Posted by Tina
I don’t know about you but America’s absence, as more than 40 international leaders locked arms in France to stand in solidarity against violent Islamic terrorism, was an embarrassing moment for me. There is no excuse. Eric Holder was already in France and could have attended the rally. The only thing on the Presidents calendar for the entire weekend was his Saturday address to the nation…oh, and football. If Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas could set aside differences to be there what could possibly have prevented our President from at least dispatching the Vice President?
Ron Fournier of the National Journal attempts to cover for this egregious diplomatic error in a piece entitled, “Obama’s Mistake is No Disgrace.” He calls it a “missed opportunity.” Really? The man has been President for six years and it didn’t occur to him that this was an important show of force for those nations standing up for western values against this threat?
Is it possible that America wasn’t given an invitation? The President hasn’t been very friendly to America’s traditional allies, in fact, he has spurned and embarrassed them on more than one occasion. Still, I doubt the reason America was not represented was due to lack of an invitation. Our ambassador was present somewhere in the crowd of a million or more.
So what will the President do next? Today the White House announced he will hold an international anti-violence summit to “highlight domestic and international efforts to prevent violent extremists and their supporters from radicalizing, recruiting, or inspiring individuals or groups in the U.S. and abroad to commit acts of violence.” And who will attend this summit? The President said ” its strategy includes confronting the threat of extremism within individual neighborhoods, with the help of social services providers, educators, mental health professionals, religious leaders, and law enforcement agencies.” Isn’t this something state and local officials should be hosting. Our community organizer has forgotten he is the leader of the nation, not a mayor or a governor.
It seems the new focus of our nation will be sympathetic social intervention at the local level. While this may be an important factor for cities does it really come under the purview of the president?
Two more years.
Obumble too busy playing golf or planning his next phony photo-op with an “anti-terrorism summmit”, Kerry busy sailing, Biden planning his next class in Gaffe 101, and Holder plotting his next “investigation” into fantasy racial problems.
Now that the whole world can see that Obumble doesn’t give a fig, that’s what he must’ve meant by “transparency . . ..”
I have to agree with the National Journal on this one.
I don’t understand why he snubbed them either. One more F in the leadership scorecard.
Obama is more worried about hurting the feelings of ISSI, Al Qaida and others than he is about showing France he is with them and he cares about fighting terrorism in Europe. Obama is an ass.
Danthe Man: “Obama is more worried about hurting the feelings of ISSI, Al Qaida and others”
From Obama’s speech in September:
“My fellow Americans — tonight, I want to speak to you about what the United States will do with our friends and allies to degrade and ultimately destroy the terrorist group known as ISIL.
As Commander-in-Chief, my highest priority is the security of the American people. Over the last several years, we have consistently taken the fight to terrorists who threaten our country. We took out Osama bin Laden and much of al Qaeda’s leadership in Afghanistan and Pakistan. We’ve targeted al Qaeda’s affiliate in Yemen, and recently eliminated the top commander of its affiliate in Somalia. We’ve done so while bringing more than 140,000 American troops home from Iraq, and drawing down our forces in Afghanistan, where our combat mission will end later this year. Thanks to our military and counterterrorism professionals, America is safer.
Still, we continue to face a terrorist threat. We cannot erase every trace of evil from the world, and small groups of killers have the capacity to do great harm. That was the case before 9/11, and that remains true today. That’s why we must remain vigilant as threats emerge. At this moment, the greatest threats come from the Middle East and North Africa, where radical groups exploit grievances for their own gain. And one of those groups is ISIL — which calls itself the “Islamic State.”
Now let’s make two things clear: ISIL is not “Islamic.” No religion condones the killing of innocents, and the vast majority of ISIL’s victims have been Muslim. And ISIL is certainly not a state. It was formerly al Qaeda’s affiliate in Iraq, and has taken advantage of sectarian strife and Syria’s civil war to gain territory on both sides of the Iraq-Syrian border. It is recognized by no government, nor the people it subjugates. ISIL is a terrorist organization, pure and simple. And it has no vision other than the slaughter of all who stand in its way.
In a region that has known so much bloodshed, these terrorists are unique in their brutality. They execute captured prisoners. They kill children. They enslave, rape, and force women into marriage. They threatened a religious minority with genocide. In acts of barbarism, they took the lives of two American journalists — Jim Foley and Steven Sotloff.
So ISIL poses a threat to the people of Iraq and Syria, and the broader Middle East — including American citizens, personnel and facilities. If left unchecked, these terrorists could pose a growing threat beyond that region — including to the United States. While we have not yet detected specific plotting against our homeland, ISIL leaders have threatened America and our allies. Our intelligence community believes that thousands of foreigners — including Europeans and some Americans — have joined them in Syria and Iraq. Trained and battle-hardened, these fighters could try to return to their home countries and carry out deadly attacks.
