Is POTUS changing his MIND when it comes to Syria ? - Trump Era

BBC News: Reports " Syria conflict: Trump 'slowing troop withdrawal', says Lindsey Graham "

Lets Get Real:

This is some good news before the END of the YEAR, the US has to stay in Syria, to defend allies and combat the threat from Iran.  The hawks in the Republican Party have to place pressure on POTUS not to make the same mistake that President Obama did when he removed US troops from Iraq in 2011.   The THREAT from Daesh is on going, if they think that the US will no longer be a threat they could grow back and become a threat again to Syria and Iraq.   POTUS does not want the US to be the policeman of the WORLD, well the President of the United States is the leader of the FREE WORLD.   If POTUS wants to be another Reagan he should recall that the Gipper was VERY TOUGH with the USSR and called them " Evil Empire ", Kennedy went after Castro in Cuba and increased US troops in Vietnam.   A weak US leader does not go down well with US voters, they like to think of their President as a World Leader, the fact that Trump is SOFT on Russia and North Korea will not help him in 2020. 

US Forces in Syria - Update

Daily Mail: Reports " Boots on the ground: U.S. Special Forces pictured fighting side-by-side with Kurds just 18 miles from ISIS capital Raqqa  "

Lets Get Real:

The background noise from experts is that it will take more US and allied troops to get rid of Daesh, but the limited use of forces with drones has been successful for President Obama. The Daesh terrorist group has been pushed back in Iraq and Syria, the main battle in Syria will be for the city of Raqqa the Capital for Daesh.   In the house to house fighting there will many deaths, lets hope the US special forces have enough troops on the ground to win.  In Iraq the main fight will be for Mosul, that will also be bloody, one hopes are with the Western and allied forces doing the fighting. 

Battle for Falluja - Update

BBC News:  Reports " Top Islamic State commander in besieged Iraqi city of Falluja killed, US military says  "

The Iraqi, Kurds and US Forces have to clear up the mistake of President Obama when he left Iraq in 2011 without leaving forces behind to deal with forces such as Daesh.    The fight for Falluja will be bloody, one can only hope that IF Western forces are in actin that they do not suffer any deaths, the rise of Daesh can be lead to the Oval Office, POTUS thought he knew best in 2011 and the people of the Middle East and Eastern Europe have being paying the price since. 

Obama's failure in Libya - Obama Era

BBC News: Reports " US President Barack Obama has said failing to prepare for the aftermath of the ousting of Libyan leader Col Muammar Gaddafi was the worst mistake of his presidency. "

Lets Get Real:

Thus the great one admits a mistake in way, he blames the long term disaster of Libya on the UK and France, how comes it is never his FAULT, he is the President of the United States, the buck stops with him, the next leader will have to make up for the Obama failures, one is shocked that Obama does not blame himself for the rise of Daesh in Syria and Iraq, his failure to keep troops in Iraq after 2011 allowed for the growth of Daesh, the secular revolution in Syria become a religious war between the two main sections of Islam.   The Russians have gained back the Crimea and parts of East Ukraine due to weakness of the Obama Administration.   The Obama Administration saw the Abdication of the US as a World leader, and the fault is with the Oval Office. 

Obama on David Cameron and the Special Relationship

BBC News: Reports " The White House says David Cameron has been "as close a partner" as Barack Obama has had, after the president appeared to criticise the PM. "

Lets Get Real:

This is about a failed President on his way out, who has had a failed policy in Libya, Syria and Iraq.  The President is trying to make his legacy look good after allowing his arrogant view to override those of others.   In Syria the President did not follow through with his bombing threat, then he withdrew troops from Iraq that allowed for the creation of Daesh and when it comes to Syria and Iraq is doing just enough to hand over to a new Administration.   It can be postulated that Obama is a even worse President than Jimmy Carter and that takes some doing.    The World is waiting to see who will be elected President in November, hoping its not Trump. 

