PRESIDENT OBAMA IS NEITHER A WEAK PRESIDENT NOR A DICTATOR

...Richard “Dick” Cheney…The man that helped lie us into a war.

 

The conservatives and neocons only know how to criticize, while seldom having workable solutions.

 

I find it interesting that when a president purposely avoids being an aggressive militarist, he or she is then labeled by the conservatives as being either, “weak, a wimp or a wuss”. 

When this president made his statement at his West Point commencement address stating that just because the US had the “biggest hammer” in its military tool pouch, it didn’t always mean that every problem around the world needed to be looked at as a “nail”. Obama was of course then immediately labeled as being the “weakest president ever” by the, “war-monger-in-chief”, former VP, Dick Cheney.

The US Military is not always the answer, but apparently the conservatives don’t agree with the president’s current approach.  And when he does use his power, as most presidents do, he’s then called an “imperial president” or a “dictator”….?  So, which is he, a wimp or a dictator?

Before we decide, let’s look at all the current issues going on around the world.

In Syria, those like Senator John McCain want the US to get more involved against the dictator, Assad.  But today, no one really knows who is leading Assad’s opposition forces, so how does the US get involved, and with whom?  Do we really want to support the current, “boots on the ground”, when we don’t know who the constantly changing opposition players are? 

And in Libya, yes, the State department is telling any and all Americans that are still there to get out of that dangerous country.  But is that another country that the neocons want to consider as another “nail”, and for the US to send in the “hammer”? 

According to those such as the conservative columnist, Charles Krauthammer, apparently they do.

As to the Ukraine, I do agree that the US could be more up front in providing more support such as CIA intelligence, night-vision goggles and protective armor.  But with what’s going on between the president and Russia’s Putin, the wrong move by the US could start something we really don’t want to happen.

This US president swore to get America out of its two longest foreign wars, and he has stuck with his word.  But by doing that, he is now being called an “isolationist”.  Krauthammer even said last week, “The isolationism of Obama’s telling is a species not to be found anywhere. Not even Rand Paul would withdraw from everywhere. And even members of Congress’s dovish left have called for sending drones to Nigeria, for God’s sake.”

Now, come on, Krauthammer knows that the drones to Nigeria are not armed drones.  They are surveillance drones for trying to find the 273 kidnapped girls.  They are not for taking out the Muslim radicals.  But, of course, you won’t hear those kind of details from Krauthammer or on Fox News.

The Kraut-man then tries to show some horror by mentioning that 50,000 Syrian civilians have been slaughtered, “unprotected in any way by the United States”.  So is he suggesting that the US should send in the “hammer”?  If that’s what he’s suggesting, I guess he would be fine with starting another trillion-dollar foreign war, not to mention the potential loss of more of America’s finest and even more Syrian civilians.  The conservatives seem to never understand that wars are much easier to start, than they are to finish.  But that is totally irrelevant to most neocon war-lovers.

Krauthammer wrote, “Why is it that everybody is so eager to use military force?” Obama recently and plaintively asked about Ukraine. In reality, nobody is. What actual earthlings are eager for is sending military assistance to Ukraine’s woefully equipped forces.” 

Apparently, the Kraut-man doesn’t think Mr. Putin would be even a little bit upset if President Obama decided to send military assistance into an area next door to Russia.  Obama and his advisors have obviously decided that is nowhere near being an American president’s business.  Plus, we have yet been formally asked for any help.

Just what does anyone think would happen if Putin tried to send military assistance to Cuba or Mexico, or to put his military support anywhere even near America’s back yard?  I don’t think Obama or any American president would be very happy if Russia sent military assistance to any location in either North, or South America.

In addition, as to Syria’s Assad, Krauthammer doesn’t seem to understand what it means when a dictator such as Assad is still being backed by Russia, Iran and the Palestinian Hezbollah.  Plus, so far, the American allies in Europe are not begging the US to get involved with the Ukraine, Syria or Libya.

Krauthammer writes, “What is the world to think when Obama makes the case for a residual force in Afghanistan — “after all the sacrifices we’ve made, we want to preserve the gains that you have helped to win” — and then announce a drawdown of American forces to 10,000, followed by total liquidation within two years on a fixed timetable regardless of circumstances?” 

 

So, just what is Krauthammer’s suggestion?  Well, he doesn’t actually suggest anything.  As usual, all the conservatives do is lay out their criticisms, while seldom offering any workable solutions.

It’s not America’s responsibility to fix Afghanistan, or any other middle-eastern country. And guess what?  They aren’t asking us to.  However, as do most conservatives, Krauthammer seems to forget that we were only supposed to go after Osama bin Laden after he ran off to hide in Afghanistan.  We were not supposed to be there to stay and “fix” an unfixable country.  It’s none of our business as to how Afghanistan is going to be run and it’s definitely time to leave.  It’s already the longest-ever American war.  If the new Afghan president asks for help, we will probably help, but so far, no one is asking.

I’m very happy that we have a thoughtful and careful president that the war lovers such as Dick Cheney and GOP Senator Lindsey Graham think is weak.

I have had enough of presidents such as "Dubya" Bush with his war monger staff of Donald Rumsfeld and Paul Wolfowitz.

Besides, America is a very war-weary nation, and it’s time to move on.

Copyright G.Ater 2014