Questions for the Obama Administration

Now that we've managed to elect the better of the two candidates for the office of the presidency I, like many Americans, am beginning to ask the hard questions. Questions that I believe President-elect Obama should be accountable to when he takes office. I don't think anyone expects immediate solutions to every problem we face as a nation and as a planet but I hope that the new president and his cabinet make good on their promises to communicate with the American people and act in our best interest. That includes reaching out to the world community non-violently and restoring our tarnished image overseas. This too is in the best interest of Americans as members of a global society.




The following are a set of questions that I intend to put in letter form and send to Barack Obama and Joe Biden:

Dear President-elect Obama:

With all due respect, I'd like to put forth to you some questions regarding issues that I have been grappling with since your election. I would like to say that I voted for you and have, like so many Americans, put my faith and hope in you to finally provide for our country the leadership it's lacked for the eight years of the Bush/Cheney administration.


If you intend to implement an exit strategy out of Iraq, will you be able to honor the promise you made that such a plan would be done over a sixteen month period? If not, how long do you foresee it taking and what are the specifics of your plan? Further, you made comments during your campaign stating that in terms of Pakistan, you would not rule out attacks to "get" Osama Bin Laden. Is this something that you assume you must do or have you sought the counsel of experts on this issue that include non-militarily aligned and government individuals? Will you use every tool and make every effort you can to avoid military strikes against Pakistan? In regard to Afghanistan you've stated that more troops are needed there.


I don't know enough about the minutia of the many problems of the region but I'm concerned that while we think about potentially pulling our troops out of Iraq, we will send as many troops to Afghanistan. If we are unable to stabilize Afghanistan without more military force, how will we do it? And if we do it, will there be a rational, realistic plan to do the work and leave as soon as possible?


Regarding health care. I was rather disappointed to hear very little of substance about healthcare during your campaign. As you know, we as a nation are experiencing a health care crisis unparalleled by any other major power.



This from your website:


Barack Obama will make health insurance affordable and accessible to all:

The Obama-Biden plan provides affordable, accessible health care for all Americans, builds on the existing healthcare system, and uses existing providers, doctors and plans to implement the plan.


Hmmm. The term "builds on the existing healthcare system" sounds not only vague, but somewhat suspicious. Since from my estimation, the so-called healthcare system is a powerful, moneymaking industry with powerful lobbyists in Congress, I don't put much trust in "building on it". This type of talk makes me worried that you will cave in to the healthcare industry; one of the reasons, I believe, we have not been successful at getting a proposal for national health care on the table as even a beginning step. Isn't it about time we challenge that industry by confronting the healthcare issue on a national level for the good of all Americans? I'm not satisfied with your plan. I'm hoping, as you've dared to encourage us to hope, that when the pressing issues of the economy are under control, that you will revisit your concept of what healthcare should look like in the U.S. and begin to draw up a plan that will satisfy the needs of the people instead of the needs of the healthcare industry and the pharmaceutical giants.

And speaking of the economy. I'm currently appalled by how half of the 700 billion dollar bailout money is gone and the economy continues to worsen. Where has the money gone, to whom has it gone and for what reasons, exactly? I know you supported this plan, Mr. Obama, and I hope that when you officially take office on January 20, you will begin to take action to make the financial institutions who received money accountable for their part in the economic demise of our country. And what about Main Street, which was ubiquitously discussed through the part of the presidential campaign when our economy hit rock-bottom? When are the folks on Main Street going to see some relief and how?

And the auto industry is now pandering for money as well. It's a failed industry due to mismanagement, poor planning and short-sightedness. Do we now go and bail an industry that has for decades made a mess of itself and sold countless gas-guzzling SUVs to equally short-sighted, gas-glutton Americans? With the track record the auto industry has, it seems like throwing the people's money at it isn't the solution. In fairness, I realize that you are not yet officially our president and that these issues are needing attention right now. What I'm alluding to is my hope (there's that word again) that once you do become president you will ask the hard questions and take the tough stances that are needed to keep the corporations in check.