The Growth of IS - The New War on Terror

The New York Times: Reports " The Islamic State is expanding beyond its base in Syria and Iraq to establish militant affiliates in Afghanistan, Algeria, Egypt and Libya, American intelligence officials assert, raising the prospect of a new global war on terror. "

Lets Get Real:

The major strategic mistake of the Obama Administration in 2011 was to leave Iraq, after the US left we see the growth if IS from Syria to Iraq and now to the above Countries.    The US still has around ten thousand troops in Afghanistan, thus they back back up the Afghan Government and forces, in Egypt the new President has cracked down on the Muslim Brotherhood and is fighting IS. in Libya its a mess, that what happens after you lead from behind.  In Yemen the US backed government has fallen to a Iran back group, while Al Qaeda has moved to take over Yemeni military bases.    The perception of success in Yemen as stated by the Obama Oval is now another Tehran gain.    The next US President, be he or she will have  a tough job after the mess of the Obama years, in a few months we see the result of the Iran talks, there is fear in Israel that Obama will take a BAD deal over no deal, thus that could lead to Israel bombing Iran.   Tense days ahead in the Middle East. 

The Breakup between Obama and Hagel - 2nd Term Blues

CBS - Politics: Reports " ...Hagel was was fed up with micromanagement from the White House, while the White House was unhappy that Hagel was not a vocal defender of the administration's policies.  "

Lets Get Real:

The REAL problem is President Obama, he made a bad decision not to leave US Forces in Iraq after 2011, he left VP Biden in charge of the Iraq relationship, that was massive mistake.  Thus from that mistake we have seen the growth of IS terror group Syria and Iraq, when it comes to Syria the President made himself look weak when he did not follow through with his threats to bomb the Assad Regime, now the US is bombing IS in Syria and Iraq and it looks like Assad is using that time to also bomb his opposition, in essence the US air force has become the air force for Assad.   The Oval Office has no real plan on how to deal with Assad, that has become a secondary issue, the main fight is now IS, the terror group has become a threat to the States of the Middle East and to the West.   As noted in this blog, Obama has become the new LBJ, thus we come to the Obama strategy to micromanagement Wars, and that is worked badly.   Lets hope the new Defence Secretary can stand up to the Oval. 

US Ground Troops for Iraq - War on Terror 2

Guardian: Reports " US military considers sending combat troops to battle Isis forces in Iraq....General Martin Dempsey tells House committee that he would consider abandoning Obama’s pledge and send troops to fight Isis in Iraq  "

Lets Get Real:

Well as stated in this blog there were the dots to connect US troops in Iraq to combat troops, it has not taken a long for the US military to get real when it comes to Iraq.   When you come to the large populations holds by IS the US Army as a history of fighting door to door, there is no way the new Iraqi Army could be expected to take large towns, thus it willl be left to the US Army.   One wonders what President Obama will do, he started the new War on Terror in Iraq, will he give up Iraq as he did in 2011 or will he take the fight to to IS.   This blog has always argued you can be very liberal at home but you can not be liberal abroad, if you weak in both areas your Presidency is going to be a disaster.  So one can expect POTUS to be a radical liberal at home but having to fight IS on the ground in Syria and Iraq.   As to Iran it is clear that Congress, both Democrats and Republicans will oppose any weak deal that allows Iran to go nuclear, the friends of Israeli it is hoped have placed pressure on Congress to veto any deal. 

IS Update Part 3 - War on Terror 2

Telegraph: Reports " The Pentagon said Mr Obama had approved plans to send an additional 1,500 soldiers to Iraq on top of the 1,400 already deployed on a mission to train and support the country's military. "

Lets Get Real:

Thus what is the outcome of the increase troops to Iraq, the WARS in Syria and Iraq now belong to President Obama, in many respects Obama is becoming the modern LBJ, his poll ratings falling at home, the WARS in a far place, there being no easy out, the Republicans are gaining due to the Obama failure at home.   As stated in previous post the Oval wants to hand over the WARS to his successor, the problem with that is that IS have a say, what if they move the fight to Jordan and Lebanon,  this would force the US to take on IS on the battle field.    As many have stated, the air power alone strategy will not work, either due to outside events or reality getting through the White House bubble the Oval will face the fact that US troops have to get in to the trenches, its just a matter of when, that is the fate of THE WARS in Iraq and Syria, either the Obama Oval will understand the fact or his successor will get that fact. 

