Fool Me Once....

I swear I had to get up and go look at my calendar to make sure it was 2011 and not 2003 during President Obama's justification for bombing Lybia speech last night.

President Obama's Monday night speech on Libya was probably as striking for what he didn't say as much as what he did say.

For instance, he didn't offer details for how much longer the U.S. military will be actively involved in the effort.

It's not hard to see why he'd avoid that one. No one knows at this point how long it will take for Moammar Gadhafi to fall, if he indeed does.Weeks, months, more, who knows?

And with the military option being handed off to NATO that means the U.S. essentially handed the operation back to itself since it is the first among equals in the U.S.-European military alliance.

He didn't promise to keep Congress or the American people informed with future updates.

It was like Deja Voodoo all over again.

The Bush Doctrine;

Different pundits would attribute different meanings to "the Bush Doctrine", as it came to describe other elements, including the controversial policy of preventive war, which held that the United States should depose foreign regimes that represented a potential or perceived threat to the security of the United States, even if that threat was not immediate; a policy of spreading democracy around the world, especially in the Middle East, as a strategy for combating terrorism; and a willingness to unilaterally pursue U.S. military interests.[3][4][5] Some of these policies were codified in a National Security Council text entitled the National Security Strategy of the United States published on September 20, 2002.[6]

The Obama Doctrine;

We will not stand by and watch innocent people slaughtered. We acted because it was the right thing to do. But we will not go as far as to take out Gadaffi and try to institute regime change. We will not repeat in Libya what we did in Iraq. "As Commander in chief I have no greater responsibility than keeping this country safe...." There will be times, though, when our national security interest is not directly threatened, but we have to act in a way to make sure that the principals of justice and human dignity are upheld by all...

Operation Iraqi Liberation
According to U.S. President George W. Bush and British Prime Minister Tony Blair, the reasons for the invasion were "to disarm Iraq of weapons of mass destruction, to end Saddam Hussein's alleged support for terrorism, and to free the Iraqi people."[20] According to Blair, the trigger was Iraq's failure to take a "final opportunity" to disarm itself of nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons that U.S. and British officials called an immediate and intolerable threat to world peace.[21

Operation Intervention Lybia
President Obama delivered a broad defense Monday of his decision to intervene in Libya and of his leadership style, arguing that the United States has a strategic interest in preventing the killing of civilians around the world and that it must do so in partnership with other nations.

Saddam is an evil dictator/mass graves WMMD, must be stopped.

U.S. officials believe at least 300,000 bodies were buried in mass graves, victims of the former regime’s persecution of political enemies, Kurds and Shiite Muslims, and other groups. Some human rights activists believe the number closer to 1 million.

Muammar Al-Qaddafi, one of the world's top ten worst dictators.

In the 1980s, Qaddafi supported a series of terrorist acts on Western targets that led to UN economic sanctions against Libya. In recent years, he’s attempted a “comeback,” offering compensation to families of victims in two aircraft bombings, including Pan Am Flight 103 in 1988, and turning over some of the alleged perpetrators to Western authorities. At home, it’s another story: The state owns all media, criticism of government policy is forbidden, political trials are secret, and torture is common.

Why did we intervene in Lybia?

For a number of reasons, many of which aren't usually found in sweeping foreign-policy visions. Yes, NATO gets to assist a beleaguered popular uprising and prevent a massacre of people quite publicly clamoring for international assistance. That kind of thing makes liberal hawks get all starry eyed. But what makes Libya different than most of the other places where tyrannical governments do nasty things to their citizens isn't terribly Wilsonsian:

Qaddafi's rule over Libya is, on balance, a net negative for US interests;
The US doesn't care much for most of his friends either;
He's sitting on not insignificant fossil fuel deposits;
He has no real support among the great powers; and
The UK, US, and France really, really, really don't like the guy.

Regime Change then, Regime Change now?

