Obama plans to close Guantanamo; expand Bagram

[Dean]

Some interesting articles for you liberals who think Obama represents some shift in U.S. foreign policy:

AJE: Obama calls for nuclear-free world (http://english.aljazeera.net/news/europe/2009/04/20094574117841403.html) He's such a peaceful guy! You wouldn't even guess that he is calling 21,000 more troops to Afghanistan. (http://www.sltrib.com/news/ci_12011481)

Wikileaks: Obama's "Enemy Combatant" Policy (http://wikileaks.org/wiki/Obama's_%22enemy_combatant%22_policy:_following_a_ familiar_pattern) - A gloss, including quotes, of his embtrace of Bush's policies

Obama Plans Guantanamo Close, US Trials (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/11/10/obama-plans-guantanamo-cl_n_142593.html) while he expands prison in Afghanistan. (http://www.afghanconflictmonitor.org/2009/02/us-expands-prison-in-afghanistan-.html)

Reuters: Lawyer says Guantanamo abuse worse since Obama (http://www.reuters.com/article/newsOne/idUSTRE51O3TB20090225?sp=true) - Taking time to close down the torture camp? I'm sure the prisoners understand.

AP - Ex-Bush admin official: Many at Gitmo are innocent (http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5ie2Gewi7L3__bSzBds095stmE88QD971FBSO1) - It takes time to reconcile wrongful imprisonment.

Obama Administration Maintains Bush Position on 'Extraordinary Rendition' Lawsuit (http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2009/02/obama-administr.html)

Obama seeks $83bn more for US wars (http://english.aljazeera.net/news/americas/2009/04/200949235722863744.html) - While Robert Gates, that radical liberal appointed by George Bush, proposes US defence cuts. (http://english.aljazeera.net/news/americas/2009/04/20094622828326137.html)

Obama's Foreign Policy Is Very Much A Continuation Of The Bush Policies (http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/04/09/usnews/whispers/main4932324.shtml)

Granma Int'l - Contradictions in U.S. foreign policy (http://www.granma.cu/ingles/2009/april/juev9/16Reflex1-ing.html)

Obama Makes Health Reform Office Official (http://voices.washingtonpost.com/44/2009/04/08/obama_makes_it_formal_for_heal.html?wprss=44) - Obama appoints an office for reformed healthcare. (Didn't he keep saying "reformed healthcare" during the campaign?)


And totally unlike G.W. Bush, he has made spending bill after spending bill, representing a radical shift from Bush's policy of... 'throw money at the problem and make minor changes.'

Yeah, a real LBJ! Wait, he hasn't done shit for the poor, but dedicated money to private contractors.
A read FDR! Wait, no government or social programs to create jobs, just purchases from the private sector? No...
Reagan? He does support trickle down economics..

Maybe JFK - JFK did look like the good guy while he exterminated Vietnamese resistors. And he managed to "support black civil liberties" without any material resolution to the problem. Just like Obama and Muslims - yeah, were not at war with them, we just won't release innocent people jailed for being Muslim. Well, I'd love to see Obama go the way JFK did.

2 Main Points:
-When was the last time a liberal president didn't maintain destructive, heavy-handed foreign policy of his predecessor? Remember Clinton and the Iraqis?
-Obama, seriously? If you support this jackass in part due to any one of his supposed "policy shifts" then you, sir, are an asshole. Either give a shit about the mass slaughter commited by U.S. Imperial aggressors, or don't. But please quit pretending that you care, while you give political and rhetorical support for each and every act of aggression, "so long as they don't mean to kill civilians / oppose the exact same policy when commited by those terrible conservatives!"

[Bud Struggle]

Actually, it may be that Bush was a better President than Obama...At least Bush didn't pretend to be anything else than what he was.

[mykittyhasaboner]

Yes, but we don't judge presidents on their personality or antics. If that was the case, than Obama is one stand up dude. :lol::rolleyes:

Now that I think of it, Bush played the whole populist card too you know, he was just one of the least convincing ones.

[h0m0revolutionary]

History shows us that Democrats aren't the pacifist party at all. It was Kennedy for example who went into Vietnam, using the 'Domino Theory' as justification, you know just incase more countries went "communist"; as he put it; "Burma, Thailand, India, Japan, the Philippines and obviously Laos and Cambodia are among those whose security would be threatened if the Red Tide of Communism overflowed into Vietnam."
(scource: John F. Kennedy. "America's Stakes in Vietnam (http://www.jfklibrary.org/Historical+Resources/Archives/Reference+Desk/Speeches/JFK/JFK+Pre-Pres/1956/002PREPRES12SPEECHES_56JUN01.htm)". Speech to the American Friends of Vietnam, June 1956.)

Just as the Labour Party, when *cough* socialst *cough* were the ones who blockaded Iran, sent troops inot Vietnam, invested in Apatheid etc those who speak most loudly of diplomacy are often hiding behind a facade because war is unpopular.

If Obama was sincere about opposing Gunatanamo Bay he'd have closed it immediately, not 'within 100' days or ahwtever crap he came out with.

[commyrebel]

I don't now why you like to say he is a bad president when he a way better person than bush. Bush was a fascist that hid it by saying its a way to keep freedom. At least Obama fix some stuff Bush did. Also you might want to have a socialist based president if you want the revolution to work.

[Hoxhaist]

Obama's action is slight of hand and disgracefully deceitful but alas what can we expect... :rolleyes:

[Dean]

I don't now why you like to say he is a bad president when he a way better person than bush. Bush was a fascist that hid it by saying its a way to keep freedom. At least Obama fix some stuff Bush did. Also you might want to have a socialist based president if you want the revolution to work.

Could you provide some actual data backing this up? I provided links explaining how many of his policies embrace Bush's, while his primary liberal successes have been media, rather than political successes.

h0m0revolutionary: thanks for that quote from JFK. Now lets go play JFK Reloaded :D

[Dean]

Obama sez:

AJE: No charges over CIA waterboarding (http://english.aljazeera.net/news/americas/2009/04/200941619836194757.html)

Bloomberg: Obama Pledges International Crackdown on Rising Somali Piracy (http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601103&sid=adcfEND0fZgo&refer=us)

Fox: Liberals Angered by Obama's Opposition to Judicial Review for Bagram Detainees (http://www.foxnews.com/politics/first100days/2009/04/16/liberals-angered-obamas-opposition-judicial-review-bagram-detainees/)