IS Update Part 2 - War on Terror 2

Guardian: Reports " Obama doubles US troop levels in Iraq for war against Isis...Pledge to avoid ‘boots on the ground’ strained as 1,500 additional US troops ordered to Iraq to bolster Iraqi and Kurdish forces fighting Islamic State "

Lets Get Real:

One would have to be a naive fool not to understand the direction of US policy in Iraq and Syria, the Oval by its actions has made it clear that it will not lose Iraq and Syria to IS, losing Syria to Assad is another matter.   That is the problem with the Middle East, your never sure who are your allies or enemies for the long term.    The Oval will face a choice sooner or later, and knowing the luck of Obama it will be sooner, will it fight in Iraq and Syria, the sending of another one thousand five hundred troops makes the Obama legacy stuck with Iraq and Syria.   The decision to leave Iraq in 2011 with no US troops was a massive mistake, the result was IS, this time President Obama can not afford to lose, his legacy is on the line, thus expect more troops to be sent to the Middle East. 

IS the Blame Game Part 4 - The New War on Terror

Daily Mail: Reports " Leon Panetta says Obama administration brushed aside push for troops to stay behind in Iraq because it was 'eager to rid itself of' the war....The power vacuum left when Obama ordered servicemen and women home has been filled by ISIS and other al-Qaeda offshoots  "

Lets Get Real:

The Obama Administration's spin on the decision by POTUS to take troops out is making it look worse, as Fox reported last night the Iraqi Government wanted around twenty four thousand troops to stay in Iraq, then the troops would get legal protection.   The Obama Oval just offered five thousand, that number was seen as to low for the political results that would be faced by the Iraqi Government.  In essence the growth of IS in Iraq is down to the Oval Office and the Presidential advisors who played politics with national security.   The major problem is the Obama ego, POTUS does not have the ability to accept that he can do WRONG, the elite media has kissed his backside so much that he thinks the spin of the Oval Administration is REAL.   The World will have to wait for 2017 for a real leader to come in to the Oval Office, so far that looks like Hillary Clinton.   The Republican side looks either weak or bordering on Isolation, thus blog might even support a Democrat for the first time, politics is an art not a science. 

The FATE of Kurdish Kobani - The War on Terror

Guardian: Reports " Isis assault on Kurdish city of Kobani ‘reaches decisive moment’..Kurdish fighters holding off Islamist fighters from the east as Turkey says it will do ‘whatever it can’ to stop Kobani falling "

Lets Get Real:

Talk from Turkey is all well and good, this is the time to get the Turkish Army over the Syrian border to protect the Kurds and more important for Turkey to make sure that IS does not become a threat to Turkey, as any strike ON Turkey would bring in NATO.  The Obama plan to bomb IS out of life has one problem, it needs ground troops to clean them out, in the major towns and cities it will take Western Special Forces in hand to hand combat to take down IS.   The Kurds can only do so much, they are still not getting they arms they were promised, the first army that has to take IS on is the Turks.   They Government of Turkey will want to make sure that its has the back up of Western Forces, thus Obama and the West might have to accept that it will take Western troops back in Iraq and now  Syria.  One does wish POTUS has left troops in Iraq in 2011. 

The Blame Game Part 3= IS - The War on Terror

Fox News: Reports " Former Defense Secretary Leon Panetta is lashing out at President Obama’s inner circle for failing to secure a 2011 deal to leave U.S. troops in Iraq, effectively accusing the White House of sabotaging the talks.. "

Lets Get Real:

The Washington foreign policy elite are making sure the World knows that the reason that IS grew in Syria  and developed control of areas of Iraq is down to President Obama and his kitchen Cabinet.  Lets be very clear here, the Democrats recalled that Democrats were blamed for losing China at the end of the 1940s, they had gained a reputation for being safe with national security after the killing of OBL.   The theme of the 2012 Presidential race run by the Obama team was that OBL was dead and Al Qaeda was on the run, in fact Al Qaeda and its franchise operations, call them what you like, IS for this post have changed and grown.  There is a chance that IS could form a State in what was Syria and Iraq, this would be a threat to the Middle East and Europe.   President Obama will be out of office in 2017 the wreckage of his foreign policy will be left to his successor, thus the Democrat or Republican that follows him will have problems on his or her first day on the job, Iraq, Syria, Libya and Afghanistan.  The WAR on TERROR is never ending, it will go on for years. 

