By Arthur Piccolo
News Americas, NEW YORK, NY, Fri. April 29, 2011: Well well well ……
If there is one thing we all know Barack Obama has said it is that we are getting OUT of Iraq. He made it crystal clear during his campaign for President, disavowing George Bush’s invasion and occupation. Again and again and then a thousand times again.
Then as President Barack Obama reaffirmed again and again we are LEAVING Iraq!
Well another weekly SURPRISE from the President whose pants seems always to be on fire. The United States is now “considering” leaving a military force on the ground in Iraq for an indefinite period rather than vacating Iraq completely by the end of 2011.
Now Obama has not said that will happen and if we hold his feet not his pants to the fire it may not. But so far the signs are ominous when he allows his Secretary of Defense to say very publicly in recent weeks the U.S. may “need” to leave thousands of U.S. troops in Iraq just in case. Just in case of what??
Just in case anyone might begin to think the U.S. is no longer an imperialist colonizer in the “great” traditions of the past.
Just in case someone may decide with all those troops out of Iraq we can cut the military budget further.
Just in case those in the Middle East might think they are not still under the thumb of U.S. power.
Just in case there might be any hint that Iraq will display true
independence.
Just in case the U.S. decides to bomb Iran back to the stone ages.
And just in case Israeli officials might get miffed if we show any kind of balance in the Middle East.
Yes just in case ….
Yes President Obama the great “compromiser” has yet to meet any issue he will not compromise principle or his own positions if he thinks it serves some useful purpose for keeping him in the ultimate FUN house The White House.
Let’s cover old territory once again.
Barack Obama has one and only one agenda to keep the job and all the unbelievable perks. He will do whatever is required to win the next election in 2012. Whether it means raising obscene amounts of money even $1 BILLION and doing more than anyone before him to destroy any kind of useful campaign financing restrictions – or contradicting himself on Iraq or anything else.
So where does Iraq fit in this damaged picture. Obama has concluded logically if painfully for many of us that he can do almost anything and nothing will have Democrats and Democratic leaning independents abandoning him for any Republican let alone a complete fraud like Donald Trump or one of the Tea Party whackos. Or even the zombie Mitt Romney.
But still Barack can’t feel safe enough. Until he officially wins reelection there is the Black Swan option that somehow to everyone’s surprise he loses the election. And yes use of Air Force One. Therefore Barack Obama cannot court too many votes.
So what can he do that will make some Republicans at least mildly happy with him or not as annoyed? Prove to them he really is a military loving, imperialist leaning colonialist President like those “great” Republican icons from the past like Ronald Reagan.
What Obama can do is send a STRONG signal about his true beliefs by keeping troops in Iraq to protect yes of course freedom and democracy and the good OLD American Way in the Middle East and most of all protect the oil sorry and most of all let all those God forsaken Muslim fanatics (all Muslims) know President Obama is a True Crusader who Republicans may not love but they need not go to the wall to defeat him either.
That Barack Obama is not such a Bad Guy Democrat if he is willing to throw around American military power with abandon and mindlessly in the best Republican tradition and if he is willing to sacrifice truth on the altar of expedience again in the best Republican tradition. And prove he will give it in the back to Democrats especially progressive Democrats to win a few Republican votes.
Yes a Democrat Republicans can wait until his second term ends in 2016 before lusting after The White House.
Now wait a minute Mr. I’m No Fan Of Barack Obama ….
President Obama has absolutely not said he will keep American troops on the ground in Iraq past their planned departure date by
the end of 2011. No he has not. And he has not told his Defense Secretary and others to stop talking about the possibility of leaving troops in Iraq indefinitely if not in fact permanently because he Barack Obama has already stated his position clearly that ALL American troops are leaving. Barack Obama’s silence may be golden (sic) for him but the rest of us are left to watch his pants on fire.
Arthur Piccolo is a professional writer and commentator and often writes about Latin America for New Americas.
