Former CIA bin Laden chief, Michael Scheuer writes that Obama could distract from scandals with unnecessary war in Syria

In an all out, pull no punches article on the Ron Paul Institute for Peace and Prosperity (RPI) website Tuesday, former CIA bin Laden chief and author of several books including Imperial Hubris, Dr. Michael Scheuer looks into the current mess of the Obama administration and the potential to cause a distraction that would be an effort to save his skin.

The investigations into the trio of scandals, in time, could reveal either gross incompetence in the White House or possible criminal actions. Because of this, Scheuer writes that sending American troops into Syria could “distract Americans from his administration’s rampant felonies”.

Scheuer writes, “what better way to quiet the hounds of just retribution than by consigning U.S. soldiers and Marines to death in a useless intervention in Syria, a place where no genuine U.S. national interest is at stake.”

In his prediction he goes on to say, “Odds are that we are going to see the same old story: Obama will intervene militarily in Syria, get Americans worried about the safety of their soldier-children, stoke their patriotism and fierce support for the troops, and – voila – the Obama-butt-kissing media will refocus the victims of the Obama-ites’ domestic felonies on an unnecessary war in the Levant.”

And it’s just not just “ the Obama-butt-kissing media”, but also the Democrats and Republicans, Scheuer notes.

“With Democrats ever ready to leave Americans to fend for themselves, Obama’s diversionary campaign – obscure impeachable offenses by launching an unnecessary war – will be abetted by Senators McCain, Graham, Lieberman, and dozens of other U.S. Senators and Congressman intent on war with Syria.”

Scheuer also calls out the radio talking heads that would line up in support of US military in Syria like every other military intervention–Limbaugh, Hannity, Levin et al. and take up arms if they believe in the cause that much.

I remember writing something similar about 3.5 years ago on the blog, Desk of Brian. When a guy named Tim Graney challenged Dr. Paul for the House seat in the primaries and called Paul’s constitutional view of foreign policy, “His Weak, Stick-Your-Head-In-The-Sand Foreign Policy”.

I called out Graney, Hannity and the rest for not donning a uniform and fighting in these wars they love to promote so much.

Let’s hope and pray that Mr. Scheurer’s predictions don’t come to fruition and Mr. Obama doesn’t get us involved in any shenanigans in Syria.

Scheuer’s article was published on RPI the same day that the Menendez-Corker bill passed the Senate Foreign Relations Committee with a wide margin.

Source  http://www.theglobaldispatch.com/former-cia-bin-laden-chief-michael-scheuer-writes-that-obama-could-distract-from-scandals-with-unnecessary-war-in-syria-84587/

Tories force David Cameron to enshrine EU vote in law

DAVID Cameron has bowed to pressure from Tory rebels by guaranteeing in law his promise to hold a referendum on Britain's membership of the EU.

In an effort to draw a line under the party's turmoil, the Conservatives will today publish a Bill ensuring an in-out vote before the end of 2017.

The Prime Minister's change of heart came 48 hours before more than 100 Conservative MPs and ministerial aides were due to vote against the Queen's Speech because it lacked such a measure. Mr Cameron's surprise move, announced while he was in the US, took senior Lib Dems by surprise and will lead to a stand-off at the top of the coalition.

Nick Clegg's office said that the Deputy Prime Minister would refuse to allow government time for the Bill, which makes it almost impossible for the measure to pass into law even if it could command a Commons majority.

But the move is as much about setting up electoral dividing lines with Labour and the Lib Dems and trying to restore order to restive Conservative ranks.

US President Barack Obama came to Mr Cameron's aid yesterday, warning mutinous Tories against a hasty exit from the EU. As the Prime Minister struggled with another day of internal rows over Europe, Mr Obama gave an unequivocal endorsement of Mr Cameron's "negotiate now, vote later" European strategy.

He warned that the special relationship would suffer if Britain cut its ties with Brussels. Britain's EU membership was "an expression of its influence", he said. But, in a change of emphasis from the White House, he acknowledged that Mr Cameron was within his rights to try to fix Britain's relationship with the EU.

"David's basic point, that you probably want to see if you can fix what's broken in a very important relationship before you break it off, makes some sense to me," Mr Obama said.

The President's endorsement, delivered alongside the Prime Minister at a White House press conference, put a spring in the step of Mr Cameron's entourage but is unlikely to cut much ice with Eurosceptic Tories.

In Westminster, cabinet ministers remained quiet after Mr Cameron chided Michael Gove, the Education Secretary, and Philip Hammond, the Defence Secretary, for saying they would vote to leave the EU if a referendum were held today. He also accused the likes of Lord Lawson of Blaby, who began the latest debate last week with his call in The Times for Britain to quit the EU, and Michael Portillo, who argued that any negotiation would get nowhere, of "throwing in the towel".

But Tories from either end of the party's spectrum on Europe were at loggerheads. Lord Forsyth of Drumlean became the latest former cabinet minister to write off Mr Cameron's EU strategy, saying that the task the Prime Minister had set himself was impossible and that he had no hope of persuading Brussels to reform.

"To use an analogy, I think David Cameron is thinking he can persuade the golf club to play tennis," the peer told the BBC.

The amendment, and the Tory Bill, would write into law Mr Cameron's commitment to an in-out EU referendum in 2017, on new terms that he plans to negotiate.

Mr Obama's carefully delivered riposte represented a major and rare intervention by a US President into British domestic politics.

He urged voters to wait and see the new relationship Mr Cameron could deliver. "I, at least, would be interested in seeing whether or not those are successful before rendering a final judgment," he said.

The White House had previously been opposed to any move towards a British exit, a move that it believes would make its dealings with Europe more difficult.

Another Tory row was brewing as some MPs expressed interest in standing as "Tory-UKIP" candidates in the 2015 general election.

Peter Bone and Philip Hollobone backed the idea of local arrangements, which allowed Conservative candidates to seek the endorsement of Nigel Farage.

Conservative high command is resisting the idea but Mr Bone said that harnessing the Tory and UKIP vote to one candidate would deliver Mr Cameron an overall majority.

"There's clearly a holy grail there if we can get the Prime Minister to give a bit," he said.

Source  http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/world/tories-force-david-cameron-to-enshrine-eu-vote-in-law/story-fnb64oi6-1226641832382