I know many Americans are concerned about these threats. Tonight, I want you to know that the United States of America is meeting them with strength and resolve. Last month, I ordered our military to take targeted action against ISIL to stop its advances. Since then, we have conducted more than 150 successful airstrikes in Iraq. These strikes have protected American personnel and facilities, killed ISIL fighters, destroyed weapons, and given space for Iraqi and Kurdish forces to reclaim key territory. These strikes have helped save the lives of thousands of innocent men, women and children.”
http://www.cnn.com/2014/09/10/politics/transcript-obama-syria-isis-speech/
Yeah, Obama is totally worried about hurting the feelings of ISIS and Al Qaeda. Why would you say such a ridiculous thing?
Once again Chris, you skip by the tongue-in-cheek value of someone’s comments and try to make them into something literal. lol You said it was a ridiculous thing to say and that ought to have been your first clue. Am I right Dan?
Was it meant to be tongue-in-cheek? The arguments from the right wing have gotten to the point where I can’t even tell. I hear similar sentiments expressed here and at other conservative sources all the time. Tina made the argument recently that Obama changed the language regarding terrorism in order to avoid hurt feelings, and seemed to be upset when I didn’t take that argument seriously. I suppose it could have been meant as a joke, but if so, it wasn’t a very good one.
The Fournier spin doesn’t cut it. It was a missed opportunity and a disgrace. Obama’s presence would not have to have been disruptive, that is complete and utter bs.
No one from the Obama administration was sent in his stead to represent the US. A shameful disgrace.
Is anyone besides Chris surprised Obama didn’t attend the terrorist protest rally in France? I’m not.
He has demonstrated he’s not interested in doing his job to represent this country as a leader of a once great nation and world leader. There is no way he would identify himself as a person who speaks out against a religion he loves and has radical terrorist as members.
Nope, not surprised at all he didn’t go or tell Kerry who was already in Paris to attend. I am surprised to see and hear members of his own party and liberal media sources dinging him for not going.
He did his usual “lead from behind.” But, this time his behind was parked in a chair in front of a TV with football games on. We know where his priorities are… vacations, fundraising, golf and football, cuz it sure isn’t doing his job as president.
http://www.politico.com/blogs/media/2015/01/media-slam-obamas-paris-snub-200928.html
Somewhere, in the Post Scripts of an alternate universe where Obama did attend:
“OMG! Can you believe Obama would show his face at the unity march against Islamic terror? Who is he fooling? He has never been serious about fighting terrorism or preserving free speech before. But of course he couldn’t just let Europe have it’s moment. He knew attending the event would make it all about him, the Great Narcissist.
Something something Benghazi, something something Kenyan anti-colonialist…”
Poor Chris is really grasping at straws now. Once a ridiculous ass, always a ridiculous ass.
Now this is just plain weird —
German Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Monday Islam “belongs to Germany”
https://ca.news.yahoo.com/merkel-says-islam-belongs-germany-ahead-dresden-rally-171632978.html
Islam belongs to Germany? This would make perfect sense if Merkel was a Nazi and this were Nazi Germany. I suspect German Jews, like those who have been fleeing France, might be made a bit nervous by this announcement.
Pie at #8, “too disruptive” excuse…as if Obama’s security was any more disrupting that forty plus other dignitaries…what a stupid thing to say!
And the blatherer, about Obama “fighting” the war, is really rich.
Our troops did all the fighting and under utterly ridiculous terms of engagement! More
here and here.
In Afghanistan, “the good war,” they paid a pretty heavy price too: “…73% of U.S. Casualties in Afghanistan on Obama’s Watch.”
Obama has done the minimum, reluctantly, and through a policy of leading from behind that was bound to fail. It has emboldened and enabled terrorists, created havoc in the ME and elsewhere, and made America seem weak and inept. History will record the incredible failures of this Presidency and the attendant mess that affects the entire world!
And by the way, the most obvious thing your “Post Scripts of an alternate universe” snark exposes is your adolescent world view and the fact that you simply do not get it.
Peddle your soft liberal bologna elsewhere.
I hear Code Pink is looking for recruits. Yep, they are old, but they’re just as childish and just as ignorant in their thinking. Closing Gitmo and declaring “The war is over,” per Obama, is like magic to this bunch: Poof…the bad people just go away! All the while they’re still screaming for the very serious, adult, and competent Dick Cheney’s head!
What a contrast!
“very serious, adult, and competent Dick Cheney”
This would be the guy who claimed he didn’t have to release documents because the VP isn’t part of the Executive Branch, right?
Love it when liberals wake up and finally see Obama for his failures.
Jon Stewart Rips Obama, Holder for Failing to Attend Paris March: ‘Unbelievable!’:
http://www.theblaze.com/stories/2015/01/13/jon-stewart-rips-obama-holder-for-failing-to-attend-paris-march-unbelievable/
Yes Chris that’s the very same Dick Cheney, a man who took defending this nation very seriously as VP.
The rabid Alinsky left grabbed this out of context statement to smear and impugne Cheney. It involved an executive order created to protect top secret information and the lives of soldiers in a time of war. You bought the disloyal, disrespectful, anti-American radical lefts political tactic like a good little comrade.
