military action, she said, adding that Assad counted on Russia’s support.
17:23 GMT: Friday, September 6th, a so-called Tweet storm rages on the popular networking service for awareness on #OpSyria911. Organizers of the storm, Anonymous hacktivist group, urged opponents of a military intervention to “call, fax, email, and write a letter to your representatives and voice your disdain for any military actions intruded on the Syrian people.”
15:59 GMT: The Leaders and Representatives of Australia, Canada, France, Italy, Japan, Republic of Korea, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Turkey, the United Kingdom and the United States of America issued a joint statement on the sidelines of the Group of 20 Nations Leader’s Meeting in Saint Petersburg, Russia regarding the crisis in Syria.
“The international norm against the use of chemical weapons is longstanding and universal. The use of chemical weapons anywhere diminishes the security of people everywhere. Left unchallenged, it increases the risk of further use and proliferation of these weapons,” the joint statement issued by the White House read.
“We condemn in the strongest terms the horrific chemical weapons attack in the suburbs of Damascus on August 21st that claimed the lives of so many men, women, and children. The evidence clearly points to the Syrian government being responsible for the attack, which is part of a pattern of chemical weapons use by the regime.
We call for a strong international response to this grave violation of the world’s rules and conscience that will send a clear message that this kind of atrocity can never be repeated. Those who perpetrated these crimes must be held accountable.”
“The international norm against the use of chemical weapons is longstanding and universal. The use of chemical weapons anywhere diminishes the security of people everywhere. Left unchallenged, it increases the risk of further use and proliferation of these weapons,” the joint statement issued by the White House read.
“We condemn in the strongest terms the horrific chemical weapons attack in the suburbs of Damascus on August 21st that claimed the lives of so many men, women, and children. The evidence clearly points to the Syrian government being responsible for the attack, which is part of a pattern of chemical weapons use by the regime.
We call for a strong international response to this grave violation of the world’s rules and conscience that will send a clear message that this kind of atrocity can never be repeated. Those who perpetrated these crimes must be held accountable.”
The statement went on the show its support for a UN Security Council resolution, but “recognized” the Council had remained paralyzed for two years.
The statement further condemned “in the strongest terms” human rights violations in Syria on all sides.
15:52 GMT: France says that any military action against Syria would only entail military targets so as to avoid civilian casualties. President Francois Hollande said all G20 states has condemned the use of chemical weapons and agreed they were deployed in Syria. He further warned that if the UN Security Council could not agree on a response to the attack, a coalition must be created to respond. He did say, however, that France would wait on conclusions from UN inspectors investigating the August 21 attack in a Damascus suburb before deciding to act.
"We shall await the report of the inspectors just as we will await (US) Congress," he told a news conference after a summit of G20 nations in St. Petersburg, in reference to US President Barack Obama's decision to ask for Congressional approval before launching a strike.
15:38 GMT: Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan said on Friday almost all of the leaders at the G20 summit in St. Petersburg accepted that an operation needed to be carried out against Syria in response to an alleged chemical weapons attack in a Damascus Suburb on August 21.
"Almost all the leaders who have attended the summit are closely following the massacre the Syrian regime carried out on its people and the leaders have expressed that an operation is extremely necessary against Damascus," Reuters cites Erdogan as saying.
15:20 GMT: The Russian Foreign Ministry has asked the world to consider claims made by Mother Agnes Mariam el-Salib – mother superior of St. James Monastery in Qara, Syria – who told RT there is proof the footage of the alleged chemical attack in Syria was fabricated.
“I maintain that the whole affair was a frame-up. It had been staged and prepared in advance with the goal of framing the Syrian government as the perpetrator,” she said.
“The key evidence is that Reuters made these files public at 6.05 in the morning. The chemical attack is said to have been launched between 3 and 5 o’clock in the morning in Guta. How is it even possible to collect a dozen different pieces of footage, get more than 200 kids and 300 young people together in one place, give them first aid and interview them on camera, and all that in less than three hours? Is that realistic at all? As someone who works in the news industry, you know how long all of it would take.”
“The key evidence is that Reuters made these files public at 6.05 in the morning. The chemical attack is said to have been launched between 3 and 5 o’clock in the morning in Guta. How is it even possible to collect a dozen different pieces of footage, get more than 200 kids and 300 young people together in one place, give them first aid and interview them on camera, and all that in less than three hours? Is that realistic at all? As someone who works in the news industry, you know how long all of it would take.”
