Obama's Colossal Mistake That Could Get Us Into a Proxy War With Russia

October 06, 2016

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Barack Obama wants to go to war with Syria? Those words are evidently floating around the capitol.

"That is a very thinly veiled proxy war with Russia. A colossally bad idea," Glenn said Thursday, kicking off his radio program.

Not only is it a bad idea, it's also unconstitutional; only Congress can declare war. But don't worry. Obama reveres the U.S. Constitution and always follows it to the letter.

Read below or listen to the full segment for answers to these colossally important questions:

• What other U.S. war was a proxy war with Russia?

• Does Vladimir Putin perceive the U.S. to be weak?

• Is Vladimir Putin on a mission to restore the Russian empire?

• Why did the U.S. suspend diplomatic relations with Russia in Syria?

• What excuse would Obama give to enter into war with Syria?

Listen to this segment from The Glenn Beck Program:

Below is a rush transcript of this segment, it might contain errors:

GLENN: Hello, America. And welcome to the program. We were just talking about a new -- I got a call from a couple of people in Washington yesterday because there are new voices floating around the capitol that Barack Obama wants to go to war with Syria. So you know, that is a very thinly veiled proxy war with Russia. A very -- a colossally bad idea.

Mike Lee is going to be on, either today or tomorrow to talk a little bit about that. He posted something on Facebook yesterday, actually made me call him. And I said, "What -- why is that?" He posted on Facebook about the separations of power for the president and Congress and said, "Only Congress has the ability to declare war, and Barack Obama needs to come to Congress to declare war if he wants to start another one."

I'm telling you, what we said yesterday, we are on the precipice. Nobody wants to hear it. But for those in this 10 million strong audience that are willing to open your mind and listen to something other than partisan politics, it's important that someone sees what's coming. And that someone is you. And we begin there, right now.

(music)

GLENN: We'll find ourselves -- I know.

We're talking about how nobody is going to declare war. Nobody is going to go through Congress. We haven't done that in a long time, but we need to have that conversation. Because I'm telling you, it's coming.

PAT: Yeah. World War II, I think, was the last time. Because Korea was a police action.

GLENN: Yep. Yep.

PAT: And they got approval from the UN. But they didn't get approval from Congress.

GLENN: Right. And we all know how that worked out. And that was a proxy war between us -- Vietnam was a proxy war between us and Russia. And that is what's going to happen in Syria.

PAT: And Korea was a proxy war between us and China.

GLENN: Yep. Enough proxy wars.

PAT: Yeah, we've had enough of those.

GLENN: And this is not going to stay a proxy war. It's not. Vladimir Putin perceives us as very, very weak. And we dismiss them as very weak.

What we don't take into account is the man believes he is on a mission from God to reestablish the -- the Russian empire, the holy Russian empire.

And he is making a pact with those in the Middle East. He has befriended Syria. He has befriended Iran. Saudi Arabia is moving towards the same kind of situation. Saudi Arabia is moving towards Russia and away from us. We're going to have the Middle East and Russia against us. I don't think that's a good scenario at all.

And Barack Obama is now talked about the -- the word in the capitol. And I've heard this from several sources. Is that we're moving towards a war footing with Syria in a proxy war. And Barack Obama is going to say, "We need to do it for humanitarian reasons."

JEFFY: I thought John Kerry just lost an argument that he couldn't use war or significant growth in his negotiations.

GLENN: No, no. I am hoping this is not true. I am hoping this is not true. But I heard those rumors. And I called Mike, and I said, "Why did you post this on Facebook? Why -- because he just sat in front of his computer and said, "Here's what we all need to understand: Congress -- Congress is the one that can declare war." And that was concerning to me. After hearing the rumors and seeing what's happened in Russia -- where as I told you at the beginning of the weak, today is the final day of the four-day 40 million people strong civil defense test in -- in Russia, where they dispatched people all over the country, affecting 40 million people. And they went in for chemical, biological, and nuclear weapons and shut cities and businesses and schools and universities down and set it up as if it was a treatment center. Plus, they had all their fire departments, you know, scrambling. And how do we put out a nuclear fire?

It is a very big deal. Then, as we told you on yesterday's program, Friday, we told you that we had broken off diplomatic relations about Syria with Russia. Then we find out that they are in a civil defense maneuver for four days, affecting 40 million. I've already told you that Putin said that we are going to -- we're already in World War III and he can't get anybody to listen to them. And then on top of it, as we said yesterday, the Soviet or the Russian state television said -- and was quoted yesterday saying that a nuclear war with the United States -- didn't they say seems inevitable?

