Worried for our children Loc: Massachusetts

Many years ago, iconic television personality Art Linkletter uttered a patented line during each episode of his show: “Kids say the darndest things.” -

Now fast-forward to 2015. The update has evolved to: “Presidents say the darndest things, too.”

On the morning of Nov. 13, President Obama told George Stephanopoulos of ABC News that ISIS had been “contained” and “continues to shrink.”

However, by the end of that night, all global hell had broken loose. Paris was rocked by multiple, coordinated terrorist attacks by ISIS in six locations that claimed the lives of at least 129 people, with 352 wounded.

Afterward, French President Francois Hollande classified the attacks as “an act of war.” And Obama said the United States would intensify its military effort in Syria.

However, that intensification won’t involve combat troops, Obama repeatedly has declared.

Why not?

Because Obama’s legacy is at stake. Remember, Obama burst onto the p**********l campaign landscape in 2007 espousing the mantra of ending U.S.-led wars, returning thousands of American troops to home bases and mending fractured ties with nations around the world.

While Obama made good on his campaign promise to end U.S. combat participation in Iraq by the end of 2011, he initially sent at least two brigades — or 17,000 troops — to Afghanistan early in his first term to maintain stability in that country.

After another troop buildup, Obama vowed to remove incrementally all U.S. troops from Afghanistan by the end of 2016. But that plan was scuttled last month when Obama announced that approximately 10,000 soldiers — down from a high of 100,000 in 2010 — would remain in Afghanistan through 2016.

Despite the change of plans in Afghanistan, you can see the military mode of operation of the administration: withdraw, and then withdraw some more.

Though Republican hawk and South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham has vehemently called for at least 10,000 U.S. troops deployed to Syria to crush ISIS, Obama remains undeterred. The president insists his strategy of airstrikes against ISIS strongholds is a winning formula while concluding that possible deployments of U.S. ground troops there would be a “mistake.”

Obama’s second term is about his legacy. That’s why he defiantly scoffs at any notion of deploying thousands of ground troops to Syria to confront ISIS, regardless of ISIS’ path of destruction through western Europe and the Middle East.

The president has 14 months left in the White House. It’s apparent that he feels he’s on the clock. His Mission Impossible: Survive until Inauguration Day without deploying real combat troops in huge numbers.

Just make it to the finish line, even if he has to crawl while on his next-to-last breath. If Obama can survive until noon on Jan. 20, 2017, then it’s game over.

Game over as Parisians probably continue to figure out Obama’s definition of the words “contained” and “shrink.”

We’ve noticed even before the Paris tragedy that Obama had a penchant for removing combat troops from volatile equations in an emasculating fashion, openly telegraphing that message to U.S. enemies. And he’s been obsessed with dates on troop removals, which, of course, infuriates Republicans.

How many presidents do that? Give exact dates and immediately scratch the ground-troops option as a solution. Why tip off the enemy, many ask.

Obama knows French President Francois Hollande can request to invoke Article 5 of the NATO alliance. That means a one-for-all, all-for-one pact that specifies an attack on one NATO member is tantamount to an attack on all NATO members.

Suppose Hollande, who vowed a ruthless and merciless response to ISIS, advocates the use of ground troops. Then what? That would gash Obama’s master legacy plan.

The bottom line: President Obama can maintain his status quo and, ultimately, leave the final decision regarding major troop deployment to battle ISIS for Hillary Clinton or possibly a Republican who next wins the White House. But not on Obama’s watch, the president surely hopes.

And he gets away scot free.

As they say in baseball, next batter up ... to battle ISIS.



Gregory Clay is a Washington columnist and a former editor for McClatchy-Tribune News Service. He wrote this for InsideSources.com.

http://www.wvgazettemail.com/article/20151120/DM04/151129992/1279#sthash.AGhjVgQP.dpuf

lpnmajor Loc: Arkansas

First of all, everyone ( well, accept certain Americans ) realize that the Paris attacks planning, preceded Obama's statement by a factor of several months. That fact must be acknowledged, or the belief that terrorists are clairvoyant admitted.

