What Obama Is Up Against

[Octafish]

A bit o' history:



PDF of article in graphic above.

And an excellent reminder of the current day from the author of Family of Secrets -- The Bush Dynasty, the Powerful Forces That Put It in the White House, and What Their Influence Means for America.

What Obama Is Up Against

Monday 02 November 2009
by: Russ Baker
t r u t h o u t | News Analysis

The first anniversary of Barack Obama's historic election finds many of his supporters already grousing. Fair enough: Obama has been more vigorous in some areas than others. But one essential question goes unasked: How much can any president accomplish against the wishes of recalcitrant power centers within his own government?

SNIP...

The internal battles between American presidents and their national security establishments are not much reported. But if it is an invisible game; it is also a devious and even deadly one. Our civilian leaders end up mirroring the chronically nervous chiefs of state of the fragile democracies to our south.

Those who do not kowtow to the spies and generals have had a bumpy ride. FDR and Truman both faced insubordination. Dwight Eisenhower, who had served as chief of staff of the US Army, left the White House warning darkly about the "military industrial complex." (He of all presidents had reasons to know.) John Kennedy was repeatedly countermanded and double-crossed by his own supposed subordinates. The Joint Chiefs baited him; Allen Dulles despised him (more so after JFK fired him over the Bay of Pigs fiasco), and Henry Cabot Lodge, his ambassador to South Vietnam, deliberately undermined Kennedy's agenda. Kennedy called the trigger-happy generals "mad" and spoke angrily to aides of "scattering the CIA to the wind." The evidence is growing that he suffered the consequences.

SNIP...

In December 1971, Nixon learned of a military spy ring, the so-called Moorer-Radford operation, that was piping White House documents back to the Joint Chiefs of Staff. The Chiefs were wary of secret negotiations the president and Henry Kissinger were conducting with America's enemies, including North Vietnam, China and the USSR, and decided to keep tabs on this intrusion upon their domain. Jimmy Carter came into office as revelations of CIA abuses made headlines. He tried to dismantle the agency's dirty tricks office, but wound up instead a victim of it - and a one-term president.

SNIP...

As for the Bushes, their ascension represented a seizure of power by the national security state itself. Their family had profited from arms manufacturing for decades. The patriarch, Prescott Bush, monitored US assassination plots against foreign leaders as a senator; and records indicate that the elder George Bush had been a secret agency operative for decades before he became CIA director - and then, 12 years later, president.

CONTINUED...

http://www.truthout.org/11020910

It's no idle about Secret Government or the unbelievable-yet-true NAZIs chums with CIA, Obama is up against The Beast. He needs us -- as in DU and as in We the People, not only to help him see the way, but to watch his back.

[DJ13]

1. recalcitrant power centers within his own government

Then the first job is to clean up the government of those hostile power centers if the goal is to be a successful President right?

Keeping Bush appointees in power, and hiring people who made names for themselves serving the husband of the opponent you defeated to win the nomination implies Obama is complicit with those forces he needs to overcome to get his policies enacted.

[Octafish]

10. Camp Thunder

On September 11, Cheney invited NO Democrats to the Secret Government Hideaway. And it was pretty much like that for the next 8 years.

Today, I can't see why President Obama didn't cashier McChrystal the moment the general opened his wug. But, he didn't and War Inc got what it wants.

As far as the Clinton retreads and going-along to get-along, yeah, agree completely. And Wall Street hit the lotto. That's why I bring that up, too.

[HughMoran]

2. I knew this thread would be interesting based on the title and the unrecs

K&R

[Octafish]

11. Thanks, Huge!

These are interesting times and I want to see the schmucks replaced by good guys ASAFP as anybody.

I'm concerned that so few people understand the underlying structure to the chess board.

Thank Gore for the Internets.

[Hannah Bell]

3. He's funded by the same folks.

[Octafish]

14. True That.

And it bothered me from his time in Illinois.

