The former head of the KGB is now directing the President of the United States on what to do, how to do it, and what will be acceptable. Totally flaying the White House because he knows POTUS does not have support of his own people. In essence he is daring President Obama to have a vote in his own congress. Putin knows such a vote would fail therefore he can position himself as being on the side of the U.S. majority. His directions published Swooningly by,…. wait for it…. why, the New York Times of course:

(NYT) . . . A new opportunity to avoid military action has emerged in the past few days. The United States, Russia and all members of the international community must take advantage of the Syrian government’s willingness to place its chemical arsenal under international control for subsequent destruction. Judging by the statements of President Obama, the United States sees this as an alternative to military action.

I welcome the president’s interest in continuing the dialogue with Russia on Syria. We must work together to keep this hope alive, as we agreed to at the Group of 8 meeting in Lough Erne in Northern Ireland in June, and steer the discussion back toward negotiations. (more…)
The initial media *Mainstream* Media report stems from the Washington Post, however, CNN is also reporting independent confirmation for the content of the Post article.
(Washington Post) The CIA has begun delivering weapons to rebels in Syria, ending months of delay in lethal aid that had been promised by the Obama administration, according to U.S. officials and Syrian figures. The shipments began streaming into the country over the past two weeks, along with separate deliveries by the State Department of vehicles and other gear — a flow of material that marks a major escalation of the U.S. role in Syria’s civil war.
The arms shipments, which are limited to light weapons and other munitions that can be tracked, began arriving in Syria at a moment of heightened tensions over threats by President Obama to order missile strikes to punish the regime of Bashar al-Assad for his alleged use of chemical weapons in a deadly attack near Damascus last month.
The arms are being delivered as the United States is also shipping new types of nonlethal gear to rebels. That aid includes vehicles, sophisticated communications equipment and advanced combat medical kits. (more…)
I’m no fan of this guy, nor do I support the burning of religious books in general, but I defend his right to do it. If he were headed to a flag burning no-one would be bothering him. The police approach toward stopping him from expressing his constitutional right, with a protected first amendment protest, is just wrong.

Law enforcement was obviously just looking for a reason to be able to stop him. That should send a shiver through every patriotic American. “PissChrist” (a crucifixion contained in a framed glass display of urine) is considered high art by the leftists and progs. Treading on a flag as displayed by an elementary school teacher is considered acceptable by the leftists and progs.
Yet threaten to burn a Koran, upset the Muslim sensibilities, and law enforcement will take any approach to stop it. This double-standard is just insufferably wrong.
FLORIDA – Florida officials have arrested radical anti-Islam preacher Terry Jones as he was on his way to a Sept. 11 event where he planned to burn 2,998 Korans, according to local news reports Wednesday. (more…)

No clue how many were actually there because the mall was off limits, but let’s just say it was one massive patriotic crew of riders for miles, and miles, and miles, and miles…… One police officer on I-95 Virginia stated well over 800,000 were counted yesterday headed North. The Ride FaceBook Page Is HERE

(more…)
(via iOTW) Himes and Blumenthal held a Townhall meeting today at the Darien, Connecticut Library to discuss with their constituents whether going to Syria is in Connecticut citizens’ best interest or not.
The room was packed but there was no real discussion that led Blumenthal or Himes to see things differently, it was more Kabuki theater, with neither ceding an inch of their steadfast hawkish beliefs. Blumenthal and Himes then informed the citizenry that the support and opposition for the war was a mixed bag of opinion, creating the illusion that their opinions are not out of lockstep with the voters. (more…)
Here’s the White House S.P.I.N…..
WASHINGTON DC – Secretary of State John Kerry told a closed meeting of House lawmakers that the Russian government is only seeking to help Syria because they believe the U.S. is serious about taking military action, according to multiple sources present.
The comment, which came in a classified briefing of the full House on Monday, mirrors public comments by other Obama administration officials: the threat of a military attack is working to bring the Russians to the negotiating table.
After enduring days of brutal skepticism from lawmakers of both parties, Kerry and other administration officials wasted no time in attempting to link Russia’s proposal to the pressure coming from the White House. Democratic lawmakers agreed.
“This suggestion today by [the Russians] about bring the chemical weapons Assad has under control, I think it’s a direct result of the president saying he’s ready to do whatever is necessary to back up what he’s already said,” Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-Md.) said. (link)
(Via BizPacReview) The countdown to Sept. 11 commemoration demonstrations by patriotic bikers versus a fringe Muslim “truther” group is taking shape, and despite some confusion about the technicalities, the court of popular opinion isn’t even close:
Let the good guys roll.

Denied a permit by the nation’s capital for a special “non-stop” ride through town with a waiver for red lights, stop signs and other traffic controls, organizers of the “2 Million Bikers to DC” ride to remember 9/11 are undeterred. (more…)
UPDATE(s) – As predicted earlier today: Harry Reid has cancelled Senate vote authorizing President Obama to take military action. AND President Obama backs off Red Line and says he’s open to “diplomatic tack”.
The reasons WHY are evidenced as they were previously outlined below:

After 10 straight days of pressure from President Obama’s team, the request for congressional authorization is failing miserably. All intellectually honest DC operatives, pundits et al, are all in agreement any vote in House of Representatives would fail horridly, and passage in the Senate is doubtful at best.
President Obama will not allow a vote call upon either chamber that he knows would fail. [Unless, of course, the vote failure was to his benefit – that’s not the case on this Syrian authorization]. Harry Reid will not call a vote in the Senate which would embarrass or humiliate President Obama.
That said, now the issue becomes how to get President Obama out from his self inflicted plunge under his own bus. This phrase, which will eventually come from the mouth of Obama, is what all political efforts are working toward:
“I was never for militarily attacking Syria, I always wanted a peaceful solution”.
Obama needs to position himself as being reluctantly dragged toward conflict now. He needs to make the case that *HE* did not want to attack Syria, the global demands of humanity were forcing him to threaten Assad.
President Obama needs a soft landing to save face – to find a soft landing you need to receive a ‘soft message’ from your adversary. Russia knows this.
Russia and Syria know there is no popular support for Obama. Russia knows from decades of experience inside the U.S. exactly what the internal public opinion does to any administration; and most importantly Russia knows what is described above as to what POTUS protectors are doing to safety net President Obama. Hence…. (more…)

(Via GWP) JihadWatch reports the following:
Confirmation from the White House itself that John Kerry was lying when he said that the number of countries supporting the U.S. had reached “double digits.” “White House Admits It’s a Coalition of One,” by Patrick Brennan at National Review, September 8:
When asked this morning if the U.S. has any pledges of military support for strikes in Syria, White House chief of staff Denis McDonough emphasized that the G20 and other nations have made supportive condemnations of the Syrian government’s actions, but repeatedly pressed by CNN’s Candy Crowley, provided no examples of countries that have endorsed or will provide personnel or equipment for a military intervention.

