I have been amused by the limbo that Obama supporters are doing to justify his response to the Christmas Day attack. I seem to remember that Obama campaigned incessantly against Bush, even though he wasn't running and against McCain as if he were Bush. Everything Bush did was wrong and he surely did some not too good things, and Obama told us he was determined not repeat the stupidity of Bush's policies.
Now we are confronted with the spector of Obama inexplicably repeating the mistakes of the Bush administration in his response to the war on terror. Bush tried many terrorists in civilian court. This resulted in a carefully orchestrated propaganda bonanza. I think as time went on Bush learned and put a stop to these dog and pony shows. This approach was a mistake. Bush was wrong to do it.
Later, in answer to intense international pressure, Bush started releasing Gitmo prisoners back to their home countries. This was and is a grave mistake. These people are showing up on the battlefields time and again. I find it hard to understand where the notion that these people can be rehabilitated was hatched. Precious few prisoners in OUR prison system can be rehabilitated and they are domestic terrorists without the deep feeling of religious indoctrination the international terrorists have. American terrorists are just low-life criminals out to exploit their fellow citizens for their own gain. There are those who are truly evil bastards, but they are not as numerous as our common domestic terrorists.
My questions then becomes, according to Obama, was Bush right or wrong in his policies? If you are convinced the Bush policies were wrong change them and do something different. However, if you continue the same policies it's hard to argue against them, isn't it? This administration is really just continuing the policies of the Bush administration.
How about a surge? Check. How about Predator attacks in Pakistan and Yemen? Check. What's changed? Could it be that once reality struck Obama in the face he was forced to see that we can't defend ourselves and worry about being loved by the world. Check?
As for releasing prisoners from Gitmo, that's insane and is doomed to failure. My hope is that if Obama continues to release these people they don't come back to haunt us. We're watching Mr. President.
11 comments:
Law and Order,
You make a good point that Obama campaigned against Bush, and now that he holds the office his policy has been an extension of what he campaigned against.
IMO liberals see him as a fellow liberal who is forced by circumstances to pursue his present course.
What frustrates me is those on the Right calling his policy socialist. I see him having pursued corporate friendly economic policy starting with supporting the bailouts.
Oso,
It's interesting that Obama and all presidents, are faced with reality. No president is able to pursue his policy to the extent he campaigned. Wilson was all about domestic policy. Good, but WWI intervened. Presidents are by and large victims of circumstance. Obama is too. Thanks for visiting.
Bush was wrong, and I don't see any of his wrong headed policies reflected in the actions or decisions of Barack Obama. The president has moved quickly, and without hesitation, after being well informed of all options. We forget that he has been in office for less than one full year. I respectfully submit that he has done a lot to turn around the feckless policies of the Bush Gang. The bottom line, however, is as you mention L&O: many presidents are victims or circumstances.
MMA,
I guess I was fooled by the policies he's left in place. I seem to remember some Dems and civil libertarians pounding Bush on the Patriot Act. That is, of course, just before most of them voted for it.
Obama has left that gem in place. Saying you're going to close Gitmo doesn't qualify for a "Change we can believe in". I was saying that they look awful familiar. Thanks for the visit.
I'd love for our Troops to be out of Iraq and Afghanistan yesterday. I'd love a single payer national health insurance plan.
Things take time and Obama doesn't have a veto proof majority so that slows things down even more. I'll concede that Obama has continued some Bush policies. You can't suddenly change everything in one fell swoop. That is the nature of beuaracracy.
Unless you're Bill Parcels. Perhaps he could have changed everything in one day.
Amazing the gutless libs, still can't get over Bush....our Kenyan and Thief is still protecting his "Islamic Brethern" and blaming Bush for his administrations lack of guts.
Socialist? Hell Oso, he's a full blown Marxist.....Governement bailouts=Government Ownership/Control.
PRH,
govt bailouts=govt control. How do you figure? The vast majority of debt-for equity swaps were preferred stock.
How do you infer govt control from massive public cash poured into the institutions who were his big contributors?
Do you see any of the Wall St firms financial officers being replaced ? No you don't.Look at the man's actions, not his words. There's nothing remotely socialist about his actions. Look at his advisers. Not the czars wingnuts like Beck talk about. They're unimportant. Look at his cabinet. Geithner, Summers.Gensler and other alums of GS and Citi.
That's who's running the show.Wall St.
Excellent post. Releasing these animals back to their home countries is, as you said, a grave mistake.
It doesn't matter which side of the aisle is doing it.
Eyes are closed.
NO ONE wants to think The Who's "Won't Get Fooled Again" is correct:
"MEET THE NEW BOSS. SAME AS THE OLD BOSS."
BZ
BZ,
Good comment.maybe that should be Obama's theme song.
Truth, Oso, Brooke, BZ, Pat,
Thanks for visiting. I have a problem with Obama ripping on Bush and then continuing his policies. As I said, Bush was either right or wrong, but he can't continue to be the whipping boy for Obama for four years. Just a thought.
Post a Comment