Michael Bresciani
Obama's 18 month war - - speech at West Point misses the point
By Michael Bresciani
Years of writing opinion editorials has assured me that my opinion is no more important than anyone else's but at times I understand that it may be more called for if not seriously necessary.
President Obama's speech to the cadets at West Point not only begs to be analyzed but some of the blaring errors in theology and history should not go un-noticed.
Looking for a complete transcript of the speech made on December 1, 2009, my online search brought up a full transcript the morning after on the Huffington Post, that liberal bastion of everything left and accepted as nearly liturgical in the progressive camp. It's almost as if the President speaks ex-cathedra for this site and the rest of belligerent liberalisms force de-farce. There, front page and next to news items on Miss Argentina's lethal cosmetic buttocks problems, the 29 best chalkboard gags in the "Simpsons" and Katie Holmes' explanation of Suri's high heels was every blessed word of the President's speech. Where else?
There is little question that history was made in the Obama speech because in the history of this or any other country in the world it will be the first time a war was announced with a specific date for its complete cessation. If only all wars in history could be fought with such precision and efficiency.
Far more palatable than George Bush's promise of a long war that may even cross generational lines, the nice neat 18 month war is great news for anti-war folks and it's just in time for a blame free re-election bid for the White House in 2012. Who wants a darned war hanging over their re-election efforts when facing a possible war with the likes of Palin or Bachmann in the 2011 campaign year?
Wars and skirmishes have been going on in Afghanistan for well over two hundred years, but now we know that stiffening up the security forces with accelerated training and equipment is all that's needed to put an end to that long and bloody history. File this under the new definition of extreme naiveté.
Few people who are at the least only nominally versed in theology would argue that it was President George Bush's lack of theological understanding that led him to say that Islam is a "peaceful religion." He spoke as the President not the nation's chief theologian so mitigation is appropriate.
Now we have another level of theological misrepresentation on an all new and much higher elevation with President Obama's proclamation that Islam is "one the world's great religions." He was careful to note that it was only al-Qaeda's perversion of the great religion that caused both 9/11 and the current insurgency in Afghanistan. Conspicuously missing from the Presidents assertions is the fact that the Quran itself, that bible of Islam, calls for the death of all infidels. Unfortunately the infidel is anyone who is not Muslim!
Islam has been one of the most violent forces on earth since its inception under the visions of its prophet who himself had grave doubts about its efficacy and its veracity. This is history, not conjecture or mere speculation as in the horrors of the inquisition, the dunking of the Puritans and the misguided witch trials of Salem that modernity's historians never fail to reference. Islamic wars and its history of violence are too well known to sweep under the politically correct carpet of even this President and that history stretches much further back than just these present days of al-Qaeda.
Leaving theology and on to the Presidents unprecedented remark that he "owed" something to America. He said, "Given the stakes involved, I owed the American people — and our troops — no less," regarding giving both his generals and the American people an answer on the Afghanistan question.
It may be the first time the President has acknowledged that he owes the American people anything but if he is going to start recognizing that fact can we now hand him a bill for everything else that he owes?
Doesn't he owe an apology to every tea party protestor who he labeled as rebellious trouble makers? When did those exercising their constitutional right to peaceful assembly and right to re-dress their grievances become rabble? Should someone inform the President of "change" that whether it's traditional or constitutional, denial is not a legitimate form of change?
Does he owe an apology for leaving the so called "birthers" and a few million other Americans who are still waiting with baited breath to see some of the missing school records and other documents of his past out in the vast cold land of total silence? They have been shoved off into a fringe category and summarily ignored even as the rest of the nation stands in shock not for what we don't know about the President but for what we now do know.
If the country should outlast the blast of new socialism and leftist hammering it is now enduring, wouldn't we even then be seeking these documents at least for something to put in the Obama Presidential Library? We have dates of birth, documents, diaries, letters and even the wooden false teeth of George Washington to show the American people. What would we have for President Obama except a controversy and a plethora of defense lawyers saying "you can't take no look!"
Finally, although I am no Cal Lightman (Fox's series, Lie to Me) I would bet that the look on all the Cadet's faces on the eve of Obama's speech was not totally one of belief. Besides the one Cadet who fell asleep during the oration, TV camera's constantly scanned the Cadets faces. Discounting for the rigidity that is an offshoot of military discipline anyone would be hard pressed to say that all the Cadets had faces that countenanced Obama's credulity.
Even young officers have time to read about failed stimulus packages, costly health care proposals and appointees that look like leftovers from the Joe Stalin's generation or America's Capone era. Were all the brave young men and women convinced? Don't count on it!
When speaking on the controversy surrounding the Iraq war the President stopped short of blaming President Bush yet once again. The few times he did illicit applause from the Cadets may have been laced with murmurs and boos if he had. As one writer recently said "the statute of limitations has expired for blaming Bush." Some believe the speech was delivered at West Point for effect as in other recent photo op situations the President exploited. There is no doubt that this speech was made smack in the middle of the enemy's camp and not among a chosen or handpicked contingent of sycophants and media cronies.
As the Ancient and wise King Solomon once said "Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter," (Ec 12:13) in three easy to understand sentences. Wars are not finished until someone wins and someone loses. American Presidents owe the American people nothing less than full accountability. The world has lots of religions, some greater than others but it still has only one Savior.
