Comments on: Can Obama resist the Pentagon?

By: Two 2009 disappointments: Bono and Obama | Grow Mercy

Two 2009 disappointments: Bono and Obama | Grow Mercy — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 15:27:49 +0000

[...] In an earlier post, I wondered whether Barack Obama could withstand the Pentagon. I’d hoped he could. Turned out he couldn’t. The winnable war language came first, then came rumours of escalation, then the actual ramping up of troops. Then, December 10, he accepted the Nobel Peace Prize. Give him credit for parsing his acceptance speech carefully enough to admit to, if not quite irony, at least a touch of puzzlement. I have no issue with his speech. It was the speech of a reasoned and tactful American president. But the context was more than unfortunate. And invoking Gandhi and King, as he does here, while accepting that the escalation of violence is a way to peace is an egregious bit incoherence. I make this statement mindful of what Martin Luther King said in this same ceremony years ago – "Violence never brings permanent peace. It solves no social problem: it merely creates new and more complicated ones." As someone who stands here as a direct consequence of Dr. King’s life’s work, I am living testimony to the moral force of non-violence. I know there is nothing weak -nothing passive – nothing naïve – in the creed and lives of Gandhi and King. [...]

By: stephen t berg

stephen t berg — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 23:26:23 +0000

Thank you David. Your opinion may be a lonely one, and in the minority. No matter. What matters is that there are still some, like yourself, that hold it.

By: David

David — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 20:20:21 +0000

There is a small Quaker meeting house in my home town. Early on in this conflict, a few bumper stickers and lawn signs began showing up. On these signs are an emblem of a dove and the words … War is not the answer.

I agreed with them then. I agree even more with them now. I say this as an American and a Viet Nam era military veteran though I feel confident that my opinion is no concern of either the President or the Pentagon.

What, then, is the answer?

There is only one. It is a simple answer. However, the antithesis of war is not easily acheived.

By: stephen t berg

stephen t berg — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 23:44:47 +0000

What to do about the Taliban is the overarching question. What won’t work in the long run is war and violence and occupation.

Here’s an article by Sameer Dossani that makes a case for troop withdrawal. http://www.fpif.org/fpiftxt/5658

By: Sam

Sam — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 05:23:30 +0000

I’m with Tom – I don’t think Obama ever intended to “resist the Pentagon” on Afghanistan. He is American after all, serving what he perceives to be the best interests of the Americans. But what should be done about the Taliban? Should they be allowed to foster 9/11 killers? Should they be allowed to prevent women from getting an education?

By: Stephen T Berg

Stephen T Berg — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 13:32:46 +0000

Thanks for your perspective Tom.

By: Tom

Tom — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 07:43:31 +0000

Can Obama stand up to the pentagon? My answer, respectfully is “NO”. The real question is if he ever intended to; which I say he didn’t. This is Obama’s war now. He took the bait from Bush and campaigned on early withdrawal from Iraq to concentrate on Afghanistan. I have great confidence in the Generals and none in Obama to make the best decision. He has made substantial cuts in budget items that are in the long run essential to success, and those cuts are a drop in the bucket to the economy as a whole. He and Rahm want a national draft because they want to socialize the entire government which is command and or war time economy ( central planning). This is the “Progressive” solution. Funny it is the same as the Bush solution but Obama can’t trust it for reelection.