"Just because we have the biggest hammer doesn't mean every problem is a nail."
If they ever build a monument to President Obama in Washington (which they won't) that would be the inscription on the base.
CNN may like it and Chris Matthews probably had a ....well, you know. Conservative commentators are calling the speech dreadful-a speech that probably made the cadets wonder why they went through 4 hard years to get there.
A friend of mine told me today that one of her family's closest friends was one of those cadets in the audience politely applauding the President's Chamberlainesque remarks today. Halfway through the speech, my friend got a text message from her cadet friend who said that the president had not even congratulated them on their graduation to that point. I checked the video, and to be honest, he did congratulate the cadets at the beginning of the speech. The cadet must not have been paying attention. I suspect a lot of the cadets were not paying much attention.
If the cadet wasn't paying attention to congratulations on his own graduation, and if that was the primary thing on his mind, then he obviously has an ax to grind, and wouldn't have noticed the congratulations from this source (the President of the United States) if he tripped over them in broad daylight.
ReplyDeleteYour friend's anecdote is not a poll, not even credible as a random sampling. But I appreciate that Gary had the integrity to check on the facts.
President Obama is correct, and anyone who made a point of saying we should not be getting involved in Syria should understand and empathize.
The USA has had a tragic history in the 20th century of staying far too long out of what became WW II, because WW I was such a bloody waste, then getting deeply involved in Vietnam, where we did not belong, because Chamberlain betrayed Czechoslovakia at Munich.
What we need is sound judgment as to when we should get involved, because it is in our vital interest, and/or because we could do some good, net, that would justify the sacrifices, and when we should stay out, because no matter how much the situation pulls at our heartstrings, we would only be jumping into a quagmire, accomplishing nothing and making enemies we didn't even have before doing so.
I have made it clear we should not be involved in Syria and that includes giving weapons to the rebels, which Obama favors.
ReplyDeleteI wonder how the cadets felt being that part of the Obama doctrine of "Speak loudly and carry a soft stick."
ReplyDeleteUnder his watch, we have lost all influence in world events. Nobody cares what America may think or do.
Tyrants are embolden because they know Obama won't do anything. We have betrayed our allies and allowed our sworn enemies to flourish.
How's that hopey changy thing working out?
America has been losing influence for a long time Miggie, because we squandered what strength and good will we had on foolish adventures, exported our productive capacity overseas, so that we would depend on others for our supplies in the event of a major war, and others have come up some in the world. Bottom line, no matter who is president, people don't have to pay attention to us as much as they used to. President Obama is simply recognizing the truth, unwelcome though it may be to you.
ReplyDelete(I know what you said about Syria Gary... that's why I highlighted the hypocrisy of your criticism of the president).