A couple of days ago I started reading “Obama’s War” by Bob Woodward and I’m finding the book intriguing to say the least.  I’ve been railing against republicans since President Bush tragically blundered this nation into the quagmire of Iraq – essentially destabilizing the entire world in the process.  Not only did Bush abandon the real fight against al Qaeda in Afganistan – in my view, he purposely allowed Osama bin Laden and his forces to escape certain defeat at Tora Bora in order to enable his real intention all along which was to find a way to invade Iraq.  Thusly, the United States of America has been mired in two unwinnable, poorly managed, extremely costly wars going on ten years now.  For those of us old enough to remember Viet Nam – it’s Deja Vu all over again.  Of course, not only did Bush/Cheney screw up our foreign policy, but they did a royal number on our economy at home as well.  They left Barack Obama arguably the WORST MESS any president in history has faced upon his first day in office.  Which brings me to my point for the evening – despite Obama needing to pull out some kind of miracle to resuscitate our economy he has two INCREDIBLY complex WARS to deal with that somehow have managed to get lost in the “tea party” headlines of the past year or so.

I’m just about a third of the way through this book, but as I read it I’m just getting more and more angry with the republican party, and unfortunately the large number of Americans who seem willing to turn the “reigns” back to them in congress.  When you start looking at the nuances of what these people are doing, it really is feeling traitorous to me.  Now, I’m not talking about the “man on the street” because most Americans don’t seem to have the time to look beyond the headlines.  And, the republicans have figured out that they can buy their way past the obvious hollow message that lies behind the so-called “talking points,” which is what we hear on Fox or the other media outlets who’ve bought into the “fair and balanced” nonsense.  America is STUCK in two wars – BOTH the work of incompetent republican policy decision making – and these people are doing everything they can to UNDERMINE a sitting American president.  I honestly can’t imagine this happening during a time of peace – yes, it’s OK to have disagreements and attempt to persuade the public that one position is preferable to another.  But, that’s completely different from CONSPIRING to cause an American president to FAIL.  And, that’s exactly what the republicans have been doing since day one of this administration.

I’ve often thought the main reason they’re doing this is because Obama is Black, although when I consider what they’d be doing had Hillary Clinton won the White House I don’t think it would be much different.  The bottom line with them is that the well being of this nation is secondary to their selfish, greedy desire to have POWER.  All you have to do is look at the amount of money being spent – SECRETLY – by large corporate donors and then think logically: “Why are these people willing to spend MILLIONS for a mid term election?”  The answer is disgusting – the republican party, in concert with who knows which large multinational corporations – are attempting to undermine the very foundation of our representative democracy through a concerted, well financed campaign of mis-information aimed at undercutting President Obama’s ability to change the direction of our nation from the Bush/Cheney/Reagan attempt to turn America into a corporatocracy.

President Eisenhower warned us all about the power of the “military industrial complex” back in the fifties – cautioning the American people to not allow this “behemoth” to get out of control.  Well, it’s out of control and it’s going to be very difficult to get it back under control – especially if the American people don’t rise up and demand an early end to the “Citizens United” era – which is coming at us like an out of control freight train.  I’ve been warning about this since the day the decision was announced.  Actually, I (and other listeners of Thom Hartman – “progressive” radio “talker”) heard about the pending possibility some weeks prior to the decision, but when it happened, and I took just a casual look at the implications, I reacted in almost horror.  My thoughts: “This can’t be happening in the America I’ve been living in for the past 60+ years!”  But, yes it can.

I can still see Samuel Alito sitting in the Supreme Court section of the congress during Obama’s State of the Union speech when Obama warned of the severity of this decision and the need to “fix” the problem.  The Supreme Court had essentially overturned 100 years of campaign finance laws – actually going way beyond the decision in front of them – yes, Lars if you’re reading this, your right wing judges are the most ACTIVIST judges I’ve seen in my lifetime – and, they opened the doors to FOREIGN corporations having a major influence on our elections.  (ANY influence they might have is TOO MUCH!)  As Obama was correctly pointing this out, there sat Alito shaking his head and mouthing the words “no way.”  Despite the unprofessionalism Alito displayed by doing so, the reality is that we have already been inundated by an indeterminable amount of foreign money in this, the first election cycle since the HORRIBLE decision.  The U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Karl Rove (who’s controlling something approaching a half a billion dollars), and the other “Supre PACS” who don’t have to disclose where their money is coming from are undoubtedly receiving funds from foreign sources.  Hell, News Corp, run by Rupert Murdoch with its second leading investor ($3 BILLION) coming from a Saudi Arabian sheik have OPENLY funneled several MILLION dollars to various republican committees and right wing candidates.  Murdoch is an Australian and the Saudi sheik has ties to Osama bin Laden (that is, he’s helped finance bin Laden in the past) but this isn’t getting much play from our “liberal media.”  The sad truth is that we’ll probably never know where all the money’s coming from – but, $4 BILLION spent on a midterm election is obscene.

