McCain played poker at Senate hearing on Syria — Report

[webfact]

McCain Played Poker at Senate Hearing on Syria — Report

MOSCOW, September 4 (RIA Novosti) — US Senator John McCain played poker on his mobile telephone during a Senate hearing on the United States’ possible use of force in Syria, Washington Post reported.

The daily posted a picture that shows hands of McCain holding his iPhone and playing poker on Tuesday during a U.S. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations hearing, which was attended by Secretary of State John Kerry, Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel, and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Martin Dempsey.

After the article with the picture was released in the daily, McCain wrote in his Twitter: “Scandal! Caught playing iPhone game at 3+ hour Senate hearing - worst of all I lost!”

The United States says it is confident that an alleged Aug. 21 chemical weapons attack in the Damascus suburbs was carried out by the government of Syrian President Bashar Assad, and US President Barack Obama is lobbying US lawmakers to support punitive military action against Syrian targets in response.

Source: http://en.rian.ru/world/20130904/183155665/McCain-Played-Poker-at-Senate-Hearing-on-Syria--Report.html

-- RIA Novosti 2013-09-04

[NeverSure]

30 minutes ago:

"US senators in a key committee have agreed on a draft resolution backing the use of US military force in Syria."

"The measure to be voted on next week sets a time limit of 60 days on any operation. The draft document also bans the use of any ground forces in Syria.

Secretary of State John Kerry said the US had to act after the Assad regime's "undeniable" chemical weapons attack."

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-23954889

[Scott]

Given his rather extensive interest in Syria, I doubt that there was much said that he didn't already know.

Too bad he lost!

[jpinx]

Syrians aren't that important to McCain et al -- but the political games are...

Now we know that anything the USA does will be to save face -- nothing to do with actually helping ordinary Syrians -- looks like UK has stolen a march on that front.....

[Steely Dan]

Given his rather extensive interest in Syria, I doubt that there was much said that he didn't already know.

Too bad he lost!

It's harder to win at poker if you are bad at bluffing.

[jpinx]

One wonders what games are really being played here.....

http://www.theonion.com/articles/obama-assures-americans-this-will-not-be-another-1,33719/

They are jerking around with millions of people's lives just for the sake of politics / saving face.......

[GentlemanJim]

Given his rather extensive interest in Syria, I doubt that there was much said that he didn't already know.

Too bad he lost!

Hardly the point really when you are involved in a decision making process where lives will inevitably be lost as a consequence of a decision to 'go'. It reflects the value they put on lives. This was not a hearing or debate on some law concerning taxation it concerns an act of War. His constituents should remind him at the ballot box when it is appropriate to play poker and when it is appropriate to display respectful behaviour when commiting the military to operational duties.

[joboss]

Given his rather extensive interest in Syria, I doubt that there was much said that he didn't already know.

Too bad he lost!

Hardly the point really when you are involved in a decision making process where lives will inevitably be lost as a consequence of a decision to 'go'. It reflects the value they put on lives. This was not a hearing or debate on some law concerning taxation it concerns an act of War. His constituents should remind him at the ballot box when it is appropriate to play poker and when it is appropriate to display respectful behaviour when commiting the military to operational duties.

My guess is he will attract more votes.

[Suradit69]

Syrians aren't that important to McCain et al -- but the political games are...

Now we know that anything the USA does will be to save face -- nothing to do with actually helping ordinary Syrians -- looks like UK has stolen a march on that front.....

"Now we know that anything the USA does will be to save face ..."

I thought only Thais supposedly were concerned with saving face according to the resident intercultural experts here at TV.

If the UK PM is on too shaky ground with his coalition government to play the role of US lapdog (so well executed by Blair and Bush), it will soon lose its last remaining credential for being included in the international political scene and the US will have to look for backup from more accommodating third world countries.

Maybe they can use a cardboard cut-out of Neville Chamberlain waving a piece of paper claiming he has an agreement with Hitler ... I mean Bashar al Assad

[lomatopo]

Not sure why he can't either pay attention, or step outside to satisfy his video-game fix? And then he laughs it off, which only lends to our ranking of Congress below that of used car salesmen and cockroaches and. What a doofus.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-politics-live/the-senates-syria-hearing-live-updates/?id=ed01ca14-222b-4a23-b12c-c0b0d9d4fe0a?clsrd

Not hard to believe he loses at poker given his 'tells'. You can always tell when he is lying, his lips are moving.

[napoleon3]

Probably playing on F T Poker, main sponsor of Belgium's leading newspaper, I hope he win's next time, I am getting used to loose. LOL

[pgrahmm]

There is no faction in Syria that the US could align with that it is not aligning itself with an non extreme islamic group........it's a very dangerous position pushed at the governmental bodies.....forced (interest) agenda.........from the top

[Scott]

A post containing profanity has been removed.

