Does anyone else find these things a little, well...hypocritical, dangerous, BAD!?
Pres. Obama repeatedly says he just wants to look forward, but then chooses to release Top Secret documents from the Bush administration. These documents talk about various methods of enhanced interrogation techniques that were used after 9/11 and are now considered torture by the current administration-techniques that were used of last resort and only for those the CIA knew had information that could possibly lead to a second 9/11. While the definition of "torture" can be debated, the main question is why were these released? Why would we put this info out there for the terrorists to get? We basically just gave them more info for their training manual. If Pres. Obama was telling the truth, "moving forward" would mean "we no longer torture and that is the end of that." Instead, he makes our national security political. Nice. Apparently he has not yet realized that Bush is no longer in power-he is the President now, why waste time making the last admin. look bad when you have so many other things to worry about???
Besides the issue of hurting our security, what good is our CIA if they are going to be constantly worried about being prosecuted for what they do as part of their JOB? Obama initially said that they were not going to prosecute those that had carried out the techniques, Rahm Emmanuel said that they were not going to prosecute those that drafted the memos either. Today-complete opposite story. Now, there is a possibility that these people will be prosecuted. This is so incredibly disturbing, on so many levels:
1. They released these memos talking about the methods we used, but so far have refused to release the memos that talk about the great intelligence we got from them. VP Cheney has called them out on this and righfully so. I had read somewhere that there were 30+ terrorist attacks that were thwarted as a result of info we got from these interrogations and that 50% of the info we have on Al Qaeda is from these interrogations. What would have happened of there had been another attack on our country? Easy-Pres. Bush would have been blamed for not doing enuf to protect us. Why won't the Obama admin. put this info out? Don't the American people deserve the entire story? Shouldn't we have access to all of the information instead of what was cherry picked by Obama? This is absolutely outrageous!!
2. What about members of Congress who knew about and approved the techniques? Including Nancy Pelosi? Will she be prosecuted? Hmmm...I can guess the answer to that.
3. This type of stuff is exactly what Clinton did-he tied the hands of the CIA behind their back, and as a result, we were not able to prevent 9/11. Do we not learn from history? I said this before, but if the CIA has this constant fear of being prosecuted, they are not going to be able to do their job. Our intelligence is going to be hurt greatly, I truly believe that.
4. For Obama to completely take any of these techniques off the table is a huge mistake! What happens in this scenario (which is extremely realistic)-Intelligence finds out a terrorist got across the border with a WMD-one that could kill thousands of Americans. They know of some of his cohorts that are in Gitmo, and are pretty sure they probably know where this person is going...are you telling me we are going to get info from them by being all sweet and cuddly??? What happens when we have just hours or minutes and need to get information fast. Plain and simple, we are screwed. I am not saying we should torture, but I don't believe the techniques in those memos are torture. Not to mention-do the terrorists abide by the Geneva convention when they have an American prisoner??? Ummm...I don't think so.
Paired with Obama's world "apology" tour and his sucking up to various dictators and tyrants around the world, I believe we are extremely weak right now. Our president looks weak, our country looks weak. Terrorists around the world are celebrating today. He says we lost "moral bearing" using these tactics-isn't just about every policy he has instituted pretty much "non-moral bearing"? How is it that he chooses what ways the US can be "moral"? Oh yeah-only when it makes him look good and Bush (or any Republican for that matter) look bad.
How is it that he is more harsh toward peple like Hannity and Rush than he is toward people like Chavez and the Saudi King? How is it that he allows these dictators to blame us for all of their problems when it is the decisions they have made that have led to their demise? How is it that he can go overseas and talk about how our past is sooo horrible (not any more horrible that the past of any other country, by the way) but refuses to mention all of the tremendous good we have done and continue to do in this world? He says we should be on an equal level to these countries--but we aren't equal!!! They are run by dictators who kill people who don't agree with them! They run drug dealing operations! They take money and food they get for the people and don't actually give it to the people! And many of these dictators-in the last week have laughed at, made a fool of, or have spoken negatively about President Obama. Apparently the sucking up didn't work so much...
How is it that the administration puts out a memo warning law enforcement of the increased chance that right wing extremists (according the media, this would include all of those who attended the tea parties) are a danger, especially those who have fought for our country? With no evidence. None. (Then today-a domestic terrorist is added to the FBI's Most Wanted List-he is a left-winger. )
How is it that NBC has an interview with Janine Garafalo (sp?) who says all those who attended the tea parties are racists who just can't stand that we have a black president. And the interview (Olberman, of course) agreed with her wholeheartedly (again, great example of objective journalism)? NBC/GE is corrupt on soooo many levels and is in the President's pockets.
How is it that the President couldn't even acknowledge the thousands of Americans who are truly concerned about their country-the estimates range from 300,000 to 750,000 people came out that day. Those are not small numbers-and I can guarantee that were millions who would have been at one if they could have. Everyone from the media to Nancy Pelosi to the President dismissed them and even made fun of them. Shameful. Apparently, dissent is only okay if it is against the right.
I am one frustrated American. And while I probably pay too much attention to this stuff, I can't help it. Everyday, there is something that makes my head want to explode. Is he naive? Is the really that liberal? Does he think like Reverend Wright and William Ayers? (Which no one but Fox would cover during the camaign). Apparently so. I just hope people will pay attention and make some smart choices when it comes time to elect our representatives...and our next president. I am scared where we will be if we allow more than 4 years of this.
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