9. Obama Says U.S. Is Prepared to Act on Syria if Diplomacy Fails

     Obama claims that U.S. military remains prepared to act on Syria if they "do not comply with the framework" deal. That is, if Syria's president Bashar al-Assad decides not to leave their chemical weapons under international control, U.S. will use force (military action). However, Obama has been criticized for his lack of consistency. In August 21, Obama said the U.S. would attack Syria after the poison gas attack in August 21. Then he asked Congress to authorize the attack, but later changed his mind and decided to use a more diplomatic approach instead. The senior administration officials insisted that military force should not be one of Syria's consequences if they were not to comply. Now, Obama faces questions on how he will enforce the more diplomatic approach. He says he is still working with Russia, the U.N., and others to "achieve objectives through diplomacy."
     The purpose of this selection is to inform the reader on how the government (Obama) is dealing with Syria. The author of this selection,Steve Holland, offers negative and "positive"points. In the negative side, he used a direct quote from Republican Senator Bob Corker of Tennessee, saying that he disagrees with the senior administration officials' "diplomatic approach" without any threat of force. The author also mentions how Obama has been bombarded with criticism for "his handling on Syria and a muddled message." In the positive side, Holland writes that Obama insists that they would "remain prepared to act" if diplomacy fails. He is also continuing to work with powerful nations to ensure a successful framework deal. The selection's tone is serious/austere, considering that the subject itself is about politics and Holland does not use any lively adjectives (almost no adjectives whatsoever). The audience is mostly directed to adults interested in politics and the tensions on Syria (mostly Americans). The vocabulary is appropriate for the purpose, tone, and audience (includes mature content about politics and has a formal structure). Holland includes many direct quotes from Obama himself and other political members which makes his article more credible. Overall, the selection is effective.

http://www.newsdaily.com/world/fd7d8c858eed853b63a5d848429605c5/obama-says-us-remains-prepared-to-act-on-syria-if-diplomacy-fails