Tuesday, May 11, 2010

Obama's War Drums

The war drums are beating loudly.  An incompetent bomber in Times Square appears to be leading to yet another round of war, death, destruction, maiming, torture and murder.

Clinton: Pakistan Officials ‘Harboring’ Bin Laden

'Consequences' if Pakistan car bomb link - Hillary Clinton 

US Threatens Pakistan Over Times Square Bomb

Of course, we've been bombing Pakistan for a year and a half now.
US Killed 700 Civilians in Pakistan Drone Strikes in 2009


So, if we are going to escalate and prove how tough we are over this sputtering amateur dud of a bomb, we have to do more that just our usual going and killing a few hundred (or a few thousand) innocent civilians in retaliation.

U.S. Urges Action in Pakistan After Failed Bombing


“We are saying, ‘Sorry, if there is a successful attack, we will have to act’ ” within Pakistan, one of the American officials said.

Does 'Sorry' cover murdering innocent people? Apparently so. If only Charlie Manson had figured that out, he could probably be Secretary of State today.

Of course, these post-bomb escalations almost always involve the US trying to use them to do what it had already been trying to do. In this case, its apparently the war-loving Obama's administration's wet dream to have American soldiers on the ground fighting in Pakistan.

That issue has been a source of growing tension between the countries. Pakistani officials, already alarmed by the increase in American drone aircraft attacks against militants in northwestern Pakistan, have been extremely sensitive about any hint that American ground troops could become involved in the fight. And attempts by the United States to increase the presence of Special Operations forces there even in an advisory or training role have been met with great resistance by the Pakistanis.

Of course, on the 'sunday news shows', you can't just declare war.  You also have to say you are going to take rights away from people.  That's the only way to get the approval of such corporate opinion monitors as Tim Russert and Wolf Blitzer.  

Holder Backs a Miranda Limit for Terror Suspects

Be careful not to get whiplash if you are trying to follow along at home.  For in this story the AG is now saying that this incompetent bomber is now part of a complicated plot based in, you guessed it, Pakistan.  Pay no attention to the minor detail that just a few days ago officials were telling us with great certainty that the bomber worked alone.  After all, its obvious to everyone that it took weeks of sophisticated 'terrorist training' for this bomber to try to strap together propane tanks and fireworks.

And of course no mention of how all the domestic spying and torture and video cameras on every corner didn't do a lick of good in preventing this attempt.  Instead, only cries that we must all give up even more of our basic rights as free Americans in order to make sure that this never happens again.

Israel of course can't stand it if they hear other war drums beating and not be beating their own.

Deputy PM: Israel ‘Primed’ for War With Iran


Of course, as time passes, we always start to learn that the previous war drums and war plans weren't all they were cracked up to be.

Pentagon Doubts Grow on McChrystal War Plan


And the wars we've already started keep adding to their running tolls of death, destruction, maiming and murder.

At Least 126 Killed in Attacks Across Iraq


Quick pop quiz.  Point out how the Obama administration sounds any different from Bush.  Doesn't it seem like one could make a 'morphing' video that goes back and forth between SOS Hillary beating the war drums and SOS Rice beating the war drums without, shall we say, a beat being missed between them.


Isn't everyone glad they voted for the candidate that was against the wars in the last election?  The big question is this.  Will the people who oppose these wars, and that's some 70% of the American people according to the pollsters, will they vote Democrat again?  Or will they vote for some real anti-war party further down the ballot?


If you keep voting for people who back and fund and continue the wars, then the wars will continue.

 

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