What a complete idiot.
Sen. John McCain tells Sky News:
"Now we have succeeded militarily, now the major challenge of building democracy will come." It took the US over 100 years and a bloody civil war before it decided "what sort of country we wanted to be", McCain said.
Thank God this man is not president but even more so, Right Wing media has been trying their darndest to compare Obama's short speech yesterday about some very good news coming out of Libya to George Bush's landing on an aircraft carrier blasting a huge Mission Accomplished banner in 2003. However, if you actually pay attention to who is saying what, it's Republicans declaring victory and not the president.
Showing posts with label Libya. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Libya. Show all posts
Libya: It's Not Mission Accomplished
Before we dress Obama up in a flight suit and land him onto an aircraft carrier, there's still plenty of time for the mess in Libya to go to smithereens. From a distance, the weekend was a good sign for the president's war policy but it's hardly a vindication or a cause célèbre. In other words, I'm sure there's still time for Republicans to take the credit for it.
Yeah, I know. It's amazing what competent leadership can accomplish.
Yeah, I know. It's amazing what competent leadership can accomplish.
Mr. President, I Disagree
After the president's speech last night where he tried to explain his rationale for ordering attacks on Libya, I find myself disagreeing even more with the president's policy than previously.
The whole thing stinks of double standards and inconsistencies. Why not intervene in Syria? Surely a civil war there would also destabilize the entire region, lead to mass bloodshed and be a huge setback for the glimmering of democracy that appears to be spreading through the Arab world. Why not intervene in Qatar? I understand the whole oil and money thing and that simply makes the president's decision even more inconsistent. Iran has plenty of oil and we didn't intervene when their people tried to reform their government.
I'm not saying I don't believe in the humanitarian aspect of military action. I'm just saying it's really past time America quits trying to spread hope with air raids. Why don't we send them all an iPad and broadcast a wireless signal directly into their country and let their hope come from the empowerment of information rather than bombs. If we really wanted to come to the aid of those yearning for freedom, the first thing we would do is encourage the free flow of information so that people become informed enough to know they can make a difference. Then, of course, no government really likes it when people realize their leaders suck.
Obama was elected because Americans were tired of war. We were tired of being led to war with all these feel good, life-saving, freedom-loving reasons. We were tired of policing the world and exporting democracy with guns. We were tired of calls to patriotism via who could cheer the loudest for war. We were so damn tired of $4 gasoline and spending billions of dollars waging war in foreign lands while millions of our very own people have no jobs, no money, no insurance and absolutely no hope for it to get better anytime soon. And look where we are right now....
The whole thing stinks of double standards and inconsistencies. Why not intervene in Syria? Surely a civil war there would also destabilize the entire region, lead to mass bloodshed and be a huge setback for the glimmering of democracy that appears to be spreading through the Arab world. Why not intervene in Qatar? I understand the whole oil and money thing and that simply makes the president's decision even more inconsistent. Iran has plenty of oil and we didn't intervene when their people tried to reform their government.
I'm not saying I don't believe in the humanitarian aspect of military action. I'm just saying it's really past time America quits trying to spread hope with air raids. Why don't we send them all an iPad and broadcast a wireless signal directly into their country and let their hope come from the empowerment of information rather than bombs. If we really wanted to come to the aid of those yearning for freedom, the first thing we would do is encourage the free flow of information so that people become informed enough to know they can make a difference. Then, of course, no government really likes it when people realize their leaders suck.
Obama was elected because Americans were tired of war. We were tired of being led to war with all these feel good, life-saving, freedom-loving reasons. We were tired of policing the world and exporting democracy with guns. We were tired of calls to patriotism via who could cheer the loudest for war. We were so damn tired of $4 gasoline and spending billions of dollars waging war in foreign lands while millions of our very own people have no jobs, no money, no insurance and absolutely no hope for it to get better anytime soon. And look where we are right now....
Repubs Now Expect All Wars to be Clear and Concise
Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) sent President Obama a letter on Wednesday asking him to clearly define the mission and set benchmarks for success.
This is just hilarious. Now that George Bush isn't leading our Glorious War, Republicans want clarity from the White House. There has never been a war so unnecessary or sorely lacking objectives with a nonexistent exit strategy as Bush's blunder into Iraq. All that is to be forgotten, however. It's all ancient history.
The president should write back and tell him whatever military action he is referring to is but a figment of his imagination. And then close by asking him how he likes that tanning bed tax.
This is just hilarious. Now that George Bush isn't leading our Glorious War, Republicans want clarity from the White House. There has never been a war so unnecessary or sorely lacking objectives with a nonexistent exit strategy as Bush's blunder into Iraq. All that is to be forgotten, however. It's all ancient history.
