Obama’s Grand Tour – Here & There

The appalling thought of extending GW Bush's term of office through the offices of the petulant troll Bomb Bomb McCain should frighten even die-hard conservatives. The stampede to avoid this rolling disaster drives the American people into the open arms of Obama. The Russians have a proverb, NEVER CALL FOR A NEW CZAR (He may even be worse.) So let us give Obama consideration in this context.

The evil and despair of more Bush via Bomb Bomb are obvious. If there would be change, it would be for the worse . You can count on change from Obama, but whether it would be for the worse or better is an open question. At this point Obama is undergoing a metamorphous from his idealistic frothy high-minded promises of the primary to compromise consensus building he perceives needed in a general election. So at this stage we will watch whether the tail wags the dog or vice versa – put in Marxist terms: Will the base influence the superstructure or vice versa?

There is no question that Obama will institute domestic polices that will redistribute wealth through restructured taxation. Big business starkly realizes this as it dumps massive donations into the Republican National Committee. The middle class, hurt by avaricious corporate greed in the last eight years, routinely signs up in great numbers with small contributions for Obama; this, collectively balances the Big Business contributions. It is class warfare in dollars, without the pitch forks, guns or clubs.

Obama will socialize the domestic scene with more federal programs, focus on rebuilding infrastructure, socialize medicine and generally infuse more paternalism by the government. Obama, after all, is a civil rights lawyer that has fed at the bureaucratic trough most of his life, so can you expect anything different?

In the past this Democratic approach has run into resistance by a majority of Americans who resent government interference in their lives and turned to the Republican Party for support. But Bush's over-the-top brand of self destructive, reckless, greedy state capitalism may have permanently changed attitudes as he wrecked America. It certainly has undermined leadership of the Republican Party. Bush may have done what Herbert Hoover did to the Republican Party; he sent it to the political wilderness where it did not recover for years.

Massive car and home ownership in the US has been the hallmark of American pride – the envy of the the world. Incompetent Bush and his Republicans even have put this in jeopardy with high priced gasoline and predatory mortgages.

While there is no question which direction the philosophically Democratic Socialist Obama will take the US domestically, there still remains the question of degree. Even the doctrinaire Communist Chinese understand the dynamism of capitalism and the stagnation of socialism. Where Obama's historical role could be forged, is in foreign relations; at this time, it is a roll of the dice on where he comes out.

His signature item is the withdrawal of US forces from Iraq. With this issue he drove a stake into the heart of Hillary Clinton during the Democratic primary. With this issue, he cornered Bomb Bomb; now whose foot is caught in a steel trap. Bush recently cut the ground out from under him by moving toward withdrawal in Iraq, direct talks with Iran and a new focus on Afghanistan. Bomb Bomb, caught like a trapped muskrat, may have to chew his own foot off to escape. Expect Bomb Bomb's next flip-flop to be a whopper.

Obama has held to his 16 month withdrawal plan, but says he has to talk to commanders on the ground; he also talks about a residual force left in Iraq. This force could go as high as 30,000 troops and that is not withdrawal by a long shot. Still waiting for our strap-hanging main stream media to ask him about what he means by residual force.

As far as talking to US generals on the ground in Iraq, suggest he review Lincoln's problems with General McClellan during the Civil War. Generals always want more troops and need more time to do anything. He will soon find General Saveus Petraeus suffers from the same syndrome – he developed it at West Point.

Obama simply must order Petraeus out within a certain time frame. If Patraeus balks, relieve him. That is what a real Commander-and-Chief does. If he cannot find a general to do the job, hire the logisticians at WallMart; assign them presidential authority to do it.

Obama is an unlikely candidate as president. Civil Rights lawyers are one issue guys. This one is exceptionally bright, can talk and motivate; that is more than we have now as a president. As for Bomb Bomb, he is an echo of Bush, but dumber and totally controlled by special interests. One thing offers some hope for Obama. He came up through brutal Chicago ward politics where sharp elbows are necessary to get to the top. He crushed the insidious Clinton machine against all odds. If he keeps his Darwinian attitude, he might do the country some good pursuing national interests. Let us hope that he only appears as as an arugula-eating Bambi, but really is carnivorous tiger.

Obama sang-froid is remarkable. Under pressure he performs amazingly well. You witness this whether he is, as recently, shooting hoops in a gym in Kuwait for the troops or speaking at mass rallies addressing thousands. He focuses like a laser; can remain detached with all the razzmatazz going on around him. His coolness and self-assurance under stress is called elitism by his detractors – I CALL IT LEADERSHIP. Question is where will he lead... consult your fortune teller or Tarot cards for that answer. One thing for certain, Jesse Jackson is not writing his agenda. Colonel Robert E Bartos USA Ret