Secondly, it does not require the President to telegraph US intentions - as every member of Congress cannot wait to get in front of a camera to do so - especially in the non stop campaigning climate we've experienced since 2006.

Thirdly, the American PEOPLE signaled their desire to extricate themselves from the disasters of the Middle East. That was NOT Obama's idea, it was his duty to execute. The idea to capitalize on that, did not come from President Obama, it came from the Congress of the United States - who's members spelled out in great detail, EXACTLY how the terrorists were to accomplish this. The Congress, in it's zeal to impress the American people how wrong Obama was for the country ( this began, before he was even sworn in), virtually wrote the business model for ISIS and encouraged it's creation - to prove their point.

During the 2008 campaign, when ending the Middle East wars was first suggested, the campaign to PROVE how wrong that idea was began. This campaign gave Bagdaddy the idea to form ISIS ( after observing Americans close up while in captivity), gave the financiers and weapons dealers there "in" and wrote, word for word, the propaganda for the new terrorist regime. The rise of ISIS proved the anti Obama crowd right, did it not? What a mighty coincidence that was!

It was a prophecy written by, instigated by and aided by - the Congress of the United States - and the people who own them. You can hide behind "Obama's a bad President" all you want, but the rest of the world knows better - and knows who is really to blame. When the very first words coming from the mouths of Congressional leaders, after Obama was elected in 2008 were, "it is our duty to defeat Obama" - every action taken by that body since then, was predictable and despicable - and the rest of the world feels the same way about it and ISIS took advantage of it.

America Only Loc: From the right hand of God

The World Laughs at the clown known as Obama. And thus most Americans do as well.

Nixon and Watergate: His men Bug a DNC Office. Result: He resigns as he is a Man.

Obama and NSA: His NSA bugs Congress, Senate, other World leaders, and the result: He says he knew not too much about it...hahahahah HAHA HO HO HO!

Obama and ACA: While Obama was running for office, states "I promise you health care reform and it will not cost you one thin dime"...result: It is costing TRILLIONS..

This could go on for a mile long list.

What the conservatives decided was to not allow a totally brain dead "community organizer" to have reign over this Nation to continue with his insane failed policies and procedures and as such have attempted to stop the loon from d**gging the USA deeper into debt.

We know you Democrats LOVE to support so called "free programs" at everyone else expense, as that is all you know...spend MY money not yours....tuff dung beetles...too damn bad for you. We Americans are all done with you Liberals and your agenda. The MODEL of failure from Liberalism is clearly defined by showcasing how disastrous it has devastated Europe and Australia financially. And then our own failed financial picture.

Obama is the poster boy for failure. He supplies rebels which turn out to be ISIS and allows the Citizens of the USA think far different about the t***h. No...Obama's legacy is one of T*****R. Those that follow him are wearing that same "badge". T*****r. THAT is the legacy.

meridianlesilie Loc: mars

well i am kinda wandering if that was someway to tell the ISIS group that to do something ??? i hope not ...that would be terrible if he is working with them without us knowing it ...or he was making fun of them making them do something ..it is just a thought no resaerch i did or anything just a thought ....... :idea: :idea:

America Only Loc: From the right hand of God

We will never know the whole t***h. Sad.

meridianlesilie Loc: mars

yes i didnt try it but google it for the hell of it i will later

bobpost75

That congress of the U.S. that you seem to want to slander was totally controlled by the Democratic Party at the time. People remember the strangest things when they try to rewrite history to suit themselves. With respect to the current situation since 2008 is a long time ago, the President needs to come out from under the bed and face the bastards that are k*****g people in Syria. His legacy would be much better served if he manned up and did his job rather than blaming everything on the weather.

