Greg Mitchell's Blog, page 215

Obama Press Conference

Appearing just now in St. Petersburg.  Running account re: Syria below:

--Opening statement:  Syria's a  true threat to neighbors and increasing chances of the weapons falling into hands of threats.  Failing to respond "will send signal" to rogue regimes that they can develop and use.  Why nations have called for action (doesn't admit almost no one will join us).  In coming days "will continue to consult with Congress."  Will address U.S. public on Tuesday.

--AP reporter asks him to list countries who back military action.  He replies maybe tonight.   Did he change any minds there?  Unanimous that chem weapons used and norm against using "has to be maintained."  Majority is "comfortable with the conclusion that the Assad gov't was responsible for use." Where there is a division: as to the UN, because "a number of countries" believe you need to go through Security Council.   On inspectors:  Good to "get more information rather than less."  (Pathetic.) But believes no action from Sec Council on this.   Prefers multi-lateral action but in this case when this big a "breach" and "international community paralyzed" then "norm unravels" and "makes for a more dangerous world."

--Again with the claim that "over 1400 gassed" and over 400 children--still with no evidence cited and 3 or 4 times what others say--if he means killed.  If he is switching to simply "gassed" rather than killed then that is significant and an admission that he misled the world earlier.   But likely just a slip.

--Second question on Dems opposing his Syria resolution the more they hear in classified briefings.  And will he go ahead and bomb anyway?  Obama: "I knew this was going to be a heavy lift..
where you will is people seeing a slippery slope and how effective" results of strike would be.  "Is it possible Assad doubles down and uses CW more widely?  Anything is possible.  But wouldn't be wise."  Biggest concern of American people: Have to understand that attack would be "limited."  Refuses to say whether he would bomb if Congress opposes.  Won't "jump the gun."  So to speak.  But admits not an "imminent  threat" to us or our allies so no need to act "right away."

--Chuck Todd notes the more Kerry talks the more opposition.  Also you say limited but we have reports that extending targets and mission creep.   Obama calls those reports "inaccurate."

--Next question:  Why shouldn't Congress members go along with overwhelming sentiment of U.S. public?   Says won't engage in "parlor games" if will pass. Reps have to listen to constituents but still have to vote based on what's "right' for America.  Seems to say he is glad he went to Congress and get full debate while hinting may not go along with their vote.

--Compares this to when London getting bombed by Hitler it was unpopular in USA to enter war then.

--From Major Garrett:  on fast-track to bombing or considering ideas from Congress such as giving Syria 45 days to start destroying stockpiles?  Says he's listening, some good ideas.  "Not itching for military action" but gassing kids really bad. "So far I've not seen ideas presented that would do the job." Obama at least twice has corrected himself when he charged Assad with using the weapons, adding something like "or generals" under him.

Kerry's Lies 2013 As Bad as Colin Powell's 2003?

UPDATE  And another Kerry claim bites the dust--you know, the one about "very limited" air strikes.  NYT tonight on full mission creep--expanding list of targets, and adding bombs from planes to Cruise missiles.  Emphasis on "degrade" not "deter."

Earlier: One has to ask that question now.  See my pieces today on his apparent whopper on number of those killed by the chem attack; Reuters puncturing his claim that most of rebels are "moderate" and their numbers growing; and earlier his claim that evidence of chem use disappears after four days (to mock UN visit).   And perhaps more than any of of that:  the claim this week that this would not be "war."  Conor Friedersdorf destroys that here in new Atlantic piece.

No boots on the ground for now maybe.  But plenty of boots on the deck on ships art sea launching cruise missiles--and in the cockpits of jets dropping more bombs. Yes, Powell greased the way to a likely much worse war.  But Kerry's deceptions perhaps just as chilling.

The 'Assad Killed 100,000' Lie

If you've heard it once, you've heard it 100 times--"Assad killed 100,000 of his own people."   From Obama team, pundits, folks in Congress, and more.  And rarely corrected by the media or in interviews.  The truth is bad enough, surely, but it's not 100,000.  But that figure, so many others others, is being used as spin to induce people to back the war against Syria.  The facts, from more than one group but this leading one here, is that at least 40,000 of that total is Assad forces or militias supporting him.   Militia fighting him--and non-combatants (killed by both sides)--make up the rest.  In fact, not a single report or count, even by the Assad opponents and groups friendly to him, endorse the 100,000 figure.

But don't let the facts get in the way of the first air strike.  Assad is bad enough but the propaganda--from Kerry to certain MSNBC folks--just shows the weakness in their case.

MoveOn Moving Against War

We noted yesterday that MoveOn had put it to a vote of members--and 72% said they wanted the org to take a strong stand against the strike on Syria.  Now some plans and results, from email just now:

We're flooding the phones in every representative's and senator's office before the vote to authorize the use of military force—more than 20,000 calls in the last 24 hours alone. But that's not all we need to do to avoid history repeating itself.
MoveOn members and other progressives are gathering for vigils Monday evening to lift our voices against the drumbeat of war, and make sure that our members of Congress heed our unwavering demand to stay out of Syria. The simple truth is that President Obama doesn't have the support he needs from Congress right now to launch military strikes. But that'll only remain true if progressives show up in person in addition before most members of Congress head back for the votes.
If Congress may vote on Tuesday, then we need to hold vigils on Monday night that are so powerful and so numerous that they can't possibly be ignored on Tuesday morning—by the mainstream media or by our friends on Capitol Hill.

