U.S. Constitution, War Making and Syria

OK, President B. Hussein Obama wants to attack Syria, calling it a shot across the bow.

Well, sound poetic and all, but nonsense. He wants to commit an act of war, an act until now is not legal without congressional approval.

Constitution Gives Obama No Power to Use Force in Syria 

"We're actively looking at the various legal angles that would inform a decision."

That is what an anonymous administration official told the Washington Post this week about President Barack Obama's deliberations on whether he will personally involve the United States in another Middle Eastern war by ordering military action in Syria.

But the only law that ultimately matters here is the one Obama swore to preserve, protect and defend: the Constitution of the United States.

As recently as six years ago, Obama exhibited a clear understanding of the power the Constitution does and does not give the president in using military force.

As recently as six years ago, Obama exhibited a clear understanding of the power the Constitution does and does not give the president in using military force.

"The president does not have power under the Constitution to unilaterally authorize a

military attack in a situation that does not involve stopping an actual or imminent threat to the nation," Obama, then a presidential candidate, told the Boston Globe in Dec. 20, 2007 interview.

Obama, then, could have been channeling James Madison or George Washington. He perfectly expressed the original — and, thus, the correct — meaning of the constitutional language on the use of military force.

Article 1, Section 8 of the Constitution says Congress shall have the power to "declare war, grant letters of marque and reprisal, and make rules concerning captures on land and water."

CNS NEWS

This commentary is worth checking out as it has a lot of background on the Constitution and war making authority.

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Russia Planning Life after Assad?

As the saying goes, there is a time to hold them, and a time to fold them.

Seems Russia is not certain of its ally, Bashar Assad in Syria and is moving forward. No one can blame them. I mean really. How would they benefit from sticking around?

Navy chief says Russia wants naval bases abroad

MOSCOW — Russia is talking to Cuba, Vietnam and the Indian Ocean island country of Seychelles about housing Russian navy ships, the nation’s navy chief said in remarks reported Friday.



Vice Admiral Viktor Chirkov told the state RIA Novosti news agency that Russia is in talks about setting up maintenance and supply facilities for Russian ships in those countries but wouldn’t give any further details, the Associated Press reported.


Russia’s only existing naval base outside the Soviet Union is located in the Syrian port of Tartus. A squadron of Russian navy ships, including several assault ships carrying marines, is currently heading to Tartus in a show of support for a longtime ally whom Moscow protected from international sanctions and continued to supply with weapons.


Full Story Washington Times

Syrian Torture Centers

I wonder why this comes as a surprise to me. Considering how Bashar Assad has been responsible for killing nearly 10,000 civilians so far, a systematic system of torture should have been expected.

Report: Syria running 27 torture centers

Human Rights Watch says Damascus' intelligence agencies inflicting gruesome torture on hundreds of detainees

The Syrian intelligence agencies are running torture centers across the country where detainees are beaten with batons and cables, burned with acid, sexually assaulted, and their fingernails torn out, Human Rights Watch said in a report released on Tuesday.



The New York-based rights group identified 27 detention centers that it says intelligence agencies have been using since President Bashar Assad's government began a crackdown in March 2011 on pro-democracy protesters trying to oust him.

Human Rights Watch conducted more than 200 interviews with people who said they were tortured, and the report says that tens of thousands of people had been detained by the Department of Military Intelligence, the Political Security Directorate, the General Intelligence Directorate, and the Air Force Intelligence Directorate.

   FULL STORY

Russian Helicopters for Syria Stopped

Dang, the plot thickens. I was under the impression that the helicopter deal was a no go, and, hard to believe, I was just so wrong.

British Insurer Pulls Cover on Russian Arms Ship

A British marine insurer has withdrawn cover from a Russian ship believed to be carrying overhauled combat helicopters to Syria, after finding out there were weapons on-board.

The MV Alaed, currently in the North Sea, is believed to be carrying a cargo of Mil Mi-25 attack helicopters en route to Syria from Russia as well as coastal-based anti-ship missiles. Russian cargo line Femco, which owns the MV Alaed, says the insurer, Standard Club, has suspended cover on its ships.

OOOH, so there are helicopters! I am shocked, just shocked!

Now get this.

He also said military equipment being supplied to Syria was defensive in nature and could not be used against civilians.

RIA Novosti

What an incredible lie. I would like to see the weapon which can distinguish between civilians and combatants, but I ain't holding my breath.

Assad's Massacre

Iran's little puppet is going off the deep end, but then what did anybody expect?Bashar Assad, the apple that never fell far from the tree. My wonder is how long are the Arab nations going to put up with this?

Even that Iran. What kind of a puppet ally will be left by the time Assad is killed, runs away? Or like some bad joke just survives spreading the cheer of death and destruction. Perhaps divine intervention with a sudden cancer is in order.

U.N. monitors said to reach site of Syrian massacre

BEIRUT — A team of United Nations observers reached a village Friday in central Syria where activists say scores of civilians were massacred by pro-government militiamen, British news media reported.

A BBC reporter traveling with the unarmed observers in a convoy from the capital, Damascus, said an advance team reached Qubair and was checking the security situation before the rest of the monitors could enter the village to investigate the reported massacre.


The observers turned back Thursday after being stopped at Syrian military checkpoints and coming under small-arms fire from unidentified gunmen, U.N. officials said.

Washington Post

Syria & the Arab League

Syrian Army in revolt, 4000 citizens killed and Iran's little buddy, President Bashar Assad seems to be on the way out.

That guy is so disgusting even the Arab League has had enough.

Syria says it’s still open to Arab League observer plan, as sanctions tighten

Syria said Sunday it is still negotiating with the Arab League over the bloc’s request to send observers into the country, as tightening sanctions by Arab and other nations fail to halt the eight-month crackdown on anti-government protesters.

New violence killed at least nine people on Sunday, including a female university professor and a father and his three children in central Syria


Syria’s failure to meet a Nov. 25 deadline to allow in observers drew Arab League sanctions, including a ban on dealings with the country’s central bank. Together with sanctions from the United States, the European Union and Turkey, the Arab League’s penalties are expected to deal significant damage to Syria’s economy and may undercut the regime’s authority.
Who would think?
Syria, which has already been suspended from the 22-member League, may be playing for time while its crackdown continues.

FULL STORY