15:15: GMT: US President Barack Obama refused to say directly what he would do if Congress doesn't approve Syria strikes when asked the question at the press conference during the G20 summit.
However he said that “given Security Council paralysis on this issue, if we are serious about upholding a ban on chemical weapons use, then an international response is required, and that will not come through Security Council action.”
15:07 GMT: The alleged chemical weapons attack in Syria was “carried out by rebels as a provocation”to create the possibility for a foreign intervention, Russian President Vladimir Putin told reporters at a press conference during the final day of the G20 summit.
While Russia, China, India, Indonesia, Argentina, Brazil, South Africa and Italy are among the major world’s economies which oppose the intervention, only Turkey, Canada, Saudi Arabia and France join the US in its call for military action in the war-torn country, adding that the UK Prime Minister’s position was not supported by his citizens.
In case of intervention, Putin stressed that Russia will help Syria as “we are already helping, we send arms, we cooperate in the economic sphere, we hope to expand our cooperation in the humanitarian sphere, which includes sending humanitarian aid to support those people – the civilians – who have found themselves in a very dire situation in this country.”
13:54 GMT: The discussion of the Syrian issue at the G20 summit in St Petersburg has not decreased the possibility of a military operation against the republic, says British Prime Minister David Cameron. He said that although the talks were very helpful, the summit was never about making a decision on the matter.
If the United Nations Security Council fails to agree on a resolution authorizing military intervention in the Syrian conflict, action without its approval can’t be ruled out either, Cameron said.
The UK, along with several other members of the group, agreed to seek free access for humanitarian aid to Syria through the UN, he told a media conference at the end of the gathering.
13:42 GMT: Russia President Vladimir Putin and US leader Barack Obama have discussed Syrian crisis on the sidelines of G20 summit in St Petersburg, says Russian presidential aid Yuri Ushakov. However, “there remains a difference in opinions” following the meeting, Ushakov said. Putin and Obama have agreed to continue discussing the settlement for the Syrian crisis on the level of their foreign ministers.
13:03 GMT: A military strike on Syria will put an end to all the efforts made by the UN-Arab League envoy on Syria, Lakhdar Brahimi, to politically resolve the conflict, agreed the participates of the G20 summit breakfast meeting, said Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.
"I cannot say that this was the prevailing opinion, but many responsible states are coming to a very clear understanding that the use of force, bypassing the UN Security Council, will put an end to all efforts for a political resolution and carrying out the Geneva-2 peace conference made by Lakhdar Brahimi," Lavrov said.
"Our common conclusion is to do everything possible to prevent the military scenario in Syria," Lavrov added. "There is still time for this."
The US did not participate, while Canada, Kazakhstan, South Korea, Senegal, Mexico, Brazil, Germany, Turkey, France and Russia were present at the meeting.
12:40 GMT: The Turkish Prime Minster Tayyip Erdogan has said that almost all leaders at the G20 summit in St Petersburg accept the need for a military operation against Syria.
12:00 GMT: The U.S. has ordered its diplomats to leave Lebanon as Congress debates Syria military strikes, in a move that will be interpreted that the possibility of a military strikes has moved a step closer.
The US State Department has ordered nonessential U.S. diplomats and family members to leave Lebanon due to security concerns. They have also urged US citizens to avoid all travel to Lebanon because of current safety and security concerns.
"The Department of State drew down non-emergency personnel and family members from Embassy Beirut due to threats to U.S. Mission facilities and personnel," a statement on the Beirut embassy's website said.
11:55 GMT: The Geneva II peace conference is under threat in the current situation, said UN-Arab League envoy on Syria Lakhdar Brahimi during the G20 summit held in St. Petersburg, Russia.
11:50 GMT: The Syrian government has announced that it is offering a bounty to anyone who captures a"non-Syrian terrorist", or helps to apprehend one, state television said. A bounty of 500,000 Syrian pounds (roughly $4,000) will be offered for capture, while 200,000 Syrian pounds (about $1,500) goes to anyone who gives information regarding terrorist locations.
The statement said the identities of those who provided information would be kept secret and their"protection ensured". Concerning Syrian rebels who informed on their comrades, state television added, that they would be granted amnesty and “their affairs will be settled.”