[abq2020]

I am so happy to see that so many here on ThaiVISA are experts in poker and in US/International politics.

[Maggusoil]

One wonders what games are really being played here.....

http://www.theonion.com/articles/obama-assures-americans-this-will-not-be-another-1,33719/

They are jerking around with millions of people's lives just for the sake of politics / saving face.......

This is not a criticism, but I don't agree and it seems fairly obvious.

They are gearing up for some more war and more billions cost to the

American taxpayer.

Cost (for the taxpayer) = Profit (for the companies that profit from war)

The end game is more American bases and more control of oil in the middle east,

and the countries that are playing ball with someone else.

How they get to that strategic control point?

Who got the Syrians the chemical weapons in the first place? Who facilitated the attacks?

What experts were employed and where did they come from?

When you look behind this curtain, you never know what you will find.

[metisdead]

Nonsense trolling post has been removed.

[CIHUAHUA]

AT least he knows how to do something. He can play games with peoples lives also. What a dork! I thought the dark pres was going to change the world with his peace prize. They are only tokens for the United Corporations of America.

[nong38]

One wonders what games are really being played here.....

http://www.theonion.com/articles/obama-assures-americans-this-will-not-be-another-1,33719/

They are jerking around with millions of people's lives just for the sake of politics / saving face.......

Ah they dont call is saving face in the USA at the moment they calling it saving "The world's credibilty" acording to what I have just seen on the BBC home page.Different culture you see.

Did McCain have a Royal Flush anyone know?

[Scott]

Off-topic post and replies deleted.

[Frank James]

Who needs the UK in another "Coalition of the Willing", when you've got FRANCE backing your play.

[Halion]

What I find most interesting about the current Syria situation is that there has been no mention that I have seen or heard describing the actual chemical agent used..This whole scenario is following in the tracks of the previous WMD debaucle. I find it strange that there has not been a media blitz on the chemical agent. Suspicious is'int it.

[GentlemanJim]

What I find most interesting about the current Syria situation is that there has been no mention that I have seen or heard describing the actual chemical agent used..This whole scenario is following in the tracks of the previous WMD debaucle. I find it strange that there has not been a media blitz on the chemical agent. Suspicious is'int it.

Steady on Hallon! If you start to actually question whether a Governments account of a situation is not what it seems (even though precedence was set with the WMD fairy tales) there are people on here who will pounce on you and demand that you be given a tin foil hat. Apparently Governments never ever lie ! I bet you never knew that.

[hellodolly]

Given his rather extensive interest in Syria, I doubt that there was much said that he didn't already know.

Too bad he lost!

Hardly the point really when you are involved in a decision making process where lives will inevitably be lost as a consequence of a decision to 'go'. It reflects the value they put on lives. This was not a hearing or debate on some law concerning taxation it concerns an act of War. His constituents should remind him at the ballot box when it is appropriate to play poker and when it is appropriate to display respectful behaviour when commiting the military to operational duties.

In situations like this it is wise to keep an open mind. He had his mind made up walking in and was not willing to listen to any thing else. So he played poker. This is a man who wanted to be President.

[hellodolly]

Who needs the UK in another "Coalition of the Willing", when you've got FRANCE backing your play.

What gets me is Germany agrees but will not take part in any retribution. I personally would love to see them put a peaceful end to the crisis in Syria but since WW2 that has not been the result of their actions. Best to stay out of it.

[marell]

No reason to pay attention as he'd already made up his mind. Looks as if this is the proxy introduction to the Israel/Iran game. Time to strap in.

[Scott]

A troll post has been removed as well as replies.

[indyuk]

30 minutes ago:

"US senators in a key committee have agreed on a draft resolution backing the use of US military force in Syria."

"The measure to be voted on next week sets a time limit of 60 days on any operation. The draft document also bans the use of any ground forces in Syria.

Secretary of State John Kerry said the US had to act after the Assad regime's "undeniable" chemical weapons attack."

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-23954889

n intnici

The trouble is that when the USA uses the word 'punitive' what she actually means is 'indiscriminate and intensive with collateral damage inevitable'. American Wars destroy countries and take ten of thousands of innocent lives for little or no benefit.

In other words from a humanitarian point of view the USA's wars create new Islamic enemies for the west, eliminate infrastructure, render utilities, schools and hospitals unusable leaving the survivors destitute.

To go to war with islam over an internecine Islamic war is madness. I am so glad that the UK parliament is trying to keep us Brits out of America's malfeasance this time.