The president should write back and tell him whatever military action he is referring to is but a figment of his imagination. And then close by asking him how he likes that tanning bed tax.
Reasons Libya is Not Iraq
10. Iraq in 2002-3 no longer posed a credible threat to its neighbors. A resurgent Qaddafi in Libya with petroleum billions at his disposal would likely attempt to undermine the democratic experiments in Tunisia and Egypt, blighting the lives of millions.
Okay I don't necessarily disagree with it either. I'll just add Iraq didn't pose a credible threat to anyone except itself because of the very effective no-fly zone and the UN sanctions that had been in place for over 10 years. The result was a humanitarian catastrophe inside of Iraq. It left Iraq divided into three parts all largely non-self-sufficient for basic needs. The Kurdish north, which enjoyed a great deal of autonomy. The Saddam stronghold in the center. And a Shia south.
More On Presidential Power
I hadn't realized this though I knew the number was high. According to the Office of the President in 2001, throughout history the president has acted at least 125 times without prior authorization from Congress.
That was written in 2001. Since then I'm sure the number is way higher. The president has ordered military action in Pakistan, Syria, Yemen, Lebanon, Kenya and the Republic of Georgia without any approval at all from Congress. And now we have Libya. Those are just the ones I know about and can recall off the top of my head. I'm sure there are more.
At the end of the day, there isn't much Congress can do to stop a president from using military force. And every president we've ever had has always maintained he doesn't have to get permission from Congress to do anything when it comes to military operations. More recently, we've seen Congress is nearly powerless to halt ongoing wars as well. We are still in Afghanistan almost ten years after invading. Their only option is to stop paying for a war, which has never happened.
I don't agree with the president's decision to use force against Libya but I do agree he has the authority.
That was written in 2001. Since then I'm sure the number is way higher. The president has ordered military action in Pakistan, Syria, Yemen, Lebanon, Kenya and the Republic of Georgia without any approval at all from Congress. And now we have Libya. Those are just the ones I know about and can recall off the top of my head. I'm sure there are more.
At the end of the day, there isn't much Congress can do to stop a president from using military force. And every president we've ever had has always maintained he doesn't have to get permission from Congress to do anything when it comes to military operations. More recently, we've seen Congress is nearly powerless to halt ongoing wars as well. We are still in Afghanistan almost ten years after invading. Their only option is to stop paying for a war, which has never happened.
I don't agree with the president's decision to use force against Libya but I do agree he has the authority.
Fox News Invents Vacation Story to Smear President
Repeatedly throughout the day yesterday Fox News told its millions of viewers that President Obama was vacationing while he ordered our military to attack Libya.
“He’s going on vacation; he’s going to Rio!” an incredulous Steve Doocy commented. “He’s on vacation in Rio,” Fox contributor Ralph Peters said, echoing the network’s attack. Referencing Rio, Washington Times columnist Charles Hurt opined, “President Obama has absolutely abdicated his role as leader of the free world.”
Not surprising in the least, Fox News and its America-hating hosts are lying. President Obama is not on vacation. He is on an official trip as head of state of the United States to South America to meet with other heads of state. The only relaxing event planned for the week-long trip was "to the city’s iconic Christ the Redeemer hilltop statue, and even that had to be postponed from morning until evening to give him time for early briefings on the Libyan situation.”
If Bush was still president, Fox would call its own reporting anti-American, especially during a time of war.
It's worth mentioning President Bush was the most vacationing president in the history of the presidency. He would take month-long furloughs to a fake ranch in Texas while he ordered invasions of two countries, one just for the smell of it. And never one time did Fox ever tell its viewers that George Bush had abdicated his duties as president. It did the opposite actually. Fox portrayed Bush as a great, fighting leader up to the last day in office.
Here's the exit story they ran on President Bush during his last days. At the time of printing his approval was about 24%, but you would never know it by watching Fox News.
In all Bushvacationed spent 879 days in Crawford. And 499 officially on vacation. He thumped the previous record holder and two-term Republican president, Ronald Reagan, by almost a hundred days.
*Update:
In what has already been a pathetic display of any sort of journalistic standards, CNN's Nic Robertson blasts Fox News for what can only be called outright deceit and lies in its reporting of the crisis in Libya.
I've been saying for years that the only way to effectively stop Fox News is for other networks to start reporting just how untrustworthy and unethical Fox really is. Jon Stewart does a heck of a job at it but he's laughed at. It won't be until a real media network does half of what a comedy show does will Fox finally be stopped.
“He’s going on vacation; he’s going to Rio!” an incredulous Steve Doocy commented. “He’s on vacation in Rio,” Fox contributor Ralph Peters said, echoing the network’s attack. Referencing Rio, Washington Times columnist Charles Hurt opined, “President Obama has absolutely abdicated his role as leader of the free world.”
