Obama's 'Seven Days in May' Moment

[autorank]

The entitled right wing war mongers think that they have perpetual rights to do whatever they want.

They think that there's actually a reason and the money to continue overseas.

They act like there was no election.

Obama's 'Seven Days in May' Moment -- Robert Parry

Only one month into his presidency, Barack Obama is finding himself confronting not only George W. Bush’s left-behind
crises but an array of influential enemies in the military, financial circles, the political world and the media –
determined to thwart Obama’s agenda for “change.”

Though Obama has maintained his trademark equanimity in the face of this resistance, he appears to be sensing the rising
tide of dangers around him. After his failed gestures of bipartisanship on the economic stimulus bill, he pointedly took
his case to the country in campaign-style town meetings. SNIP

And the defenders of the Bush administration are gearing up for a full-scale political war if Obama’s Justice Department
moves forward on criminal investigations relating to Bush’s authorization of torture and other crimes committed under
the umbrella of the “war on terror.” http://smirkingchimp.com/comment/reply/20400

[knowbody0]

1. good read

me thinks that Obama understands what he is up against and that he will soon expose to the nation the ludicrous mentality of the military machine we support blindly with a false knowing they keep us safe

I like some of the solutions responding to the article.

[autorank]

4. He's surfing the wild waves

I can't even imagine dealing with all of these narcissistic goof balls. They're totally exposed as total failures
but they're fighting like there's no tomorrow, which there isn't for them.

[bertman]

7. I disagree, autorank. There is a tomorrow for these military types. But it's with less

power and influence than they want. The military is not going to go away or diminish significantly no matter what President Obama does in four or eight years.

This is the modern equivalent of the crossing of the Rubicon. Petraus and Odierno are quite literally challenging the President--and openly in the media--to put them in their place. If he does not do it now, President Obama will lose any ability whatsoever to control them.

I'm hoping that there are many career military officers who will support our President no matter what the reich-wingers want us to think. But, only time will tell.

[ihavenobias]

2. Interesting.

Thanks for posting this!

K & R

[NRaleighLiberal]

3. Stay strong, President Obama. You have most of the country behind you.

Never have we needed intellect, resolve and leadership as much as we need it now.

[autorank]

5. You said the magic word - "intellect" -

That's what will transform Obama into a fierce advocate for the people. He's smart enough to figure out that
these back stabbers are out to get him, big time. He's going to turn the ship and fire a broadside pretty soon
I expect. And he gave them a chance (well not really) but most think he did with this bipartisanship.

[alfredo]

11. Remember Obama cut his teeth in the tough world of Chicago politics.

I think he's tough enough for the job ahead of him.

[autorank]

13. That's the encouraging part

And that came out dealing with those generals. He'll need all of the classic moves plus some new ones.
These bums are going to really mess with him and he's really not approached an agenda that's radical.

They're just bitter that they don't get everything. What they don't know iw that those who do not live on
government doles are really freaked out and not at all interested in any imperialist talk or actions, not even
a little bit.

Big stuff happening.

:hi:

[alfredo]

15. War justifies their existence.

[autorank]

20. And hate justifies their wars ...

That hate is manufactured out of fake news that generates fear that otherwise would not be there; just like their
economy based on fake news about nonexistent "financial" products that were never there. Quite a crew.

[alfredo]

29. When I get those false e-mails about one group (blacks, Muslims etc)

I ask them why are they pitting one American against another. If they are overt Christians, I ask them if Jesus would sanction such hate. I also ask them why their leaders are lying to them. do they think you are stupid or too lazy to fact check such e-mails?

[autorank]

33. Bet you don't get man responses

Right off the list, I'll bet. I got one from "missionaries" in Kenya during the campaign. What a load and I told them
so. No more emails. If they'd been honest, they would have said, "Of course we think our readers are to lazy ... etc.."
But they lost. That trash is finito as an influencer of majorities. It will work for an increasingly smaller set of
people as times get worse. In fact, those who bought into the specific lies about Obama or the general lies about how
things are will turn on their sources en masse in total fury as the economic calamity expands.

[alfredo]

36. Very few. They don't like it when you pick their arguments apart, and

show resources backing up your argument.

[me b zola]

6. K&R

It was particularly disturbing to watch the media this past week close ranks and join in the war against Obama. That stagecraft that cnbc pulled off on the market floor was despicable and the other cable station's promotion of it and the manner in which they are attempting to shape public opinion. I don't believe for a minute that their emails are overwhelmingly against the housing reform plan that Pres Obama unveiled. They are full of shit. They are propagandists.

[wildbilln864]

8. Great post! Thank you. nt

[Me.]

9. Who Is On His A-List Of Powerful Friends?

Obama. while magnificently gifted, did not get to the WH by himself. It was and is a stunning achievement and he had to have help. Behind the scenes, out of sight, I would venture to guess they are still there, still determined to push the country in a different direction. Petreaus has been playing in the Bush leagues up to now, only he doesn't realize that it was the incompetence of the former occupants of the WH that led to his ascendancy. Further, he doesn't realize how much damage the former admin, in their zeal, has done. Petreus and the rest of the military are in as much denial as Wall street. We don't have the money for profligate military spending any more. Also, with his new budget, Obama has issued a shot across the bows.

