President Obama on ISIS: 'We Don't Have a Strategy Yet'

[Purveyor]

Source: NBC NEWS

President Barack Obama on Thursday pumped the brakes on the prospects of U.S. airstrikes against Islamic militants in Syria, saying “we don't have a strategy yet” to deal with the growing threat to the Middle East.

Obama said defeating the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) will require an organized regional response, and announced Secretary of State John Kerry will soon travel to the Middle East to help build a coalition to stand up to the militants.

“This cancer that has developed is one that they have to be just as invested in in defeating as we are,” Obama said during a White House press conference.

The U.S. has carried out airstrikes against ISIS in northern Iraq and the president has been considering similar strikes in Syria. Obama indicated that such strikes were not imminent, saying “we don't have a strategy yet.”

Read more: http://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/president-obama-isis-we-dont-have-strategy-yet-n191286

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Even if they don't...what a stupid-assed thing to say on national TV.

[davidpdx]

1. He was asked specifically about ISIS in Syria

For him to come out and even speculate that we would be taking action in Syria would be reckless and irresponsible. What would you (or most others in DU) say if he had said "We plan on sending support to Syria and bombing ISIS held areas"?

This is one of those cases where President Obama is being cautious, yet still people persist to bitch and moan over it.

[Purveyor]

2. Anything other than basically "we don't have a clue". eom

[davidpdx]

4. So tell me, what would the appropriate response have been?

What was the exact question he was asked?

My guess is "Does the administration have a strategy to deal with ISIS in Syria?" would be the logical one.

[Psephos]

11. The correct response would be "Yes."

One could even hope that it were true.

[davidpdx]

12. So now lying is ok?

Wow

[tjl148]

16. Wow?

So for you there is absolutely no time, no circumstances, when it is ok to lie? None whatsoever?

[Skittles]

21. I doubt he would be lying

no doubt there's something going on but he deflected very poorly in an attempt to avoid further questions - certainly not up to his usual standards

[Reter]

29. Doesn't government lie daily?

National security related lies are also ok.

[cstanleytech]

15. The correct response should have been along the lines of "We are considering varies options."

[Nihil]

27. Exactly: "We are considering various options" ...

... not "Yes", not "We are going to do XYZ" and not "Uh, we don't know yet".

Still, even with that regrettable answer, this is still just a storm in a teacup.

[tjl148]

5. I think "no strategy" was a terrible thing to say.

The military has plans for just about everything. I think a better statement would have been 'All options are on the table to eliminate this threat, but it would not be in our national security interest to say more." Let ISIS ponder what that might mean. With the added benefit that it would generate a lively discussion here on DU.

[davidpdx]

8. All options on the table would have been a reckless thing to say

because that would include bombing and invading Syria. Would Americans really support that? I don't think so.

[tjl148]

14. Disagree.

Why is it reckless? Saying all options are on the table doesn't mean you have to use them all. Bombing in Syria might be an option he has to use. Hopefully not, but we don't know yet. But the post earlier that answered the strategy question with a simple "yes" was a great response.

[asiliveandbreathe]

32. davidpdx is spot on

- as in the game of chess, you don't reveal your strategy - I have so enjoyed how our Prez operates...love the tan suit too! Have I always agreed with his decisions..no - but, the alternative is too scary to even think about....President Barack Obama gets the job done - against all odds..

[C Moon]

3. I noticed NBC is taking snippets from interviews, & making it sound like that's all these folks say.

Pretty lame, NBC. Pretty lame.

[davidpdx]

6. There have been plenty of other times that the media has done that

I haven't seen anything yet, so I'll take your word for it.

[tjl148]

7. No surprise there. nt

[Adsos Letter]

9. It's what they do.

Gin up controversy for pay.

[candelista]

10. He's just being truthful.

The President's inner circle has not yet worked out a plan on how to deal with ISIS. Only one thing is certain. They will not allow ISIS to have a caliphate--even if a large number of ground troops is required for this purpose.

[davidpdx]

13. Apparently lying is advocated for on DU

See post #11.

[Democat]

17. Lying is an important strategy when trying to win a battle

Have you ever read the history of WWII? Everyone was lying for tactical advantage.

I am an Obama supporter, but he was stupid to say what he said.

[davidpdx]

18. Well playing devil's advocate then

Could it be possible that he is lying about having no strategy? I'm not saying he is, but you never know.

[Cha]

19. That's just it.. no one knows. I do know

the O Team was busy on a plan to get bin laden that no one knew about while the idiots were screaming and whining for his "Long Form" Birthday Certificate.

