Stephen L. Carter has a piece over atNewsweek that points out that Barack Obama hardly differs from George W. Bush when it comes to war; as the subhead explains: “How does Barack Obama differ as a commander in chief from his swaggering predecessor? A lot less than you might think.”
Now that’ssomethingyou don’t hearvery often in the corporate media. But Carter meansthis more as a compliment than a criticism, explaining that
there were people on the left and right alike who thought that America had elected an antiwar president, but that simply turned out not to be true. Rather, the nation elected a president in the tradition of American wartime leaders: a man ultimately willing, whether or not it was his original intention, to sacrifice idealism for pragmatism in pursuit of his primary duty of keeping the nation safe.
So a massive troop surge in Afghanistan equals pragmatism and keeping the country safe.
He also writes:
We have all seen the passion with which he battles for his vision of what the nation’s health-care system should look like, or how the financial sector should be regulated. If he would bring the same determination to rallying the public in support of his warsâ┚¬”Âyes, his wars now, nobody elseâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢sâ┚¬”Âhe would do more than anyone else can to truly support the troops.
I’m not sure I saw Obama passionately explain his ideas about Wall Street reform or healthcare. But apparently convincing people to support the Afghan War by keepingU.S. forcesthere for an indeterminate period of timeis how you”truly support the troops.”
Where do they buy those black and white glasses? I want some.
Kennedy knew we weren’t liked (to put it lightly) in Vietnam. Was it pragmatism that kept him there? I wouldn’t call a war on communism that killed millions anything near pragmatic unless you’re trying to further the causes of chaos and terror.
Saddam, however, was not a grassroots kind of guy, like Ahmadinijad tries to be. One way or another he had to go, and liberals were wooed when they were told that he was dangerous. We could have let him get taken down by the inside, but the industrial beast might not be fed. Depending on your politics, they can be either.
Afghanistan is about supporting statism in an impoverished country for security reasons (or rationalizations). Pragmatism through ideology.
I think Obama’s grand ideas on war have been changed greatly by his daily security briefings which show him that he knew next to nothing going in.Wether or not he is making the right calls with that information is a tough call.People always say Afghan,and vietnam are so different.They are the same in one respect.Militarily we win- but we are not able to turn over the country to anything near resembling a government that would secure that win.That is called nation building.Bush did not want that job,and Obama is no different.My Scottish grandmother had an old saying.”In for a penny ,in for a pound”!
what tripe..
HI I read the time article and its sucked.. talk about pandering to the general audiance and not wanting to have yr boss fire you.. and its states the obvious.. BORING!!
did time need to fill a page with tripe??
What Carter wrote is just embarrassing, and also plain stupid. Outright propaganda in favor of the current occupant of the White House, with just the right amount of stupid contempt and ahistorical numbskullery thrown in an unintentionally funny attempt to sound like a Serious Beltway Journalist. Really, really bad stuff. A great way to start the new year, FAIR. Carter ought to be remanded to Afghanistan/Pakistan border, where he can get a bird’s-eye view of the wonderful war and how wonderful it might be to have the steel rain falling so very close to his wonderful Beltway self.
Like some kind of drug resistant bacterial infection, deeply cowardly arm chair warmongers still, after so many years labor under their sad tired delusions that the attacks on Iraq, Afghanistan, even Vietnam, Cambodia were in any way justified.
These simpletons like mikey e even use pathetic sports clichés to apologise for mass murder. They are beneath contempt.
Kings found it helpful to give the ignorant masses an enemy from which he could “protect” them. Unlike a lot of experts here, I am not in president Obama’s head and I don’t have privilege to all he knows. I do know this; he did not want to get into this war (although he didn’t have to make a formal vote). I do know this; getting out of this mess we are stuck in is not just a matter wishing to do so. So, who, of the the critic-experts has the Baguette Magique? // Jean Clelland-Morin
Michael E says: â┚¬Ã…“I think Obama’s grand ideas on war have been changed greatly by his daily security briefings which show him that he knew next to nothing going in.â┚¬Ã‚ I think that it is much more likely that Obama’s grand ideas on war have been changed after a consultation with Wall Street bankers and large defense firms to see how much they would ante up for 2012 if he would do what they wish. Pursuit of the ridiculous war in Afghanistan makes absolutely no sense at all unless from a war profiteer or pentagon point of view, and certainly not from the point of view from Afghans. The hideous killing of innocent civilians through drone attacks is increasingly tarnishing our reputation, even amongst our allies. This war must end and soon, if we are to survive as a nation with any respect at all.
