Although Candidate Obama recognized that the Iraq War “should never have been authorized and never been waged,” President Obama has learned to speak a language more fitting to the head of the Empire.
Now, Obama praises the war as an honorable fight “against tyranny and disorder” – “a precious opportunity to the people of Iraq.”
And here is Obama’s “withdrawal” plan: He will remove “combat brigades” over the next 18 months, but leave a “residual force” of 35,000 to 50,000 troops for the purposes of “training, equipping and advising” as well as “targeted counter-terrorism missions.”
And he said nothing about the withdrawal of over 100,000 private contractors and mercenaries now in Iraq.
More: Jeremy Scahill thinks Obama’s Iraq Speech Deserves a Second Look, and Medialens analyzes the new President’s Generic Invader Nonsense.
Pre-Migration to WordPress comments:
On March 10, 2009 Chirpy Ken said:
isn’t it possible that President Obama is doing what has to be done? that he is not bigger than the stage itself, but perhaps the right man to be front and center? this is not a person who craves war or conquest or has any imperial delusions about g-d or otherwise. he is a gifted thinker, and he is at the helm of our fucked ship– it takes muscle, time and wits to steer out of an ocean of shit. Placid water is fleeting and rare, if not entirely illusory. he beholds his world not with jesus magic, not with radical and loud emotions. this is a knot of chaos that cannot be instantly redeemed.
i would imagine that Mr. Rosencrantz is a very informed and principled person, and greatly appreciate his perspective (and photoshop skillz– props on the halo/seals), but I wonder exactly what he would do differently than the president– the complete and instant withdrawal of forces from all foreign land? Sounds great! Or, needless to say, the immediate cessation of attacks and civilian risk? That sounds like a black and white reaction to million shades of gray. After listening to the president, I am holding fast to the wherewithal he has demonstrated so well. I have put my trust in him because his discipline is unsurpassed. He is playing the part, but he is changing the part as well. I do not presume to repudiate the man who inherits ashes.
On March 11, 2009 Big Cat Mahoney said:
Holy Shit, someone actually commented on one of Rosencrantz’s blogs! Way to go Chirpy Ken – you have truly distinguished yourself from all of humanity. You actually have the intellectual depth to read The World’s Got Problems, to think about what is expressed here and to post a comment. Unbe-freaking-lievable! You can’t possibly be a U.S. American … let me guess, Canada? Britain? Rising out of the shit like a flower, a bellweather among the sheeple, you have given us all just a little something to believe in, today. All hail, Chirpy Ken – no idiot.
Oh and regards Crantz: of course he’s informed and principled, but more importantly he is unpartisan in sincerely archiving the blatant hypocrisy of the US evildoer known as “the politician”. Lobbyists, corporations and a system of disgusting compromises have made tis a country of the corporation, by the corporation, and for the corporation. Obama’s as Bil Clinton said, “an empty suit” and one whole sleeve is filled with corn money from the Heartland. He’s a guy who will identify with Israel to please AIPAC, and say he’s “willing to go to war with Pakistan” … this political drivel isn’t real change. real change is going to take a lot more than cosmetic hope-cream, ya dig?
Rosencrantz helps those of us with the truly longview here: to demilitarize, educate, reform and redesign the USA into admitting how fucked it really is and has been and try to get it off the idiotic, wasteful, abusive, arrogant, near-fascist, Globalist-jackass agenda it has been marching on since at least WWII.
The USA sucks. it sucks more water, energy, oil and etc. than anyone else anywhere by a long shot – China hasn’t surpassed it yet. It’s people are undereducated and have the uniquely stupid quality of being ignorant and yet arrogant! And still these US American jackasses act like they are the “greatest country in the world”. What a fucking joke. Criminal. founded on genocide. the mercenary killers of the world – actively conducting covert ops every-fucking-where for its own agenda. The USA sucks. Obama’s not so different, pal. but keep those comments coming. good boy. well-trained in the propaganda.