CNN presents the full range of establishment opinion on Syria
by digby
FAIR reports that CNN did a sort of dry run of its retooled "Crossfire" today and featured a spirited debate on the impending bombardment of Syria:
On the show The Lead, guest host John Berman moderated a "debate" between conservative S.E. Cupp and left-leaning Van Jones.
"Look, I want to commend the president for finally following through on our red line threats," Cupp declared–before explaining that Obama's plan was too timid:
We should absolutely intervene to stop the genocide of more than 100,000 people. We should absolutely intervene to stop Al-Qaeda and Islamic extremism from jihadizing yet another conflict. It is absolutely our obligation, and instead we do the bare minimum to save face and pat ourselves on the back for our civility and our diplomacy. I think it's pathetic.
OK, and from the left? Jones said:
This president has now said there is a red line. It was not clear before whether the line was crossed. It's crossed, he's moving forward. I think we need to stand behind this president and send a clear message to Assad that this type behavior is not acceptable.
Jones did go on to point out that if Assad isn't killed it won't be the end of the world because his death would leave a power vacuum and that's bad. And he pointed out that people should be a little bit more reasonable with the president on this because it just isn't as easy to depose people like it was when we installed the Shah back in the 50's. (And who can argue with how well that worked out over the long run?)
So, there you have the full range of establishment elite opinion on Syria in living color. The fact that the public wants no part of it is irrelevant.
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