Obama Advisors Feared a Coup If the Administration Prosecuted War Crimes

[TheBigotBasher]

I rarely link to FDL posts. You may find more teeth belonging to hens or winning lottery tickets (please pass back to their respective owner).

I often wondered why it takes 3 months to transition in the US when every oher Country does it the next day. This perhaps explains a great deal.

Christopher Edley Jr., law dean at the University of California and a high-ranking member of the Obama transition team, made the revelation during a 9/11 forum at his law school on September 2. Andrew Kreig, director of the D.C.-based Justice Integrity Project, reports that Edley’s comments were in response to questions from Susan Harman, a long-time California peace advocate.

Edley apparently tried to justify Obama’s “look forward, not backwards” policy toward Bush-era lawbreaking. Instead, Kreig writes, Edley revealed the Obama team’s weakness in the face of Republican thuggery:

Edley’s rationale implies that Obama and his team fear the military/national security forces that he is supposed be commanding–and that Republicans have intimidated him right from the start of his presidency even though voters in 2008 rejected Republicans by the largest combined presidential-congressional mandate in recent U.S. history. Edley responded to our request for additional information by providing a description of the transition team’s fears, which we present below as an exclusive email interview. Among his important points is that transition officials, not Obama, agreed that he faced the possibility of a coup.

http://my.firedoglake.com/rogershuler/2011/09/07/obama-advisors-feared-a-coup-if-the-administration-prosecuted-war-crimes/

[BeFree]

1. Well, Duh!

They hate Obama and they hate the people who voted for Obama.
Their allegiance is not to the people but to Empire, and Obama is a genuine threat to Empire.

[enough]

2. In what way is Obama a threat to Empire? (nt)

[BeFree]

5. Change.

Why did you vote for him?

[Me.]

3. So How Did That Holding Back Strategy Work For Them?

"2) it was thought the Repugnants would retaliate by blocking every piece of legislation they tried to move (which, of course, they’ve done anyhow)."

And I call total BS on his point #5

[BeFree]

7. They are still in office and alive

And being tolerated. That's how it is working for them

[LiberalFighter]

4. Personally I think anyone in Obama's admin that thought there might be a coup

should had been shoved out.

And if there were anyone in the CIA, NSA, or military that were of the mind to subvert the President should had been shot.

[BeFree]

6. Eh?

You propose that >50% of the government should have been shot?

[Fly by night]

8. If you're too fearful to uphold the rule of law & protect our country from ALL enemies, ...

... foreign AND domestic, then you're unqualified to lead this country and your oath of office was a(nother) lie.

[vaberella]

9. Possibly...but you'd also die not getting anything done.

While alive you can make changes in round about ways.

[Enrique]

12. are you kidding me?

there would be NO excuse for this. I don't believe it's true. Edley is admitting his own extreme cowardice, and only accusing Obama of it.

[sad sally]

15. Exactly - the rule of law is dependent upon a government

that is willing to abide by the law. A moral government should be neither afraid nor intiminated by pursuing the truth, as to do so is disrespectful for the rule of law and becomes a government that believes itself and its corporate sponsors to be above the law.

[disillusioned73]

10. Ohh goodness...

I shouldn't have read that - how depressing.. so now it was the transition team that left the Bush era crimes slide?? All the lawyer speak/spin by this coward is something to behold.

[Enrique]

11. does Edley think that is a defense of the president?

I wonder, will any journalist ask Obama about this outrageous comment by someone on his transition team?

[underpants]

13. I was actually thinking about the "Business Coup" failed attempt at FDR

that could explain at least SOME of the stuff that Obama has failed to do since he has been in office.

[BeFree]

14. That and assasins

Sure it is scary. But what is even more scary is the fact that the USA has killed millions of people for our Empire. What's just one more man to them?

[Tx4obama]

16. The FDL website likes to post articles that bash Obama and/or makes him appear weak.

I don't believe or read anything from that website.

[ibegurpard]

17. oh please

so let them have their coup
there's a reason no one's ever tried something like that outright in this country yet

[boppers]

18. "Kreig writes, Edley revealed ..."

With no mention of a coup.

"Two reasons: 1) it was thought that the CIA, NSA, and military would revolt"

Coup is not in there.

"and 2) it was thought the Repugnants would retaliate by blocking every piece of legislation they tried to move (which, of course, they’ve done anyhow)."

Nope, coup isn't in that text, either.

Where is it? Oh, Krieg made that particular word usage up.

Typical FDL garbage.

[Phx_Dem]

19. More Firebagger bullshit.

[Myrina]

20. We know Cheney left 'stay behinds' ...

... presumably to keep him informed of what was going on in the new Admin and also to help 'continue' Darth's evil policies. This wouldn't surprise me at all, actually.

What surprises me is why POTUS and the incoming Admin didn't expect it and expunge ALL of them? Not like there isn't an abundance of wanna-be-public servants running around this country who'd have been willing to relocate to DC and pitch in to the new Admin ...


:shrug:

[Cosmocat]

21. Look ...

I would have pushed it because that is my mindset.

But, let's be honest, we had freakin jagoffs walking around political rallies for HEALTH CARE REFORM with guns strapped to them, and had people screaming about a socilistic takeover. And, if you don't think there is not a VERY concerted effort on the part of big business to hold back the economy to hurt this president you just are not paying attention.

He was playing with fire simply trying to do HCR. And is facing a business community that is tanking the economy to attack him.

There was not going to be some kind of military coup, that is more than a bit over the top.

But, he would have faced a FIRESTORM the likes of which we have not seen int his country had Bushco been aggressively addresesd. If you think the right wing was unhinged over HCR, times that by 10, and add in the compliant media which would have carried their water in evicerating him for looking into the past when we had such great present problems.

I mean, he did the right thing in taking on HCR and we have friggen democrats in line with scumbag republicans hacking at him for "not focusing on jobs" as if he didn't.

NO HCR or anything else that they did manage to get done the first two years would have gotten done, and this country would be 10 times more divided now.