Look it up. It was -- if it wasn't -- I think inevitable is too strong.

JEFFY: Yes.

GLENN: Seems very likely. Something like that. That we are on the road to a nuclear war.

I don't know if we're on the warpath with nuclear war. I have no idea. But we are entering a game-changing time. Game-changing time.

As game-changing as it was in 1914 and '15 and 1941 -- or, '38.

JEFFY: Imminent.

GLENN: Imminent. Imminent nuclear war with the United States

PAT: It's hard to believe that Obama would send troops to Syria.

JEFFY: It sure is.

PAT: You know, based on everything he ran on. Based on everything he said over eight years. Of course, it doesn't matter what anybody says anymore. Nobody listens. So he could get away with it, I suppose. But it's --

JEFFY: -- more than his belief in sending troops in?

PAT: Yeah. Come on.

GLENN: Okay. So, but let's think this through on history. And history always gets me into trouble. Because history doesn't repeat itself, but it does rhyme. Okay. So just because someone is repeating the patterns that Adolf Hitler did -- I just had this argument with somebody yesterday: You can't say that so-and-so is Adolf Hitler. I've never said -- let's be frank about it. It was Donald Trump. I never said that he was Hitler. Never said that he was Hitler. Stop it. Only Adolf Hitler is Hitler.

Was he a guy with the initials, A.H. that nobody -- if he was Steve Johnson and he did the same things up until 1933, no one would have a problem with me saying, "Look at, he did exactly what Steve Johnson did in 1920 to 1933." That doesn't mean that he's going to gas 10 million people.

PAT: No. But Steve --

GLENN: That was Adolf Hitler.

PAT: -- was dangerous. Let's be honest.

GLENN: So you can't -- what you have to -- and this is hard for people to do: You have to look at what time period you're talked about.

PAT: Uh-huh.

GLENN: There is a huge difference. And past performance is not necessarily indicative of future results.

STU: Right. If you have ten paths to walk down, they all look very similar early on. Only one of them might end in the worst human tragedy of all the time.

GLENN: Right.

STU: But you don't take the chance to walk down the path even a step.

GLENN: Or you walk down the path with your eyes wide open and say, "Wait. No. You're leaning that way. We have to go this way."

STU: That's correct. We have to make sure we learn the lessons.

GLENN: You learn the lessons from the past so you don't repeat them. And when you see the patterns, you say, "Pattern. Let's make sure we stay off this road."

PAT: That's what learning from history is supposed to be. Right?

GLENN: That's what never forget means, you remember the patterns that got you there. Because no one is born evil.

Featured Image: Russian President Vladimir Putin (L) meets with his US counterpart Barack Obama on the sidelines of the G20 Leaders Summit in Hangzhou on September 5, 2016. (Photo Credit: ALEXEI DRUZHININ/AFP/Getty Images)

'Rage against the dying of the light': Charlie Kirk lived that mandate

PHILL MAGAKOE / Contributor | Getty Images

Kirk’s tragic death challenges us to rise above fear and anger, to rebuild bridges where others build walls, and to fight for the America he believed in.

I’ve only felt this weight once before. It was 2001, just as my radio show was about to begin. The World Trade Center fell, and I was called to speak immediately. I spent the day and night by my bedside, praying for words that could meet the moment.

Yesterday, I found myself in the same position. September 11, 2025. The assassination of Charlie Kirk. A friend. A warrior for truth.

Out of this tragedy, the tyrant dies, but the martyr’s influence begins.

Moments like this make words feel inadequate. Yet sometimes, words from another time speak directly to our own. In 1947, Dylan Thomas, watching his father slip toward death, penned lines that now resonate far beyond his own grief:

Do not go gentle into that good night. / Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

Thomas was pleading for his father to resist the impending darkness of death. But those words have become a mandate for all of us: Do not surrender. Do not bow to shadows. Even when the battle feels unwinnable.

Charlie Kirk lived that mandate. He knew the cost of speaking unpopular truths. He knew the fury of those who sought to silence him. And yet he pressed on. In his life, he embodied a defiance rooted not in anger, but in principle.

Picking up his torch

Washington, Jefferson, Adams — our history was started by men who raged against an empire, knowing the gallows might await. Lincoln raged against slavery. Martin Luther King Jr. raged against segregation. Every generation faces a call to resist surrender.

