Before the last American elections, it was a simple choice for the left wing, George W Bush out and the peace loving Barack Obama in and how we celebrated when it came to pass and Bush, the brainless, God fearing warmonger was shuffled off to his Texan ranch and the saintly Obama was now in place to end the wars, stop the torture and close Guantanamo Bay.
Things turned out differently and under his leadership, Guantanamo remains open for business and Obama has not only carried on the Bush doctrine but expanded on it with drone attacks in Pakistan and invading Libya and threatening Iran and Syria with the same which puts the left in a bit of a predicament.
We don't want another period of what Obama is offering but the alternative is Mitt Romney who seems to have a foreign policy that could have been written by the same people who gave us George W, so who should the pacifists and anti-war supporters be hoping finds themselves in the White House after this November's elections?
That Obama has been a disappointment is an understatement, the Nobel peace prize was awarded much in anticipation that he would bring a halt to the murder and mayhem that Bush unleashed but all he has done is pick up the baton and run with it while sounding more articulate while doing so.
American troops are still in Iraq and Afghanistan, the prison in Guantanamo is still there, drone attacks are bringing daily death to Pakistan, Libyans have seen American firepower replace one murderer with a gang of warring factions, Palestinians continue to see their land stolen by Americas ally and the people of Iran and Syria are being maneuvered into position to be the next to feel the shock and awe of America's ongoing mission to impose Democracy by cruise missile.
So do we cheer for the articulate black man with a nice face who has been responsible for continuing the ideology of the man we so despised or the religious fanatic that is making no secret that he will be doing much the same?
Tough choice but it looks as though whoever America chooses this election, it will be more of the same and that should depress not only those of us wishing for a more peaceful World but everyone who has watched a television since 2001 and despaired at just how cheap life is to those in power.
8 comments:
tough commentary lucy. not inaccurate. dont forget that absent the usa and uk the middle east was still very war like. iran and iraq at it many times. kurds and iraq too. skirmishes on the turkey border. afghanistan already was a military dictatorship under al quieda. israel and oil just created a need for the west to be caught up in the mess...
I agree, the Middle East has always been a volatile area and your last sentence explains it all. Without the oil and without Israel we wouldn't give the place half as much attention.
Great post, Lucy. I've been waiting for the imperial choir to weigh in and attack you but they've been strangely silent.
Obama and Romney: what a choice! It's like choosing between Hitler and Stalin.
But few Americans, British, Australians, Canadians, French, etc, will realize that. They are too heavily doped by relentless political indoctrination plus amused by occasional bread and circuses shown on T.V.
Keep up the good work!
Cheers.
no david it is not like hitler or stalin. you are like hitler or stalin, only with zero power.
q
and lucy,
i think my 4, 5, and 6th sentences explain i better...
q
"I've been waiting for the imperial choir to weigh in"
Gosh. What a fascinating little life you must lead. I bet those long winter nights just fly by...
My feeling about Obama is that although it was inevitable that whoever was elected in 2008 would be faced with a bit of a 'hospital pass' and would struggle to turn things around in one 4 year cycle (particularly in the economic sphere), he's still been quite disappointing.
Then again, anyone who expected a genuinely progressive administration hasn't been paying attention... not so much to Obama's rhetoric on the stump, but rather to the past several decades of US history. The machinery of the state doesn't favour reformers or radicals.
If I was in the States I'd still probably vote for Obama rather than for someone who baptises dead atheists (and for other reasons), but that's just me. It's certainly a 'lesser of two evils' choice (as David, with his customary insight, calls it, a choice between 'Hitler or Stalin'. Brilliant).
cheezy,
i prefer a president that doesn't have any oddities, but that eliminates everyone... so as an american i settle for what remains.
under those conditions i try to avoid someone that:
- gives away any advantage america has as a nation
- doesn't understand economics
- considers more government regulation to be the first solution to every problem
- thinks that current americans are responsible for decisions made 100+ years ago (my statue of limitations)
- thinks that the original 10 admendments to the u.s. constitution are, or ever will be, outdated
q
What about favourite characters from 'The Wire'? Does that enter into it? Apparently Obama's is Omar (hey ~ same here!). That would almost make me forgive all those lame appointments to economic advisory and similar roles (Geithner, Summers, Bernanke, Feldstein etc.)... but, more seriously, not quite.
Post a Comment