11:29 GMT: Moscow has warned Washington against staging attacks on Syria’s chemical weapons depots.
"With particular concern, we perceive the fact that among possible targets for attacks are objects of military infrastructure securing the safety of Syrian chemical weapons arsenals,” according to a statement in the comment of the Department of Information and Media relations of the Russian Foreign Ministry, issued on Friday.
“In this regard, we would like to warn the US government and its allies from inflicting any assaults on chemical facilities and adjacent territories,” the document says.
11:22 GMT: The crisis in Syria should be resolved through political means and not a military strike, Chinese President Xi Jinping told his US counterpart Barack Obama during the G20 summit in St. Petersburg in Russia.
"A political solution is the only right way out for the Syrian crisis, and a military strike cannot solve the problem from the root," Xinhua news agency quoted Xi as saying. "We expect certain countries to have a second thought before action," he added.
"A political solution is the only right way out for the Syrian crisis, and a military strike cannot solve the problem from the root," Xinhua news agency quoted Xi as saying. "We expect certain countries to have a second thought before action," he added.
10:50 GMT: The UN nuclear watchdog has confirmed receipt of a request from Russia to estimate the impact if a missile were to hit a small Syrian reactor that contains radioactive uranium.
"I can confirm that the IAEA has received a formal request from the Russian Federation. The agency is considering the questions raised," IAEA spokeswoman Gill Tudor said in an email to Reuters.
A military strike on Syria could have catastrophic effects if the research reactor near Damascus was struck "by design or by chance," Russia said in a statement earlier this week.
"I can confirm that the IAEA has received a formal request from the Russian Federation. The agency is considering the questions raised," IAEA spokeswoman Gill Tudor said in an email to Reuters.
A military strike on Syria could have catastrophic effects if the research reactor near Damascus was struck "by design or by chance," Russia said in a statement earlier this week.
10:32 GMT: British scientists found traces of sarin gas in soil and fabric samples collected in Syria, the UK Ministry of Defence has confirmed earlier reports, BBC states.
9:43 GMT: EU defense ministers have agreed that embattled Syrian President Bashar Assad used chemical weapons in an attack in a Damascus suburb on August 21, reports AFP.
Meanwhile, US President Barack Obama told G20 leaders in St. Petersburg that the US was “confident” Assad’s forces had used chemical weapons. Obama urged the G20 leaders to support the international ban on chemical weapons and authorize the use of military force against Syria.
Meanwhile, US President Barack Obama told G20 leaders in St. Petersburg that the US was “confident” Assad’s forces had used chemical weapons. Obama urged the G20 leaders to support the international ban on chemical weapons and authorize the use of military force against Syria.
7:55 GMT: A Russian parliamentary delegation will not travel to Washington to meet with Congress to discuss Syria, announced Russian lawmaker and State Duma representative, Sergey Naryshkin.
03:48 GMT: US President Barack Obama instructed the Pentagon to expand the list of potential Syria targets as a reaction to new intelligence that Syrian President Bashar Assad has been moving troops and chemical weapons equipment, military officials told the The New York Times. This means that the original list of at least 50 major sites will be further expanded.
03:20 GMT: The US State Department responded to Russian President Vladimir Putin’s remarks that US Secretary of State John Kerry “lied” about the influence of Al-Qaeda in Syria, saying that it is“preposterous” and a mischaracterization of what America’s top diplomat actually said.
Kerry is “not losing sleep after such a preposterous comment that was based on an inaccurate quote and was completely mischaracterized,” State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki told reporters in Washington.
Putin made his remarks on Wednesday, reportedly referring to the Secretary of State’s testimony before the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee a day earlier, where Kerry said that Al-Qaeda’s presence within the Syrian opposition has not been increasing.
02:00 GMT: US Navy destroyers in the Mediterranean are “fully ready” to launch cruise missiles into Syria as part of a US military campaign that would not involve “extraordinary” monetary costs, a top admiral said Thursday.
Greenert, a chief naval operations officer who focuses on preparedness of Navy forces, also seemed to confirm the rough estimate made by US Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel on Wednesday in front of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, when he told Congress that a US campaign in Syria would likely cost"tens of millions" of dollars.
"The numbers are nagging but they're not extraordinary at this point," Greenert said at an event held by the conservative think-tank American Enterprise Institute, though defense budget analysts say Hagel's figure is a low estimate.
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