The thing is, we need real campaign finance reform.

I still think, foolishly, were the Democrats to control the White House and both Houses of Congress we could get some progress.

My hope in pointing out these totalitarian underpinnings is to help change the destination where the nation is heading.

If I don't try, I'd regret it.

[Hannah Bell]

17. i appreciate your posts. but this one sounded like O. was some naive Mr.

Smith goes to washington-type held hostage by the bush gang.

i don't believe that, myself.

[Octafish]

38. Let's find out what he's made of -- and who's side he's on.

So far, he's been co-operating with the enemy to the point of advancing their agenda -- as have most of his colleagues in our Democratic Party.

He might not if Obama never saw this thread or this one:



He should be on the back of the dime, all right.

[Cassandra2010]

4. How Da ya figger?

Ya gotta be sleepwalkin' through The Empire to think Obama is against Wall St. or the military indy complex.

He didn't get where he is by signals he sent that now would be the people's time. He has been on board the gravy train every step of his unimpressive political career.

Obama ain't agin, he's on board and has been for some time.

[SeattleGirl]

13. Could you provide some evidence of this?

I'm serious. I see people saying stuff like this, but most don't provide any evidence to back up their claims.

[Hannah Bell]

18. follow the money. most of the folks on this list of funders of chicago charter school initiative =

big O. campaign donors, backers, & backers of O's entry into IL. politics.

http://journals.democraticunderground.com/Hannah%20Bell/87

Just some of the money behind him.

[Octafish]

25. What you wrote is why I posted this. We need Obama on the People's side.

If We can't help him find his way, he'll find himself out of a job come 2013.

[Hekate]

5. Already in this short thread are two posters who definitely do not have Obama's back. That's part of

... what he "is up against."

Hekate

[chill_wind]

19. Don't try to make too much sense of the unrec hamsters.

They've been in over caffeinated overdrive all day on everything.

[AllentownJake]

6. The President was funded by the same beast

Open Secrets is your friend. Why would anyone want to fund someone who would have intentions of endangering their position of power?

[Octafish]

30. Someone else who's my friend explained to me some stuff that would turn Open Secret's hair white...

...regarding Obama. Specifically, that he's CIA from way back. So, yeah, that would explain why he gets "the best" of both worlds that I outline in the OP.

Regarding what we can do about it -- demand that transparency we were promised in the campaign. Otherwise, the Wall Street Journal and Dick Cheney will continue to define the age.

[lonestarnot]

7. Bookmarking for later. Thanks Octafish.

:(

[Octafish]

44. You're welcome, lonestarnot. Hey! Didya hear about ''Obama and the CIA'' from WSJ?

How can the guy function when he’s gotta contend with a load like this from Rupert Murdoch's flogship?

Obama and the CIA

A President can't placate the left and keep America safe.

The Wall Street Journal
APRIL 22, 2009
Opinion

President Obama on Monday paid his first formal visit to CIA headquarters, in order, as he put it, to "underscore the importance" of the agency and let its staff "know that you've got my full support." Assuming he means it, the President should immediately declassify all memos concerning what intelligence was gleaned, and what plots foiled, by the interrogations of high-level al Qaeda detainees in the wake of September 11.

SNIP...

The memos also give the lie to a leaked 2007 report from the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), based exclusively on the say-so of KSM and other "high-value" detainees, that "an improvised thick collar . . . was placed around their necks and used by their interrogators to slam them against the walls."

SNIP...

Instead, the release of the memos has unleashed the liberal mob, with renewed calls in Congress for a "truth commission" and even, perhaps, Judge Bybee's impeachment and prosecutions of the other authors. Mr. Obama has hinted that while his Administration won't prosecute CIA officials, it may try to sate the mob by going after Bush officials who wrote the memos.