To make matters worse – and, if you’re paying any attention at all – Mitch McConnell, apparently in an attempt to stay lockstep with Rush Limbaugh, recently announced that the NUMBER ONE priority of the republicans is to assure that President Obama is a one term president.  Limbaugh, on numerous occasions, has publicly declared that the top priority of the republican party is the make sure that President Obama “FAILS.”  Are you kidding me?  Let me remind anyone who’s sensible out there, we’re still in TWO WARS!  When in American history has one political party been going out of their way to insure a president FAILS in the midst of two wars.  Let me be clear here, I believe that trying to insure that a president fails is bordering on treason – especially during wartime.  If the president fails, the people fail with him.  This is udder nonsense, yet, with all the money pouring in from special corporate interests thanks to “Citizens United” it is possible the republicans will retake control of one or both houses of congress (I really hope that doesn’t happen) meaning their OBSTRUCTIONISM will become even worse. (I started this post prior to the election night – we now know the republicans have a solid majority in the House)

Do you remember the endless “investigations” during the eight years of Bill Clinton’s presidency?  Well, that’s what is likely to happen.  The irony here is that had Obama followed my advice and allowed ALL the investigations which were warranted upon the departure of the Bush administration in 2009 we wouldn’t be having this discussion.  I hope the president has learned something here and I hope it’s not too late.  We are in THREE wars – and, in my view, the most important one is right here at home and it’s for the heart and soul of this nation.  I can’t even imagine a nation with Sarah Palin as a true national leader, but if the democrats don’t figure out what’s happening, we could all be in trouble.  I’m old enough to remember that Ronald Reagan was a marginal, at best, national candidate – but, with the help of the right wing manipulation machine and some short sighted democrats he managed to take the White House and this dreadful 30+ years of undermining our government at the expense of America’s middle class and FOR the benefit of the large corporations – just like in the 1920’s – was thrust upon us.  Honestly people, do we need another GREAT DEPRESSION to figure out what’s happening?  Does the American public have NO sense of HISTORY?  We’re repeating Viet Nam (twice) thanks to republcans and I’m wondering are we going to repeat the depression?  Ughhhhh!!!!

Back to Woodward’s book.  It is even more clear to me as I’m reading this that the republicans in the Bush White House conspired with the military leaders, prior to their anticipated defeat in 2008, to tie the hands of the incoming president.  Now, I believe Obama could have followed through with his plan to TOTALLY remove ALL American troops from Iraq by NOW – except that he would have had to renege on the withdrawal agreement Bush made with the Iraqi’s prior to the election.  In doing so, Obama would have created a major conflict with the military leaders such as General Patreaus who was part of a scheme to force Obama’s hand into keeping the troops there.  In fact, I’m convinced that when the end of 2011 comes around they (the military leaders) have a further scheme to keep the so-called “non-combat” troops there indefinitely.  I hope I’m wrong on this, but only time will tell.  At the same time, these military leaders were more than happy to have the troops being pulled out of Iraq funneled into Afganistan – where, I believe they would be willing to stay indefinitely as well.   You have to remember that many of America’s Generals are still stung at the thought of Viet Nam and America’s withdrawal without “victory.”  I guess they have a hard time accepting the FACT that in recent memory, our civilian leaders seem to have the propensity to put them in untennable circumstances.  However, I’m convinced they just don’t want to leave without being able to claim “victory,” whatever that might be.  Does anyone know what “victory” is in Iraq or Afganistan?  In Iraq, Moqtada al Sadr is ultimately going to be an integral part of that nation’s leadership and Iran and Iraq are going to be almost united.  This is TOTALLY due to Bush/Cheney’s decision to invade – but, the republicans will find a way to blame Obama.  The reality, as I see it, is there is no “victory” from the original goals of the U.S. in Iraq.  (and that’s not even with me putting in my cynical “two cents” about how I believe it was mostly about the oil)

