Syria , the Presidents biggest embarrasment of all

[spence]

Originally Posted by buckman

First off this idea started with a slip up by Kerry. Putin played it brilliantly . Think for a moment Spence.
In order to negotiate a deal Assad has to be in charge. Exactly what Obama did not want .
You are going to retrieve chemical weapons from a nation in civil war?? It will take years if it can happen with any success at all.
By negotiating this deal Putin now looks like the world's leader.
Putin has handed Obama a face saving out and the self serving commander and chief will run with it .
Nothing accomplished , just a step in the wrong direction. His legacy !!!
Posted from my iPhone/Mobile device

I don't think Kerry's statement was a slip up at all. Obama's in a difficult situation and this was an even better option. For all we know Obama and Putin could have set the whole thing up last week. The timing of the three statements sounded nearly staged.

Now, instead of military strikes you have the potential for the WMD to simply be taken off the table...now the rebels won't have access to them either.

Assad's control is still pretty centralized. I don't think removing weapons will be an issue as they don't appear to have to pass through rebel territory.

-spence