USA TODAY International Edition
Obama takes a go- slow approach toward Syria
The Wall Street Journal, editorial: “President Obama’s Syrian melodrama went from bad to worse on Saturday with his surprise decision to seek congressional approval for what he promises will be merely a limited cruise- missile bombing. Obama will now have someone else to blame if Congress blocks his mission, but in the bargain he has put at risk his credibility and America’s standing in the world. ... If the point of the bombing is primarily to ‘ send a message,’ as the president says, well, then, apparently Congress must cosign the letter and send it via snail mail.” Amy Davidson, The New Yorker: “This may be the first sensible step that Obama has taken in the Syrian crisis, and may prove to be one of the better ones of his presidency — even if he loses the vote, as could happen. Politically, he may have just saved his second term from being consumed by Benghazi- like recriminations and spared himself congressional mendacity about what they all might have done. ... A loss, as devastating as it might feel, might do less to undermine the possibility of a future consensus than a reckless strike that could have gone very, very wrong.” Chicago Tribune, editorial: “( Obama) failed to muster world support for a military response on Syria. He failed to convince the American public of the value in such action. ... Obama will wait for Congress, where the odds of support for the president are middling at best. ... Obama has recognized one thing: He can’t lead a Coalition of One Plus France in a military response on Syria that may earn Obama broad wrath and cause little harm to Syrian President Bashar Assad. Obama needs time.” Jay Newton- Small, Time: “Obama has a tough lift in the coming weeks convincing Congress — and the American people — to support his decision. ... Obama won his office, after all, arguing for withdrawal from the Middle East. Now he has set up a situation where his presidency — and the reputation of Congress — could be harmed if Congress does not approve more intervention.” Statesman Journal, Salem, Ore., editorial: “Instead of acting quickly, Obama is letting Congress take its own time, as representatives and senators finish up their summer vacations before returning to the U. S. Capitol. We wouldn’t want Assad’s gas attacks on his own people to interrupt congressional holidays! ... The halls of the Capitol should be echoing today with the sounds of returning lawmakers preparing to debate the world’s future.” Peter Bergen, CNN: “Obama came to Washington to end wars. Not to start them. ... In going to Congress for the Syria authorization, we see not only the former constitutional law professor and pragmatist in Obama, but also the calculated risk taker. On matters of considerable importance where the potential payoff is large, Obama has shown he is willing to take risks.” David Rothkopf, Newsday: “The larger consequence of the president’s action will resonate for years. The president has made it highly unlikely that at any time during the remainder of his term, he will be able to begin military action without seeking congressional approval. ... Obama has reversed decades of precedent regarding the nature of presidential war powers. ... If Obama abides by this new approach for the next three years, will his successors lack the ability to act quickly and on their own?”