Deep pockets drop out of Pebble project

Mining giant Anglo America, the Pebble Partnership’s weight and muscle, announced on Monday that it’s dropping out of the Pebble mine project.

What this means to the mine is unclear. But it doesn’t bode well for Pebble’s prospects. Anglo had a 50 percent interest in the project. The other 50 percent belongs to Northern Dynasty. Anglo is the parent company to the diamond giant De Beers, and the company has holdings all over the world. Northern Dynasty’s sole asset is Pebble.

Anglo says that it’s dropping its project to focus on lower risk projects, ones that are perhaps less politically charged. The EPA is in the process of deciding whether or not to block the project, which would be one of the world’s largest gold and copper mines near the source of over a third of the world’s wild salmon supply.

If the EPA chooses not to block Pebble, it will likely become one of the country’s most heated environmental fights. Anglo and De Beers have already been getting pressure from jewelers across the world to drop out of the project.

Northern Dynasty’s stock, which opened on Monday at $1.66, had dropped 34 percent by midday East Coast Time.

Northern Dynasty vows to fight on. The company’s CEO Ron Thiessen said that it has $541 million worth of expenditures, “which opens the door to a number of exciting possibilities for Northern Dynasty and its shareholders and the Pebble Project and its stakeholders.”

Contact Amanda Coyne at amandamcoyne@yahoo.com

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Quote of the day

“As co-chair of the Senate Finance Committee, I know that if we don’t get more oil production soon, the state won’t be able to fund as many projects as this one and we won’t have as many jobs for our graduates. Nothing would disappoint me and everyone in this audience more than to have our engineering students have to go to North Dakota, Texas, Canada or wherever to get a job.”

Kevin Meyer, co-chair of Senate Finance, at the groundbreaking ceremony for the new University of Alaska Anchorage engineering building.

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Thank God it’s Friday: The political nicknames edition

Thank God it's Friday facts A few weeks ago the Washington Post’s political blog posted a piece listing what they considered the top ten best nicknames in politics. “Bubba/Slick Willie” made the list, of course. Sen. Arlen Specter, or “Snarlin’” Arlen was there. So was my personal favorite: “Governor Moonbeam,” for California Gov. Jerry Brown.

Scholars have all sorts of theories as to why we get and give nicknames. One writing in the journal of American Anthropology theorizes that for the Zinacantan tribe, who live in the southern part of the Mexican central highlands, nicknames serve as a type of mnemonic device and means of social efficiency. Another scholar writing in the British Journal of Educational Psychology says that “name-calling and nicknames in particular are ambiguous social events that can serve positive as well as negative goals.” However, the scholar writes that nasty nicknames in the schoolyard are more common than positive ones, and that such nicknames are “prevalent and hurtful features of school life.”

From what I was able to read about them, Alaska politics, indeed Alaska itself, seems to have a lot in common with the Zinacantan tribe, say nothing of a schoolyard.

In any case, whether due to mnemonics, social efficiency, or bullying, people in power in this state have received their fair share of nicknames.

I do the Washington Post three better. After asking around, I came up with 13 of what I consider the best, listed here in no particular order:

  • Unit One: This one goes to Gov. Bill Sheffield, who was dubbed such by his security detail. His staff, particularly now BP lobbyist Paul Quesnel, grabbed onto it, and it spread.
  • Disco Ray: Ray Metcalfe, who was a state lawmaker in the late 1970s, explained how he received the moniker in an interview with the Anchorage Press. “I do like ducks. When I was younger my friends nick-named me ‘Duck.’ When I got into the legislature there was a song that came out, “Disco Duck,” and I like to dance… so for a while I became Disco Duck. My political foes wanted to make that stick so they started calling me Disco Ray… And there wasn’t anything I could do about it, so I just started to answer to it.” Unbuttoned shirts, chains around his neck, and the double knit polyester pants that he wore also helped.
  • The Great Amender: Rep Max Gruenberg got this one for his prolific amendments. He was the subject of ridicule one year at the legislative skits where they sang a song about “Max the great amender” to the tune of “The Great Pretender.
  • The High Plains Drifter: The cowboy boot wearing, mustachioed Gov. Steve Cowper got this one from the Anchorage Daily News’ Shelia Toomey, who stole it from another reporter in the newsroom who used to whistle the tune to the movie whenever he wrote a story about Cowper.
  • Teflon Tony: This self-explanatory one was given to Gov. Tony Knowles. Finally, something stuck.
  • Frank the Bank: Frank Murkowski got this when he was in the U.S. Senate. It was often used when he was governor. Its genesis was his role as president of the Alaska National Bank of the North, which failed under his leadership.
  • Llama Lady: Republican oil booster Sen. Jan Faiks was nothing if not well-coiffed and cheery. In fact, legislative skits characterized her as wearing a cheerleading outfit. So, that this expensive-clothes wearing, sorority type would raise lamas, for fun, was an image that stuck.
  • McPipeline: Lt. Gov. Steve McAlpine was from Valdez, the terminus of TAPs. He liked oil. He liked pipelines.
  • Mitch ado about nothing: This one for Sen. Mitch Abood needs no explanation.
  • The congressman for all Alaska (except for Ear and those who didn’t vote for him): This, once again, was conceived by Shelia Toomey after Young made a remark about representing only those who voted for him.
  • Rambona: Anybody who ever met Rep. Ramona Barnes would understand why she got this moniker, which went viral after ADN cartoonist Peter Dunlap-Shohl took his pen to it.
  • Ethan Spendawitz: House Minority Leader Ethan Berkowitz was never in the majority and therefore didn’t have much control over state spending. But still, he was viewed by many as a liberal spender so the name stuck. Frankly, it could have been worse for him.
  • Captain Zero: Gov. Sean Parnell will never shake this one, which came from Rep. Don Young during a public radio interview debate when Parnell was trying to take his seat from him. You know it’s eternal when Gregg Erickson, the editor-at-large of the Alaska Budget Report, was allowed to get away with writing a column in the Juneau Empire defending Parnell with the following headline: “Governor’s ‘Captain Zero’ image (mostly) undeserved.”
  • And of course there’s Uncle Ted. (Hello up there Uncle Ted!)

These are what I came up with. Some new ones are beginning to form. “Afghan Dan,” for the soon to be Republican Senate candidate. “The Tall One,” for Sen. Mike Dunleavy, who’s like 8 feet tall. We’ll see if these stick. If anybody out there has others, please email them to me at amandamcoyne@yahoo.com or tweet me at @Amanda_Coyne.

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At the Republican Party picnic: the calm before the battles begin

picnic The national Democrats are calling the upcoming Republican primary race for U.S. Senate in Alaska a “civil war” in the making. Indeed, it’s likely going to get brutal, at least between declared candidates Joe Miller and Lt. Gov. Mead Treadwell, whom the Miller people seemingly want to destroy.

But if there is going to be a civil war, the Republican Party picnic held at Kincaid Park in Anchorage was the calm before the storm of battles begins.

Everyone seemed to get along just fine, inside the chalet, that is. Trouble was brewing outside, however, where right-wing activists were at work on their plan to oust Treadwell.

But inside, Reps. Mike Hawker and Craig Johnson stood in harmony as they dished out chow with Gabrielle LeDoux and Lance Pruitt. Sen. Lesil McGuire was even trying to be friendly to former challenger Jeff Landfield. Mayor Dan Sullivan’s eyes twinkled Irishly.

Those working the Joe Miller booth, absent Miller himself, smiled at the new Republican Party chair Peter Goldberg. One woman working the booth actually agreed when he said, “everybody here wants to protect liberty.”

Kids bounced in the inflatable bouncy houses. A band played on. Randy Ruedrich flippantly flipped burgers, all the recent Tea Party and Ron Paul travails behind him. Rep. Lora Reinbold appeared to have temporarily forgotten that Obamacare is going to be the ruination of the country. Rep. Lindsay Holmes seemed to fit right in with her new tribe.

Sen. Kevin Meyer had a certain glow about him. Who wouldn’t? He was recently in Rome where he was at a mass in St. Peter’s Square that was blessed by the Pope. Sen. Anna Fairclough, who spent most of the evening picking up plates and wiping tables, lived up to her reputation that she is at her most content when she’s working and appeared to forget that her name is nearly unpronounceable.

Sen. Charlie Huggins, who is NOT, by the way, running for lieutenant governor, opted to sit like normal people do with his burger rather than eating it while doing one-armed pushups.

As always, Sen. Cathy Giessel strode through the room with perfect posture.