And, I'm not concerned that whether the President's Team has a plan now or they're gathering every bit of relevant intel they can on it before they do have a plan.. that it means shit whether some on the internet think "it's stupid" because he said they didn't have one.

[davidpdx]

20. You know it reminds me of that saying

An opinion is like an asshole, everybody has one.

[pampango]

23. "... or they're gathering every bit of relevant intel they can on it before they do have a plan.

That would be a very liberal approach, wouldn't it. A conservative would decide on a policy, let's say invading a country, then look for "facts" ('intel') that supported the policy already decided upon.

As you say another possibility is that he has a strategy but declines to describe it to ISIS. I can complain about his choice of words at times, but he's usually pretty good at speeches and explaining issues.

Gov. Jindal agrees with those who criticize President Obama:

Bobby Jindal: No Surprise Obama Has No Plan Against ISIS

President Barack Obama won't get tough on terrorists — and made that clear once again on Thursday when he said the U.S. has no strategy to take on the Islamic State (ISIS), according to Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal.

"I wish I could say I was shocked and surprised. This is an administration whose incompetence has only exceeded by their ideological extremism," Jindal said Thursday on "The Steve Malzberg Show" on Newsmax TV.

"This president believes in multilateralism as a goal, not as a tactic. He doesn't believe in American exceptionalism, (that) a stronger America leads to a more peaceful world both for our enemies and our allies.

"This is an administration that did nothing when Russia went into Crimea. [Russian President Vladimir] Putin wouldn't be into Ukraine today if we had a stronger presence in the White House."

http://www.newsmax.com/Newsfront/bobby-jindal-isis-threat/2014/08/28/id/591534/

[Cha]

24. E gods, jindal!? Speaking in pure RWanker buffoon assholery!

Rofl.. from newsmax! lol

President Obama.. not caring to share his "plans" with isis, Jindal, or anyone.

[leftynyc]

22. I advocate lying about this

Why give those animals a heads up on our thinking - we also have to be very careful about getting involved with Syria and I immediately thought he was lying for a good cause. I have no problem with that at all.

[Zorro]

30. Agreed

I heard some discussion yesterday about ISIS that stated their strategy is to go all Mongol Horde on anyone who dares challenge them. It's terrorism pure and simple for the sake of intimidation, and a shocking throwback to the Dark Ages and before.

It's also a highly perilous situation for the US, and will take a lot of deliberation on how to address the situation politically and militarily. Obama saying there's "no strategy" is most likely purposefully misleading, which is fine by me. Let ISIS and the Republicans believe that.

There may not be consensus on the best approach to dealing with this dangerous consequence of Republican adventurism, but any effective response will need to be a coordinated effort -- most likely with Turkey and our NATO partners. I believe Obama will make the right decisions on how to handle the situation.

[WhoWoodaKnew]

25. I watched that speech and came away feeling pretty good about it...

and then I watched the talking heads for 15 minutes and realized that I should be really mad.

[JoePhilly]

26. Its always helpful to clip a small segment from a larger statement.

That way, its easier to claim the person said whatever it is you wanted them to say.

And people will believe it.

[DallasNE]

31. Headline Is Grossly Misleading

And it is not "a stupid-assed thing to say".

I'm not sure what I would do because striking ISIS in SYRIA helps prop up Assad. Letting those two fight it out for awhile may be a good short term strategy. There is already a strategy in place for fighting ISIS outside of Syria. But the headline is wildly misleading because the whole context of the statement involves "inside of Syria".

You can't lose sight of the fact that all major media today has conservative ownership and that dictates content and that is what we are seeing here from NBC -- conservative content.

[J_J_]

33. 'We got involved in Afghanistan probably helped create,indirectly,ideas that led to 9/11-That’s life

To quote Bill Kristol "'We got involved in Afghanistan probably helped create,indirectly,ideas that led to 9/11-That’s life"


so I think we shouldn't have a strategy

The plan should be to stay the hell out of it.

We have veterans that are already not being taken care of, we have millions in this country starving and homeless, no one has held banker's accountable for stealing American's homes through fraudulent foreclosures.

We already spend more than half of our income on military, yet after the Trillion dollar boondoggle wars, the bastards in DC blamed poor people for the deficit, as if they had actually been using our money to help poor people when the military was looting billions here, billions there with no accountablility whatsoever.

WE need to take care of Americans while we still have a country worth defending.