One major concern here is what Mr. Obama's decision to release these memos says about his own political leadership. He claims that one of his goals as President is to restore more comity to our politics, especially concerning national security. He also knows he needs a CIA willing to take risks to keep the country safe. Yet Mr. Obama seems more than willing to indulge the revenge fantasies of the left, as long as its potential victims served a different President. And while he is willing to release classified documents about interrogation techniques, Mr. Obama refuses to release documents that more fully discuss their results.

All of this might appease the President's MoveOn.org base, but he can't expect to satisfy them without also weakening American intelligence capabilities. The risk-averse CIA that so grievously failed in the run-up to 9/11 was a product of a spy culture that still remembered the Church Committee of the 1970s and the Iran-Contra recriminations of the 1980s. Mr. Obama needs to stop this score-settling now, and he can start by promptly releasing the documents that reveal what the CIA learned from its interrogations.

SOURCE:

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124035706108641065.html

Investigating treason, mass murder and torture coupled with greed. Now THERE's audacity.



And that's from the days before Rev Moon’s heirs quit the Washington Times.

[Cetacea]

8. Not convinced either way.

Thanks for the link.

[Octafish]

45. You're welcome, Cetacea. Let's hope the coming Terror Trial opens a can of worms on the BFEE.

They are, by definition, criminally perverted: Sex Crimes in the White House



Coming soon to a nation city near you and me and every she and he. Thanks, Uncle Sam!

[leftstreet]

9. HE'S supposed to be protecting US

from The Beast

We're up against a hell of a lot more than he is.

[Octafish]

46. Yes. But to kill us, they have to get by him first.

The BFEE left the guy a pretty lousy situation:

A largely looted treasury.

Two large illegal, immoral and unnecessary wars plus a situation in Pok-ee-ston.

A looted economy.

Almost forgot ---

A largely criminal Congress, Judiciary and federal bureaucracy largely filled with Reagan-Bush-Bush cronies.

Let's try to FORCE things to shake out how we want, for a change.

[jgraz]

12. It's looking more and more like WE THE PEOPLE are what Obama is "up against"

:banghead:

[Swamp Rat]

15. duplo

:kick:

[Octafish]

29. Leave it.

Anything you've created is worth seeing twice, Compay.

Even when you change it.



Anything you've created is worth seeing twice, Compay.

Even when you change it.

[lonestarnot]

47. Downright evil looking toad at dat!

:toast:

[Swamp Rat]

16. ¡K y R, carnal!

¡Órale, cabrón! :hi:

[tkmorris]

20. Swamp you are a sick man, you know that right?

Some of the graphics you produce are just unbelievable. Good work.

[Swamp Rat]

41. LOL!

Best compliment ever! :hug:

[athenasatanjesus]

21. This is why I try not to judge Obama personally

He could be the most honest man on the face of the earth,or he could be the greatest fraud ever the fact is we just can't know.

[walldude]

22. I have been saying he's in over his head...... but

here's my problem with this, why doesn't he just admit it? Not that he's in over his head, that he's fighting "the beast". Instead of saying "this is what I want to do but I can't" we're getting talking points and bullshit. You know the guy could win over a lot of people if he were honest. Of course wanting a politician to be honest is like wanting a fish to stop swimming.

[upi402]

23. "help him see the way"

Did he not go to a pretty damn good school?

[readmoreoften]

24. I don't care about Obama one way or another. He's just a politician.

He could be the nicest guy on the planet. He could be a sociopath. Who knows? I personally don't much care. I care ONLY about what Obama does. Not what he says, thinks, not what's in his heart of hearts. And Obama tows the line. Whether something awful will happen to him if he doesn't tow the line is irrelevant. Martin Luther King spoke out regardless. Hell, RFK spoke out regardless. It's really no excuse.

But the truth is: the system is not for us. We live in a totalitarian society--a pleasurable one, but one nonetheless.

