Jon Stewart channels Dr. Seuss to mock Obama's 'red line' on Syria
| NEW YORK
When it comes to Syria, President Obama鈥檚 not much better that a spineless parent issuing empty threats.
At least, that鈥檚 according to Jon Stewart of "The Daily Show," who mocked the president鈥檚 ever shifting 鈥渞ed line鈥�
That red line, as Mr. Obama has sternly asserted time and again, is the use of chemical weapons by the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.
鈥淵ou cross that line, mister, you are grounded,鈥� Mr. Stewart warned an imaginary President Assad.
Flash to footage of Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel confirming, "with some degree of varying confidence," that the Assad regime has used chemical weapons.
And back to Stewart, gleefully awaiting the fire and brimstone about to rain down on Assad.
鈥nd waiting.
鈥淲e don鈥檛 know how they were used, when they were used, who used them,鈥� Obama said Tuesday in a press conference, walking back his threatening stance.
This line so tickled Stewart, he went Seussical.
鈥淒id he use them in a boat? Did he use them with a goat? Did he use them in a house? Did he use them with a mouse?鈥� (From Obama鈥檚 new book, 鈥淩ed Lines and Gas,鈥� if you鈥檙e interested.)
The new red line, it seems, has shifted. (We hope Obama鈥檚 using erasable ink.)
Spooked perhaps by the specter of the Iraq war, the US says it now has to present hard evidence of chemical weapons use to the UN. Notably, it needs to persuade Russia that the Assad regime used deadly sarin gas against its own people.
鈥淪o intervention in Syria relies on us convincing Vladimir Putin that it鈥檚 bad to poison people?鈥� a dubious Stewart asked.
In fact, Obama鈥檚 reluctance to engage Assad is no surprise.
For starters, polls show Americans just don鈥檛 care about Syria, with fewer than 1 in 5 respondents that they are following the situation in Syria closely. (If you鈥檙e still reading this, congratulations! You鈥檙e in the minority.)
According to , 62 percent of the American public say the US has no responsibility to take action in Syria.
That reluctance to intervene is a byproduct of the 10-year war in Iraq, an exercise few Americans are eager to repeat.
That war鈥檚 controversial beginnings (remember WMDs and talk of mushroom clouds?) and exceptionally challenging mission have resulted in a sort of war weariness among not only the public, but American leadership, as well.
Hence Obama鈥檚 shifting red line, of which North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has, no doubt, taken note.
He鈥檚 not the only one. If Obama鈥檚 weak ultimatum on Syria is any indication, we bet Sasha and Malia are not too worried about Obama's tattoo threat, either.
They have enjoyed some unauthorized West Wing pranking, scot-free.
