How often will we continue to give this President the benefit of the doubt? Simply because he is better than the alternatives we had is not enough to declare unending fealty. I for one cannot simply ignore his recent policy reversals.
Did he promise to get out of Iraq on Day One? No. Did he promise to end the war? Yes. How is his plan different from McCain's? He plans to leave a residual force in Iraq in perpetuity.
The Afghanistan war; Al Queda is not present there. The leadership may be on the border of Afghanistan/Pakistan but if we knew for certain where they were they would be captured of dead right now. How does fighting the Taliban justify over 100,000 troops for an undetermined length of time?
Frankly war was not justified against Afghanistan not for the criminal act of a few Saudis. Our occupation is certainly not justified now, nor is bombing Pakistan on a now regular basis.
The President told us about Afghanistan though. He did not accurately relate his opinions about Bush's military tribunals. In fact, he led us to believe that Bush's policy was harmful to national security. Mr. Obama said, "a flawed military commission system that has failed to convict anyone of a terrorist act since the 9/11 attacks and that has been embroiled in legal challenges."
Explain to the American people, sir, why terrorists cannot receive justice under Article III courts? Is our legal system inadequate to protect us from terrorists? Why do we need a special military tribunal to try these guys?
The truth today is the truth yesterday...we need military tribunals to falsely imprison persons whom the evidence will not convict. God forbid we let such people go as we have determined without a trial that they are guilty.
I am tired of defending this President for such hideous decisions. His continued actions regarding Iraq and Afghanistan, his rhetoric regarding torture, and now the military tribunal reversal is just one straw too many. At some point we have to consider that we all have been duped.
I am just a "crazy" liberal though. That is what the media says regarding many of these reversals. "The President will sure face some fire from liberals..." as though being liberal is the only reason I care about torture, illegal aggression, giving the bankers a trillion dollars...
Enough.
We cannot give the President our unwavering political support as he continues to this course of action. At some point we have to say, "hey wait a second. You're beginning to look like the last guy we so gratefully got rid of." This whole ordeal reminds me of Animal Farm. In the end it was hard to tell the Pigs and the Humans apart.
I'll end with this quote:
in a statement late Thursday, Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., called Obama's decision to revamp and restart the tribunals a step toward strengthening U.S. detention policies that have been derided worldwide.
"I continue to believe it is in our own national security interests to separate ourselves from the past problems of Guantanamo," said Graham, who has been working with the administration on issues related to detainees. "I agree with the president and our military commanders that now is the time to start over and strengthen our detention policies. I applaud the president's actions today."