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U.S. NEWSSaturday 3 October 2015
Obama challenges Clinton, other 2016 candidates on Syria
JULIE PACE like critics of his Syria poli- concerns about the crisis the Islamic State, though said he didn’t think her
cies to be asked, “Specifi- in Syria, where a 4½-year Obama on Friday ac- approach to international
AP White House Corre- cally, precisely, what ex- civil war has killed more cused Moscow of being issues was “half-baked.”
But he pointedly added,
spondent “There’s a difference be-
tween running for presi-
WASHINGTON (AP) — dent and being presi-
dent.”
President Barack Obama “If and when she’s presi-
dent, then she’ll make
on Friday accused White those judgments,” he said
of Clinton. “And she’s
House hopefuls of con- been there enough that
she knows that these are
cocting “half-baked” tough calls.”
The next U.S. president is
ideas for solving the cri- all but certain to inherit
the mess in Syria, leaving
sis in Syria, appearing to candidates in both parties
scrambling to define their
even dismiss his former approaches.
Clinton, in one of her few
Secretary of State Hillary public breaks with Obama
on policy since launching
Rodham Clinton’s call for her campaign, said Thurs-
day that if she were presi-
a no-fly zone before later dent, she would be calling
for a no-fly zone and other
clarifying his view of the action to address the crisis.
“I personally would be ad-
Democratic front-runner. vocating now for a no-fly
zone and humanitarian
The idea of a no-fly zone corridors to try to stop the
carnage on the ground
— a region of Syria that and from the air,” Clinton
said in an interview with
the United States would WHDH-TV in Boston.q
protect from bombing to
create a safe corridor for
refugees — has emerged
as a favorite option for
Democratic and Republi-
can candidates. It’s a plan
that allows them to stake
out a more aggressive mili- President Barack Obama speaks to reporters in the State Dining Room of the White House in
tary posture than Obama, Washington, Friday, Oct. 2, 2015. Obama accused White House hopefuls of concocting “half-
while stopping short of the baked” ideas for solving the crisis in Syria, appearing to even dismiss his former Secretary of
kind of large-scale com- State Hillary Rodham Clinton’s call for a no-fly zone. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)
bat troop deployments actly would you do?” He than 250,000 people and more interested in bolster-
told a White House news left the country a breeding ing Syrian President Bashar
the U.S. engaged in for conference, “Typically, ground for terror groups, Assad, a Kremlin ally.
what you get is a bunch of including the Islamic State. Pressed about whether his
years in Iraq and Afghani- mumbo jumbo.” Russia began launching comments were directed
The president’s comments airstrikes this week under at Clinton, the Democrat-
stan — and of which vot- came amid escalating the auspices of defeating ic front-runner, Obama
ers have wearied.
Obama, who opposes
such a move, said he’d
White House:
No more temporary spending bills, budget deal needed
ANDREW TAYLOR he said he “won’t sign an- dent’s statements came ing long-term cuts else- and Congress has lifted the
Associated Press other shortsighted spend- after Capitol Hill was roiled where in the budget to debt limit both times with
WASHINGTON (AP) — Presi- ing bill” and asserted that by the resignation of House permit higher spending on sweeping support from
dent Barack Obama said the U.S. can’t cut its way to Republican Speaker John the day-to-day operations Democrats. Treasury Sec-
Friday he won’t sign an- prosperity. Boehner, R-Ohio. He decid- of government agencies. retary Jacob Lew informed
other temporary U.S. gov- On the so-called debt limit, ed to leave Congress after Agreement will be diffi- Congress on Thursday that
ernment funding bill after which needs to be raised a revolt among tea party cult, in large part because it needs to act by Nov. 5,
the current one expires above the current $18.1 forces who wanted him of a lack of politically earlier than most on Capi-
Dec. 11, insisting that con- trillion cap by early No- to use a temporary spend- easy spending cuts and tol Hill had thought. The
gressional Republicans vember, Obama said he ing bill to force Obama to disagreement over how issue probably will need
and Democrats work out won’t repeat a 2011 ne- take away Planned Par- to useany money from to be dealt with before
a long-term budget deal gotiation over companion enthood’s federal funding. the cuts. Four years ago Boehner leaves at the end
with the White House. spending cuts that brought The same conservatives Obama agreed to spend- of the October. Obama
Obama said such a deal the nation to the brink of a generally opposed lifting ing cuts in exchange for said that Boehner’s resig-
should lift a freeze on the first-ever default on its ob- tight caps on spending set getting a $2.1 trillion debt nation, which has sparked
budgets of both the Penta- ligations. “We’re not going by the 2011 budget deal. limit increase through Con- Republican infighting in a
gon and domestic agen- back there,” he said. Talks on spending were gress. Since then he has handful of House leader-
cies. Speaking at a White Neither position was new just beginning and were twice refused to negotiate ship races, complicates
House news conference, or surprising, but the presi- expected to focus on find- over the debt-ceiling issue the situation.q