President Obama demanded regime change in Libya more than three weeks ago, but now acts as if that’s not his policy. He will use the assault on Muamar Khadafi’s forces to introduce so-called “humanitarian intervention” as an anchor of the Obama Doctrine. Regime change will remain a basic tool, while the “humanitarian” ruse expands imperial options. Obama may well opt to turn Libya into a kind of protectorate, as Haiti has become. Meanwhile, France interprets the UN mandate in Libya as allowing the Euro-Americans to act as air support for the rebel armed forces, as the French did at Benghazi.

Attack on Lybia is a War of Plunder and Agression

Francis Boyle, professor of international law at the University of Illinois, at Champaign, says the U.S. is involved in an “all-out war” of “plunder and aggression” in Libya. “This is the first major outright power grab by the United States and the major colonial, imperial powers against Africa in the 21st century," says Boyle.

What Dan Nexon said;
I might be wrong, but I don't consider the "Humanitarian-intervention-against-militarily-weak-fossil-fuel-producing-countries-in-strategically-important-regions-that-are-also-located-near-many-large-NATO-military-bases-and-are-run-by-dictators-who-kind-of-piss-us-off-and-have-no-powerful-allies Doctrine" the stuff of Grand Strategy. But if you read between the lines, that's pretty much the gist of what Obama had to say tonight.

What George W. Bush said;

“Fool me once shame on.. shame on you… eh.. um.. fool me once can’t get fooled again.”

O.I.L.

The Bush Doctrine reared it's ugly head again last week. You know, the doctirne that says we (The United States of America) must kill innocent men, women children in Libya to protect them from an evil dictator. The United States of America must spend millions of tax dollars for bombs but not a penny for books, health care, or heating for the elderly. It's all war all the time, Unfair and Unbalanced.

The UN Security Council voted on Thursday to authorize a “no-fly zone” over Libya – a surprise to the author, who had predicted in the this column on Tuesday that China and/or Russia would veto the move. The measure gives the OK to “all necessary measures" to protect civilians from attacks by Moammar Gadhafi's forces – wording the U.S. and its allies will undoubtedly treat as a mandate to apply as much force as they wish.

The righty's are already calling the US led enforcement of the UN sanctioned No Fly Zone Obama's War in a lame attempt to equate Bush using our grief over 911 to send our sons and daughters to Iraq and Afghanistan, and firing cruise missiles.

"I feel like in two days max we will destroy Gadhafi," said Ezzeldin Helwani, 35, a rebel standing next to the smoldering wreckage of an armored personnel carrier, the air thick with smoke and the pungent smell of burning rubber. In a grisly sort of battle trophy, celebrating fighters hung a severed goat's head with a cigarette in its mouth from the turret of one of the gutted tanks.

I don't like it. I don't support it. I don't care who the evil Dictator or the President IS.

It's a simple point, but an important one, and one that gets overlooked. Whether or not you think a particular war is moral and good, the fact remains that war is illegal. Actual defense by a country when attacked is legal, but that only occurs once another country has actually attacked, and it must not be used as a loophole to excuse wider war that is not employed in actual defense.

There is Oil in Lybia. Black gold. Texas Tea.

Oil reserves in Libya are the largest in Africa and the ninth largest in the world with 41.5 billion barrels (6.60×10^9 m3) as of 2007. Oil production was 1.8 million barrels per day (290×10^3 m3/d) as of 2006, giving Libya 63 years of reserves at current production rates if no new reserves were to be found. Libya is considered a highly attractive oil area due to its low cost of oil production (as low as $1 per barrel at some fields), and proximity to European markets. Libya would like to increase production from 1.8 Mbbl/d (290×10^3 m3/d) in 2006 to 3 Mbbl/d (480×10^3 m3/d) by 2010–13 but with existing oil fields undergoing a 7–8% decline rate, Libya's challenge is maintaining production at mature fields, while finding and developing new oil fields. Most of Libya remains unexplored as a result of past sanctions and disagreements with foreign oil companies.[1]

Cumulative production through 2009 was 27 Gbbl.[2] Given the stated number, this would be 65% of reserves.

The drilling of oil wells in Libya was first authorised by the Petroleum Law of 1955.[3] The National Oil Corporation is the largest oil company of Libya

Speaking of O.I.L, a LARGE new OIL SLICK is under investigation in The Gulf of Mexico.

