Obama's War

Obama supporters and blissed-out Barry-heads everywhere: Are you ready for some righteous war? Are you prepared to step up and get fucking medieval in Afghanistan, and perhaps in Pakistan as well? You'd better be, for the man whose feet you're currently kissing has big plans to expand the War On Terror, and now is not the time for faint-hearted second-thoughts. Polish those boots, clean your weapons, and get in formation. The moment of truth is arriving soon.

Ah, who am I kidding? Of course American liberals will fall in line. They've been itching to show that they, too, can bellow for large body counts, cheer cluster bombs and patriot-bait those who dare question Dear Leader. Problem is, Bush and Cheney have been running the killing machine, and this has put a damper on the traditional liberal love of imperial war. But that era is ending, and unless Obama finds some way to blow this election (or if enough frightened whites in key states decide that having a president of color is a little too much for their racist psyches to absorb), we're going to see a renewed period of sustained bloodshed, with lots of dead and mangled Afghans in the foreground. As my friend Chris Floyd put it:

"For years now, 'serious' liberals have repeated the mantra that Bush 'took his eye off the ball' in the War on Terror by fighting in Iraq instead of focusing on Afghanistan, the 'good war,' the 'right war.' Now Obama looks set to call their bluff: 'You wanted a big war in Afghanistan? Here it is. Now what?'

"Now what indeed. No doubt we will soon be treated to the spectacle of many staunchly 'anti-war' leopards changing their spots. We will hear them supporting the same kind of 'counter-insurgency tactics' in Afghanistan that they now decry in Iraq. We will hear the same justifications for 'collateral damage' in Afghanistan that we now hear from rightwingers defending atrocities in Iraq. We will hear them advancing the same arguments for a continuing (and growing) American military presence in a volatile Muslim land that we have heard for years from Iraq hawks. And we will hear the same excuses for not joining the combat in a war they support that we have heard from the vast Chickenhawk Army of rightwing warmongers concerning Iraq."

And don't forget torture, Chris. Only under Obama, black hoods, beatings, and waterboarding will be legalized, or at least granted an exemption until a bi-partisan presidential panel can decide the "proper" lengths to which US forces can extract information. Liberals don't mind stomping or driving prisoners insane, just so long as it falls within the law. That's what separates them from rightwing savages.

Speaking of reactionaries, what will be their take when Obama goes LBJ on Afghanistan? Will they suddenly question the mission, as so many did when Clinton bombed Serbia? Or will they learn to appreciate a Democrat who slaughters the "right kind" of Muslims? Should make for some interesting scenes.

This is why I hope Obama gets elected. Let's throw some gasping, choking, blasted Afghan civilians at American liberals' feet and gauge their reactions. Based on historical evidence, the results shouldn't be too surprising. Plus, it will guarantee a sequel to "Savage Mules." Win/win all around, save for the Afghan people, who are in for some brutal times ahead. But then, they're used to that, and they're probably not even registered Democrats. So who cares what they think?

Numerous libloggers are blaming rightwing radio for Jim Adkisson's shooting spree in Knoxville. To hear libs tell it, Adkisson was programmed by the Hannitys and Limbaughs to kill liberals and queers, and he performed according to their sinister script. Of course, if such causal links truly existed, there would be at least a dozen anti-liberal shootings per day, given the large audience for rightwing radio. Mercifully, that is not the case. Still, it's nice to see liberals crawling over dead and wounded Unitarians in order to make quick, partisan points. It's an election year, after all.

Liberals shouldn't be too rough on their reactionary cousins, however. Recall their glee when the Branch Davidians were shot up, gassed, burned alive, and plowed under. Or their general lack of concern when Jimmy Carter pumped weapons into El Salvador, resulting in murdered Salvadoran Christians, most notably Archbishop Oscar Romero, who pleaded with Carter to end the arms shipments, which naturally he didn't. As with many things in life, casual attitudes about killing opposites work both ways, and usually for the same reasons.

Comments

[Michale32086]

CONT

My question is this.

How many "trusted oversight"s will the Left go thru before they finally come to the realization that maybe, JUST MAYBE, the Left is wrong about these things??

With an Obama presidency, it will be a really heady time to be an American. With a Dem Veto-Proof Congress, it's going to be a heady time to be a logical and rational political independent.

Michale.....

[Michale32086]

I am on record as being an ardent Obama supporter. I am also looking forward to a veto-proof Dem majority in Congress...

And I can predict EXACTLY what will happen. After the initial euphoria wears off, the Dem controlled government will act EXACTLY like the government before.. The hysterical Left will start screaming "TRAITORS!!!" etc etc ad naseum and will start attacking the Dems as hysterically and irrationally as they attacked the GOP...

How do I know this will happen?

Because it already has.

There was mini euphoria after the 2006 mid terms when Dem got control of Congress. But it didn't take long for the Left to turn on their own Party.

MCA, FISA, HR6304 and so on and so on..

The Left voted the Dems into power because they wanted oversight over the GOP.. But NOW that oversight is telling the Left the same things the GOP said vis a vis the war against terrorism and the surveillance needs..

So, now the Left screams "TRAITORS!!!" and wants MORE oversight to oversee the oversight that is overseeing the GOP..

So, what happens when THAT oversight tells the Left the same thing?? The Left will scream, "TRAITORS!!!" and they will want MORE oversight to oversee the oversight to oversee the oversight that is overseeing the GOP..

CONT

[wayoutleft]

already they can't seem to find a VP right-wing enough for obama's taste. blanket left-progressive silence as obama adds a 1500 mile front to the war should finish peace as a value and pacifism as a philosophy in the democratic party for the rest of the century. the big democratic majority will be the worst thing that ever happened to the peace movement. it will be buried under rubber-stamp military funding demanded by obama. just yesterday he tested a 2d hand threat technique: if sanctions don't work, israel will attack iran- (paraphrase); obama just being the messenger and dissociating himself from any hostile implications. iraq? obama has set up the troop level shell game he needs to play to enforce the occupation while humoring the liberals.

[lastrefuge]

What a bright and sunny analysis Mr. Jokewriter! I hold the Dems responsible for enabling this admin to walk all over the constitution but perhaps you should bring the current players to task first.

Your optimism resembles what I suspected when these jokers came into power in 2000. I hope your prophecies don't prove as true as mine did. What a dark universe you paint. Have a nice day.

[davidly]

I don't see him as painter so much as art critic. We could use more critics, optimism notwithstanding.