Cheney is far superior as an honorable, dignified, competent leader to anyone now in leadership in the pro-Marxism Democrat Party. They were willing to smear the VP and put the war effort at risk for political power. Worked too. Young skulls full of mush like you bought the community organizers promises and put him, an inexperienced incompetent fundamental transformer, in the White House.
It’s working out in very deadly terms every single day! Congrats!
Tina: “It involved an executive order created to protect top secret information and the lives of soldiers in a time of war.”
Yes, and it is the National Archive’s job to review those types of documents and ensure that the classification process is handled properly. Releasing the documents to the National Archive would not have compromised security one bit, and your suggestion otherwise is just more proof of the dishonest lengths you will go to to protect anyone on “your side” from criticism.
OK, mister expert, how do you know that “Releasing the documents to the National Archive would not have compromised security one bit.”
That is your opinion, which is worthless.
Again, the vicious stupid one calls Tina dishonest. Quite frankly I am fed up with this ***hole calling people liars.
That is as much name calling (which the ***hole whines about) as my upfront calling the ***hole and ***hole.
Hey ***hole, drop dead!
Pie: “OK, mister expert, how do you know that “Releasing the documents to the National Archive would not have compromised security one bit.””
Because the National Archive’s job is to review the classification process and determine whether proper security protocols are being followed.
It was Bush’s executive order that required Cheney to disclose the documents to the National Archives. He was in defiance of his own commander in chief!
“WASHINGTON — For the last four years, Vice President Dick Cheney has made the controversial claim that his office is not fully part of the Bush administration in order to exempt it from a presidential order regulating federal agencies’ handling of classified national security information, officials said Thursday.
Cheney has held that his office is not fully part of the executive branch of government despite the continued objections of the National Archives, which says his office’s failure to demonstrate that it has proper security safeguards in place could jeopardize the government’s top secrets.
According to documents released Thursday by a House committee, Cheney’s staff has blocked efforts by the National Archives’ Information Security Oversight Office to enforce a key component of the presidential order: a mandatory on-site inspection of the vice president’s office. At least one of those inspections would have come at a particularly delicate time — when Cheney’s former chief of staff, I. Lewis “Scooter” Libby, and other aides were under criminal investigation for their suspected roles in leaking the identity of CIA operative Valerie Plame.”
Cheney’s unprecedented refusal to comply with the executive order had nothing to do with national security. On the contrary, his refusal jeopardized national security by setting a precedent that the VP can simply ignore the oversight process is ensuring that proper security protocol is followed. His ridiculous, hypocritical and convoluted claim that he was not part of the executive branch–after having previously used executive privilege many times to avoid releasing other documents–was nothing but a desperate attempt to hide the criminality of his cronies, and possibly his own as well.
http://articles.latimes.com/2007/jun/22/nation/na-cheney22
Does anyone else think the following words by President Obama, “No religion condones the killing of innocents,” could be interpreted to mean that honor killings are okay? If a person believes dressing in western clothing dishonors Islam and the Prophet would he not feel justified since he would see the person as guilty rather than an innocent?
How about the Palestinians that think its a great honor to strap bombs to their children for the cause and teach them its a great honor to blow themselves up to murder Jews who are considered dogs and pigs?
I understand the President is attempting to say these people don’t represent the religion as a means of acknowledging these willing to live in freedom and peace. But the problem is this has gone on for centuries and nothing has changed.
Saying no religion would condone the killing of innocents just doesn’t match reality. It may be what many Muslims want to be the reality but it isn’t. their are nations run by radical Islamic law that do condone the killing of innocents.
Chris: “Releasing the documents to the National Archive would not have compromised security one bit, and your suggestion otherwise is just more proof of the dishonest lengths you will go to to protect anyone on “your side” from criticism.”
Wow..look in a mirror, dude. I’ll bet you think you were talking about me!
The problem with your argument is the number of radical progressives in government that would love to leak such information to the media, as they often did when Bush was President. Heck, the opposite is also true:
Cheney and Bush were no dummies. They knew exactly what they were up against and they were willing to do what they had to do to protect America and our troops.
Radicals in high places of government (And in media, universities and the judicial) have been undermining war efforts at least since Vietnam. It’s no accident that we have won the war and lost the peace several times since then due to the disloyal, radicals who will not support our government, especially under Republican leadership, and who will do anything to undermine the President, the mission, and our troops.
“It was Bush’s executive order that required Cheney to disclose the documents to the National Archives. He was in defiance of his own commander in chief!”
This is the lefts version but it does not reflect the President’s intention in writing the order.
The left put forth their version because they needed it so they could look for dirt on Scooter Libby in that Valerie Plame “outing” nonsense.
Chris you defend and support some of the most corrupt, anti-American radicals in the country and you denigrate some of the most honorable…you just refuse to see it.
The Supreme Court ruled in favor of Cheney.
Thanks Pie, I had forgotten that. It probably wasn’t widely publicized 😉