General Discussion

Jesus Malverde

(10,274 posts) Sat Jun 7, 2014, 11:10 PM Jun 2014

Hillary Clinton: I wanted to arm Syrian rebels, but Obama refused

Hillary Clinton's soon to be released memoir reveals that the former U.S. secretary of state wanted the United States to arm the Syrian rebels against Syrian President Bashar Assad, but that she was shot down by U.S. President Barack Obama.

"I returned to Washington reasonably confident that if we decided to begin arming and training moderate Syrian rebels, we could put in place effective coordination with our regional partners," Clinton wrote in her memoir, a copy of which was obtained by CBS.

However, Obama was of a different mind. "The President's inclination was to stay the present course and not take the significant further step of arming rebels. No one likes to lose a debate, including me. But this was the President's call and I respected his deliberations and decision," CBS cites Clinton as writing.

Syria's three-year conflict has claimed the lives of over 160,000 people, the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported in March, a harrowing figure that reflects the relentless bloodletting in a civil war that appears no closer to being resolved.

Read More: http://www.haaretz.com/news/middle-east/1.597362

21 replies

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Highlight:

Hillary Clinton: I wanted to arm Syrian rebels, but Obama refused (Original Post) Jesus Malverde Jun 2014 OP

This is why I won't forgive her for the IWR betterdemsonly Jun 2014 #1

Uh-oh. ucrdem Jun 2014 #2

Haaretz? this is just an excerpt from Hillary's new book. alp227 Jun 2014 #4

The headline and article are Haaretz'. The quoted exerpts are Mrs Clinton's. ucrdem Jun 2014 #5

WTF ...she's worse than I thought. L0oniX Jun 2014 #3

What's funny is some DUers actually believe she's more liberal than Obama... Cali_Democrat Jun 2014 #6

Yes DonCoquixote Jun 2014 #10

Well, to be fair - they have a CHART. djean111 Jun 2014 #11

Once a hawk malaise Jun 2014 #13

Wow ...we agree on something for a change. L0oniX Jun 2014 #18

Incidentally Assad won a landslide reelection on Tuesday, ucrdem Jun 2014 #7

Maybe we should try not telling other countries who their governments should be. Comrade Grumpy Jun 2014 #9

shocking frylock Jun 2014 #8

Yuck. BlueStater Jun 2014 #12

Of course she did. And Obama already HAS been training them. woo me with science Jun 2014 #14

moderate Syrian rebels seveneyes Jun 2014 #15

Every Syrian "rebel" is a "heart-eating" terrorist. That's pretty much Bashar's "you're with me or pampango Jun 2014 #17

Nothing a little Sharia Law and covering up women won't fix seveneyes Jun 2014 #20

well, I guess she ultimately won the argument Vattel Jun 2014 #16

I start to wonder if its Obama.... KoKo Jun 2014 #19

Violence is the last refuge of the incompetent. Isaac Asimov Tierra_y_Libertad Jun 2014 #21

betterdemsonly

(1,967 posts)

1. This is why I won't forgive her for the IWR

Reply to Jesus Malverde (Original post)

Sun Jun 8, 2014, 12:13 AM

Jun 2014

Her continued militarism is big incentive for me to find a different candidate. She obviously is advertizing militarism in Syria as a selling point to the AIPAC bullies. Their influence on American foreign policy is just as negative as the NRA's influence on gun policy.

ucrdem

(15,512 posts)

2. Uh-oh.

Reply to Jesus Malverde (Original post)

Sun Jun 8, 2014, 12:18 AM

Jun 2014

Not good.

ETA: I think maybe Haaretz is stirring the pot just bit as it doesn't sound all that contentious.

ETA2: Specifically, the language "Obama refused" appears to be Haaretz', not Mrs Clinton's, in case that wasn't clear.

alp227

(32,019 posts)

4. Haaretz? this is just an excerpt from Hillary's new book.

Reply to ucrdem (Reply #2)

Sun Jun 8, 2014, 12:58 AM

Jun 2014

ANY news org Israeli or not could have published this story, it's relevant to a recent news event (the US policy towards Syria).

And I hope I'm not taking your post the wrong way, because ToS state:

Do not post bigotry...This includes any post...claiming nefarious influence by Jews/Zionists/Israel...

The "Haaretz is stirring the pot" part makes some nervous.

ucrdem

(15,512 posts)

5. The headline and article are Haaretz'. The quoted exerpts are Mrs Clinton's.

Reply to alp227 (Reply #4)

Sun Jun 8, 2014, 01:01 AM

Jun 2014

There is a difference of tone between them. My point is that the article makes the disagreement seem more contentious than it appears to have actually been, specifically the phrase "Obama refused," which as far as I can tell is Haaretz' language, not Clinton's. There's also "she was shot down by U.S. President Barack Obama."

p.s. and I don't at all mind clarifying if that wasn't clear so thanks for asking!

L0oniX

(31,493 posts)

3. WTF ...she's worse than I thought.

Reply to Jesus Malverde (Original post)

Sun Jun 8, 2014, 12:53 AM

Jun 2014

Cali_Democrat

(30,439 posts)

6. What's funny is some DUers actually believe she's more liberal than Obama...

Reply to L0oniX (Reply #3)

Sun Jun 8, 2014, 01:12 AM

Jun 2014

If Hillary wins the nomination and the Presidency, boy will they be in for a surprise.

