Posted on 04/14/2010 3:33:49 AM PDT by Bigtigermike
Here is video of President Obama today at a news conference closing his "Nuclear Security Summit," where he made the odd statement that "whether we like it or not, we (United States) remain a dominant military superpower, and when conflicts break out, we get pulled into it."
Whether we like it or not?
Does that mean President Obama does not like America being a "dominant military superpower?"
"Barack Obama told supporters that
'change has come to America' as he
claimed victory in a historic presidential election."
http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/11/04/election.president/index.html
Change is Here, Change is Coming
Sam Webb, National Chair, Communist Party, USA:
Let me begin with a simple observation: If the last 30 years were an era of reaction, then the coming decade could turn into an era of reform, even radical reform. Six months into the Obama presidency, I would say without hesitation that the landscape, atmosphere, conversation, and agenda have strikingly changed compared to the previous eight years.
In this legislative session, we can envision winning a Medicare-like public option and then going further in the years ahead.
We can visualize passing tough regulatory reforms on the financial industry, which brought the economy to ruin.
We can imagine the troops coming home from Iraq and Afghanistan while U.S. representatives participate in a regional process that brings peace and stability to the entire region.
In the current political climate, the expansion of union rights becomes a real possibility.
Much the same can be said about winning a second stimulus bill, and we sure need one, given the still-rising rate, and likely long term persistence, of unemployment.
Isnt it possible in the Obama era to create millions of green jobs in manufacturing and other sectors of the economy in tandem with an attack on global warming?
Cant we envision taking new strides in the long journey for racial and gender equality in this new era, marked at its beginning by the election of the first African American to the presidency?
And isnt the overhaul of the criminal justice and prison system a system steeped in racism no longer pie-in-the sky, but something that can be done in the foreseeable future?
All these things are within reach now!
Barack Obama (Feb 3, 2010): We've got to make sure that our party understands that, like it or not, we have to have a financial system that is healthy and functioning..."
From the campaign trail, February 2008...
Obama Pledges Cuts in Missile Defense, Space, and Nuclear Weapons Programs
February 29, 2008 :: News
MissileThreat.com
A video has surfaced of Presidential candidate Senator Barack Obama talking on his plans for strategic issues such as nuclear weapons and missile defense.
The full text from the video, as released, reads as follows:
Thanks so much for the Caucus4Priorities, for the great work you've been doing. As president, I will end misguided defense policies and stand with Caucus4Priorities in fighting special interests in Washington.
First, I'll stop spending $9 billion a month in Iraq. I'm the only major candidate who opposed this war from the beginning. And as president I will end it.[i.e. not win it]
Second, I will cut tens of billions of dollars in wasteful spending.
I will cut investments in unproven missile defense systems.
I will not weaponize space.
I will slow our development of future combat systems.
And I will institute an independent "Defense Priorities Board" to ensure that the Quadrennial Defense Review is not used to justify unnecessary spending.
Third, I will set a goal of a world without nuclear weapons. To seek that goal, I will not develop new nuclear weapons; I will seek a global ban on the production of fissile material; and I will negotiate with Russia to take our ICBMs off hair-trigger alert [they are NOT on "hair-trigger alert" now -etl], and to achieve deep cuts in our nuclear arsenals.
You know where I stand. I've fought for open, ethical and accountable government my entire public life. I don't switch positions or make promises that can't be kept. I don't posture on defense policy and I don't take money from federal lobbyists for powerful defense contractors. As president, my sole priority for defense spending will be protecting the American people. Thanks so much.
Article: Obama Pledges Cuts in Missile Defense, Space, and Nuclear Weapons Programs:
http://missilethreat.com/archives/id.7086/detail.asp
"MissileThreat.com is a project of The Claremont Institute devoted to understanding and promoting the requirements for the strategic defense of the United States."
_____________________________________________________
"I will not weaponize space"
"I will cut investments in unproven missile defense systems"
2008 Pentagon Report (March 2008):
China's Growing Military Space Power
By Leonard David
Special Correspondent, SPACE.com
March 6, 2008
GOLDEN, Colorado A just-released Pentagon report spotlights a growing U.S. military concern that China is developing a multi- dimensional program to limit or prevent the use of space-based assets by its potential adversaries during times of crisis or conflict.
Furthermore, last year's successful test by China of a direct-ascent, anti-satellite (ASAT) weapon to destroy its own defunct weather satellite, the report adds, underscores that country's expansion from the land, air, and sea dimensions of the traditional battlefield into the space and cyber-space domains.
Although China's commercial space program has utility for non- military research, that capability demonstrates space launch and control know-how that have direct military application. Even the Chang'e 1 the Chinese lunar probe now circling the Moon is flagged in the report as showcasing China's ability "to conduct complicated space maneuvers a capability which has broad implications for military counterspace operations."
To read the entire publication [29.67MB/pdf], see U.S. Dept of Defense:
http://www.defenselink.mil/pubs/pdfs/China_Military_Report_08.pdf
Its astonishing how so many people still approve of this guy.
It is amazing. They are completely clueless, and uninformed of history and of human nature.
