RUSH: Here’s Jim in central Illinois. Welcome, sir. You’re next on the program. It’s nice to have you here with us. Hello.

CALLER: Thank you, Rush. I had a question I’d like your opinion.

RUSH: Certainly.

CALLER: We’re bombing in Syria. In your opinion, did we do ourselves more harm than good?

RUSH: In what way? You mean uniting various factions of Islamists against us?

CALLER: Exactly. There have been a lot of rumors or bits and pieces of news that I’ve heard already about the, quote, moderates not wanting us to help their dictatorial government that they’re fighting against, which is —

RUSH: Who are these moderates?

CALLER: I don’t know. I can’t imagine that they exist.

RUSH: Well, I have here a story by the estimable Michael Isikoff. You might remember the name. Michael Isikoff had the original story on Monica Lewinsky at Newsweek, spiked it, Matt Drudge ran it. And he’s been forever known as Spike.

CALLER: Ah, okay.

RUSH: He’s got a piece here at Yahoo News and he says: “The White House has acknowledged for the first time that strict standards President Obama imposed last year to prevent civilian deaths from US drone strikes will not apply to US military operations in Syria and Iraq.”

So, in other words, some of the so-called moderate Syrian rebels that you have brought up here are claiming one of our drones killed women and children during an attack on the Khorasan group, which doesn’t exist. It’s Al-Qaeda. In fact, it’s a franchise of Al-Qaeda. Which raises questions about “a much-publicized White House policy that President Obama announced last year barring US drone strikes unless there is a ‘near certainty’ there will be no civilian casualties.”

We’re now saying Obama has given himself an exemption for his operations, the ones he wants, it’s okay to go ahead. If we happen to randomly kill some civilians, well, that’s okay here. And these civilian deaths will not apply to military operations Syria and Iraq. The next thing we’re gonna hear is that Obama has authorized waterboarding of Syrian moderate citizens.

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RUSH: Okay, so it’s okay, Obama has given himself an exemption. Syria air strikes can result in civilian deaths because this is important. The next thing we know, Obama is gonna be waterboarding these moderates to find out their secrets. But these rules of engagement that involve civilian deaths, I guess it doesn’t hurt as much if you’re bombed by Obama, unlike that evil, mean cowboy Bush. When he bombed you it was mean. With Obama, you know he’s bombing you with the best of intentions, ’cause Obama knows what’s best for you. But Bush, that was painful. People are supposed to understand it, I guess. How do you justify the difference?