BTW, I completely support our troops, here as well as Iraq and Afghanistan. I would just like to bring them home. If YOU want to support our troops, please think seriously about STOP USING DRUGS. Drug sales are a major source of funding for terrorism and our enemies benefit. Take responsibility. Apparently a good portion massive CIA bribery dollars spread over the Middle East go to fund terrorism too, but that is the subject of another rant.
To sum it up: OBAMA = GREAT DISAPPOINTMENT
I’ll go with Jerry King. If anti-war forces were paying the politicians as much as the pro-war vested interests are, “pragmatist” Obama would be leading the nation for peace. Then I would call him a leader. As is, he is merely another murderer.
Jerry and bobert
Not sure why your anger is directed at me on this.Yes i think the initial attack on Afghanistan was warranted.I stlill remember 911 and the thousands of dead.But-Totally agree we must have an exit strategy.After 10 years….. to of not trained enough Afghans to help themselves is a seminal failure.I can not see a good end to nation building in this place.And to keep this rotation up.This endless cycling of troops.Our leaders must have an honest,open discussion with we the people(and our young men and woman in uniform) on the goals of this operation.Open ended is NOT an option.
Michael, I am not angry with you in the least. You are certainly allowed to have an opinion that differs from my own. I apologize to you if I left that impression. At least you HAVE an opinion and are concerned enough about the workings of our government to give it some rational thought and express your feelings. That alone, in my book, puts you way ahead of the vast majority of American citizens who are too concerned with self to bother. Of course, given the dismal state of our current economy, I must forgive all those who are so busy just trying to take care of their kids and scratch out a living.
I AM, however, angry with most politicians and at a system where getting elected has been allowed to become so hideously expensive that candidates feel that they must sell their soul to get into office. I am angry that people in office find it necessary to spend the vast majority of their time from day one raising funds for the next election. The powers that be would have it no other way, thus insuring that they can BUY whatever or whoever they want. It is said that one of the greatest Returns on Investment is to buy a politician and I am afraid that it is very much a truism. Lobbyist money is often returned four fold or more through wasted taxpayer dollars.
Michael, it is only through people like you that we can hope to improve things. If voters pay enough attention to see through the lies and half-truths of corporate bought representatives, maybe we can get someone in office who will actually do what is best for this country as opposed to doing what is best for himself. If there are enough Michaels, Laurens, Jerrys and others paying attention, we may still have a chance.
Jerry Thank you for those kind words and right back at you.
.The money and time spent to become president must be one of the most grueling two years known to man.I kind of have this belief system that anyone who wants the job that much.Anyone willing to go through it all must be a narcissistic nut job going in.I look at myself and how much I hate to get on a plane sometimes.How much i just want to Stay in bed when i have the flu or just…. stay in bed.This is an intensive round the clock trial.For years.And at the end of the road.The literal pressure of holding the power of life and death for mankind as only one thing you have to worry about in this…Then forever having your life changed ,and that of your families.Secret service etc…Their very DNA must be different.Yes the same things that anger you anger me.Washington it was said picked the location of the capital because it was a wamp.He knew legislators(and the swamp they carry with them) would not want to stay to long and he thought that a good thing.Smart guy
Mr. Jerry King, you wrote this, above: “At least you HAVE an opinion and are concerned enough about the workings of our government to give it some rational thought and express your feelings.” (I’d italicize “rational,” but their is no way to do that here. –TimN) You’re new around here, aint you? Your first post above shows that you know exactly what’s going on, and you articulate your views well. Just some friendly advice–don’t feed the ducks, and don’t get into the dirty water with them. It just encourages them, and the next thing you know, there’s a couple hundred lines of jibbereish pollutin’ the pristine waters here at FAIR blog.
Tim N reminds me of some dumb hick racist saying” now you all know better than to talk to them thar (N word)”.That was actually something that happened to my mother in 1958 when she visited Atlanta and asked a black man on the street for directions.A white man said ‘”your new around here…….
My mother was horrified.I am no less at your daily attempts Tim to compartmentalize and shun those who don’t belong in your world.Carry on