Same as it ever was

/ Tracy Abell

Quick, who said this:

"So no – I do not make this decision lightly. I make this decision because I am convinced that our security is at stake in Afghanistan and Pakistan. This is the epicenter of the violent extremism practiced by al Qaeda. It is from here that we were attacked on 9/11, and it is from here that new attacks are being plotted as I speak. This is no idle danger; no hypothetical threat. In the last few months alone, we have apprehended extremists within our borders who were sent here from the border region of Afghanistan and Pakistan to commit new acts of terror. This danger will only grow if the region slides backwards, and al Qaeda can operate with impunity. We must keep the pressure on al Qaeda, and to do that, we must increase the stability and capacity of our partners in the region."

You’d be excused if you thought those words came from George W. Bush.
But you’d also be wrong because
those fearmongering words came from Obama’s speech last night.

Obama ended with this Bush-esque tangle of mixed metaphor and jingoism:

"America – we are passing through a time of great trial. And the message that we send in the midst of these storms must be clear: that our cause is just, our resolve unwavering. We will go forward with the confidence that right makes might, and with the commitment to forge an America that is safer, a world that is more secure, and a future that represents not the deepest of fears but the highest of hopes. Thank you, God Bless you, God Bless our troops, and may God Bless the United States of America."

Then Obama went back to the White House to pack his bags
for his trip to Oslo where he’ll pick up his Nobel Peace Prize.

23 thoughts on “Same as it ever was”

  1. Time to bang the pots and pans!
    Who said this:
    The United States of America is still run by its citizens. The government works for us. Rank imperialism and warmongering are not American traditions or values. We do not need to dominate the world. We want and need to work with other nations. We want to find solutions other than killing people. Not in our name, not with our money, not with our children’s blood.
    And:
    We are the people who run this country. We are the deciders. And every single day, every single one of us needs to step outside and take some action to help stop this war. Raise hell. Think of something to make the ridiculous look ridiculous. Make our troops know we’re for them and trying to get them out of there.
    Oh, Molly Ivins, we could sure use you now…!

    Like

    • Re: Time to bang the pots and pans!
      I miss her so much. She made me feel as if I could continue on, even when I felt overwhelmed and demoralized. And boy, howdy, I’m feeling that way today.
      “Think of something to make the ridiculous look ridiculous.” The thing is, it’s all so glaringly ridiculous already but we’ve fallen down the rabbit hole and lost our sense of what’s what.

      Like

    • Re: Time to bang the pots and pans!

      I miss her so much. She made me feel as if I could continue on, even when I felt overwhelmed and demoralized. And boy, howdy, I’m feeling that way today.

      “Think of something to make the ridiculous look ridiculous.” The thing is, it’s all so glaringly ridiculous already but we’ve fallen down the rabbit hole and lost our sense of what’s what.

      Like

  2. Time to bang the pots and pans!

    Who said this:

    The United States of America is still run by its citizens. The government works for us. Rank imperialism and warmongering are not American traditions or values. We do not need to dominate the world. We want and need to work with other nations. We want to find solutions other than killing people. Not in our name, not with our money, not with our children’s blood.

    And:
    We are the people who run this country. We are the deciders. And every single day, every single one of us needs to step outside and take some action to help stop this war. Raise hell. Think of something to make the ridiculous look ridiculous. Make our troops know we’re for them and trying to get them out of there.

    Oh, Molly Ivins, we could sure use you now…!

    Like

  3. Time to bang the pots and pans!

    Who said this:

    The United States of America is still run by its citizens. The government works for us. Rank imperialism and warmongering are not American traditions or values. We do not need to dominate the world. We want and need to work with other nations. We want to find solutions other than killing people. Not in our name, not with our money, not with our children’s blood.

    And:
    We are the people who run this country. We are the deciders. And every single day, every single one of us needs to step outside and take some action to help stop this war. Raise hell. Think of something to make the ridiculous look ridiculous. Make our troops know we’re for them and trying to get them out of there.

    Oh, Molly Ivins, we could sure use you now…!

    Like

  4. Re: Time to bang the pots and pans!

    I miss her so much. She made me feel as if I could continue on, even when I felt overwhelmed and demoralized. And boy, howdy, I’m feeling that way today.

    “Think of something to make the ridiculous look ridiculous.” The thing is, it’s all so glaringly ridiculous already but we’ve fallen down the rabbit hole and lost our sense of what’s what.

    Like

  7. yeah, he really has no business accepting the Nobel. I wonder who’ll get the money? Better be some peace organization.
    This isn’t the change I voted for, even though he did campaign on “focusing” on Afghanistan. I heard on NPR this a.m. that we’ll have 100,000 soldiers in Afghanistan for essentially 100 AQ members. How f’d up is that?

    Like

    • He should give the money to Mercy Corps or some other group working in Afghanistan.
      He boxed himself in when he framed Afghanistan as the good war. As for the ratio of soldiers to AQ members….incredibly f’d up. And even though that info is out there, we’re just marching right ahead. It’s truly surreal.

      Like

    • He should give the money to Mercy Corps or some other group working in Afghanistan.

      He boxed himself in when he framed Afghanistan as the good war. As for the ratio of soldiers to AQ members….incredibly f’d up. And even though that info is out there, we’re just marching right ahead. It’s truly surreal.

      Like

  8. yeah, he really has no business accepting the Nobel. I wonder who’ll get the money? Better be some peace organization.

    This isn’t the change I voted for, even though he did campaign on “focusing” on Afghanistan. I heard on NPR this a.m. that we’ll have 100,000 soldiers in Afghanistan for essentially 100 AQ members. How f’d up is that?

    Like

  9. yeah, he really has no business accepting the Nobel. I wonder who’ll get the money? Better be some peace organization.

    This isn’t the change I voted for, even though he did campaign on “focusing” on Afghanistan. I heard on NPR this a.m. that we’ll have 100,000 soldiers in Afghanistan for essentially 100 AQ members. How f’d up is that?

    Like

  10. He should give the money to Mercy Corps or some other group working in Afghanistan.

    He boxed himself in when he framed Afghanistan as the good war. As for the ratio of soldiers to AQ members….incredibly f’d up. And even though that info is out there, we’re just marching right ahead. It’s truly surreal.

    Like

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