Yesterday I asked Jay if he could be specific about why we are not insisting that the bloodthirsty Syrian tyrant Bashir Assad step down, as we did Hosni Mubarak and are now demanding of Muammar Qaddafi.
His answer to other reporters on this has been, essentially, “every country is different,” which seems to have been generally accepted in the briefing room as a response that sheds some light on the subject.
Of course, this is approximately like asking someone “Why did you marry your wife?” and having them answer, “Because I really like women.”
So I asked him what specifically there is about Syria – and not Egypt or Libya – that leads us to stop short of pointing Assad toward the door.
The answer to my questions? “Every country is different.”
He and the president also routinely employ the line now that Syria needs to transition to Democracy and Assad can either “lead the transition or get out of the way.”
I wondered how it is that President Obama thought someone who has just killed more than a thousand of his own people might suddenly embrace Democracy. Jay’s answer: “We’ll see.”
Are your jobs easier than this?
Here’s the video:
12 thoughts on “Koffler and Carney: Why Not Demand Assad Step Down?”
Keith,
I just watched the video and your question/comment to Carney. Carney side-stepped your question with the usual dog and pony.
His comment that “one size fits all” shows that Obama views moderate Arabs with disdain, maybe due to Mubarak’s live-and-let live policy toward Israel, yet another hint of the President treating those who view Israel positively or moderately engaged with the Jewish state differently from one that openly opposes it’s very existance (as Syria does).
Your question prompts more questions Keith.
***Why is the Administration treating Assad with kid gloves?
***Why have they not asked Assad to step down?
***Where is Obama’s emotional appeal (via TOTUS) to Assad to “step aside for the good of your nation” as he did with Mubarak?
The Syrians have machinegunned over a thousand of its people (you made mention of this) and it did not seem to faze Carney (or the White House). It’s a good question: When will Obama call for Assad to step down?
Keith,
Great set of questions for the WH.
I too am perplexed as to why have they pushed for regime change in the other arab nations but not for Syria. I think that this goes deep into the influence that Samantha Powers has with Obama as you know she is the Senior Director of Multilateral Affairs on the staff of the National Security Council. She is the one that has pushed the humanitarian reason to go into Lybia.
But non the less, why not Syria. If going into Lybia was to prevent a blood bath, why not Syria. The answers just do not add up.
Great reporting and thanks for sharing.
The look on his face is so telling…Oh boy, here we go again. He knows you are going to ask the tough questions Keith. My guess is the political alliances of Mubarak and Assad is the key. Mubarak was an American ally so he could be tossed under the bus with no fear of retaliation from the little Nazi in Iran. Assad is a pal of Achmadinanutjob. Obama is either afraid of him or aiding him.
We have no coherent foreign policy. There is no consistency and apparently no long term plans. For that matter this presidency has no domestic policy other than to bounce from main stream media driven talking points. It will take a decade or longer to repair the damage to our economy and our relationships with allies.
You are restoring my lost faith in the Press, thank you.
As for the Syrians and all the rest of the Muslim despots; none of them, shooters or shootees, are our friends. I put them in the same catagory as violent drug cartels; the more they kill each other, the less there are of them to kill us. Not PC at all, but these religious nutsos mean to annihilate the whole population of the world.
Here here. I second that, and well spoken SRDEM. Well put.
Keith – how your able to navigate the liberal minefield inside the Beltway is incredible and you do it with style and humor. Your doing your job – journalism, unlike the MSM who spend time attempting to destroy Gov. Palin and anyone else who is a capitalist or pro-Israel.
Wow Keith! If you keep asking pointed questions like that (doing the job the main stream media used to do) they may revolk your press pass. Be careful and thanks for all you do to bring information to us. Your site is a must check for me at least twice a day.
The worst part of this whole Syria mess is that we are not backing it’s downfall, next to Iran, the world will be a better place with these guys out of the picture, and a major f.u. to Iran for disrupting their Hezbollah/Hamas weapons transfer point. Russia is blocking any action due to all the weapons systems they are owed money on and China doesn’t want to be implicated in being involved with the DPRK/Iran/Syria/Pakistan/China nuclear shell game going on. Screw them. They want to play we should be sanctioning them all till they beg for mercy and as far as Iran,time to ready operational plans before winter
BTW, are you single?
Thank you for putting these excerpts on the internet so we can see how your straightforward questions are met with a carney dog and pony show.
I don’t which is more amusing, that BO had a stream of Gibbserish going or now his spokesman is a Carney barker.
I loved the look of the reporter in the front row, don’t know if that was Jake Tapper, he just put his head in his hand and shook his head. Don’t know if it was from your questions, or the idiocy of the answers.
Jeff has some very valid points about why this administration is dancing with Bashir. If Bashir goes, the Russians may not get their money. And everyone knows money talks, B.S. walks.
Plus if the Syrian government, as it stands now, falls, that may well bring about another democratic state in the Mid-East. Doubtful, but possible. The Syrians are no doubt watching how things have been going in Iraq, and while not perfect, Iraq has made huge strides away from the dictatorship model.
A free and democratic (however that would be defined) Syria would cut off one more road for invading Israel, something I cannot imagine this administration wanting.
One caveat to you Keith and your questions: You keep this up and you may end up being the next W/H press corp gadfly. I don’t see Kinsolving staying active forever. He’s what now, 80+ years old?
I wonder how much of the WH song and dance is political cover for House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi? Remember she visited Syria in 2007 after the Democrats took control of the House. I wonder what goodies she promised Assad? Maybe that’s why he’s being treated with kid gloves.
Could be a question for Monday’s press briefing.
And can you ask when we can see Obama’s Selective Service registration acknowledgement letter and passport?
Thanks.
keep up the good wok
thank you
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