It is our turn. Charlie’s violent death feels like a knockout punch. Yet if his life meant anything, it means this: Silence in the face of darkness is not an option.

He did not go gently. He spoke. He challenged. He stood. And now, the mantle falls to us. To me. To you. To every American.

We cannot drift into the shadows. We cannot sit quietly while freedom fades. This is our moment to rage — not with hatred, not with vengeance, but with courage. Rage against lies, against apathy, against the despair that tells us to do nothing. Because there is always something you can do.

Even small acts — defiance, faith, kindness — are light in the darkness. Reaching out to those who mourn. Speaking truth in a world drowning in deceit. These are the flames that hold back the night. Charlie carried that torch. He laid it down yesterday. It is ours to pick up.

The light may dim, but it always does before dawn. Commit today: I will not sleep as freedom fades. I will not retreat as darkness encroaches. I will not be silent as evil forces claim dominion. I have no king but Christ. And I know whom I serve, as did Charlie.

Two turning points, decades apart

On Wednesday, the world changed again. Two tragedies, separated by decades, bound by the same question: Who are we? Is this worth saving? What kind of people will we choose to be?

Imagine a world where more of us choose to be peacemakers. Not passive, not silent, but builders of bridges where others erect walls. Respect and listening transform even the bitterest of foes. Charlie Kirk embodied this principle.

He did not strike the weak; he challenged the powerful. He reached across divides of politics, culture, and faith. He changed hearts. He sparked healing. And healing is what our nation needs.

At the center of all this is one truth: Every person is a child of God, deserving of dignity. Change will not happen in Washington or on social media. It begins at home, where loneliness and isolation threaten our souls. Family is the antidote. Imperfect, yes — but still the strongest source of stability and meaning.

Mark Wilson / Staff | Getty Images

Forgiveness, fidelity, faithfulness, and honor are not dusty words. They are the foundation of civilization. Strong families produce strong citizens. And today, Charlie’s family mourns. They must become our family too. We must stand as guardians of his legacy, shining examples of the courage he lived by.

A time for courage

I knew Charlie. I know how he would want us to respond: Multiply his courage. Out of this tragedy, the tyrant dies, but the martyr’s influence begins. Out of darkness, great and glorious things will sprout — but we must be worthy of them.

Charlie Kirk lived defiantly. He stood in truth. He changed the world. And now, his torch is in our hands. Rage, not in violence, but in unwavering pursuit of truth and goodness. Rage against the dying of the light.

This article originally appeared on TheBlaze.com.

Glenn Beck resurrects the 9-12 Project to support Charlie Kirk's family

Glenn Beck is once again calling on his loyal listeners and viewers to come together and channel the same unity and purpose that defined the historic 9-12 Project. That movement, born in the wake of national challenges, brought millions together to revive core values of faith, hope, and charity.

Glenn created the original 9-12 Project in early 2009 to bring Americans back to where they were in the wake of the 9/11 attacks. In those moments, we weren't Democrats and Republicans, conservative or liberal, Red States or Blue States, we were united as one, as America. The original 9-12 Project aimed to root America back in the founding principles of this country that united us during those darkest of days.

This new initiative draws directly from that legacy, focusing on supporting the family of Charlie Kirk in these dark days following his tragic murder.

The revival of the 9-12 Project aims to secure the long-term well-being of Charlie Kirk's wife and children. All donations will go straight to meeting their immediate and future needs. If the family deems the funds surplus to their requirements, Charlie's wife has the option to redirect them toward the vital work of Turning Point USA.

This campaign is more than just financial support—it's a profound gesture of appreciation for Kirk's tireless dedication to the cause of liberty. It embodies the unbreakable bond of our community, proving that when we stand united, we can make a real difference.
Glenn Beck invites you to join this effort. Show your solidarity by donating today and honoring Charlie Kirk and his family in this meaningful way.

You can learn more about the 9-12 Project and donate HERE

The dangerous lie: Rights as government privileges, not God-given

Bloomberg / Contributor | Getty Images

When politicians claim that rights flow from the state, they pave the way for tyranny.

Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) recently delivered a lecture that should alarm every American. During a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing, he argued that believing rights come from a Creator rather than government is the same belief held by Iran’s theocratic regime.

Kaine claimed that the principles underpinning Iran’s dictatorship — the same regime that persecutes Sunnis, Jews, Christians, and other minorities — are also the principles enshrined in our Declaration of Independence.

