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The [Tuesday] Papers

By Steve Rhodes

Syria Briefing:
* Just last year, President Obama was relying on a secret Bush-era pact with Bashar al-Assad to conduct the nation’s dirty war.
* “Congratulations to brittle newsmatron Barbara Walters on landing a blockbuster exclusive with Syrian madman Bashar al-Assad, who is responsible for the wanton murder of 4,000 of his own men, women, and children,” Gawker wrote in 2011 – when the butcher was our friend. “Or as Walters put it, a ‘mild-mannered ophthalmologist.'”
* Vogue’s Puff Piece On The Assads Is Back Online.
* The author of the Vogue piece explains the debacle.


That’s how it works, folks.
Beyond that, Assad has always been a monster. But when he was our monster, or at least useful to us, we celebrated him because journos adore power and power generally behaves amorally. That’s sort of why journalism is (theoretically) designed to challenge power.
It also means striking Syria now bolsters our hypocriticalness, not our credibility.
Finally, it’s still not clear why this is happening now – or that inaction (not the only other option, by the way) really is worse than (military) action.
* “U.S. Rep. Rodney Davis, R-Taylorville, said a briefing from top Obama administration officials Monday didn’t change his likely opposition to proposed military action against Syria,” the Springfield Journal-Register reports.

“Before I had this classified briefing, I was leaning ‘no’ based upon the fact that I don’t think that the administration has an effective plan of action,” Davis said. “After the classified briefing, I am still a ‘no.'”

He’s not alone.


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* Possible breakthrough. Is Obama a genius? No.


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* Obama’s National Security Advisor Delivers Myth-Addled Speech On Waging War On Syria.
* Who Really Believes Syria Is Part Of A Biblical End Times Prophecy?
“Some,” according to the Sun-Times.
* You don’t have to go back to 2008 to find the president’s alter ego; you can just go back to 2012. From the Obama campaign:
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Not only striking in the position staked out on Syria, but in mocking the idea that Russia is our main geopolitical rival, which certainly seems the case right now, and that China is our enemy, which certainly became the case to the Obama administration when Edward Snowden fled to Hong Kong. Oh yeah, and then to Moscow.
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* President Obama’s All-Out Lobbying Push. Paging Aaron Sorkin.

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NSA Briefing:
* The NSA is laughing at us. And proudly assuming the Big Brother mantle.
* Turning friends into enemies: German Helicopters Search For NSA Listening Post.
(See also: ‘Project 6’: CIA Spies Operating in the Heart of Germany.)
* No joke: NSA Chief Had Intelligence Center Designed Like Helm Of Starship Enterprise.
(Did we tell you the NSA was out of control?)
* Crucial Unanswered Questions About The NSA’s BULLRUN Program. Add it to the list.
* Feds Plan To Release Details Of Secret Spy Court. Thanks to the audacity of Edward Snowden.
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Police State Briefing:
* “Newly released documents reveal how the government uses border crossings to seize and examine travelers’ electronic devices instead of obtaining a search warrant to gain access to the data,” the New York Times reports.
Feel a chill, yet?
* The Case Of The Missing NSA Blog Post.
How ’bout now?
* America’s Least Likely Political Prisoner.
Now?
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Elsewhere on the Beachwood today:
* Watch Rahm Emanuel Try To Be Funny On Letterman. Beachwood commentary included.
* I Might Be In Love With Marc Trestman. The anti-Lovie.
* Local Music Notebook: Persons of Interest. Including Tom Morello, Robbie Fulks, Jon Langford, Common, Kanye West, R. Kelly, Vic Mensa, James Iha, Chief Keef & David Draiman.
* Local Book Notes: I Am Not The Unabomber. It’s getting chilly again.
* Random Food Report: More Poop, Less Filling. Plus: Johnnie Walker vs. Jim Beam.
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The Beachwood Tip Line: Warm up.

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Posted on September 10, 2013