The House SPLIT on Syria - 2nd Term Blues

The New York Times: Reports on the mixed vote in the House to grant approval to POTUS  to train Syrian rebels, the motion was opposed by those who thought it was not tough enough, that being Republicans and those who thought it was the wrong policy, that being Democrats.  The article notes the following, " Speaker John A. Boehner of Ohio and Representative Nancy Pelosi of California, the minority leader, actively and strongly backed the legislation, and both sought to portray it as a modest measure. "

Lets Get Real:

No one thinks that you can take hundreds of rebels out of Syria, then train them and send them back, the training will take time, in that period, Assad and IS will try to gain from the weakness of the rebels, thus when the moderate rebels do go back they will need US Special Forces or they will be wiped out by either enemies.   The US has tried troops on the ground in Iraq, and it worked before POTUS removed all the troops in 2011, this was a major strategic mistake, thus the growth of IS.   The liberals in the Obama Administration think air power alone will work in Syria and Iraq, good luck with that move, it will not work, you need to hold ground.  One can postulate that Obama wants to hand the problem over to his successor, he wants to keep IS and Assad from winning, but will only do enough to keep the problems from making him look weak.   The history of Iraq in the 21 Century looks lot like Vietnam, time for leaders to re - read the history of the period. 

Libya and Obama's 2nd Term Blues

BBC News: Reports " US officials say Egypt and the UAE were behind air strikes in Libya last week that targeted Islamist militia. "

Lets Get Real:

The most shocking thing about this attack as noted by the article is the FACT that neither Egypt or the UAE told the Oval, it shows how much a lame duck the Obama Presidency is to the rest of the World.   This might give others ideas, Israel will be looking to see how the Oval reacts to this news, does it place sanctions on these two Countries or more likely DO NOTHING, one could postulate that Oval will do nothing, the US State Department will issue a stern Statement then let it go, the Oval needs these ALL the friends it can get in the Middle East, thus more of passive policy by the Oval. 

US Air Strikes on ISIS an OPTION - Kerry

Telegraph - Iraq Live: Reports following in its 2.01pm post, " US airstrikes "may well be an option" to combat Isis militants in Iraq, says John Kerry.....US President Barack Obama is carrying out "a very thorough vetting of every option that is available," including drone strikes, Mr Kerry said. "

Lets Get Real: 

When President Obama left talks on leaving troops in Iraq to VP Biden it 2011 it was clear that the Oval HAD no interest in Iraq, Biden by all reports is a nice man, but that does not mean that you leave a national security issue of such importance to him, this is the same guy that Robert Gates the former US Defence Secretary under Bush 43 and Obama stated had not been right on foreign policy in forty years.   Thus no agreement in 2011 for the US to stay in Iraq.    The chickens have come home in the shape of ISIS, and Obama might have to use the US  Air Force and Drones to take out the threat of ISIS.   Also the Oval needs Iran to back up the Baghdad Government at the same time that the Oval is trying to get Iran to give up its nuclear ambitions, the Tehran Regime has the Oval by the neither regions and might pull to get its way on the bomb, they take out ISIS and Oval allows Iran to go nuclear and try prevent Israel taking action, yes that is the murky world of the Middle East. 

The Obama Options - Iraq - Middle East in Crisis

BBC News - Iraq Live: Reports in 4.22pm post the following, " Obama administration officials say the president is considering airstrikes using drones or manned aircraft, the Associated Press reports. Other short-term possibilities include more surveillance and intelligence gathering, including satellite coverage, and funds. "

Lets Get Real:

If the US is going to used fixed wing attack planes and drones, it needs spotters on the grounds, this means US Special Forces to direct the attack of the planes, make sure that the US strikes hit the terrorists and not those Iraqi's seeking safety from the Al Qaeda franchise terror group.    The would be that there would be US forces on the ground, just not US troops, its a nice play on words.   One presumes that CIA will be on the ground, looking for targets for the drones and planes.   This is not going to be easy, you have  a government in Baghdad that is full of  Shia supporters, but Iraq needs the Sunni to come on board, after the US left in 2011 the Sunni groups were frozen out of Government, thus the US must keep pressure on Baghdad to run a national government, otherwise a internal Iraq Civil War could go Regional. 

