◼ White House Girds for Battle With Congress on Syria - JAY SOLOMON and JANET HOOK/Wall St. Journal
◼ Proposal seeks broad war power despite vow of limits... - Michael Doyle | McClatchy Washington Bureau
While President Barack Obama insists he wants only a limited air attack on Syria, his proposed authorization of force would empower him to do much more than that. Congress is likely to impose tighter reins, as lawmakers have learned that presidents are prone to expand on powers once granted...◼ After classified briefing, lawmakers skeptical... - Ed O'Keefe and Paul Kane/Washington Post
The proposed resolution gives Obama a go-ahead to use the military as he “determines to be necessary and appropriate in connection with the use of chemical weapons or other weapons of mass destruction in the conflict in Syria.” Specifically, the president could act to “prevent or deter the use or proliferation” of the weapons or to “protect the United States and its allies and partners” from the weapons.”
Tellingly, University of Texas Law School Professor Robert Chesney said in an interview, Obama’s proposed authorization did not include a sunset date. Chesney suggested that “if the administration is serious about wanting to act in such a truly narrow, time-limited way,” then a sunset measure could be useful.
Sen. Patrick J. Leahy (D-Vt.), the dean of the Senate, told reporters after the meeting that the resolution seeking military force is “too open ended” as written. “I know it will be amended in the Senate,” he said.◼ CURL: Obama’s 2014 calculation: Let’s have a war - Joseph Curl/Washington Times
Leahy’s comments echoed the views of dozens of lawmakers who left the briefing and said they want to see the resolution more closely resemble President Obama’s own pledge that any strike be limited in scope.
The first rule for President Obama: It’s all about 2014. The second rule for President Obama: See Rule No. 1....◼ Coalition of the Unwilling... - Nile Gardiner/Telegraph
Make no mistake: The president couldn’t care less about the plight of Syrians, the 1,500 gassed to death — including nearly 500 children. It’s all about 2014. Win the House, reign supreme.
Consider this: Mr. Obama made his dramatic Rose Garden statement Saturday — then headed to the golf course. Congress has no plans to cut short its 30-day vacation, and the president did not call lawmakers back. So much for urgency.
The conventional wisdom is, as usual, wrong. Losing the congressional vote won’t be an embarrassment for the president, as all the talking heads are still parroting. A loss would be a double win. First, because a “No” vote would allow the foreign policy neophyte to walk away from his blundering “red line” declaration on chemical weapons (“I wanted to go in, but Congress said no”). And second, should Republicans who voted for the Iraq and Afghanistan wars now oppose Syria, the president would be armed with clear “evidence” that their opposition is purely political.
Keep in mind: This president knows no way to campaign other than to blame others. He’ll batter Republicans for all of 2014 as obstructionists should they be the reason the effort fails....
◼ RUSSIA NOT CONVINCED BY U.S. EVIDENCE... - AP
◼ China argues against unilateral action... - AP
◼ Syrian media calls 'historic American retreat'... - Yahoo
◼ Refugee: 'Obama lied to us'... - The Guardian
◼ UK gov't let company export nerve gas chemicals to Syria... - The Independent
◼ USS Nimitz carrier group rerouted to Red Sea... - Reuters
◼ Russia sending spy ship to Mediterranean... - The Guardian
◼ Syria asks U.N. to stop U.S. strike... - Reuters