Gov. Sean Parnell looked casual and calm for a change, pleased that he had sponsored the pony rides. And Mead Treadwell was in his element amongst his staffers of young, preppy college kids who wore his logo on their polo shirts.

Inside, Republicans were doing their right-wing version of Kumbaya, while outside, someone was busy plastering cars with flyers highlighting an article where Mead Treadwell was quoted as saying that he voted for Sen. Lisa Murkowski in the 2010 primary and the general against Joe Miller.

“I think Alaskans made the right decision,” he said in voting for Murkowski.

The flyer highlighted the fact that Murkowski supports gay rights and a women’s right to choose. Treadwell has been trying to position himself as a socially conservative candidate.

“When you voted for Lisa you are responsible for the policies she votes for,” the flyer said. “You can’t have it both ways Mead.”

Contact Amanda Coyne at amandamcoyne@yahoo.com

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Sen. Begich, Koch brothers group in tussle over ads

time to fightSen. Mark Begich and a Koch brothers’ funded group are in a battle over whether or not a television ad falsely characterizes Begich’s position on a carbon tax.

The American Energy Alliance, the political arm of the Institute for Energy Research, both of which are funded partly by the Koch brothers, launched an ad recently in Alaska that says that Begich is in support of a carbon tax, something that the AEA is staunchly opposed to.

Begich says he doesn’t support the tax, and now lawyers are involved.

Begich’s lawyer called on station managers to take the ads down, calling them “false and misleading.”

“For the sake of both FCC licensing requirements and the public interest, your station must immediately cease airing this advertisement,” Begich’s lawyer wrote to the station managers on Sept. 5.

According to the AEA, the station mangers reviewed the ads and declined to remove them.

Begich has said publicly that he opposes a carbon tax. He did, however, vote on a non-binding amendment that said if such a tax were passed, revenue from it would be “returned to the American people in the form of federal deficit reduction, reduced federal tax rates, cost savings or other direct benefits.”

The vote would not have created or defeated a carbon tax, Begich’s lawyer wrote.

However, the AEA says his vote was a vote for the tax. Further, Begich voted against an amendment that would have required a vote of three fifths of the Senate to approve a carbon tax.

“That you felt the need to attempt to suppress the advertisements with threats and intimidation from your lawyers rather than publicly disclaim your past support for a carbon tax is telling,” said President of AEA Tom Pyle in a scathing press release.

“The American Energy Alliance would welcome a public apology to your constituents for your earlier votes in support of carbon taxes and your pledge that going forward your voting record will match your rhetoric on this vitally important issue for Alaska’s economic well-being,” Pyle wrote.

There’s more than a year to go before the 2014 election. Expect much more of this in the future.

Below is the AEA press release in full:

WASHINGTON — The American Energy Alliance responded today to a series of letters from a Washington D.C. law firm representing Sen. Mark Begich (D-AK) who complains that a current advertisement sponsored by AEA “mischaracterizes” the senator’s past support for carbon tax legislation and threatens legal action for the continued airing of the ads. On Sept. 5, 2013, attorneys with Perkins Coie, LLP, notified station managers in Alaska that continued airing of AEA’s ad, entitled “Games,” could be cause for “loss of [the] station’s license.” Attorneys for the American Energy Alliance responded to the charges, and the Alaska stations were satisfied that the AEA advertisement did not run afoul of federal laws that prohibit “false, misleading or deceptive advertising.” All Alaska stations continue to run the AEA ad.

In his response letter, AEA President Thomas Pyle addressed two primary claims made by Senator Begich’s attorneys and campaign staff, namely that Begich has not supported a carbon tax and that AEA represents outside interests interfering in the state.

“That you felt the need to attempt to suppress the advertisements with threats and intimidation from your lawyers rather than publicly disclaim your past support for a carbon tax is telling,” Pyle wrote. “The American Energy Alliance will continue our current advertising initiative to inform Alaskans . . . of the impacts of harmful energy policies emanating from Washington and the role you play in shaping them. Moreover, we will seek additional opportunities in the future to do the same.”

Pyle took issue with Begich’s characterization of AEA as an “outsider group,” noting the senator’s willingness to host other “outsiders” who are opposed to economic development in Alaska — so long as those “outsiders” were raising money for the Begich re-election effort.

