President Obama should return to leading from behind (“Commander in Speech,” Editorial, Sept. 11).
No more following the bouncing “red line,” the “world drew the line” — or talk of “shots across the bow.” This is not a pirate movie, although Johnny Depp is a much more credible tough guy.
It is truly a shame France has no cruise missiles.
Robert Porch
Somerdale, NJ
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Obama’s speech was loaded with lies. He made a lot of claims blaming the Syrian government for the nerve-gas disaster, which even his own chief of staff admitted couldn’t be proved beyond a reasonable doubt, and there is considerable evidence to counter his claims.
If Iran decides to enter the fray resulting from such an attack, it can sink nearly all the US surface vessels we have bottled up in the Persian Gulf.
So if you vote to authorize Obama’s bombing of Syria, you will not only have a lot of “blood on your hands,” you may also end up being personally responsible for starting World War III.
Christopher C. Currie
Pascoag, RI
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According to Obama, American service personnel must risk their lives to save Syrians from being killed by Syrians.
The president is wrong. Muslims have been killing Muslims for centuries and will continue to do so in the future. We have no dog in this fight, and Obama should place the onus on the surrounding Arab countries to save their own.
Gerald Jacobs
Staten Island
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The new scariest words in the English language are as follows: We are Russia, and we are here to help.
Lee David Klein
Poughkeepsie
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On Tuesday, Obama said: “If we fail to act, Assad will see no reason to stop using chemical weapons.”
Guaranteed, we will fail to act. From George W. Bush to Obama, the US marshal in these parts has gone from Wyatt Earp to Barney Fife.
Ray Walsh
Ramsey, NJ
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Obama’s address to the nation was an embarrassment — a confusing mishmash of contradictions that left our enemies laughing and our allies worried. In essence, it was the epitome of ineptness.
Two years ago, Obama claimed “Assad must go,” but now he can stay. He wants to punish Assad for using weapons of mass destruction, but not right now.
He supports a military strike, but the strike must be “unbelievably small.”
He wants congressional approval for a strike, but wants the vote postponed.
He loathes the GOP, but wants its support.
I have supported all of America’s military interventions in my lifetime, and I would support a serious strike on Syria led by a competent commander-in-chief — but not by Obama.
Elio Valenti
Brooklyn
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Mr. President, you tried selling the American people on ObamaCare, and failed. You are trying to sell Americans on attacking Syria, and you will fail.
How about governing according to the will of the people — the majority that doesn’t want either of the above?
You are desperately trying to transform America, and it’s not working, which has made you into an official lame-duck president — a blessing for America.
You will leave office with a legacy that will be shameful.
JR Cummings
Manhattan
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Obama gave a very fine sounding and passionate speech about how we have to strike Syria to stop the bad man from killing children and that this isn’t war.
Liar, liar pants on fire: He is proposing war. It will lead to boots on the ground. Obama is not telling America the truth.
Everyone knows that once you throw that first punch, the fight has begun.
Obama is trying to tell us that he doesn’t want to fight Assad, he just wants to punch him one time and it will all be over. Really? Really?
Marc Perkel
Gilroy, CA