The Obama Doctrine

In advance of President Obama’s speech tonight on the ongoing involvement of the United States military in the armed rebellion/revolution/civil war in Libya; I still have some questions I am hoping our Nobel Peace Prize winning Commander in Chief might answer.


I have been hoping that President Obama might be a bit clearer in his answers and statements previously but, to my mind, he has only continued to send mixed signals on the situation. Here, for example, are some excerpts from his weekly radio address this past Saturday:

“Our military mission in Libya is clear and focused. Along with our allies and partners, we’re enforcing the mandate of the United Nations Security Council. We’re protecting the Libyan people from Qaddafi’s forces. And we’ve put in place a no fly zone and other measures to prevent further atrocities.”

Well this would be fine and wonderful except; I believe it was the Libyan people who fired the first shots. Make no mistake; this IS an armed uprising against the government as represented by Qaddafi. I am no big fan of Qaddafi (just as I was no big fan of Saddam Hussein) BUT, just who are the people who would replace Qaddafi should this rebellion succeed?

“This military effort is part of our larger strategy to support the Libyan people and hold the Qaddafi regime accountable. Together with the international community, we’re delivering urgent humanitarian assistance. We’re offering support to the Libyan opposition. We’ve frozen tens of billions of dollars of Qaddafi’s assets that can help meet the needs and aspirations of the Libyan people. And every day, the pressure on Qaddafi and his regime is increasing.”

Again; are we enforcing a no fly zone or supporting an armed revolution in a sovereign country? President Obama has said that Qaddafi “must go” and yet our generals say that they have no orders to remove him. So; is President Obama using the “Libyan opposition” to force a regime change in Libya in the name of the United States? After 8 years of George W Bush’s cowboy diplomacy, I certainly didn’t vote for that. Nowhere in any of the president’s statements can I find a rationale that puts the US at imminent risk from Qaddafi or the Libyan government that might give him the legitimacy he needs to exclude Congress from their role in ordering a deployment of the US military.

And so, Mr. President, please tell me if this is how the Obama Administration will continue to conduct foreign policy and; if you feel so inclined, please assure me that you believe that the “Libyan opposition” is led by benevolent “pro-American” folks that we won’t just be helping to “hold accountable” in another 5-10-20 years down the road.

Peace,
Chad (The Left) Shue

Obama's War

Afghanistan Body Count: 03/22/2011
Total Americans Killed: 1,509
Post Obama Inauguration: 879
http://icasualties.org/

“…We will finish the job…” Pres. Barack Obama

----------------------------

Latest Confirmed Casualties:


*Staff Sgt. Eric S. Trueblood, 27, of Alameda, CA died March 10 in Kandahar province, Afghanistan.

*Pfc. Andrew M. Harper, 19, of Maidsville, WV died March 11, in Kandahar province, Afghanistan.

*Cpl. Ian M. Muller, 22, of Danville, VT died March 11 in Helmand province, Afghanistan.

*Sgt. 1st Class Daehan Park, 36, of Watertown, CT died March 12, in Wardak province, Afghanistan.

*Pfc. Arturo E. Rodriguez, 19, of Bellflower, CA died March, 12 in Paktika province, Afghanistan.

*Sgt. Travis M. Tompkins, 31, of Lawton, OK died March 16 in Logar province, Afghanistan.

*Lance Cpl. Christopher S. Meis, 20, of Bennett, CO died March 17 in Helmand province, Afghanistan.

*Cpl. Donald R. Mickler Jr., 29, of Bucyrus, OH died March 19 in Kandahar province, Afghanistan.

*Pfc. Rudy A. Acosta, 19, of Canyon Country, CA died March 19 in Kandahar province, Afghanistan.

*Staff Sgt. Mecolus C. McDaniel, 33, of Fort Hood, TX died March 19 in Khowst province, Afghanistan.

*Staff Sgt. James M. Malachowski, 25, of Westminster, MD died March 20 in Helmand province, Afghanistan.


Peace,
Chad (The Left) Shue

To the Shores of Tripoli

Obviously not satisfied with “inherited” wars, President Obama has taken it upon himself to continue the recent trend among occupants of the White House to commit the United States military into action sans an act of Congress. Unlike George W Bush who insisted he was acting to protect the United States from an imaginary mushroom cloud when he invaded Iraq; Barack Obama has determined that it is now the business of the United States to take sides in a Libyan civil war.


Insisting that “our involvement will be limited to days, not weeks” and repeating the standard presidential proclamation, “force was not our first option”; the president has spent the better part of the last 3 days explaining or defending his position to launch American cruise missiles and deploy American fighter jets to destroy Libyan military bases as well as the compound of Moammar Gadhafi. At this stage, the best we can hope for is that he will draw the line at committing US ground forces into that country.

