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Obama Reviewing Syrian Stance as Stalemate Seems Likely

By Jeralyn, Section War In Iraq
Posted on Wed Nov 12, 2014 at 10:02:37 PM EST
Tags: Obama, Syria, Iraq (all tags)
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President Obama wants Congress to fund his request for additional training and weapons in Iraq. What will he have to give up to get it, from those in Congress and at the Pentagon who think his plan isn't hawkish enough? Without Congressional approval, apparently there will be no funding for arming and training since executive authority doesn't cover that. That may not be easy:

Some Democrats have said they’re concerned that U.S. forces will become mired in ground combat in Iraq, despite Obama’s pledge that won’t happen. Some Republicans say Obama should take more aggressive action, such as moving more quickly to arm non-Islamic State rebels in Syria and enforcing a no-fly zone over Syria near the Turkish border.

From news reports, it sounds like Obama is under pressure to modify his "Iraq first" policy, under which helping the rebels fight Assad takes a back seat to defeating ISIS in Iraq. Obama is asking his advisers to review U.S. policy on Syria. But the two cited unnamed sources seem to say different things:
[More...]

Source #1:

"The president has asked us to look again at how this fits together," CNN quoted one senior official as saying. "The long-running Syria problem is now compounded by the reality that to genuinely defeat ISIL, we need not only a defeat in Iraq but a defeat in Syria."

Source #2:

A White House National Security Council official told Reuters: "The strategy with respect to Syria has not changed."

Source #2 says that strategy is:

"deny them [ISIS] safe haven and to disrupt their ability to project power,"...and "working with our allies to strengthen the moderate opposition."

The rebels have been taking a big beating from both ISIS and al Nusra lately. And they aren't happy about the U.S. air strikes.

Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel is testifying tomorrow before Congress. I think the two possibilities are that Congress will stalemate or authorize the funds as requested. Anyone hoping for more is likely to be disappointed. Someone needs to keep Lindsay Graham away from the Kool-Aid he's drin