“Your campaign hosted a recent fundraiser in Fairbanks, charging guests as much as $120 per person to meet Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA), [who was there] to help raise money for the Alaska Democratic Party and Alaska’s junior senator . . . Your willingness to invite an ‘outsider’ like Senator Cantwell to help swell your campaign coffers, all the while knowing of her well-documented history of championing legislative efforts to limit the development of Alaska’s vast natural resources and drive up the cost of energy for your constituents, exposes the height of hypocrisy that corrodes our system of representative democracy and always, eventually returns to haunt public officials.”

Pyle pressed further: “You certainly know your record, Senator. And you certainly know that elected officials are held to account more for their recorded votes than for their campaign rhetoric or the threatening missives and petty litigious needles threaded by their Washington-based lawyers. In any event, your record stands, and Alaskans are better informed citizens when organizations like the American Energy Alliance remind them of it.”

Pyle’s letter concludes: “The American Energy Alliance would welcome a public apology to your constituents for your earlier votes in support of carbon taxes and your pledge that going forward your voting record will match your rhetoric on this vitally important issue for Alaska’s economic well-being. Be assured that we will not be intimidated into backing away from our mission to foster an informed electorate of the voting records of their elected officials and call for engaged democratic participation in the American political tradition.”

To read Pyle’s full letter to Begich, click here.

To read the threatening letter from Begich lawyers to Alaska TV stations, click here.

To read the response letter from AEA attorneys, click here.

To view the AEA carbon tax ad currently running in Alaska, click here.

To read the fact sheet supporting the AEA ad, click here.

Contact Amanda Coyne at amandamcoyne@yahoo.com

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Quote of the day

“There’s an all out Republican civil war in Alaska, and Republican officials in Washington are in disarray when it comes to this race,” said Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee deputy executive director Matt Canter. “[D]ivisive primaries are hurting Republican Senate hopes across the country.”

From Thursday’s Politico story about Dan Sullivan jumping into the Alaska Senate race

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DNR Commish Dan Sullivan resigns; sets stage for U.S. Senate campaign

SullivanAs I wrote last night that he would do, Gov. Sean Parnell announced on Thursday morning that Department of Natural Resources Commissioner Dan Sullivan submitted his resignation letter. Although he doesn’t say so in his letter, Sullivan is resigning effective Sept. 24 to run for the U.S. Senate Republican nomination to challenge incumbent Democrat Mark Begich.

“As I explore new opportunities and challenges in the next phase of my life, I intend to seek ways to continue to serve my fellow Alaskans,” Sullivan wrote.

“As attorney general, Dan played a major role in the Choose Respect initiative and fought hard against federal overreach,” Parnell said in his announcement. “During his tenure as commissioner, Dan led the state’s efforts in resource development and permitting reform, and worked to resolve Pt. Thomson litigation – setting the stage for a natural gas pipeline.”

In his resignation letter Sullivan is more specific about his successes as both Alaska’s AG and as DNR commissioner:

  • Protecting Alaska’s most vulnerable through the Choose Respect Initiative;
  • Spearheading the Cook Inlet energy renaissance;
  • Promoting increased oil production and jobs through the More Alaska Production Act;
  • Accelerating the commercialization of North Slope gas for Alaskans’ benefit;
  • Resolving Point Thomson and jump starting this multi-billion dollar North Slope development;
  • Slashing permitting backlogs and streamlining the State’s regulatory system;
  • Going on offense on ANWR exploration; and
  • Effectively fighting against federal overreach into the lives of Alaskans and our economy.

Sullivan will be running in the primary against current Lt. Gov. Mead Treadwell and former Senate candidate Joe Miller. Treadwell is kicking off his campaign today.

Both Sullivan and Treadwell are considered more “establishment” candidates, to the extent there is an “establishment” in Alaska. Miller is, well, Miller.

Because the party makeup of the U.S. Senate might very well rest on this race, people who are watching are nervous that Treadwell and Sullivan will pave the way for Miller to claim victory in a Republican primary, as he did when he ran against U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski.

Between Treadwell and Sullivan, Karl Rove, for one, has deemed Sullivan to be the more winnable and is prepared to put money through at least one super PAC that he spearheaded to help ward off Tea Party candidates such as Miller.

Sullivan looks good on paper. He’s got a Harvard undergraduate degree and a law degree from Georgetown. He’s a former U.S. Assistant Secretary of State under President George W. Bush. He’s been in the United States Marine Corps since 1993, and just got back from reservist duty where he was on a counter-terrorism mission in Afghanistan. He’s married to Julie Fate, whose mother is a respected Native Alaska leader and whose father is a former Fairbanks lawmaker.

