Why "Fix" the intelligence?
Since 2011, the Obama administration had been demanding the departure of Syria's elected President Bashar al-Assad. Citing human rights abuses, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton made that clear from 2011 on as she traveled the world insisting that Assad must go.
The Libyan formula was in place
1. Take advantage of a political clash between a used up/undesirable leader and some internal faction (the rebels).
2. Covertly arm and otherwise assist the rebels;
3. Get a UN resolution decrying human rights violations based on evidence from an NGO aligned with the rebels;
4. Overtly arm and otherwise assist the rebels;
5. Win the battle for the rebels. Michael Collins, August 14, 2012
The Obama administration had achieved steps one through three in the Libyan formula. It took advantage of the Syrian political conflict and helped turn it violent by supporting its Middle East partners in funding violent action. It got the UN resolution condemning Syria for abusing protesters. But, the critical element was foiled at the United Nations by Russian opposition, a "no-fly zone" that worked so well in helping rebels in Libya.
The chemical attack was a Godsend for the administration. The facts didn't matter as much as the goal, winning the battle for the rebels and getting rid of Iran's ally, the al-Assad government. That explains the fixed intelligence and the deception.
Obama and Kerry didn't get their attack. This infuriated rebels and their partners, Qatar and Saudi Arabia.
Russian President Vladimir Putin threw the administration a lifeline just before one or both houses of Congress was about to turn down the president's authorization for military action. Syria would give up its chemical weapons stockpile in the deal engineered by Putin.
The Hersh article is a defining moment for the Obama administration and public confidence in the government, whatever little remains. Obama did what George W. Bush did on the Iraq invasion and what other presidents have done over the years - the administration lied to justify military action.
The article deserves to be read widely and investigated further. There needs to be a consequence for this behavior, now not later.
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Also see , Syrian Crisis - Original Writing in the Agonist
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