[MadHound]

26. Sorry, but he is doing nothing but going along.

So we're supposed to support a man who is simply selling us all out because he is up against it? We're the ones who are up against it. If Obama wanted to fight these powers that be, then he would stop cooperating with. But instead of shutting them down, by getting out of Afghanistan and such he is feeding this beast by expanding the war.

Until I see him actually doing something that is actually against a stand against these people I cannot support him in his endeavors, since he isn't supporting me or this country.

[Octafish]

28. If I wanted more Bush, I'd have voted for Palin.

From the two illegal, immoral and unnecessary wars to a Department of Justice that continues to persecute Don Siegelman to making plans to re-do Social Security to a Health Care Bill that promises future trillions to Wall Street, Big Insuro, Big Pharma, the AMA and everybody who can make a buck off Hippocrates I am pissed.

Where does Obama stand? So far, on the wrong side.

The thing is, the other side will continue to get their way if we don't call out Obama on his stands. If Obama doesn't pick up the ball and run, he'll be out of a job come 2013.

Unfortunately, the country can't afford to wait that long. So, in pointing out who's who and what's what, I can spell out who benefits the most from his stewardship.

Getting the names into the public consciousness requires repetition.

[Overseas]

27. K&R. //nt

[bridgit]

31. Forget that her Daddy outed one, but when Liz mentions CIA activity in post WWll Europe...

she becomes the mouthpiece for some of biggest federal mistakes America has ever made funded with some of the most filthy old money the power elite has in it's pocket. It's folly to think they are not still in there just chipping away, and while a line from a movie involving historical fiction:

Joseph Palmi: Let me ask you something... we Italians, we got our families, and we got the church; the Irish, they have the homeland, Jews their tradition; even the niggers, they got their music. What about you people, Mr. Wilson, what do you have?

Edward Wilson: The United States of America. The rest of you are just visiting.

Is the way they think in a nutshell, and Obama has been having to deal with all of it and likely much more in private. I do not believe for one moment that any 5-10 DUer's could do any better against such relentless forces


http://www.nytimes.com/1996/08/25/weekinreview/is-it-time-for-an-epitaph-to-the-ruling-elite.html

[Octafish]

32. Gracias, Comadre.

Please check out the link in #11 above.

Money to gain power. Power to acquire money.

What can -- perhaps -- break that cycle is information.

[bridgit]

42. Checked out #11 and yeah, you're the one person here at DU...

that has less for little ole me to explain to than to agree with :)


I am able to see a 'perhaps' moment for ceasing all such...but the means would be indigestible for many causing tummy aches; and much-many-more here at DU in that Herculean efforts read here: great physical & mental application; are often required to re-route or remove the more entrenched of filthy old weeds

And VOTES! So we know right there "apathy" is off the list for bringing any wayward aircraft carriers about on open seas ;)

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

33. And what makes you so sure he isn't knee deep in with them?

[Octafish]

37. If he was, Ted Kennedy wouldn't have given him the time of day, if he were.

Then again, who really knows, my Friend? Obama's done a 180-degree turn on everything I thought he stood for. What kind of power could get him to do that?

My gut feeling is the powers-that-be are setting the stage for a massive global depopulation through war, economic destruction and environmental collapse. I hope not, but perhaps Obama is doing his best to keep the lid on things long enough for the elites to get to safety in Paraguay.

As a grandfather, I wouldn't blame him for going along to protect his family. As a man, I can't see how he could.

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

39. Dearest Octafish whom I truly adore,

Think of his earliest advisor Brzezinski. and his meteoric rise in government. When he ran for Senate, Ryan had an inopportune scandal erupt and who did they put in his place, Alan Keyes...it was a joke and a recipe for an instant victory for Obama.

Then once he's in the Senate, his first most important vote was to recommend Rice as SOS. I watched that hearing, and Barbara Boxer made a case (with facts) against Rice, which all but said outloud that Rice was a war criminal.