However, unlike Treadwell, Sullivan has never run for office. Treadwell can fight tough and dirty if need be.

Contact Amanda Coyne at amandamcoyne@yahoo.com

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Sad politics in the Sunshine State

floridaIf you want a reminder that Alaska’s politicians aren’t that bad, read this lead to a Tampa Bay Times story:

“There is no graver responsibility and act of state government than an execution. In Florida this week, a campaign fundraiser takes precedence. Attorney General Pam Bondi persuaded Gov. Rick Scott to postpone an execution scheduled for tonight because it conflicted with her re-election kick-off reception.”

Marshall Lee Gore was supposed to be executed on Tuesday for murdering 30-year-old Robyn Novick and 19-year-old Susan Roark in 1988. His execution date is now set for Oct. 1.

Bondi and Scott are Republicans. Bondi has admitted that she requested the rescheduling because of her fundraiser and has apologized. Scott has not.

My favorite quote:

“Wherever one stands on the death penalty, there isn’t anyone in America that believes an execution should be postponed for political fundraising,” said David Donnelly, executive director of Public Campaign Action Fund. “That Pam Bondi requested a delay in this execution shows how the nonstop chase for campaign cash has hollowed out the morality of our political system. Her moral compass is broken.”

Read the full story here.

Contact Amanda Coyne at amandamcoyne@yahoo.com

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OMG: Congress, environmental movement and Obama working together for Alaska

CooperationYesterday, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a bill that will, among other things, authorize potential builders of a natural gas bullet line to meander through seven miles of Denali National Park. The bill passed the Senate, where it was first introduced by Sen. Lisa Murkowski in 2009 at the request of ENSTAR Natural Gas Company, reintroduced with Sen. Mark Begich in 2011, and is now in front of the president, who is expected to sign it.

Let me repeat this: Congress actually passed a bill that will allow a pipeline to go through seven miles of Denali National Park, one of the largest, most remote and protected national parks in the country.

This is not a small development. For one, because cutting through the park could save millions of dollars in construction costs and eliminate a whole heap of headaches, it brings the idea of the bullet line closer to reality. But secondly, and most importantly, the bill required cooperation between energy companies, environmentalists, Republicans and Democrats. The route through the park was arguably a more environmentally responsible route, and the environmentalists recognized this and ultimately supported it.

The media, by and large, missed the story. The country was Syria crazed, for one. Secondly, it’s not all that exciting to report a story where the plot line is that people acted rationally and that Congress, the environmental community, and business functioned like the nation wants them to function.

Contact Amanda Coyne at amandamcoyne@yahoo.com 

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The Affordable Care Act and women

Below is from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, from which I get nearly daily press releases. I get nothing, however, from Alaska’s Department of Health and Social Services, which appears to have abdicated their role in educating Alaskans who need to sign up for the exchanges.

Perhaps this silence from HSS is a directive from Gov. Sean Parnell, who apparently would rather see the law fail than to have his constituents be able to receive insurance that they can actually afford. He and his advisors, after all, have theirs, paid for by the oil companies and the citizens of Alaska.

4 things for women to know:

• You won’t be charged more for health insurance just because you’re a woman.

• You can’t be denied coverage or charged more due to pre-existing conditions, like cancer or being pregnant.

• You can choose from any primary care provider, OB-GYN, or pediatrician in your health plan’s network without a referral.

• You’ll get free preventive care like mammograms, well-woman visits, contraception, and more.

Open enrollment begins on October 1, 2013. Coverage starts as soon as January 1, 2014. I’ll have more as I get it on how and where to sign up for the exchanges.

Contact Amanda Coyne at amandamcoyne@yahoo.com

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Tweets of the day: Sarah Palin v. Mark Kelly

Mark Kelly is the husband of Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, who was shot in the head on January 8, 2011. Prior to the shooting, Gifford was on Palin’s “target list” of politicians to beat. The graphic that went with the list featured rifle scope-like cross hairs on certain legislative districts.

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Situation in Syria will likely allow Begich to avoid wrath of Jewish lobby

Israel lobby The American Israel Public Affairs Committee, or AIPAC, was all set to storm Congress this week to push for Congress to vote to intervene in Syria. The most powerful pro-Israel group in the country, perhaps the most powerful lobbying group ever, was going to deploy 250 activists and lobbyists to strong arm and to threaten, as only AIPAC can do.