© Michael Bresciani
December 2, 2009
Years of writing opinion editorials has assured me that my opinion is no more important than anyone else's but at times I understand that it may be more called for if not seriously necessary.
President Obama's speech to the cadets at West Point not only begs to be analyzed but some of the blaring errors in theology and history should not go un-noticed.
Looking for a complete transcript of the speech made on December 1, 2009, my online search brought up a full transcript the morning after on the Huffington Post, that liberal bastion of everything left and accepted as nearly liturgical in the progressive camp. It's almost as if the President speaks ex-cathedra for this site and the rest of belligerent liberalisms force de-farce. There, front page and next to news items on Miss Argentina's lethal cosmetic buttocks problems, the 29 best chalkboard gags in the "Simpsons" and Katie Holmes' explanation of Suri's high heels was every blessed word of the President's speech. Where else?
There is little question that history was made in the Obama speech because in the history of this or any other country in the world it will be the first time a war was announced with a specific date for its complete cessation. If only all wars in history could be fought with such precision and efficiency.
Far more palatable than George Bush's promise of a long war that may even cross generational lines, the nice neat 18 month war is great news for anti-war folks and it's just in time for a blame free re-election bid for the White House in 2012. Who wants a darned war hanging over their re-election efforts when facing a possible war with the likes of Palin or Bachmann in the 2011 campaign year?
Wars and skirmishes have been going on in Afghanistan for well over two hundred years, but now we know that stiffening up the security forces with accelerated training and equipment is all that's needed to put an end to that long and bloody history. File this under the new definition of extreme naiveté.
Few people who are at the least only nominally versed in theology would argue that it was President George Bush's lack of theological understanding that led him to say that Islam is a "peaceful religion." He spoke as the President not the nation's chief theologian so mitigation is appropriate.
Now we have another level of theological misrepresentation on an all new and much higher elevation with President Obama's proclamation that Islam is "one the world's great religions." He was careful to note that it was only al-Qaeda's perversion of the great religion that caused both 9/11 and the current insurgency in Afghanistan. Conspicuously missing from the Presidents assertions is the fact that the Quran itself, that bible of Islam, calls for the death of all infidels. Unfortunately the infidel is anyone who is not Muslim!
Islam has been one of the most violent forces on earth since its inception under the visions of its prophet who himself had grave doubts about its efficacy and its veracity. This is history, not conjecture or mere speculation as in the horrors of the inquisition, the dunking of the Puritans and the misguided witch trials of Salem that modernity's historians never fail to reference. Islamic wars and its history of violence are too well known to sweep under the politically correct carpet of even this President and that history stretches much further back than just these present days of al-Qaeda.
Leaving theology and on to the Presidents unprecedented remark that he "owed" something to America. He said, "Given the stakes involved, I owed the American people — and our troops — no less," regarding giving both his generals and the American people an answer on the Afghanistan question.
It may be the first time the President has acknowledged that he owes the American people anything but if he is going to start recognizing that fact can we now hand him a bill for everything else that he owes?
Doesn't he owe an apology to every tea party protestor who he labeled as rebellious trouble makers? When did those exercising their constitutional right to peaceful assembly and right to re-dress their grievances become rabble? Should someone inform the President of "change" that whether it's traditional or constitutional, denial is not a legitimate form of change?
Does he owe an apology for leaving the so called "birthers" and a few million other Americans who are still waiting with baited breath to see some of the missing school records and other documents of his past out in the vast cold land of total silence? They have been shoved off into a fringe category and summarily ignored even as the rest of the nation stands in shock not for what we don't know about the President but for what we now do know.
If the country should outlast the blast of new socialism and leftist hammering it is now enduring, wouldn't we even then be seeking these documents at least for something to put in the Obama Presidential Library? We have dates of birth, documents, diaries, letters and even the wooden false teeth of George Washington to show the American people. What would we have for President Obama except a controversy and a plethora of defense lawyers saying "you can't take no look!"
Finally, although I am no Cal Lightman (Fox's series, Lie to Me) I would bet that the look on all the Cadet's faces on the eve of Obama's speech was not totally one of belief. Besides the one Cadet who fell asleep during the oration, TV camera's constantly scanned the Cadets faces. Discounting for the rigidity that is an offshoot of military discipline anyone would be hard pressed to say that all the Cadets had faces that countenanced Obama's credulity.
Even young officers have time to read about failed stimulus packages, costly health care proposals and appointees that look like leftovers from the Joe Stalin's generation or America's Capone era. Were all the brave young men and women convinced? Don't count on it!
When speaking on the controversy surrounding the Iraq war the President stopped short of blaming President Bush yet once again. The few times he did illicit applause from the Cadets may have been laced with murmurs and boos if he had. As one writer recently said "the statute of limitations has expired for blaming Bush." Some believe the speech was delivered at West Point for effect as in other recent photo op situations the President exploited. There is no doubt that this speech was made smack in the middle of the enemy's camp and not among a chosen or handpicked contingent of sycophants and media cronies.
As the Ancient and wise King Solomon once said "Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter," (Ec 12:13) in three easy to understand sentences. Wars are not finished until someone wins and someone loses. American Presidents owe the American people nothing less than full accountability. The world has lots of religions, some greater than others but it still has only one Savior.
© Michael Bresciani
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