In America, rights belong to the individual. In Iran, rights serve the state.

That claim exposes either a profound misunderstanding or a reckless indifference to America’s founding. Rights do not come from government. They never did. They come from the Creator, as the Declaration of Independence proclaims without qualification. Jefferson didn’t hedge. Rights are unalienable — built into every human being.

This foundation stands worlds apart from Iran. Its leaders invoke God but grant rights only through clerical interpretation. Freedom of speech, property, religion, and even life itself depend on obedience to the ruling clerics. Step outside their dictates, and those so-called rights vanish.

This is not a trivial difference. It is the essence of liberty versus tyranny. In America, rights belong to the individual. The government’s role is to secure them, not define them. In Iran, rights serve the state. They empower rulers, not the people.

From Muhammad to Marx

The same confusion applies to Marxist regimes. The Soviet Union’s constitutions promised citizens rights — work, health care, education, freedom of speech — but always with fine print. If you spoke out against the party, those rights evaporated. If you practiced religion openly, you were charged with treason. Property and voting were allowed as long as they were filtered and controlled by the state — and could be revoked at any moment. Rights were conditional, granted through obedience.

Kaine seems to be advocating a similar approach — whether consciously or not. By claiming that natural rights are somehow comparable to sharia law, he ignores the critical distinction between inherent rights and conditional privileges. He dismisses the very principle that made America a beacon of freedom.

Jefferson and the founders understood this clearly. “We are endowed by our Creator with certain unalienable rights,” they wrote. No government, no cleric, no king can revoke them. They exist by virtue of humanity itself. The government exists to protect them, not ration them.

This is not a theological quibble. It is the entire basis of our government. Confuse the source of rights, and tyranny hides behind piety or ideology. The people are disempowered. Clerics, bureaucrats, or politicians become arbiters of what rights citizens may enjoy.

John Greim / Contributor | Getty Images

Gifts from God, not the state

Kaine’s statement reflects either a profound ignorance of this principle or an ideological bias that favors state power over individual liberty. Either way, Americans must recognize the danger. Understanding the origin of rights is not academic — it is the difference between freedom and submission, between the American experiment and theocratic or totalitarian rule.

Rights are not gifts from the state. They are gifts from God, secured by reason, protected by law, and defended by the people. Every American must understand this. Because when rights come from government instead of the Creator, freedom disappears.

This article originally appeared on TheBlaze.com.

POLL: Is Gen Z’s anger over housing driving them toward socialism?

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A recent poll conducted by Justin Haskins, a long-time friend of the show, has uncovered alarming trends among young Americans aged 18-39, revealing a generation grappling with deep frustrations over economic hardships, housing affordability, and a perceived rigged system that favors the wealthy, corporations, and older generations. While nearly half of these likely voters approve of President Trump, seeing him as an anti-establishment figure, over 70% support nationalizing major industries, such as healthcare, energy, and big tech, to promote "equity." Shockingly, 53% want a democratic socialist to win the 2028 presidential election, including a third of Trump voters and conservatives in this age group. Many cite skyrocketing housing costs, unfair taxation on the middle class, and a sense of being "stuck" or in crisis as driving forces, with 62% believing the economy is tilted against them and 55% backing laws to confiscate "excess wealth" like second homes or luxury items to help first-time buyers.

This blend of Trump support and socialist leanings suggests a volatile mix: admiration for disruptors who challenge the status quo, coupled with a desire for radical redistribution to address personal struggles. Yet, it raises profound questions about the roots of this discontent—Is it a failure of education on history's lessons about socialism's failures? Media indoctrination? Or genuine systemic barriers? And what does it portend for the nation’s trajectory—greater division, a shift toward authoritarian policies, or an opportunity for renewal through timeless values like hard work and individual responsibility?

Glenn wants to know what YOU think: Where do Gen Z's socialist sympathies come from? What does it mean for the future of America? Make your voice heard in the poll below:

Do you believe the Gen Z support for socialism comes from perceived economic frustrations like unaffordable housing and a rigged system favoring the wealthy and corporations?

Do you believe the Gen Z support for socialism, including many Trump supporters, is due to a lack of education about the historical failures of socialist systems?

Do you think that these poll results indicate a growing generational divide that could lead to more political instability and authoritarian tendencies in America's future?

Do you think that this poll implies that America's long-term stability relies on older generations teaching Gen Z and younger to prioritize self-reliance, free-market ideals, and personal accountability?

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