It’s unclear what they will do now. Since Sunday, the situation has changed drastically. Syria has said that it’s prepared to cooperate with the Russians to inspect its chemical arsenal and to sign a chemical weapons ban. And President Obama has called on Congress to delay a vote to authorizing force while diplomacy is pursued.

This is welcome news to most who believe that the end is more important than the means. But U.S. Sen. Mark Begich is likely breathing a huge sigh of relief. AIPAC has deep pockets and huge influence and can make or break a candidate. Begich has paid notable deference to Israel in his speeches on the issue, but AIPAC judges support by votes, not words, and had Begich voted against military authorization, he wouldn’t be in good stead with AIPAC.

It’s unclear how much influence the group has on this issue. It looked like it was going to lose in Congress no matter what, but it wasn’t going to go down easy and politicians were going to pay, if nothing else by withholding campaign money. Had Begich voted against authorizing force, which he appeared prone to do, he likely would have been one of them.

AIPAC has lost in the past, and it’s not been pretty. In 1991, against a heavy lobbying effort by AIPAC, President George H.W. Bush cut off loan guarantees to Israel until it froze West Bank settlement construction. A year later Bush lost to Clinton as did many of his supporters in Congress.

More significant for Begich was what happened in 1981, when Sen. Mike Gravel voted with President Ronald Reagan to sell advanced AWACS aircraft to Saudi Arabia, against AIPAC’s wishes. Reagan won then, but learned his lesson by watching members of Congress who voted for the sale lose election after election. One of those members was Sen. Mike Gravel, who, until Begich, was Alaska’s last Democratic senator.

Contact Amanda Coyne at amandamcoyne@yahoo.com

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Quote of the day

“(T)his was a good day for peaceful diplomacy, but a bad day for America and its leadership of the world community.”

Rep. Don Young after news that Syria has agreed to allow Russia to inspect its chemical arsenal and to sign a chemical weapons ban, and after President Obama called on Congress to delay a vote on taking military action against the country, action that Young has been opposed to all along.

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The latest on Syria

I know I’ve been Syria-obsessed the last few days. But everything else I’m considering writing about pales in comparison to dropping bombs on a chaotic Middle-Eastern country with an maniacal leader who has chemical and biological weapons and who hasn’t taken off the table the threat of using them against our soldiers in retaliation.

Congress has been expected to take up the issue of a resolution authorizing strikes against Syria this week. As of this writing, whether or not they do so is still up in the air, which is sounding more and more like a good thing.

It was all set to go until Sunday, when, in what was described as a “gaffe,” Secretary of State John Kerry said offhandedly that the U.S. might not strike if Syria agrees to surrender control of its chemical weapons. On Tuesday, pundits are increasingly questioning whether the” gaffe” was wrapped in brilliant diplomacy because it allowed Russia, which has been against the strikes and has veto power at the U.N. Security Council, to find an opening.

As a result, members of the U.N. Security Council are working on a resolution that would authorize the international community, lead by Russia, to take control of the Syrian chemical weapons stockpile.

On Tuesday, a bipartisan group of eight senators announced that they also plan a new resolution. This one would authorize an attack on Syria, but only after the introduction of that U.N. resolution, which would set a deadline for the Assad government to hand over its chemical stockpile.  If Assad fails to do so, then the U.S. could use military force.

That’s the latest. It’s constantly evolving however and President Obama is scheduled to address the nation on the situation this evening. But the latest doesn’t look so bad. Here’s my favorite blogger Andrew Sullivan’s take:

It is, if it transpires, a huge victory for the US. Yes, it means we have to relinquish ownership of all this and let Russia take the credit – and all the blowback domestically and internationally that might entail. Expect a whole slew of “Munich” stories; a chorus singing the A-word (appeasement); and the usual derision of Obama from the loony right. The great thing about this president is that he doesn’t care how the short-term optics look or how the news cycle plays as long as the result is one he wants. The process toward that goal is inherently messy, but what matters is the result.

Up next: Why U.S. Sen. Mark Begich is breathing a sigh of relief.

This just in from the AP: “Syrian foreign minister says Syria will declare its chemical weapons arsenal, sign chemical weapons convention.”

Contact Amanda Coyne at amandamcoyne@yahoo.com

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