Lastly, while I understand this is a very unpopular issue nationally, I'm quite disappointed that both you and Senator Biden are apposed to same-sex marriage. If you hold such a belief because your respective religions dictate that you should, I can respect that. But if what you mean is that you will not lend your support to the legalization of gay marriage, then you are as guilty as the last administration of failing to separate your religious beliefs from what is constitutionally reasonable and sane.

Civil unions, which you say you support, are not the same as marriage; not legally nor symbolically. I urge you to rethink your position and why you take the anti gay marriage stance that you do. It wasn't all that long ago that the idea of black Americans being married was socially unpopular as well. That has changed as should the ban on marriage for GLBT people be changed. It has to begin somewhere and I think the time is now. It should begin with your administration. You represent many things to us and one of them is that you, an African-American have been elected to the highest office of our nation. As an African-American, you should be able to understand the struggle for equal constitutional rights and social acceptance. Your administration has a chance to make history. I hope you take advantage of it.

Sincerely,
The Pagan Sphinx

Pickens vs. Zaproot... Who do you believe?

Is T. Boone Pickens serious about this?

Or is he not?

The (Ugly) Bush Doctrine In Action

Q: What is the name for a policy which constitutes the most efficient means to cause instability in the world, as well as to ensure a continued, as well as increasing, steady stream of devoted and determined recruits into radical terrorist organizations (say, like al Qaeda)?

A: The Bush Doctrine.

Last month's raid by U.S. special forces within Syria's undisputed, internationally recognized borders was but a small tip of a terribly sizable iceberg.

For perhaps a very first time, such an illegal military activity on the part of the U.S. within the ludicrous, broad context of the Global War on Terror(TM) put a bright, glaring and galling spotlight on the Bush Doctrine in action - especially its inherently criminal, destructively arrogant and short-sighted incompetent nature.

Then again, such a raid was not really surprising. For more than two years now, there has been numerous confirmed reports of instances whereby the U.S.-led N.A.T.O. ISAF in Afghanistan have bombed border villages within Pakistan and despite Pakistan's protestations - again, going against every precept of international laws with regards to the sanctity of borders and the sovereignty of nations.

Similarly, there has been numerous rumors, or at least as-yet-to-be fully confirmed reports, concerning secret U.S. "black ops" being run within Iran's borders - also for the better part of two years now, at least.

Well, it would seem that the complete extent of such Bush Doctrine-justified black ops is finally beginning to emerge - and such truth is every bit as outrageous as it is downright ugly (emphasis added):

US military conducts a dozen secret strikes in four years: report

US special forces have conducted about a dozen secret operations against Al-Qaeda and other Islamic militants in Pakistan, Syria and other countries under broad war-waging authority given them by the administration of President George W. Bush (...).

(Unnamed senior US officials) said the authority was contained in a classified order signed by then-defense secretary Donald Rumsfeld in early 2004 with the approval of President Bush.

The order gave the military permission to attack Al-Qaeda and other hostile targets anywhere in the world, even in countries not at war with the United States, without any additional approval (...).

Under this authority, a Navy Seal team raided a suspected Islamic militant compound in the Bajaur region of Pakistan in 2006 (...).

Another raid was conducted by US special forces in Syria last October 26 in cooperation with the Central Intelligence Agency (...).

There is no information about the remaining secret military strikes, but officials made clear the list of targets did not include Iran (...) however, US forces had carried out reconnaissance missions in Iran using other classified directives.

About a dozen additional operations have been canceled in the past four years because they were deemed too risky, too diplomatically explosive or relied on insufficient evidence (...).

Before the 2004 order, the Pentagon needed to get approval for missions on a case-by-case basis, which could take days (...) but Rumsfeld was not satisfied with the status-quo and pressed hard for permission to use military power automatically outside the combat zones of Iraq and Afghanistan (...).

