President Obama is set to address the nation tomorrow (Wednesday) at 8pm with a speech expected to specifically outline a troop withdrawal from Afghanistan. It seems oddly ironic he will be outlining a withdrawal from a congressionally approved conflict while simultaneously advancing his personal ‘war by fiat’ in Libya. One president followed the constitution and requested congressional authority to engage the enemy in Afghanistan. Another president defied the constitution and began an offensive war, by arbitrary personal choice, against Moamar Qadhafi in Libya without any consideration for the legal restrictions on his capacity to do so.
The first President took measure of his military advisors, dispatched his U.N. Ambassador to engage in round the clock negotiations, coalition building, and 11 security council resolutions of support for his intention. He consulted with Generals within the military, presented intelligence information to identify the enemy, met with his National Security Team, then consulted congressional leadership and requested permission to address the entire congress and the nation. He rightfully presented himself and his administration before congress and explained our vital interests to hunt down the forces of al-Qaeda operatives who had engaged in terroristic attacks against the United States mainland in New York, Washington DC, and Pennsylvania. He explained the goals, explained the risks, and asked not only congress but also the American people for permission to act. Permission was granted.
But he was called a war mongerer by some and even burned in effigy by others. The media showed the disdain from the minority 24/7 on national news.
The second President chose to ignore an outbreak of violence in Libya for 19 days. He was begged to engage himself by leaders from France, The United Kingdom, and Italy. He personally ignored their requests and instead chose to dispatch the Secretary of State to europe to address their concerns. For 11 days American citizens, including embassy officials, were trying to evacuate the country as vast swathes of the country erupted in bloodshed and violence, they became trapped in Tripoli. A bloody national revolution was underway.
The United Nations Security Council held urgent immediate emergency meetings to try to determine what to do. The United States Ambassador to those meetings was not present. The United Nations chose to place monetary restrictions on Qadhafi and try to cut of his funding sources for war. The United Nations charged the Libyan regime with high crimes against its citizenry and a resolution to bring charges in the International Criminal Court (ICC) against the entire Qadhafi family. Again, the United States UN ambassador (Susan Rice) was not present. Instead the U.S. Obama administration preferred to keep Susan Rice in Africa at a global climate change conference discussing, among other things, the contribution of bovine flatulence to planetary warming. Thousands of Libyans dead now.
Where’s Waldo became the media joke for Obama’s absence.
Obama was golfing. Someone tapped him on the shoulder and said “err, hey boss, this ain’t looking so good“. So, after 19 days of bloodshed and violence, and after the first botched attempt at rescuing Americans was finally replaced with successful rescue, Obama spoke.
Previous to, simultaneous with, and following his statements, his words were contradictory with the Secretary of State. For over two weeks the American people joined with their European cousins in trying to figure out exactly what was the intended direction by President Obama. Thousands more Libyans dead now.
Finally a fuzzy clouded picture became clearer. Three sets of dry cleaned slacks took charge. Susan Rice, Hillary Clinton, and Samantha Power pulled him off the golf course, got his attention, and demanded war against Libya. The golfer was hesitant, but the pants explained it was making him look bad. “Optics”, Yikes, that matters. 36 hours later the military was en-route. Then when the media leaks began someone said “Wait, can he do that“? “All on his own and stuff“? Alphabet channel faces bumped into each other in the latte line and asked “should we talk about this“? Hence, a question was raised to the golfers press secretary. The next day, with less than an hour and a half before the missiles fired, the golfer put down his clubs and told someone. Six members of House and Senate leadership were told ten minutes before a press conference to announce the “plan of the pants”.
Three months, a naval fleet, 3,000 marines, one Billion dollars, and 450 cruise missiles later the golfer has yet to ask for permission to engage in his offensive war from anyone but himself and the ‘club of the traveling pants’. Despite the Office of Legal Council (the golfers own legal team) telling him approval is needed, he chooses to violate the War Powers Act and more importantly the Constitution.
The response from the media, journalists, or self-appointed liberal government watchdogs who burned the first President in effigy.? NOTHING.
Maybe that’s what the first President did wrong. He actually followed the law, respected the people and asked for permission. Progressives hate that. The second guy ignored the law, scoffed at the people, and chose be selfish. Progressives love that.