Afganistan is called the “graveyard of empires” for a reason.  Somehow our leaders are convinced that we can do something that hasn’t happened in 4000 years.  This is where what I’m reading in Woodward’s book is making me even angrier about this war and the incompetent way it’s been prosecuted.  I’m convinced that the military is forcing decisions on Obama because they understand the political realities he’s facing as the first Black American president.  He’s young, and arguably “inexperienced” – although no more inexperienced than any of his immediate predecessors with the possible exception of George HW Bush.  He’s got an economy in virtual ruins and a near depression to deal with domestically, so having a major FIGHT over policy in Iraq or Afganistan would not be prudent.  And, if there’s anything obvious about Obama it’s that he’s prudent (sometimes frustrates me, but considering the alternative I find that character trait quite worthy).  As I’m getting into “Obama’s Wars” it’s becoming painfully obvious that the military leaders provided him with only options that were palatable to them.  That is, they PURPOSELY failed to give the president a wide range of options which would include withdrawal.  It’s like these people are suffering from major TUNNEL VISION when it comes to how to bring these “wars” (I really believe “occupations” is the correct term) to a conclusion.  They’re almost CHALLENGING Obama to take them on – Patreaus has done a masterful job of putting himself in a place where most Americans think he’s a military genius and he’s the reason for the reduction of violence in Iraq.  As I read this book, I’m seeing him more as a conniving, manipulator who will do whatever it takes to force a decision onto his superior that HE wants.  Patreus want to be the one calling the shots – and, he’s very sneaky in the way he goes about his “business.”

So, now Obama’s lost his large majority in Congress and the “you know what” is hitting the fan.  The next two years should be interesting – and, the “tenor” should be somewhat clear soon.  Are Obama and the democrats going to continue “caving” to the right wing – I mean it could look pretty bleak from their standpoint – or, are they going to show some spine?  People like me have been BEGGING for the spine to show up for almost two years now (actually, since 2006 with the democrats – yet, we’re still in both Iraq and Afganistan – and, the dems still don’t “get it”).  I realize they think they’ve done that (been courageous) – but, the reality is that Obama surrounded himself with a bunch of “business as usual” people at the beginning of his administration and any change has been superficial.  I said soon after he was in office, if he didn’t figure this out, quit pandering to republicans, and take an agressive progressive approach to the “problems of the day,” he was headed toward a one term presidency.  By now, maybe that looks good to him.  But, if he really wants to be the catalyst for the “change we can believe in” the intensity of the “fight” must be accelerated and SOON!  Obama and the democrats didn’t lose ground in this election because their policies were too bold (which is how the republicans will characterize this) – they took a good ole fashion “whippin” because their policies were too timid – they showed almost NO spine. 

 The stimulus package was too small – and, it shouldn’t come as a surprise now – because if I could figure this out at the time, then Obama’s team should have been able to do so.  Going along with the TARP bailout and supporting a resurgence of Wall Street was STUPID under the circumstances – and the re-regulation was too weak.  Abandoning the “public option” instead of strengthening it – in the face of nearly 75% public support (now, there’s bipartisanship with the public) was STUPID – if you can’t take a stand there, when can you?!  (the dems couldn’t even take a stand on tax cuts prior to the election – it was as if they were worried what a principled stand would do to their chances)  The backroom dealing that went into the health care legislation simply exposed the democrats as being republican-lite in their corrupt connection to the insurance industry and other corporate interests.  Also, Obama negotiated a similar deal to Bush’s Medicare Part D fiasco with the Pharmaceutical industry simply to buy their withdrawal from the “debate.”  That looked REALLY bad!  The opening up of offshore oil leases just in time for the Deep Horizon oil spill was a major blunder and, I could go on.  Tonight, I was watching Chris Matthews (not one of my favorites) on MSNBC giving analysis of the republican gains in the midterm election, and he said something that I started saying over a year ago.  “I’m tired of the rhetoric – I want to see action.”  I want to see leaders who will stand up – LITERALLY – for the rights of the middle class in America which has been under assault from the right wing since the Nixon years.  Until these democrats figure this out, I believe America continues to decline.  The greed of the republicans and their supporters seems to have no bounds.   

One final depressing note is that this is just the first “salvo” of the “Citizens United” era. If strong action isn’t taken soon to reverse that decision, we Americans could find ourselves in a situation that once seemed impossible.  Nothing scares me more than the successful “marriage” between large corporate interests and our federal government.  The “war” for the heart and soul of this nation hasn’t been lost, but people on the left had better wake up soon or the challenge could become more than daunting!  The republicans have shown they have no boundaries in their quest to regain control of our government and if they succeed again in 2012, with the help of Citizens United, I guarantee you they will pull out all the stops from that date onward to make their “majority” permanent!