It is amazing. They are completely clueless, and uninformed of history and of human nature.
Many are too stupid to understand even if they had the damning info stuck right in their face.
“...We Remain a Dominant Military Superpower”
We won’t be for long with Obama as CIC.
From a 2003 Washington Post article:
"...a statement [Bill] Clinton made in February 2002, in which he told an audience in Australia, 'This is a unique moment in U.S. history, a brief moment in history, when the U.S. has preeminent military, economic and political power. It won't last forever. This is just a period, a few decades this will last.'
Clinton continued...
'In all probability, we won't be the premier political and economic power we are now' in a few decades, he said, pointing to the growth of China's economy and the growing economic strength of the European Union.
Whether the United States maintains its military supremacy, he said, depends in part on how much those other entities invest in their militaries, and Clinton said working cooperatively is essential to U.S. interests.
But he said he did not want to be misunderstood. 'I never advocated that we not have the strongest military in the world...I don't think a single soul has thought I was advocating scaling back our military.'
Source: Washington Post article from May 2003:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn?pagename=article&node=&contentId=A62253-2003Apr30¬Found=true
or find his remarks here (Talon News):
Clinton Predicts America's Decline:
http://mensnewsdaily.com/archive/newswire/nw03/talonnews/0503/newswire-tn-050503d.htm
_____________________________________________________________
From the Sino-Russian Joint Statement of April 23, 1997:
"The two sides [China and Russia] shall, in the spirit of partnership, strive to promote the multipolarization of the world and the establishment of a new international order."
http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Central_Asia/HI29Ag01.html
He misquoted himself. He meant to say that, “Even though we don’t like it...”
They will be the second wave of the attack.
For example college age kids should all be conservatives; at the least the ones who seek to work when they graduate.
Why would they want to enter a gray; lifeless socialist society as the left embraces?
I still find it hard to believe that we have such an America-hating CIC sitting in the Oval Office.
Sick.
The issue is what is the US's role in the world as a super power. Or, what is the US's role in the world as the last remaining super power.
This all flows from the Wolfowitz Doctrine which was composed by Paul Wolfowitz when he was the Policy Undersecretary to then SoD Cheney under GHW Bush.
In as few words as possible, the Wolfowitz Doctrine says that since the US won the Cold War and was the last remaining super power, then the US should exercise hegemony over the entire world.
The Wolfowitz Doctrine later, with the birth of PNAC in 1998, became the NeoCon Doctrine. And then under GW Bush, some called this the Bush Doctrine.
So, Obama acknowledges that as a superpower or the last remaining super power, the US is going to be pulled into events and issues, and as such, has a role to play, but, he is definately opposed to the Wolfowitz Doctrine and the NeoCon empire builders.
Obama is not alone in that position and many republicans agree with him.
While the conflict may center around what NeoCons such as Cheney, Bolton, or Wolfowitz etc think about Obama's foreign policies, Obama is very comfortable in the fact that he has the support of GOPers such as Kissinger, Scowcroft, Baker, Powell, and Gates,etc.
Oh, the humanity.
I love John Bolton. I wish he would run for president.
Hi HITH,
I *agree* we need to do better. But I’ll go on and make a second point - I think this is a key point - sometimes I’ve thought about making it a vanity post all it’s own.
We as conservatives have *always* competed in the arena of ideas. Freedom, liberty, proper functioning of markets, strong national defense as a deterrent against aggressors. You name it. We tend to articulate our position based on history, logic, the facts, knowledge of human nature. All eminently sensible and logical except for the fact that it mostly falls on deaf ears.
The left has been very successful at spreading their (evil) message in the arena of feelings to be sure but more in the arena of groupthink, viral communications etc. etc. Essentially selling leftist ideas like Che-emblazoned T-shirts, or 0bama bumper stickers. These days you’re not a RAT because you’ve sat down and carefully thought out the issues and know that their proposed solutions can and will work (because of course they can’t).
No, you side with the RATS because it’s cool to do so, all your friends do, and who wants to be painted as a (gasp) REPUBLICAN. That’s no more done, then wearing white pants after September.
I think a way has to be found to sell conservatism, mostly to young people, but ultimately to all, like we sell blue jeans, ipods, mojitos and the like. This may seem antithetical to the conservative credo, but I don’t think that it is, and furthermore I think this was done in the Reagan era.
I have no problem with that approach. I would guess a careful study of our nations founding, would have showed that support for the Revolution was gathered in many ways.
PING, what do you think he meant by this?
Exactly - one approach doesn’t rule out another - they can all exist simultaneously.
Like when selling cars or computers, there are always the techie-driven customers (”arena of ideas”) that make purchasing decisions based on price-performance, specs, knowledge of underlying technology.
Whereas others buy the exact same car because it’s “cute” or their co-worker just got one.
BTW I *think* the reason Sarah is such a threat to the left, is that the left “gets” this stuff far better than we do. And I would argue Sarah operates almost subliminally in this arena of feelings and coolness. The left innately gets that and hence fear her and try to destroy her.
So say we all.
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