2014 State of the Union address: on War & Peace
Green Party:
Diplomatic solution for Syria, not dismemberment of Syria
The U.S. is playing a deadly and cynical game at the Geneva II conference on Syria, sabotaging the talks in order to set the stage for more warfare and terror. In this sick equation, diplomatic failure is victory: "the U.S. moves closer to their real
strategic objective--regime change or the dismemberment of the Syrian state."The crisis created by the administration on the eve of the Geneva II conference to exclude Iranian participation only confirmed the duplicitous nature of the conference.
While Iranian participation would not have guaranteed that a peaceful, durable resolution to the war in Syrian was achievable, the Obama administration demonstrated that it is not serious about seeking a
diplomatic solution by excluding the only other force beside the Syrian government that actually has real influence on the ground in Syria.
Source: Green Party response to 2014 State of the Union
Jan 30, 2014
Green Party:
Negotiate on Iranian nukes; but negotiate on US nukes too
President Obama didn't even give a nod to his rhetorical commitment to the global elimination of nuclear weapons ("perhaps not in my lifetime")--the rhetorical commitment that won him the Nobel Peace Prize. Instead, he focused exclusively on the
danger of a prospective Iranian bomb. To his credit, Obama made clear that he would veto any legislation that would derail the current negotiations with Iran, stating: "For the sake of our national security, we must give diplomacy a chance to succeed."
Entirely missing, however, was any mention of the dangers posed by U.S. nuclear weapons, the trillion dollar U.S. commitment to maintaining and modernizing its nuclear arsenal over the next three decades, and the recent record of
U.S. non-cooperation with multiple efforts being made in international forums to stimulate progress on achieving and sustaining a world free of nuclear weapons.
Source: Green Party response to 2014 State of the Union
Jan 30, 2014
Barack Obama:
Support rebels in Syria who oppose terrorism
While we have put al Qaeda's core leadership on a path to defeat, the threat has evolved, as al Qaeda affiliates and other extremists take root in different parts of the world.
In Yemen, Somalia, Iraq, and Mali, we have to keep working with partners to disrupt and disable these networks. In Syria, we'll support the opposition that rejects the agenda of terrorist networks.
American diplomacy, backed by the threat of force, is why Syria's chemical weapons are being eliminated,
and we will continue to work with the international community to usher in the future the Syrian people deserve--a future free of dictatorship, terror and fear.
Source: 2014 State of the Union address
Jan 28, 2014
Barack Obama:
America must move off a permanent war footing
We have to remain vigilant. But I strongly believe our leadership and our security cannot depend on our military alone. I will not send our troops into harm's way unless it's truly necessary; nor will I allow our sons and daughters to be mired in
open-ended conflicts. We must fight the battles that need to be fought, not those that terrorists prefer from us--large-scale deployments that drain our strength and may ultimately feed extremism.
So, even as we aggressively pursue terrorist networks--through more targeted efforts and by building the capacity of our foreign partners--America must move off a permanent war footing. That's why I've imposed prudent limits on the use of drones--for we
will not be safer if people abroad believe we strike within their countries without regard for the consequence. I will reform our surveillance programs. And with the Afghan war ending, this needs to be the year we close the prison at Guantanamo Bay.
Source: 2014 State of the Union address
Jan 28, 2014
Page last updated: Feb 24, 2019