But I’m not holding my breath…



Peace,
Chad (The Left) Shue

Obama's War

Afghanistan Body Count: 03/11/2011
Total Americans Killed: 1,498
Post Obama Inauguration: 868
http://icasualties.org/

“…We will finish the job…” Pres. Barack Obama

----------------------------

Latest Confirmed Casualties:


*Spc. Rudolph R. Hizon 22, of Los Angeles, CA died Feb. 28, in Logar province, Afghanistan.

*Staff Sgt. Chauncy R. Mays, 25, of Cookville, TX died Feb. 28, in Wardak province, Afghanistan.

*Spc. Christopher G. Stark, 22, of Monett, MO died Feb. 28, in Wardak province, Afghanistan.

*Senior Airman Nicholas J. Alden, 25, of Williamston, SC died March 2 at Frankfurt Airport, Germany.

*Spc. Jason M. Weaver, 22, of Anaheim, CA died March 3 in Kandahar province, Afghanistan.

*Staff Sgt. Mark C. Wells, 31, of San Jose, CA died March 5 in Helmand province, Afghanistan.

*Cpl. Jordan R. Stanton, 20, of Rancho Santa Margarita, CA died March 4 in Helmand province, Afghanistan.

*Pfc. Kalin C. Johnson, 19, of Lexington, SC died March 8 in Kandahar province, Afghanistan.

*Spc. Andrew P. Wade, 22, of Antioch, IL died March 9 in Kunduz province, Afghanistan.

*Cpl. Loren M. Buffalo, 20, of Mountain Pine, AR died March 9 in Kandahar province, Afghanistan.

 
Peace,
Chad (The Left) Shue

And the beat goes on (buddy can you spare some change?)

On the off chance that someone out there still cares; the Hill.com reports today that President Obama has reversed himself yet again and had ordered the re-starting of Military Tribunals for prisoners at GITMO (you know, the place he was going to close within a year of taking office).


According to the Hill:

“President Obama on Monday ordered trials by military commission to resume at Guantánamo Bay.

The move signals another defeat for Obama, who pledged to close the terrorist detention facility in Cuba within one year of taking office….

…Shortly after Obama came to office and announced his goal of closing the facility, the administration suspended new charges in military commissions in Cuba.

But on Monday, Obama directed Secretary of Defense Robert Gates to “issue an order rescinding his prior suspension on the swearing and referring of new charges in the military commissions.””

And in a throwback to the days of GW Bush’s Orwellian logic, Obama’s new Executive Order says this about the release of prisoner’s deemed to pose no threat to our national security:

““If a final determination is made that a detainee no longer constitutes a significant threat to our security, the Executive Order provides that the Secretaries of State and Defense are to identify a suitable transfer location outside the United States, consistent with the national security and foreign policy interests of the United States and applicable law,” the fact sheet said. “As the president has stated before, no Guantánamo detainee will be released into the United States.””

Peace,
Chad (The Left) Shue

Obama's War

Afghanistan Body Count: 03/02/2011
Total Americans Killed: 1,488
Post Obama Inauguration: 858
http://icasualties.org/

“…We will finish the job…” Pres. Barack Obama

----------------------------

Latest Confirmed Casualties:


*Spc. Jonathan A. Pilgeram, 22, of Great Falls, MT died Feb. 17 in Konar province, Afghanistan.

*Sgt. Matthew J. Deyoung, 26, of Talent, OR died Feb. 18 in Helmand province, Afghanistan.

*Staff Sgt. Bradley C. Hart, 25, of Perrysburg, OH died February 17 at Camp Lemonnier, Djibouti, Africa.

*1st Lt. Daren M. Hidalgo, 24, of Waukesha, WI died Feb. 20 in Kandahar province, Afghanistan.

*Sgt. Robert C. Sisson Jr., 29, of Aliquippa, PA died Feb. 21 in Kandahar district, Afghanistan.

*Lance Cpl. Andrew P. Carpenter, 27, of Columbia, TN died Feb. 19 of wounds received Feb. 14 in Helmand province, Afghanistan.

*Cpl. Johnathan W. Taylor, 23, of Homosassa, FL died Feb. 22 in Helmand province, Afghanistan.

*Staff Sgt. Jerome Firtamag, 29, of Pohnpei, Federated States of Micronesia, died Feb. 24 in Pembroke, KY from an illness contracted in Kandahar, Afghanistan on Dec. 1, 2010.

*Spc. Brian Tabada, 21, of Las Vegas, NV died Feb. 27, in Konar province, Afghanistan.

*Sgt. Kristopher J. Gould, 25, of Saginaw, MI died Feb. 27, in Ghazni province, Afghanistan.

*Pfc. David R. Fahey Jr., 23, of Norwalk, CT died Feb. 28, in Kandahar province, Afghanistan.

 
Peace,
Chad (The Left) Shue