Clinton vs. Biden - The 2016 Race

CNN - Politics: Reports on the political knifing of VP Biden by former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, the article notes the following, " Clinton, during her latest paid speaking gig ....spent nearly half an hour discussing the story behind the 2011 Navy SEAL raid on Osama bin Laden's compound in Pakistan, specifically highlighting Vice President Joe Biden's opposition to the mission. ".

Lets Get Real: 

This blog would be very surprised if the Clintons,  that is Bill and Hillary really through that VP Biden was a threat to the Hillary Clinton in 2016, this blog's late beloved dog would beat VP Biden, yes folks, he is not going to be the nominee, one can think that the Biden Camp thinks that everyone thought that Hillary Clinton would win the nomination in 2008 and she did not, also President Obama must know that should Hillary Clinton win, the only former President would have her ear is her husband.  If the Oval thinks that Bill Clinton has forgotten or forgiven that the Obama Camp used the race card on him in 2008 they are out of it, or smoking something illegal.   One can postulate that Biden might think that Hillary Clinton might not run, or that the Libya scandal might come back to haunt her, there is always chance folks, but this blog does not see a real political threat to Hillary winning the 2016 Democratic nomination and at present no threat to winning the Presidency.   But folks, three years is a long time, the Clintons must think that somehow Biden is a political threat, this time they are not taking any chances, that is the one thing about Democracy folks, who in 2006 would have thought that then Senator Obama would be the next President.  Let the fun start folks on the Democratic side. 

UK on Assad Chemical Attack - Syrian Crisis

Guardian: Reports the policy of the UK Government to the latest massacre in Syria, " Assad regime responsible for Syrian chemical attack, says UK government ".

Lets Get Real:

This could be Libya 2011 ALL over again folks, the UK and France take the lead, the PR side of any operation while the US leads from behind.   The American Era of leadership is really over if the OLD Imperial Powers have to solve the problems of the Middle East, very much a return to the future folks.  The question is will the UK and France take action without UN approval after Iraq, can the UK Coalition Government go on if the Conservative PM decides to take action, there are internal and external risks should UK and France take action, Syria is not Libya, they are backed by Russia and Iran, if UK is in so is the US, there are only so many bridges Obama can burn when it comes to Foreign Policy, thus folks we shall see who has the morale and political backbone to take action in Syria. 

The USE of Chemical Weapons in Syria - Update 1

Guardian: Reports the following on the division between the US and Europe when it comes to Assad's Syria, " The British and French claims, backed up publicly by an Israeli general, have opened a rift with the US, which has been far more cautious about its claims  ".

Lets Get Real:

It is quite simple folks, President Obama has no understanding International Politics, HE NEVER DID, how else would you explain that he allowed VP Biden to run the talks with the Iraqi Government for US troops to stay in Iraq after 2011.   This failure to get an agreement has lead to Iran sending military supplies to President Assad, thus keeping him in power, THE only real concern for the Oval is getting control of the House in 2014, Obama in his mind is a domestic President, he does want to understand the World, the elite media has allowed him to lead from behind since he came to power, the UK and France had to lead in Libya while Obama covered his backside with the liberal base with leading from his desk in the Oval, he did not react with terrorists killed the US Ambassador in Libya, he never used the word Islamic terrorists, he knows that if he goes in to Syria his domestic agenda on the Hill is dead, it is that simple, the Vietnam War killed off the Great Society of President Johnson, a long and bloody war in Syria could mean that the Democrats have THEIR own Iraq, so Obama is more worried about votes that US and Middle East security.   The tone of the Guardian article is stuck about its view of Iraq, Syria does have weapons of mass destruction, and has used them, the elite media has to get over that, otherwise when the West has to act, it could be a lot more bloody in men and treasure.   Time for the Oval to grow up, the World is not dictated by the word of the Oval, the OVAL has to react or those that write about International Politics will ram Syria down Obama's throat years after 2017, lets not forget Iran folks, events do no wait on a ego maniac in the Oval.