GOP critical of White House's Syria policy

(CBS News) The situation in Syria continues to grow tense following the recent Houla massacre. When there was a similar slaughter in Libya, President Obama ordered air strikes that ended the dictatorship there. Should the U.S. go to war again -- this time in Syria?

In the wake of the Houla massacre, Mitt Romney called President Obama weak, saying his... "lack of leadership has resulted in a policy of paralysis that has watched Assad slaughter 10,000 individuals."

U.S. warns of failed Syrian peace plan
Despite massacre, U.S. still won't arm Syria rebels

Romney argues the U.S. should arm the Syrian opposition. But many fellow Republicans, including Mike Rogers, chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, have their doubts.

"I'm not one that believes that we should be arming the rebels right now," he said. "We're having a difficult time getting a complete picture of who they are."

Asked what he thought of how the Obama administration has handled this Syrian crisis, Rogers said: "We should have been engaged earlier. We've had discussions months ago about certain possibilities that we could do."

A few Republicans, like Sen. John McCain of Arizona, have been pushing for U.S.-led airstrikes for months.

"Are there dangers and uncertainties and risks in this approach? Absolutely. There are no ideal options in Syria. All of them contain significant risk," McCain said on the Senate floor on March 5.

But, Donald Rumsfeld, the defense secretary under President Bush, warned on "CBS This Morning" that toppling the dictatorship is no guarantee of a better government.

"The world, obviously, would be better off with the Assad family out of there. But the question is what comes next? And that's a very tough intelligence question."

Rumsfeld: Syria without Assad would be better

Congressional Republicans contend the U.S. should have been the first to eject Syrian diplomats instead of following the lead of other countries. They want the president to put more pressure on Russia to stop selling arms to the Syrian regime.

[DanBoyn]

Oops, sorry for the duplicate post.

[DanBoyn]

While Mitt Romney's strong condemnation of the massacre of women and children by Syrian government militia is welcomed, his criticism of U.S. Policy is curious given the actions of the official Mormon militia on September 11, 1857. On this day, leaders at the highest level of the LDS church and government ordered and participated in the massacre of 120 unarmed men, women, and children from Arkansas who were in a wagon train crossing Southern Utah, bound for California.

Brigham Young orchestrated a cover-up of the atrocity, and many believe that he was the one who had authorized it in the first place. The only convicted man, John D. Lee, was at the highest level of church leadership. Lee was a friend of Joseph Smith, Jr., founder of the LDS Church, and was the adopted son of Brigham Young, who succeeded Joseph Smith, Jr. Subsequent to the massacre, Lee remained active in Mormonism and local government for several years. In his autobiography, 'the Life and Confessions of John D. Lee', he wrote, "I have always believed, since that day, that General George A. Smith was then visiting southern Utah to prepare the people for the work of exterminating Captain Fancher's train of emigrants, and I now believe that he was sent for that purpose by the direct command of Brigham Young."

Check out: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mountain_Meadows_massacre

Of that massacre, Romney has said, "That was a terrible, awful act carried out by members of my faith. There are bad people in any church, and it's true of members of my church, too." Unfortunately, this statement disregards the fact that the men responsible were not just "members" of the church, they were its leaders. Furthermore, few if any leaders or members of other church in America have committed mass murder of defenseless men, women and children.

Question: Gov. Romney, given your criticism of Syrian killing of innocent civilians and the tepid US response, do you condemn Brigham Young and other Mormon leaders for the Mountain Meadows massacre?

Question: Do you think the Federal government should have used military force in 1857 to overthrow the Mormon theocracy in Utah?

Question: Do you think Brigham Young and other Mormon leaders involved should be posthumously tried for war crimes?

[DanBoyn]

While Mitt Romney's strong condemnation of the massacre of women and children by Syrian government militia is welcomed, his criticism of U.S. Policy is curious given the actions of the official Mormon militia on September 11, 1857. On this day, leaders at the highest level of the Mormon church and government ordered and participated in the massacre of 120 unarmed men, women, and children from Arkansas who were in a wagon train crossing Southern Utah, bound for California.

Brigham Young orchestrated a cover-up of the atrocity, and many believe that he was the one who had authorized it in the first place. The only convicted man, John D. Lee, was at the highest level of church leadership. Lee was a friend of Joseph Smith, Jr., founder of the LDS Church, and was the adopted son of Brigham Young, who succeeded Joseph Smith, Jr. Subsequent to the massacre, Lee remained active in Mormonism and local government for several years. In his autobiography, 'the Life and Confessions of John D. Lee', he wrote, "I have always believed, since that day, that General George A. Smith was then visiting southern Utah to prepare the people for the work of exterminating Captain Fancher's train of emigrants, and I now believe that he was sent for that purpose by the direct command of Brigham Young."

Check out: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mountain_Meadows_massacre

Of that massacre, Romney has said, "That was a terrible, awful act carried out by members of my faith. There are bad people in any church, and it's true of members of my church, too." Unfortunately, this statement disregards the fact that the men responsible were not just "members" of the church, they were its leaders. Furthermore, few leaders or members of any church in America have committed mass murder of defenseless men, women and children.

Question: Gov. Romney, given your criticism of Syrian killing of innocent civilians and the tepid US response, do you condemn Brigham Young and other Mormon leaders for the Mountain Meadows massacre?

Question: Do you think the Federal government should have used military force in 1857 to overthrow the Mormon theocracy in Utah?

Question: Do you think Brigham Young and other Mormon leaders involved should be posthumously tried for war crimes?

[realist2010]

The GOP is critical of the White House? When did this trend start?

[tom_gwynn]

What is going on in Syria is *not* a popular uprising like in Tunisia or even Libya. It is a religious war between the majority Sunnis on one side and the minority Alawites, Shiites and Christians on the other. It should tell you something that *AlQueda* is backing the Sunnis. Make no mistake the Assad clan are not nice people but they are sweetness and light compared to what the Sunnis will do if they take power.

The US has no business sticking its nose in a religious war and Obama is 100% correct in keeping us out of it as much as possible. We can only make things worse.

[esq777]

So Willard Romney, the chicken hawk who hid in France during Vietnam, is now Mr. Warrior. Classic.

[aintfakin]

slownewsday_6000 May 30, 2012 9:00 PM EDT
Probably because we've taken up residence in their lands, uninvited. Do you realize how many bases we have over there? It's an occupation on a regional scale.
----------------------
right
but there is more
Israel and their dedication to their stone age religion

[slownewsday_6000]

Israel's government is, indeed, a thorn in the side of the world.

[Donniewv]

Oh how I love to hear people scream GOP or Liberals, when are people going to wake up and realize THERE BOTH THE SAME!!!! Obama would already be in Syria if the Russians and the Chinese would back off! Look at all the good in Libya? (I know we had no troops there and the bombs that killed thousands of Libyans with made in the USA was just a mirage!) Can't we mind our own business?

[ed657]

Romney should round up his hair cutting bullying posse and go and get Assad. He wouldn't go within a 1000 miles of Syra.

[aintfakin]

bingo
SQWUAK SQWUAK (sound of a chiken hawk)

[ed657]

These blowhards can talk all they want about what should be done. In the end, do they have responsibility for the action that's taken by the President? Do they have responsibility for putting our young men and women in harms way? NO THEY DON'T AND THAT'S THE BIG DIFFERENCE!!