The U.S. Coast Guard is investigating reports of a large oil sheen 20 miles north of the site where BP’s Deepwater Horizon oil rig exploded last April. Multiple reports indicate a sheen nearly 100 miles long and 12 miles wide originating near the site of the Matterhorn SeaStar oil rig, owned by W&T Offshore, Inc.

Country first?

Redeye's Week In Review

Yo GoBlue! If you are reading this you owe me some Obama wine glasses. Remember, our friendly wager before I was booted from the Left in Alabama sandbox regarding young, conservative, phone tapper James O'Keefe? Well, A Felony Will Get You Probation If You're a Conservative in America.

Although, this is nothing new in America if your not brown or black skinned people. O'Keefe won't get the felony label that is issued out like free tickets to the circus. We all know that had he been black or brown he would have been singing that tune they sing when baseball player hits a baseball out of the park-bye,bye baby! And some white folks wonder why black and brown people get all puff out of shape and complain about the sentencing system in the courts of America. Puleeeeeze!

You want to deliver those glasses or should I pick them up? :)

BTW, the Alabama Teacher who used the assassination of President Obama as a teaching tool got a slap on the wrist too.

I think that the Superintendent Phil Hammonds felt obligated simply because of the national attention and the fact he was named MSNBC's worst person in the world.

Ya think?

Speaking of Left in Alabama I see where they made their endorsements for the June 1st, democratic primary. Now I know why Bengoshi and I were booted from the front page, we were just too darn liberal for Left in Alabama. I bout fell off my bar stool laughing at this one;;

Generally, we are going with the outsiders this year. The corrupt, good old boy culture in Montgomery has done no favors for Alabama or the Democratic Party. It's time to bring in some fresh troops and generals because we aren't going to solve our problems by continually electing political retreads.

Translation, we want to replace the good guys with the bad guys. You know the good guys who believe in women's rights, equal rights, civil rights, human rights, health care reform, labor, and public education.

I spewed coffee all over my keyboard at this one;

Of course, this is Alabama, so there will be Constitutional Amendments on the ballot next Tuesday. Knowing nothing about them as yet, we hope and pray someone (Old Prosecutor?) will take pity and tell us what they mean and how a progressive Alabamian might want to vote on them.

Let me see if I've got this right (pun intended), they want resident righty Old Prosecutor to tell them how a progressive Alabamian might want to vote on them? ROFLMAO! I guess it depends on what the definition of a progressive Alabamian IS. *Snark*. But in any event, now we know progressive at Left in Alabama means the following;

If you don't like the content, write your own. We're a progressive blog that deals mainly with state issues - particularly during a state primary season.

As far as progressive issues go, most of us here support Constitution reform, ethics reform, tax fairness, and a better educational system.

Sound familiar?

The Progressive Electorate released their endorsements for the democratic primary also. Not surprising, with the exception of Jeremy Sherer and no endorsement in the governors race they are the complete opposite of slightly Left in Alabama.

Alabama Governor - This is a tough call. Artur Davis has brought a lot of attention to the 7th Congressional District. However, as progressives we are extremely disappointed in some of his recent votes that have shown his capitulation to the right. I.E. Health Care Reform, Hate Crimes. Ron Sparks is the alternative in this race and we genuinely like some of his ideas such as an Education Lottery. Sparks has been an outstanding Ag Commissioner and been great in that position. However, we are also disappointed in his stance on constitutional reform. The constitution in its current form continues to hinder our State from reaching its potential. Therefore we issue a no-endorsement in this race.

Now this is what I call a progressive slate and a well reasoned endorsement. I don't agree with everyone endorsed (I endorse Mitchell Howie and Ron Sparks), but at least the slate of candidates are liberals and will work for the people, not on the people.

Ministry of Truths' diary is a must read.

I was surprised to learn that an African American woman has NEVER been elected to a full term to represent the state of Alabama in the House of Representatives.
My goal today is to help change that.

When last I wrote about one of my heroes, Rosa Parks, it was to illustrate how the right would roll back the Civil Rights act to allow discrimination in the name of economic freedom.

145 years after the Civil War, much has changed, but more should change, until we truly achieve the Change We Can Believe In!.