Obama will look like Bernie Sanders compared to her...

DonCoquixote

(13,616 posts)

10. Yes

Reply to Cali_Democrat (Reply #6)

Sun Jun 8, 2014, 02:11 AM

Jun 2014

but you know they already have the books penned on "how Hillary was more liberal than Obama." These folks are not just jumping ahread to 2016, they are already wanting to draft Chelsea

djean111

(14,255 posts)

11. Well, to be fair - they have a CHART.

Reply to Cali_Democrat (Reply #6)

Sun Jun 8, 2014, 06:14 AM

Jun 2014

malaise

(268,955 posts)

13. Once a hawk

Reply to Cali_Democrat (Reply #6)

Sun Jun 8, 2014, 07:09 AM

Jun 2014

always a hawk

L0oniX

(31,493 posts)

18. Wow ...we agree on something for a change.

Reply to Cali_Democrat (Reply #6)

Sun Jun 8, 2014, 09:07 AM

Jun 2014

ucrdem

(15,512 posts)

7. Incidentally Assad won a landslide reelection on Tuesday,

Reply to Jesus Malverde (Original post)

Sun Jun 8, 2014, 01:21 AM

Jun 2014

though I didn't happen to notice a mention in LBN. From WaPo:

Syrian election sends powerful signal of Assad’s control

BY LIZ SLY AND AHMED RAMADAN June 3

BEIRUT — Syrians voted on in a tightly controlled election Tuesday that reinforced President Bashar al-Assad’s tenacious hold on power, underscoring the failure of U.S. policies aimed at inducing him to step down.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/middle_east/syrian-election-sends-powerful-signal-of-assads-control/2014/06/03/16876fca-eb2a-11e3-b98c-72cef4a00499_story.html

Comrade Grumpy

(13,184 posts)

9. Maybe we should try not telling other countries who their governments should be.

Reply to ucrdem (Reply #7)

Sun Jun 8, 2014, 02:02 AM

Jun 2014

Just a thought.

frylock

(34,825 posts)

8. shocking

Reply to Jesus Malverde (Original post)

Sun Jun 8, 2014, 01:51 AM

Jun 2014

BlueStater

(7,596 posts)

12. Yuck.

Reply to Jesus Malverde (Original post)

Sun Jun 8, 2014, 06:56 AM

Jun 2014

Seriously, why do people want her again?

woo me with science

(32,139 posts)

14. Of course she did. And Obama already HAS been training them.

Reply to Jesus Malverde (Original post)

Sun Jun 8, 2014, 08:21 AM

Jun 2014

NO MORE CORPORATISTS AND WARMONGERS. GET THE THIRD WAY OUT OF OUR PARTY.

Obama advisor Susan Rice hints at ‘lethal’ aid to Syrian rebels
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10025060730

Syrian rebels describe U.S.-backed training in Qatar in new documentary
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10025004518

U.S. has secretly provided arms training to Syria rebels since 2012
http://www.democraticunderground.com/1014514808

seveneyes

(4,631 posts)

15. moderate Syrian rebels

Reply to Jesus Malverde (Original post)

Sun Jun 8, 2014, 08:26 AM

Jun 2014

Are these the ones that cook the hearts they cut from captives before eating them?

pampango

(24,692 posts)

17. Every Syrian "rebel" is a "heart-eating" terrorist. That's pretty much Bashar's "you're with me or

Reply to seveneyes (Reply #15)

Sun Jun 8, 2014, 08:52 AM

Jun 2014

you are with the 'heart-eating' terrorists" line. I wonder where he got that line?

Syria protests: opposition supporters launch attack on Homs army college

President Bashar al-Assad's once unshakable grip over Syria appears to have slipped further after suspected opposition sympathisers attacked an army college in Homs.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/syria/8657150/Syria-protests-opposition-supporters-launch-attack-on-Homs-army-college.html

Gunfire, arrests mark seventh month of Syria protests

Syrian troops pursue defectors and gunfire rock cities after Al-Assad security forces killed 12 people and arrested 31 in a hunt for crucial defectors

http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/2/8/24186/World/Region/Gunfire,-arrests-mark-seventh-month-of-Syria-prote.aspx

More "heart eaters."

seveneyes

(4,631 posts)

20. Nothing a little Sharia Law and covering up women won't fix

Reply to pampango (Reply #17)

Sun Jun 8, 2014, 10:08 AM

Jun 2014

All for one, one for all I guess.

Vattel

(9,289 posts)

16. well, I guess she ultimately won the argument

Reply to Jesus Malverde (Original post)

Sun Jun 8, 2014, 08:33 AM

Jun 2014

because Obama has been supplying rebels with arms.

KoKo

(84,711 posts)

19. I start to wonder if its Obama....

Reply to Vattel (Reply #16)

Sun Jun 8, 2014, 09:14 AM

Jun 2014

He seems to keep out of things as the Neocons still control state. He's a lawyer.....he likes to keep out of "cnflict" unless he can see a clear advantage that won't implicate him. imho

Tierra_y_Libertad

(50,414 posts)

21. Violence is the last refuge of the incompetent. Isaac Asimov

Reply to Jesus Malverde (Original post)

Sun Jun 8, 2014, 12:19 PM

Jun 2014

Or, in Hillary's case the first resort.

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