Justice for Victor Jara--40 Years On?

 UPDATE  September 5, 2013:  Jara's family suing alleged torturer/murderer. 

Earlier:  Was shocked but pleased just now to see that eight have been arrested and charged with the brutal murder of famed Chilean folksinger Victor Jara--after the U.S.-backed Pinochet coup of 1973. This is a tragedy and crime that has haunted me since that time.   In fact, one of the best stories we ran at Crawdaddy in that decade was a piece by my friend Stew Albert, who recounted his trip to that country in the early 1970s--with our own folk star Phil Ochs and Jerry Rubin--when they met and hung out with Jara, who was sort of the Bob Dylan of Chile (the political era Dylan).

Jara, 40  was tortured and killed in the national soccer stadium.  It's now named Victor Jara Stadium.  His hands were reportedly cut off.  Calexico recorded song, "Victor Jara's Hands."  Arlo Guthrie sings his "Victor Jara." The Clash.  Aftermath of his death plays key role in my Journeys With Beethoven book.

One of the eight charged now lives in Florida.

Below is translation of his "last song" written in the stadium.

Iraq Re-Visited (Exactly in This Case)

Important Tim Arango story at NYT now--on Shiites in Iraq ready to "take on old adversary"--that is, the USA--if we strike Syria.  Will "pour over  the border" to defend Assad, even though their folks still getting killed in car bombings every day this week. “No honorable man will accept what the Americans want to do in Syria,” Abu Mohaned said, reflecting the view of Iraq’s Shiite majority who see any threat to Mr. Assad as an intervention on the side of a Sunni-led, Al Qaeda-aligned rebellion.

“America wants to help the extremists to control Syria, but they are wrong because we will defend our sect,” said Abu Mohaned, who is in his mid-40s and said any American military action would inspire Iraqi Shiites to send fighters and weapons into Syria. “They will commit a big mistake if they think it will be easy to strike Syria and change everything. We all have faith that God is on our side, and we will show them that the Shiites in all the world are able to fight their proxies from Al Qaeda and Nusra and the hated Free Syrian Army.” 

New Jimi Flick

Words out that two-hour doc coming in November, to be aired on PBS, along with new live CD.  Allegedly the film will be broader than the usual what-a-guitar-god thing.   Might well see part of the below:

The Image That Ends Obama's War Authorization?

Cable news giving a lot of play today to the photo on top of NYT front page in print today, along with C.J. Chivers article on the "brutality" of many of our friends, the rebels,  in Syria.  On their site, there is also a video of the same episode caught by the photo, with the executions fading to black.  CNN just ran the video.   Cheerleaders for the war now running scared.  Rep. Peter King on CNN just hit his colleagues for paying attention to the 10-1 opposition being voiced by constituents.

UPDATE Reuters just out with this:

Secretary of State John Kerry's public assertions that moderate Syrian opposition groups are growing in influence appear to be at odds with estimates by U.S. and European intelligence sources and nongovernmental experts, who say Islamic extremists remain by far the fiercest and best-organized rebel elements.

At congressional hearings this week, while making the case for President Barack Obama's plan for limited military action in Syria, Kerry asserted that the armed opposition to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad "has increasingly become more defined by its moderation, more defined by the breadth of its membership, and more defined by its adherence to some, you know, democratic process and to an all-inclusive, minority-protecting constitution.

"And the opposition is getting stronger by the day," Kerry told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Tuesday.

U.S. and allied intelligence sources and private experts on the Syrian conflict suggest that assessment is optimistic.

While the radical Islamists among the rebels may not be numerically superior to more moderate fighters, they say, Islamist groups like the al Qaeda-aligned Nusra Front are better organized, armed and trained.

Kerry's remarks represented a change in tone by the Obama administration, which for more than two years has been wary of sending U.S. arms to the rebels, citing fears they could fall into radical Islamists' hands.

Doing it 'For Israel'

From Politico's Jim 'n Mike tonight:

House Republican staffers tell us that several key members are unsatisfied so far by the classified briefings from the administration. A top aide said the administration has failed to make a compelling case “beyond spasmodic moral outrage.”

“Nobody has really heard how this is going to either improve the situation on the ground in Syria, improve the situation for pro-democracy groups, not play into al-Qaeda’s hands, not play into Russia’s hands, not play into China’s hands,” the aide said. “Members felt the administration hasn’t made a case about how this is going to stop it from happening again. They’re putting a lot of chips on: ‘We have to do this for Israel,’ or, ‘We have to do this because it’s unacceptable.’”

Another House GOP aide told us that President Obama will have to make a better personal case to the public, not just to Congress: If you’re going to sell the members, you also have to sell the constituents. Otherwise, the country could watch the amazing spectacle of Congress defeating a war resolution backed by the president and every top elected leader. And Wednesday evening, a top House Republican aide said the measure could actually lose.

Starlight Sonata

Boing Boing says this is their most popular post today:  Darth Vader meets my man Beethoven.  (My Beethoven book here.)