Althouse: I trust Senator Kerry, and I think he’s genuine. And I met him five times." Assad said.

September 3, 2013

I trust Senator Kerry, and I think he’s genuine. And I met him five times." Assad said.

In 2010:

15 comments:

Jason said...: Just goes to show you: NOBODY can trust Kerry.; 9/3/13, 11:00 AM
Diogenes of Sinope said...: So much of what Democrats did during the Bush administration was highly destructive to the USA in the long run. For so many Democrats it was war against evil, all Republicans. And how do you set limits when fighting evil?; 9/3/13, 11:04 AM
Sam L. said...: "I trust Senator Kerry, and I think he’s genuine. And I met him five times." Assad said."

Assad is good at lying.; 9/3/13, 11:07 AM
Hagar said...: Congressional "authorization" for military action against Syria that the Administration explicitly states will not be aimed at altering the political regimen in the area in any way, is lunacy.; 9/3/13, 11:20 AM
jr565 said...: This is going to be like the picture of Rumsfeld shaking the hands of Sadaam Hussein.; 9/3/13, 11:39 AM
Ann Althouse said...: The question, then, is whether Assad himself is dissimulating. The presumption would be that he is.

And what does it mean to call someone "genuine"? It's a shade different from saying the person is "honest" or "trustworthy."

It seems to mean more that the person really is what he purports to be.

But what does Kerry hold himself out to be? Assad met him when he was a Senator. Who knows how he acted at those 5 meetings with Assad.

Assuming Kerry is genuine, judging him as you see him, what do you think he is?; 9/3/13, 1:34 PM
jacksonjay said...: Assad the Hitler looks younger in the 2010 pictures!; 9/3/13, 1:46 PM
Anonymous said...: I'll take Kerry at his word: A Northeastern Democrat, following liberal logic where it leads to some extent (social justice and collectivism) out of necessity but remaining a man of some character and conscience as he sees it.

A little stiff, ambitious, a fairly moral man, aiming once to be President but more likely ending up a bust somewhere in Massachussetts.

He's using that liberal logic to compel other nations to join a moral cause to use American force to stop the use of Sarin gas and be morally outraged. I can't disagree with the moral evil of it.

The poor man is also being plucked from the bench to prop up the horrendous lack of strategy Obama is demonstrating.

Why aren't they joining?

Indeed, John Kerry, indeed.; 9/3/13, 1:59 PM
CWJ said...: AA,

I'll grant you your point. It's a good one. But in this case, I think Assad is just having a bit of fun in the same way Putin did when he said all he knew (about Snowden) is what he read in the papers.; 9/3/13, 4:13 PM
Darrell said...: Assad is a poor judge of character.; 9/3/13, 4:28 PM
Ann Althouse said...: "I'll grant you your point. It's a good one. But in this case, I think Assad is just having a bit of fun in the same way Putin did when he said all he knew (about Snowden) is what he read in the papers."

I would assume Assad is smart, strategic, and screwing with us.

These high-minded calls of ours fall flat.

My understanding is that Assad represents a minority of Syrians who would be slaughtered if the revolution succeeds. He must fight to the death.

Okay. Then what? What should we do?

I don't hear Kerry and Obama saying anything relevant to the position Assad finds himself in.

If you were an Alawite (or a Christian or a Kurd in Syria), wouldn't you hew to Assad? The majority, in power, will kill you. What is your choice?; 9/3/13, 6:26 PM
Sam L. said...: Kindred souls.; 9/3/13, 6:30 PM
CWJ said...: AA@6:26

Agreed!; 9/3/13, 8:29 PM
gadfly said...: Rush Limbaugh had lots to say about Bashar al-Assad today, including:

So I want to throw this out to you ... as just a possibility, 'cause I've heard from a couple people who have lived in the Middle East (some of them claim to know Bashar) who say, "Basher just wouldn't do it."
"He just wouldn't gas his own people."
"There's nothing in it for him."
"What's in it for him to do this, other than get what's happening now?"
"What's in it for him?"
"Who benefits here by nerve gas being used, and how do you make the case that Bashar benefits?"

But the Obama regime has demonized the dictator in the finest application of Alinsky's Rules for Radicals that we have seen in some time - and the American public has been lied to once again.; 9/4/13, 12:11 AM
RobertL said...: How fitting was the Kerry-Edwards ticket?; 9/4/13, 7:25 AM