In 2010, it is finally time to elect an African American woman to a full term in Congress to serve the State of Alabama in the House of Representatives!

I can't make up my mind in this race between Sheila Smoot and Earl Hillard Jr, because they both are better than the current Congress Critter from the 7th district, so may the best liberal win!

The United States House of Representatives approved the repeal of Don't Ask Don't Tell this week! Yippie! Not surprising, Alabama's two DINO's (Bright and Davis) didn't bother to vote and the republicans voted NO. Bummer.

So, did the Top Kill Work? We don't know what we don't know, we don't know. Of course the vultures are circling trying to turn this into President Obama's Katrina. No more Mister Nice Blog has some suggested alternative responses for President Obama. The Rude Pundit wants to know why is BP still in charge of the Gulf and so do I. Meanwhile the oil is still spilling. We need real solutions, not Crazy Uncle Solutions

President Obama expected, however wrongly and however stupidly, that the American media -- even though overloaded with voluble crazy uncles -- would, for a change, react to this crisis with proper disgust, but also maturity and Reason.

Maturity and reason? What's that?

WTF Wednesday

I step away from the blogosphere, cable TV and XM radio for a real life break and all hell breaks loose. Instead of What If Wednesday, This is WTF Wednesday. W=Who, What, Where, When or Why. You know what the T and F mean.

WTF made former, convicted Birmingham Mayor Larry Langford the Willie Horton of the Alabama dirty tricks campaign season? I mean, really? The man is no longer in office and is presently serving a long prison sentence. What more do you want? A pound of flesh? His first born? His wife? His home? Larry Langford is not the black boogie man. You would think Langford raped women, kidnapped children and lynched folks or something. Geesh. Leave Larry Alone!

WTF cares about Ron Sparks bank loan and again, WFT does Larry Langford have to do anything??

Smacks of Langford, actually.
I keep seeing the whole Langford bingo machine thing play out in my head.

WTF kind of ethics platform is Artur Davis running on? It's real ethtical to throw out rumor and innuendo against your opponent. It's realy ethical to throw your constituents under the bus for your own political gain. Congressman Davis, if you have solid evidence Ron Sparks bank loan was illegal or unethical, bring it on, if you don't have solid evidence.........

WTF can't Artur Davis be in favor or Constitution Reform and Health Care Reform? This is why Artur Davis will lose. Watch it and weep.

WTF is taking so long for somebody to just plug the damn hole and stop the millions of barrals of black gold, Texas Tea from polluting the Gulf Coast and possible the eastern seaboard? I mean, really?

Boby Jindal is going to start crying like Ray Nagin any day now, and when he does, you are going to be toast O man. I don't care how much BP is at fault. Ken Salazar will be your Mike Brown. You remember him, don't you O man? "Brownie you are doing a heck of a job". Yeah, that guy. Salazar has been posturing and fuming at BP for days now, but the oil is still coming, and we are no closer to a resolution today than when that rig exploded what seemed like an eternity ago.

WTF did teaching hate become part of the public school curriculum? See a pattern? The Birmingham Chapter of the SCLC does...

"The Southern Christian Leadership Conference has noted with great concern the increased rhetoric across this nation that espouses violence and hateful rhetoric toward our national government and especially our president, the honorable Barack Obama. We were greatly disturbed that a public school teacher right here in Jefferson County would be so mean spirited that he would teach impressionable young minds a geometry lesson and used the hypothetical assassination to teach his math class. This is totally inexcusable and this person needs to be dealt with swiftly and in a decisive and meaningful manner. This borders on insanity and cannot be rationalized nor condoned. This teacher should be fired immediately."

Peace

What If Wednesday

Black Agenda Report Managing Editor Bruce Dixon ask What if BP were a human being instead of a corporation?

What if BP, the principal corporate entity responsible for the monstrous oil well rupture a mile beneath Gulf of Mexico were a human being, a flesh and blood person instead of a faceless transnational corporation? It's a fair and simple question, and the answers tell us a lot more about the world we live in.