Not surprising in the least, Fox News and its America-hating hosts are lying. President Obama is not on vacation. He is on an official trip as head of state of the United States to South America to meet with other heads of state. The only relaxing event planned for the week-long trip was "to the city’s iconic Christ the Redeemer hilltop statue, and even that had to be postponed from morning until evening to give him time for early briefings on the Libyan situation.”
If Bush was still president, Fox would call its own reporting anti-American, especially during a time of war.
It's worth mentioning President Bush was the most vacationing president in the history of the presidency. He would take month-long furloughs to a fake ranch in Texas while he ordered invasions of two countries, one just for the smell of it. And never one time did Fox ever tell its viewers that George Bush had abdicated his duties as president. It did the opposite actually. Fox portrayed Bush as a great, fighting leader up to the last day in office.
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| How Fox News portrayed the most vacationing president in history |
In all Bush
*Update:
In what has already been a pathetic display of any sort of journalistic standards, CNN's Nic Robertson blasts Fox News for what can only be called outright deceit and lies in its reporting of the crisis in Libya.
I've been saying for years that the only way to effectively stop Fox News is for other networks to start reporting just how untrustworthy and unethical Fox really is. Jon Stewart does a heck of a job at it but he's laughed at. It won't be until a real media network does half of what a comedy show does will Fox finally be stopped.
A Wise Man Once Said, Fool Me- You Can't Get Fooled Again
My inbox is overflowing with questions from readers about my support for our Glorious spreading of democracy to Libya. Because I don't have time to answer everyone I'll write my views and something of what you can call a reasoning here.
Right off the bat, I'll just say it. I don't support military involvement in Libya. There are any number of scenarios that could come from American intervention into what is currently a Libyan civil war. The worst of which would be something that resembles our Glorious triumphs in Iraq. The best, to me, that we can hope for is Gaddafi quits and decides to send his billions in oil money he has stashed away to us to help pay college expenses for every kid in America. Anything in-between could plausibly happen too.
I was reading earlier that Democratic Rep. Dennis Kucinich wants President Obama impeached for ordering military action. I also read, too, that some Republicans are questioning the president's authority. I find all that as hogwash. The president, as granted by the War Powers Act, has every authority to order the military into action. Some say the War Powers Act itself is unconstitutional, and it probably is, but it's never been ruled that way by the Supreme Court. Until it is struck down, it's valid.
My disagreement with military action in Libya has nothing to do with liberals or conservatives, or any talking head telling me what to say or think. I oppose it because after 2003 when I cheered war with Iraq and I turned out to be dead wrong, I told myself that I would never blindly follow this country into war again. So here I am with a president I personally know leading us into war with a new Muslim Arab country. I could pretend my Bush-era opposition to military involvement into a country with a leader we don't like never happened just because I like our current president. Nah, I don't think so.
Instead I'm going to stick with a rule I set for myself some years ago. Supporting war from my comfy armchair really isn't patriotic at all. I'm sitting this one out y'all.
Right off the bat, I'll just say it. I don't support military involvement in Libya. There are any number of scenarios that could come from American intervention into what is currently a Libyan civil war. The worst of which would be something that resembles our Glorious triumphs in Iraq. The best, to me, that we can hope for is Gaddafi quits and decides to send his billions in oil money he has stashed away to us to help pay college expenses for every kid in America. Anything in-between could plausibly happen too.
I was reading earlier that Democratic Rep. Dennis Kucinich wants President Obama impeached for ordering military action. I also read, too, that some Republicans are questioning the president's authority. I find all that as hogwash. The president, as granted by the War Powers Act, has every authority to order the military into action. Some say the War Powers Act itself is unconstitutional, and it probably is, but it's never been ruled that way by the Supreme Court. Until it is struck down, it's valid.
My disagreement with military action in Libya has nothing to do with liberals or conservatives, or any talking head telling me what to say or think. I oppose it because after 2003 when I cheered war with Iraq and I turned out to be dead wrong, I told myself that I would never blindly follow this country into war again. So here I am with a president I personally know leading us into war with a new Muslim Arab country. I could pretend my Bush-era opposition to military involvement into a country with a leader we don't like never happened just because I like our current president. Nah, I don't think so.
Instead I'm going to stick with a rule I set for myself some years ago. Supporting war from my comfy armchair really isn't patriotic at all. I'm sitting this one out y'all.
Makes Perfect Sense
The rebels in Libya we are now waging war to help, were also flooding into Iraq in 2006-2007 to fight against us.
Yeah I can't think of any reason why we shouldn't arm these guys and drop our Freedom Bombs to protect them.
Yeah I can't think of any reason why we shouldn't arm these guys and drop our Freedom Bombs to protect them.
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