Ending the war: a refutation of fear

[sheshe2]

There is not doubt. For me, today is one of the most important days of Barack Obama's presidency.

As regular readers here know, for quite a while now I've been writing about the need to end the indefinite war. I must admit that over the last couple of years, I've felt a bit lonely in championing that cause. But I've always had a feeling that this is where the President was going - even as all the talk on the left ignored the fact that we were at war and focused instead on civil liberties as a concern.

Today...headlines like these tell the story:

The End of the Perpetual War

Obama Lays Out Plan To End The War Against Al Qaeda

'This war, like all wars, must end'

OMG - all of the sudden I don't feel so alone anymore. And if those titles don't represent a summary of your take-away from President Obama's speech today, you are clearly missing the forest for the trees.

MORE:
http://immasmartypants.blogspot.com/2013/05/ending-war-refutation-of-fear.html

[Cha]

1. Beautiful vision, she.. thank you.. and thanks to smartypant.

"Here's what the President said about that:"

So America is at a crossroads. We must define the nature and scope of this struggle, or else it will define us. We have to be mindful of James Madison’s warning that “No nation could preserve its freedom in the midst of continual warfare.” Neither I, nor any President, can promise the total defeat of terror. We will never erase the evil that lies in the hearts of some human beings, nor stamp out every danger to our open society. But what we can do -- what we must do -- is dismantle networks that pose a direct danger to us, and make it less likely for new groups to gain a foothold, all the while maintaining the freedoms and ideals that we defend. And to define that strategy, we have to make decisions based not on fear, but on hard-earned wisdom..

BOG

Here's the Vid of the President's Vision in case anyone wants to view it.

[Kath1]

2. Yes!

It is long overdue for this country to get out of this mindless war mentality. I am so glad PBO came out and said it. This is the reason I first supported/voted for him in 2008!

[Cha]

3. Yes, it all goes back to his speech on

the "dumb war" in Iraq, Kath. That speech he gave Oct 2, 2002 in Illinois. I didn't know much about him at all but the more I knew the more I liked..and, then I read that speech and I knew.

PBO's not a pacifist but he doesn't believe in starting wars based on lies.. but, he finished that war on Iraq. And, now he's winding down Afghanistan. Which is complicated because of real enemies.

[Kath1]

4. Yes!

My daughter turned me on to that same speech (Oct 2, 2002) and I was behind him 100% after that. Then I saw his record on women's rights. Wow! It was obviously a war based on the lies of Bush, Cheney, etc. He ended it and I give him all the credit in the world for doing so. I am so glad he is winding down the Afghanistan war. I agree that it is much more complicated. I actually had a relative who was deployed there. His wife is a major Obama supporter and is so glad he is back!

[freshwest]

5. My first exposure to Obama was in 2007:

Barack Obama: What we gain by stopping the war

Uploaded on Jul 15, 2007

Barack Obama talks to the crowd in Manchester, Iowa about exactly what the war in Iraq is costing the American people.

We were having town hall meetings in my state going over the cost by district. The amount of taxes paid per capita going to D.C. and how it was ruining our quality of life. The details just made us angrier. We knew:



'This is why we can't have nice things.'

Our represetatives got an angry earful and we kept on learning. That things are complicated beyond anything we've been taught, but Obama knows that. It's time for mankind to move foreward and not back again.

We are the change, no one else.

[freshwest]

6. And then again during the 2008 primary:

Barack Obama: The Cost of War

Uploaded on Mar 20, 2008

Full remarks given in Charleston, WV on March 20, 2008.

His responses in the debates showed me what kind of man he was, and is. I didn't need media, regular or alternative, to make up my mind. I listened to him directly with an open mind. He was not my first choice but I gave him my vote with optimism in 2008.

Seeing him keeping true to his principles and working on issues dear to my heart, civil rights and environmentalism through alternative energy, despite the obstructionism and catcalling, made him the only logical choice in 2012.

[sheshe2]

7. Thank you, freshwest

For the videos and pictures. The taxes that were paid per capita, were staggering! As Obama points out, what those taxes could have done for the American people, is overwhelming.

Instead we were forced to war on malicious lies, avaricious and the Bushcos arrogant feelings of superiority. They wanted to show the world that USA is number one in their might.We can crush you all.

The damage that they have done to this country, and our standing in the world nearly broke us.

It took our President years to change that image of America. He is making great progress, yet still has a hard job to change what the Bushies have brought down on our Nation and the World.

I am grateful to have President Barack Obama as our leader.

Oh and freshwest, congratulations!

[freshwest]

8. And for you, sheshe:

[sheshe2]

9. That's simply beautiful~

freshwest

[IrishAyes]

10. The right to be secure in our persons is one of the biggest.

That doesn't mean throwing our armed services personnel under the train so R's can strut and the military-industrial complex can prosper.