What if they really do hate us for our freedoms? It used to aggravate me to no end to hear Bush/Dick and the Talking TeeVee Pundit heads say the "Terrist hate us for our freedoms" claiming it was why we were attacked on 911. First, we need to figure out who they are.But what if they were right (pun intended) and they really do hate us for our freedom only "they" are not the terrist but our government, because lately those freedoms we love and cherish and who are sons and daughters are "fighting for" in Iraq and Afghanistan are coming under attack.

Do they hate us for our right to vote and have our votes counted?
Do they hate us for our Miranda Rights?
Do they hate us for our right to Habeas Corpus?
Do they hate us because we are a nation of immigrants?
Do they hate for our freedom of speech?

What if President Obama had nominated the most qualified man/woman to the fill the vacancy on the United States Supreme Court? Hate to say it but the Repubs are right (pun intended) about Elana Kagen not being qualified for a lifetime appointment to the Supreme Court. But hey, even a broken clock/watch is right twice a day. Lilian Sergura tells us Six things we may not know about Elana Kagen.

The nomination of Elana Kagen to the Supreme Court has produced many more questions than answers, but that has not stopped the avalanche of news stories, which could take days to sift through. Nevertheless, it seems pretty clear from what we know so far that this is not good news for anyone who hoped that the president might choose a nominee that would continue in the liberal tradition of the justice she's replacing, John Paul Stevens.

Which is why progressives must fight the nomination of Elana Kagen;

For more than 15 months, evidence has mounted that President Obama routinely combines progressive rhetoric with contrary actions. As one bad decision after another has emanated from the Oval Office, some progressives have favored denial -- even though, if the name "Bush" or "McCain" had been attached to the same presidential policies, the same progressives would have been screaming bloody murder.

What if we were investing in America's future instead of all war all the time?

Congress is being asked to vote on another appropriations bill for billions more dollars to fund military operations in Afghanistan despite reservations among many members about the corrupt regime of Afghan leader, Hamid Karzai. Operations that many in the Pentagon are beginning to question from both an tactical and strategic standpoint:

What if 9 Alabama State University students hadn't been expelled under pressure from then Governor John Patterson for protesting off campus? Note to Alabama gubernatorial candidate Artur Davis, these are the "old school" civil rights pioneers who were in the trenches when you were just a twinkle in your mother's eye. These are the "old school" warriors who helped Dr. Joe Reed with the help of African American political organizations pave the way for you to be the sitting Congressman from the 7th district of Alabama. These are the "old school" people you disrespect and threw under the bus to pander to the white, I mean right. Shame on you.

What if I hadn't been banned from Left in Alabama and they really did connect progressive voices for a new direction in Alabama politics instead of disconnecting progressive voices in favor or neo-liberal voices? :)

All War All the Time, UNfair and Unbalanced

War with a new name is still war, or as mcjoan says, A Rose by any other name..... The Iraq occupation started of as Operation Iraqi Liberation until the warmongers figured out the acronym spelled O.I.L (go ahead and laugh), so they changed the name to Operation Iraqi Freedom (are the Eye Rack Eees free yet?), as of September 1 when combat troops leave it will be called Operation New Damn, I mean Dawn. Who the heck comes up with this stuff?

George W. Bush told us he was sending our sons and daughters to Iraq because he had proof of tons and tons of Weapon of Mass Destruction and Saddam was about to use them on us, remember? So where are the WMD?

Remember how Bush and Dick told us the Iraqis would greet as liberators and throw flowers and candy at our troops and Iraqi oil would pay would pay for the war. So, did the Iraqis greet us as liberators? Nope. The only thing the Iraqi people are throwing at our troops are bombs and bullets, and we aren't even going to talk about the 4 billion dollar a month price tag for the W-ar.

Can you imagine the outrage if Bill Clinton had sent our troops to war based on dead wrong intelligence? I mean he was impeached for trying to conceal a private sexual affair for Christ sake. The teabaggers are upset at President Obama's "out of control spending for domestics issues" but don't say a mumbling word about the price tag of the war and it's negative impact on the deficit.

The mantra from the right said our troops couldn't come home until we (they) win in Iraq. Win what? A mistake?

Operation New Dawn My Donkey.