SEAN HANNITY

Friday, September 6th

Showdown in Syria: Friday Update Barack Obama held a press conference this morning from the G20 summit in Russia. As expected, the main topic of discussion was the showdown in Syria. As usual, Obama did a lot of talking but we really didn't learn anything new. The biggest headline was the fact that Obama will do MORE talking next Tuesday when he plans to address the American people. But when asked about potential action in Syria, here's where we seem to stand. While unnamed officials claim that Obama does not have any intention of launching an attack without Congressional approval, Obama refused to say whether or not that was the case. When asked about his decision to go to Congress, Obama explained, “I could not honestly claim that the threat posed an imminent direct threat to the United States; I couldn't say it would have an immediate, direct threat to our allies.” One standout line from Obama was, “I was elected to end wars, not start them.” But at this point, that is exactly where we stand, Obama is desperately trying to make the case for a strike. Yet after speaking for almost one hour today, I'm still not any more convinced that we need to act. In fact, I feel more leery than ever, as Obama seemed unfocused and evasive. For the latest on Syria, click here.  The Putin Factor While our President continues to meander his way through unfavorable public relations, we now have an interview with Vladimir Putin saying that Russia “could send Syria and its neighbors in the region the components of a missile shield if the U.S. Attacks,” according to Fox News. So much for that Russian re-set. It's clear, based on Obama's comments this morning, that the use of chemical weapons in Syria is indisputable but WHO used them remains a point of contention with Russia. Last night the Wall Street Journal reported, “The U.S. has intercepted an order from Iran to militants in Iraq to attack the U.S. Embassy and other American interests in Baghdad in the event of a strike on Syria, officials said, amid an expanding array of reprisal threats across the region.” The United States is also ordering diplomats to leave Lebanon. We've been talking about this action in Syria for days now, and I remain convinced that a pinprick, check-the-box, limited strike in Syria is the wrong approach. I've yet to hear a compelling argument for why that is the best course of action, what happens if there is retaliation against Israel, what happens if it causes the Assad regime to topple and WMDs fall into the hands of al Qaeda rebels? These are important questions that need to be answered. If we are going to do this, we at least need to do it right. Looking at the bigger picture, I'm not convinced that getting involved in Syria at all is pertinent to the end-game which everyone believes is a showdown with Iran. Yes, the use of chemical weapons is deplorable but they were used months ago and Obama and the world stood by and did nothing. They also cannot prove definitively who even used these weapons. If credibility is the issue, we've lost that long ago and a limited strike will not restore it. If humanitarian aid is the issue, then let's figure out how to help the refugees who have fled. What a mess.

August Jobs Numbers: Flat As if the issues in Syria weren’t bad enough, we now have the latest jobs report for August and it’s anything but encouraging. The bottom line is that the unemployment rate ticked down to 7.3%, but for all the wrong reasons. We added 169,000 jobs in August, but more people continue to leave the labor force, which is a big problem for future economic growth. The fact is that the labor force participation rate is now 63.2%, which is the lowest level since 1978! To give you some perspective, when Barack Obama took office in January 2009 the rate was 65.7%. James Pethokoukis estimates that if we had the same labor force participation rate today as we did when Obama was inaugurated, our unemployment rate would be 10.8%. Our economy is not growing. Thank you President Hope and Change. Barack Obama's policies have failed us domestically and he is a boondoggle abroad. How many more years do we have to endure this? For more must-have facts behind the numbers, click here.  Today's "Hot Topic" From The Hannity Forums US Victory in Syria - Posted by LibHunter We do you alternatives in Syria besides Obama’s worthless pinprick and doing nothing. The United States does have an interest in the future of Syria. An American victory in Syria would be a democratic secular pro-Western government with the power to repel Islamic extremists. The best way to prevent an Islamic extremist takeover of Syria is to reunite the pro-Western free Syria rebel movement with the rank-and-file of Assad’s present military. Here's a great plan. >>TV Tonight (9pm ET on Fox News) Sean hosts college students and recent grads and debates the future of the American healthcare system.