German Media: Obama Reversed Course on Syrian Attack Due to "Mutiny" in the Ranks

Reports from around the world paint a picture of a military that has no interest in an attack on Syria. If these accounts can be believed, the military has effectively rejected Obama's meandering "red line".

• U.S. military mutiny forced Obama to retreat (German Economic News - via Google Translate):

The surprising over by U.S. President Barack Obama of his plans Syria is apparently due to a massive mutiny in the U.S. Army... So far, the U.S. military has always publicly silent and obey the orders of the military-political leadership. The basis for most applications, it was the president managed to convince the soldiers believe that the particular use of "national security" serve.

Even in the case of Syria, Obama tried this term... But his own soldiers did not believe him...

So said the retired Lieutenant General Gregory S. Newbold post: "The politicians are naive about the obligations that exist in foreign policy. Many are woefully ignorant about what can achieve a military operation. "Newbold was the leading cadres in the Iraq war. He said that many of his colleagues share his active serious concerns.

An officer who declined to comment anonymously, said: "I can not believe that the president ever takes this step into consideration. In the past 10 years we have been fighting against insurgents. Syria has advanced weapons systems. We would have to fight in a conventional war. "

Already in the past week had Gen. Martin Dempsey, the head of the commander in chief, pointed to the heedlessness of the Obama administration. He said the station ABC : "The simple use of weapons, without a precise strategy, such as the use is completed, probably never leads to the conclusion that we imagine."

General James Mattis said: "If the Americans actually perform such an operation, then that is a brutal, very, very serious war."

Another active officer said: "What political end state we want to achieve? Ch I do not know what it is. We say it should not be a regime change. If there is to be punishment - there are other ways to punish someone. "

• Obama's War on Syria: Dissent in the Ranks (Stephen Lendman, IndyMedia):

The Pentagon goes all out to avoid dissent in the ranks. It surfaced in Vietnam... Army officials admitted they couldn't account for over 1,400 officer and noncom deaths. Perhaps as many as one-fourth occurred at the hands of subordinates.

America was at war with itself. Everyone was the enemy. Officers at times fragged troops they suspected of planning to target them... Congressional hearings in 1973 estimated around 3% of officer and NCO deaths from fragging...

...America's heading for more war. Servicemen wonder when they'll all end. They bear the brunt of war's harshness.

The Washington Post headlined "US military officers have deep doubts about impact, wisdom of a US strike on Syria," saying:

Many in America's military have "serious reservations." They're "coping with the scars of two lengthy wars." They're uneasy now.

According to "interviews with more than a dozen military officers ranging from captains to a four-star general," they've had enough... They fear "potential unintended consequences of launching cruise missiles against Syria."

...Marine Lt. Colonel Gordon Miller warned about "potentially devastating consequences, including a fresh round of weapons attacks and a military response by Israel."

Military skepticism grows. Obama's rushing headlong into the breach. He's heading where angels fear to tread. He's mindless of potential fallout. Hindsight won't save thousands of lost lives.

In fact, World Tribune reports that "the Joint Chiefs of Staff as well as many in the U.S. military command have opposed Obama’s directive to prepare for imminent air strikes on the regime of President Bashar Assad."

It would seem the U.S. military is exhibiting all the respect for the president that he has earned.


Hat tip: BB.