Barack Obama promised us change. Since implementing his health care plan, I’ve struggled to see any change between this administration and the previous one. Obama has increased troops and the financial commitment to Afghanistan, still has troops in Iraq, has continued the expensive “war” on marijuana, extended the unpatriotic Patriot Act and has done nothing about Guantanamo Bay. Now, he has started a war with Libya without Congressional approval.
In medical school, they have the Hippocratic Oath. In a president’s oath of office, he swears to “preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.” We might start referring to the presidential oath as the Hypocritical Oath. Check out this quote:
“The President does not have power under the Constitution to unilaterally authorize a military attack in a situation that does not involve stopping an actual or imminent threat to the nation.”
That was then-Senator Obama back in 2007, responding in the Boston Globe to a question about under what circumstances a president would have the authority to bomb Iran without first seeking authorization from Congress. How is Libya an actual or imminent threat to us, unless it has something to do with (gasp) oil? Republican Congressman Ron Paul explained on CNN that while it may be a noble gesture, it is unconstitutional.
What is really interesting is that many Democrats have failed to rally behind Obama. Dennis Kucinich, on RT.com, even called it an impeachable offense.Our poor track record in the Middle East should cause us to beware unintended consequences, but here we go opposing Gaddafi when we really aren’t certain whom we are supporting. Never mind the fact that we can’t afford a third war. What’s another billion or two when you are broke? Our elected officials have an easy time spending our money and don’t seem to have a problem sending our brave young soldiers to die even when we aren’t under attack.
It felt like an appropriate time to wear one of my favorite political t-shirts today, one that shows an elephant behind a donkey mask and a donkey behind an elephant mask and asks, "You Call This a Choice?"
I keep expecting Obama to pull off his mask revealing he is actually George W. Bush. Meet the new boss, same as the old boss.
Where is the change?
Considering the timeline - don't you think asking Congress for permission would have taken too long? If we'd waited any longer to institute a no-flight zone, hundred or thousands more Libyans might have been killed by their own government. It was a timeline issue that led the President to start intervening in Libya. The President is handing over full control of the no-flight zone to NATO this week. The Arab League had requested intervention, so the President acted out of concern for the people after Ghaddafi promised to "fight until the last man and woman." It's not a war - it was an issue of protecting human rights. .
ReplyDeleteActually, Holly, asking Congress for permission may have allowed for much-needed discussion of who exactly Obama is supporting. Can you tell me who the Libyan rebels are? Are you comfortable that we might be aiding al Qaeda? And, why is it Obama has made the decision that the Libyans we are bombing should not have a say in their own government?
ReplyDeleteThe Arab League did indeed support a no-fly zone. Did you miss the part where they abruptly withdrew support when we began bombing civilians?
Seriously, Holly, you don't think this is a war? I've always defined war as an armed conflict. How exactly do you define it?
If you believe our new foreign policy should be protecting human rights around the world, tell me why did Obama choose to defend Libya, while choosing to ignore Bahrain? Should we be lobbing bombs into the Congo, Sudan, Yemen, Ivory Coast, Syria, North Korea?