(The) 2004 order identifies 15 to 20 countries, including Syria, Pakistan, Yemen, Saudi Arabia and several other Persian Gulf states, where Al-Qaeda was believed to be operating or had sought sanctuary.

Not the best way to make friends, let alone inspire and spread goodwill, eh?

(Rogue Nation, anyone?)

Ah yes, that is the Bush Doctrine in action without a shadow of a doubt - including the typical landmarks of incompetence-driven arrogance, delusional (and false) moral high ground, and slavish need for expediency.

In other words - this is the exact, same mode of (non)thinking which ended up justifying renditions, indefinite detentions, torture, military commissions and indiscriminate domestic spying.

Indeed - upon closer reading of the Bush Doctrine, we even find the very same contorted and mendacious "double-speak" used in claiming that torture, renditions and indefinite detentions remained respectful of the Geneva Conventions, except this time around with regards to "respecting international laws" and other such quaint ideals. To whit (emphasis added):

(...) For centuries, international law recognized that nations need not suffer an attack before they can lawfully take action to defend themselves against forces that present an imminent danger of attack. Legal scholars and international jurists often conditioned the legitimacy of preemption on the existence of an imminent threat—most often a visible mobilization of armies, navies, and air forces preparing to attack.

We must adapt the concept of imminent threat to the capabilities and objectives of today’s adversaries. Rogue states and terrorists do not seek to attack us using conventional means. They know such attacks would fail. Instead, they rely on acts of terror and, potentially, the use of weapons of mass destruction—weapons that can be easily concealed, delivered covertly, and used without warning.

(...) The greater the threat, the greater is the risk of inaction— and the more compelling the case for taking anticipatory action to defend ourselves, even if uncertainty remains as to the time and place of the enemy’s attack. To forestall or prevent such hostile acts by our adversaries, the United States will, if necessary, act preemptively.

The United States will not use force in all cases to preempt emerging threats, nor should nations use preemption as a pretext for aggression. Yet in an age where the enemies of civilization openly and actively seek the world’s most destructive technologies, the United States cannot remain idle while dangers gather. We will always proceed deliberately, weighing the consequences of our actions.

Translation: we do what we feel needs to be done, and us alone, regardless of the previous thinking about sovereignty and international laws which we still respect. Trust us.

Or: do as we say, not as we do.

Reminds you of many, many other things, no?

But the galling irony, especially in light of such blatant unilateralism, lies with the following "noble" statements of principles in that very same Bush Doctrine (emphasis added):

No doctrine can anticipate every circumstance in which U.S. action—direct or indirect—is warranted. We have finite political, economic, and military resources to meet our global priorities. The United States will approach each case with these strategic principles in mind:

• The United States should invest time and resources into building international relationships and institutions that can help manage local crises when they emerge.
• The United States should be realistic about its ability to help those who are unwilling or unready to help themselves. Where and when people are ready to do their part, we will be willing to move decisively.

To which one can only reply: Afghanistan? Iraq? Pakistan? Syria? And who else?

And to this, one must never fail to remind (lame duck) President George W. Bush of his own words in order to expose his demonstrated shameless hypocrisy in such matters, as in pretty much everything else - to whit:

"We build a world of justice, or we will live in a world of coercion. The magnitude of our shared responsibilities makes our disagreements look so small."

President Bush
Berlin, Germany
May 23, 2002

Justice.

Coercion.

Shared responsibilities.

One can't help but be reminded again of renditions, indefinite detentions, torture, military commissions, using military as police and indiscriminate domestic spying.

All of which, in turn, brings me back to the Q&A at the top of this post.

So thank you, President Bush, for making our world a definitely more dangerous and unstable one for decades henceforth.

May you and your infamous Doctrine be forever condemned and reviled by the present generation and all those to come thereafter.


(Cross-posted from APOV)