meridianlesilie Loc: mars

yeah he blamed george bush for a long time about stuff that was wrong

eagleye13 Loc: Fl

How about both the R's and D's manning up to the disastrous US foreign policies under both of them?
Iraq and Libya being two of many disasters.
Now the Talking Heads/script readers still tell their audiences - "Assad must go"
Even though he is secular.
Even though ISIS is trying to take his government down.
Even though we have Libya as an example of what happens when ISIS takes over.
What is going on goes beyond STUPID!
The videos below explain the "stupidity".
The Covert Origins of ISIS with Brzezinski giving them a pep talk
http://youtu.be/oMjXbuj7BPI
Disturbing News: President Obama Asks Congress for $500 Million TO FUND ISIS!
http://youtu.be/cLQVVhfzT20

http://youtu.be/Ym2EmUNKDE8

reconreb Loc: America / Inglis Fla.

Oboma gets the up to date intell. on a daily basis, its reported he often dose not read or study them, its obvious he dose not listen to military advisors in fact if any advisors disagree they often are made to retire or step down from the post. Oboma often makes stupid statements such as ISIS contained , JV team , red line and so on , we've heard them all. As to telagraghing intentions, the guy is a open book. He loves to get in front of a camera and impress the world with his intellect. ( or lack of) The guy has not stoped campaigning from day one as every politition dose . Now to Bagdaddy, Oboma set the guy free and now he is the leader of ISIS , go figure ? As I see it Oboma released him in a failed attempt to be seen as reasonable , how did that work out? To this day the catch and release policy continues . You stated from day one the repubs said "it is our duty to defeat Oboma" I heard that to, let me ask a question.. when congress and the admin. started in negotiations over any policy or bill It was Oboma who lays out a plan and then would not accept any counter offer at all , it was his way or no deal , how can there be compromise we he refuses to give any . Now we know where the unconstitutional execitive orders came from and the ACAct was total democratic , not one repub approved . Dose that sound like working with each other ? You say " You can hide behind Obomas a bad president" the rest of the world knows better. The rest of the world is either laughing or crying, they laugh at
Obomas stupid decisions and cry when they see the consequece's of that stupid decision. To sum it up , ISIS knows a weak kneed pansey when they see one. Have a very good librel day and WE all know Obomas a failure ,you just can't admitt it .

lpnmajor Loc: Arkansas

What does any of that - have to do with ISIS? I never intimated that I thought Obama was a good President - I was merely pointing out that the Congress is responsible for the mess in the Middle East, for the most part - Democrats and Republicans both.

One the thing the GOP has no peers in - and that's the propaganda mill. My guess is, it's such a fertile field - and it should be, with all the BS heaped up on it for the last 7 years. Where the GOP missed fertilizing a spot - the DNC was right there plugging any gaps. In fact, there's been so MUCH BS strewn around, no one can see the ground anymore, so we have absolutely NO idea what the t***h really is. Pick your rhetoric ( from among dozens of versions of the t***h ) and feel confident that there's bound to be more than one person that agrees with it.

eagleye13 Loc: Fl

Who does OB answer to?

President Obama Asks Congress for $500 Million TO FUND ISIS!
http://youtu.be/cLQVVhfzT20

http://youtu.be/Ym2EmUNKDE8

lpnmajor Loc: Arkansas

So does the Congress - so - with everyone getting the exact same intel - why does every single member that yaks on camera - have a different take away? Not even THEY can reach a consensus on anything, so someone must act - and like it or not - that's the President.

Trying to pick ONE person to blame for everything, amongst the hundreds of players - is not only pointless, it's just plain wrong. When has a member of Congress, trying to get some airtime and revealed classified information TO THE TERRORISTS - been called to account? They don't seem to understand that ISIS also gets internet and do not have to rely on the goat telegraph for info. So, who's "out of touch"?

meridianlesilie Loc: mars

obama does the darnest things

meridianlesilie Loc: mars

obama does the darnest things