[autorank]

30. "Petreaus has been playing in the Bush leagues"

That is wonderful ... the Bush leagues is the perfect characterization for any of the old guard. They're just "Bush
league" across the board.

Obama's powerful friends don't manufacture weapons or own "security companies" like Blackwater. That's my specific
concern, the violent nature and history of the Bush league crew. They have no respect fo any rules. And apparently,
Petraeus and Odniero are not even aware of reality her or in Iraq.

Obama has to keep firing back and then consolidate power and turn the wnetire financial and economic system upside down.
That's the end state that allows us to truly move forward.

[MinM]

31. Obama's powerful friends don't manufacture weapons or own "security companies"...

Or the megaphone to stir the shitstorm:

Fox News "War Games" the Coming Civil War

http://www.salon.com/opinion/greenwald/2009/02/22/militias/

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=103x427050

[Me.]

35. The Weapons People Had It All Going On As Long As Cheney Was In Charge

Now, not so much. Also there are people in the military who are going to put up with the Rambos of this world. Case in point, the missing nukes incident.

[Usrename]

10. Clowns to the Left of Me, Jokers to the Right

:hi:

[autorank]

12. Take another piece of my heart;)

:hi:

[bridgit]

14. Well there he is right there: Rick Santelli, my nominee for boot-licking RW toadie of the month...

The latest *don't bother raising your heart rate* non-news of the week. The rest is just what republicans do, right? Hobble the Dem president? Feel a bit sad for people that thought Barack could wave his Obama-wand, shoot a few 3pt shots and it would all be different. They did it to Clinton, they did it to Carter, they did it with extreme prejudice to JFK...it's what republicans do cause they know their issues are not palatable to Americans without rank usurpation and subterfuge of image and process enter the toadies, or to quote Limbaugh from another thread I did not BkMk...nope here it is after all and thanks to kentuck,

<snip>

RL: This is... it's about power, it's about control. These people genuinely look out over this country from their lofty perches. They don't like what they see. Otherwise...


Caller: So they can go somewhere else! Like, I don't understand, why do they have to stay here? Like, leave us alone!

RL: At this point, at this point Gretchen, I don't care about the why. They're not going to leave. They're trying to control it. At this point, the only thing is they must be stopped!

Caller: I agree...

RL: Within the confines of our Constitution, and the political arena of ideas, they must be stopped. I don't care why they see this country the way they see it. I don't care why a murderer does it. I don't care why a rapist does it. I don't care why this Muslim guy offed his wife's head. The NOW gang is out there saying 'oh, that's not domestic violence, that's just, uh, that's just...' what do they call it? 'Culturally honor killing. Or this woman was going to divorce him, that's against the law. That's his diversity.' I don't care, I don't care why anymore. If I figure it out, I'll be glad to tell you because it's interesting to know, but it doesn't matter in terms of defeating them.

Listen: (click on link and media player)

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=5111176&mesg_id=5111176

republican monster shouters like Limbaugh & Santelli are telling us to our faces what their plans really are. It is to our detriment we think them too unbalanced to listen for ourselves

[bleever]

16. I love it when you're right.

Not just about what is, but about what's pretty much gotta happen, as a consequence.

:thumbsup:

[autorank]

21. Generals' anxiety

A great general knows when to surrender, leave the field of battle.

Their time is up, they're free to move about, there was no storming of the Bastille.

They need to buy a vowel;)

:hi:

[stellanoir]

17. They pompously and audaciously

are far beyond public servititude.

Ughhh.

How come I'm brattily always the 13th rec. . .?

[autorank]

18. They can "servitude' some hard time if they keep this up.

It's really outrageous.

They don't get it. Obama won the election. That means he's president. They don't get to make foreign policy. They
don't get to intimidate or threaten, they don't get to screw up everything again. They ruined the country. Nobody
likes them anymore. If they try a coup, people will just ignore them. They should be grateful they're not all in
hand cuffs.

[scarletwoman]

19. k&r He better show who's top dog and quick. Otherwise that pack of curs are going to drag him down

and rip him to shreds.

This is getting scary.

sw

[autorank]

22. This will help

He's already showing them but doing it low key.

http://www.apj.us/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2211&Itemid=2

[scarletwoman]

24. That article is from Feb. 9. Hasn't Obama announced he's sending 17,000 more troops to Afghanistan

since then?

sw

[autorank]

38. From a 'game theory' point of view

He'd already said he was sending troops. There were stories of 20-30 thousand troops. But in the TimesOnline
article administration sources trashed the Army's plan:

"PRESIDENT Barack Obama has demanded that American defence chiefs review their strategy in Afghanistan before going ahead with a troop surge.

There is concern among senior Democrats that the military is preparing to send up to 30,000 extra troops without a coherent plan or exit strategy

"There is concern among senior Democrats that the military is preparing to send up to 30,000 extra troops without a coherent plan or exit strategy.

"Obama promised extra 7,000-10,000 troops during the election campaign but the military has inflated its demands. Leading Democrats fear Afghanistan could become Obama's 'Vietnam quagmire'."

