Richard Lutz's Blog

THE BARACK HONEYMOON

19-11-2008

So how was it for you? Tired of him yet? Richard Lutz assesses when it will be all over for Obama.

OK. OK. He’s cute, he gives Great Rhetoric and he will save the world. But now come the crucial questions, because a US political honeymoon lasts for about 32 minutes, according to the latest stats.

So let’s all face facts. There will be a turning point for each and every one of when we will look into that dark mirror and say: ‘Well, I knew it was too good to be true.’

For some it will be the economic crisis - which no one really understands. For others, it’ll be gun laws or abortion or pollution; and, still for others, it’ll be as simple as Obama can’t guarantee good skies over the Rockies this winter for skiing.

Everyone will have a personal barometer tucked away .

Here’s mine:

I am wary that he wants expansion of the Afghan fiasco. He regards it as crucial. And President-elect elect will turn to his generals to figure out what to do. And his generals see the need to bomb an independent country such as Pakistan (and an ally to boot) when the US military chiefs see fit.

So, will liberal Obama continue to direct killer drones over upcountry Pakistan and bomb the living daylights out of remote villages? Will he fire those missiles at suspected terror headquarters and fry wedding guests, farmers, or little children learning their lessons?

These air attacks are a war crime and must be stopped. Because if they aren’t, and America continues to ignore international statutes to suit its actions, doers it see fit that Columbia can invade Los Angeles to look for coke barons or Spain can napalm downtown Redditch in the search for Basque separatists?.

To me, that’s the bottom line. The US has to learn how to abide by the rule of law. Obama must flex his muscles and put a stop to pounding mountain villages where suspects are hiding out according to military intelligence (the same intelligence by the way that said WMD lurked under the sands of Iraq).

So, if a New Brand USA is on the rise, the President-elect and his advisors must stop these illegal acts that end in misery, blood and loss of life in the hapless pursuit of suspects.

It’s immoral, against international law, and, pragmatically, will never make any friends in Islamabad.

So, over to you Barak. The honeymoon ends here.

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