Not To Be Trusted

I have a bad feeling about this. Given what we have seen of Obama's policies to date, his use of the military anywhere on the planet seems ominous. The aim does not appear to be winning. The aim is to disengage. Obama's challenge is to find someone - anyone – who will fill the vacuum. Obama has already demonstrated that he has no sense of the Islamic threat. He will attempt to dialogue with anyone who claims power. He will try to convince them that the full faith and credit of the (new) U.S. will back whoever dares to declare himself top dog. The manner of government does not concern him.

Why even bother with the fig leaf of forcing a resolution in Iraq, Afghanistan, or wherever? Why not just pull out and declare an end to Bush’s ‘failed policies’ and publicly put the previous administration on trail for war crimes? No doubt, this has crossed Obama’s mind. However, this might be regarded as over-reaching, especially by the military establishment. Besides, by engaging the military one more time, without clear mandate and coupled with severe operational restrictions, would plunge the forces into certain confusion and ultimate humiliating defeat.

By sending the military anywhere, Obama’s aim, first and foremost, will be to discredit it; to cast the men and women who serve as inept or even criminal. In the meantime, he will have built his own ‘civilian (political) national security force’ of brown shirts (which, according to his own words, will be as well, or even better funded than the military) - presumably to take care of trouble at home.

It is clear that Obama expects trouble on the home front at some point. …and he aims to be ready for when it happens. In his view, the military services, as presently configured, are not to be trusted.