TimesOnline (London) http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/us_and_americas/article5683681.ece

This is some serious criticism of the military.

So the troops go, about half of what the military wants AND it's Obama's Afghanistan adventure. The Army is going
to gripe but what will they say when two guys with shovels dig uip the dead bin Laden ... poof! Immediate exit
strategy because that's the only reason Obama said we should be there in the first place. Let's assume bin Laden
is dead (safe assumption) and that Obama knows it. All he has to do is find the body. We won't hear anything
out of the uncooperative military leaders again (other than invoking their 5th amendment rigts;)

I think any troops in Afghanistan is a very bad idea. But I don't have a bunch of NWO, neo fascists breathing down
my throat. I think Obama's doing as well we he can, which in this case is pretty good.

[scarletwoman]

39. I like your "dig up bin Laden's body" scenario. Do you think Obama has enough allies

in the Intelligence sector to pull that off?

What I'm worried about is that he's surrounded by nothing but enemies in the Shadow Government.

Thanks for replying.

sw

[autorank]

41. Yes, I think he's got the goods

There are enough very unhappy intel people to run that story down and nail it. If there's a body then he owns
everybody involved over the past 8 years, which may be embarrassing to certain cabinet members. But, hey, who
knows, maybe Gates is his source. One thing he could do is have an objective look at that pre election 2004
tape from bin Laden. What a crock that was. In our manufactured news world here, it's just assumed that bin Laden
is alive. That's not the case elsewhere. What a mind blower!

The Shadow Government has been the government. Like JFK, Obama is an outsider. I don't know if he has enough
allies. I do believe that he's a lot smarter than the Bush-Cheney crowd and that he'll prevail somehow. The
key is giving Jane & John Q Citizen what they want -- the damn truth for a change.

Thanks for asking :hi:

[stellanoir]

23. Don't worry

He is centered. Their old tricks are waning. The collective consciousness is no longer tolerent of being lied to.

Their gig is up.

Cheers.

[scarletwoman]

25. Thank you. I hope you are right. But the Dark Side is fighting back with a vengeance right now.

And I think it's only going to get worse. This is a very dangerous time.

sw

[formercia]

26. The Fifth Column.

Junior's stay-behinds. BTW, Maine needs a new US Attorney.

[DemReadingDU]

27. Adversaries want him to be a one-term President

Of course there are many people who want the Republicans back in control. They will say and do anything to hamper Obama's plans. But this country needs Obama's intellect to lead us thru all the upcoming turmoil.

[autorank]

32. The opposition is not quite foaming at the mouth but they will be

They become truly frightening when they're truly frightened. I don't think that they got the message, they lost.
They're out of power, they can be prosecuted, etc.

When that sinks in we'll see their real bag of tricks open up, but it should be too late1

[Me.]

28. K

[Kurovski]

34. "...the U.S. news media continues to tilt to the Right."

Then how is it a big Commie like you is going to be the next editor of The New York Post?

Additionally, I heard that Marlo Thomas' husband will be heading up NewsCorp.

So what's the problem here? :shrug:

I think Obama should be tougher, just on principle. If he's just being shrewd--as some believe--I'm not yet convinced.


The theory that President Obama is giving concessions to 'Publicans in the stim bill so as to have some Pubs on his side when issues of health care come up seems just plain silly. Given the fact that only three voted for the Stimulus, it doesn't seem that the folks who claim to fear what they call "socialized medicine" will be helping out.

They are only interested in undermining Obama...and then lying about it.

It's possible that Obama is being a political genius about all this. He's certainly buying some good will from all sides with the bi-partisan attempts, but at some point if he is undermined and things get even worse, then those same people are going to buy into the Repub spin and start tilting back toward their side of the aisle if only out of desperation.

[autorank]

37. You impress me more and more each encounter!

Where did you get that tid bit about the New York Post. Before Rupert the Awful, when I was in NYC, the Post was my
favorite paper. Easy to read on the subway, short well written articles, and none of that elitist NYT crap. Phil
called the other day (this is off the record) and said, "What do you want?" That was easy, to live in NYC and be the
titular head of the Post. I'll get someone qualified to do the real work. In the mean time, I'll do my best to get on
Page 6 and be scandalous. In fact, Page 6 is yours if you want it.

Obama is hard to read. I think he's into the "long game" with strategy (meaning months, not years). These guys are
playing his game. He makes nice and they put out male hysterics like Graham to represent them. What a PR team, an OXY junkie and a fake conservative (Graham knows better). We just have to wait (and hope we're right) that
the hammer will come down. I'm pretty sure that's the plan.

These folks forgot to look at the election returns and they certainly don't know the economy. "Tax Cuts" - what a
battle cry for a depression.

:) It's nice to be nice. I like everybody.:)

[Kurovski]

40. It sure is!

I LOVE everybody. Just like Jesus suggests!

I'll even be fine when Boehner releases me from our current dalliance in forbidden love. I'll still love him, that dear orange Juliet to my dearer, queer-er Romeo.

Page six? I'll take it--especially if it lifts me from my deepening pit of penury!
'Yer a pal!