Think about his FISA vote too, and all of the court cases going on to support the Bush administration's positions on secrecy, DOMA, DADT, and especially not even pursuing the criminality of the last administration (let alone the Reagan/Poppy Bush reign's criminal past).

As to Ted Kennedy, giving his approval, he might have been fooled. I don't know, but everything adds up in my book, that Obama is not a victim but a participant.

I voted for him hoping I was wrong and when he selected Rahm as his COS, I knew we were up shits creek. Like a good "Democrat", his reign is a bit kinder and gentler but he is a charismatic fascist.

I'm probably around your age but my sons are 22 and 19 and my concern is for their future. My 22 year old knows that this government has been rotting and my 19 year old, who paraded in victory around his campus last November is beginning to see the bitter truth.

:hug:

[optimator]

34. that author sounds like a gullible dipshit

the evidence is overwhelming that Obama is not on the side of "We the people."
Its ok though, denial never lasts long.

[Octafish]

35. Russ Baker is not gullible or a dip.

If you'd read "Family of Secrets" you wouldn't write that.

Among other things, the book pretty much covers the Bush connection to the assassination of President Kennedy, starting with this:

TO: SAC, HOUSTON DATE: 11-22-63

FROM: SA GRAHAM W. KITCHEL

SUBJECT: UNKNOWN SUBJECT;
ASSASSINATION OF PRESIDENT
JOHN F. KENNEDY

At 1:45 p.m. Mr. GEORGE H. W. BUSH, President of the Zapata Off-Shore Drilling Company, Houston, Texas, residence 5525 Briar, Houston, telephonically furnished the following information to writer by long distance telephone call from Tyler, Texas.

BUSH stated that he wanted to be kept confidential but wanted to furnish hearsay that he recalled hearing in recent weeks, the day and source unknown. He stated that one JAMES PARROTT has been talking of killing the President when he comes to Houston.

BUSH stated that PARROTT is possibly a student at the University of Houston and is active in political matters in this area. He stated that he felt Mrs. FAWLEY, telephone number SU 2-5239, or ARLINE SMITH, telephone number JA 9-9194 of the Harris County Republican Party Headquarters would be able to furnish additional information regarding the identity of PARROTT.

BUSH stated that he was proceeding to Dallas, Texas, would remain in the Sheraton-Dallas Hotel and return to his residence on 11-23-63. His office telephone number is CA 2-0395.

# # #

Now, why didn't Bush warn the Secret Service BEFORE the assassination? What was he doing in Dallas, that day? How is Poppy tied to LBJ? Russ Baker examines those questions and more.

Back to the subject: While I don't believe President Obama is with "them," I don't believe he knows what he's up against. So, I try to keep him posted and those who don't know the story about the NAZI influence on the American national security state.

[OneGrassRoot]

36. K&R n/t

[glitch]

40. I keep thinking of the speech he made the night he won the election

how shaken he looked. Not excited or honored or nervous, shaken. That Bill Hicks' joke is a joke, but a lot of jokes are true.

I think we need to not rely on individuals in government anymore. Support the ones we can of course, but I do think Obama has helped prove that the people who run our government do not feel the need to answer to we the people. Or even the need to appear to answer to us, not anymore. Probably not since the coup in 1963, but now the mask is off.

How do you propose we help Obama? Would a million citizens marching in DC provide him the cover he may feel he needs to turn more progressive, assuming that was his inclination? One thing for sure, if that didn't work it would wake a few more people up about the reality of power.

I appreciate your efforts to educate people about who really is in charge. I just don't think we should focus on Obama anymore. We need to focus on organizing our neighbors for local "continuity". I also think we should go on a general strike, but that's another story.

Speaking of continuity, someone mentioned on the radio (don't ask me who, can't remember) that the state of emergency (requiring some elements of "continuity of government" to be put in place) on 9/11 has not been rescinded. Have you heard anything about that?

[branders seine]

43. Given the last year,

I require proof of your use of the word "against."