I finally get what Obama is talking about.... (warning: graphic photos within)

Bread and Circus

(1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore

Thu Feb-07-08 11:47 AM
Original message

I finally get what Obama is talking about.... (warning: graphic photos within)

Edited on Thu Feb-07-08 12:16 PM by Bread and Circus

When Obama says "we need to change the thinking that got us into Iraq in the first place" he's not really just talking about the Iraq War Resolution vote. It's actually and entire mindset of foreign policy that is based on unilateralism and lack of balance regarding things like the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Obama is no saint on foreign affairs. There is incredible pressure on our politicians from not readily apparent forces to support the MIC and the lack of balance in our foreign policy. However, the more I read about foreign policy of the candidates, the more I realize Obama is going to offer a more progressive path.

It's hard sometimes to draw distinctions between the two candidates on substantive issues. However, it does seem that there are some clear differences.

I first became starkly aware of this when I found out that Hillary Clinton voted against a ban on cluster bombs in civilian areas. Given Clinton's great history on child welfare, this was striking.

Here is a victim of cluster bombs (I took another photo down because people found it too horrific):

This is what a cluster bomb looks like (these could easily be confused as a toy or something attractive to a child):

Now, I have 3 children. I couldn't imagine how I would feel if my child was out playing in a field or other residential area and got injured by one of these. This is beyond my comprehension of pain.

When this bill came up (Senate amendment 4882) in 2006, Clinton voted against the ban, Obama (like most Democrats at the time) voted for the ban.

Now, many here know that I don't dig Senator Clinton. However, I've always had a quiet respect for her advocacy of children throughout her career. It boggles me that she could take such a hardline stance on something that has such cruel and devastating results.

I disagree with, yet sort of understand her IWR vote. But it was not a surprise. However, hearing of the cluster bomb stance just blew me away.

Of course, I had to dig deeper. Was this a blip on the radar screen or was this a pattern. Through DU and google I was able to come across the following articles, which in my mind are very telling and indicate a broad pattern that is concerning to me.

http://www.fpif.org/fpiftxt/4940
http://www.fpif.org/fpiftxt/4811
http://www.fpif.org/fpiftxt/4803
http://www.fpif.org/fpiftxt/4802

this is the same author's view on barack (he gives a mixed review)

http://www.fpif.org/fpiftxt/4901
http://www.fpif.org/fpiftxt/4886

Right now we have 3 salient major crises in this country: economic involution and shipping of jobs overseas, unaffordable healthcare with skyrocketing costs, and an unsustainable foreign policy that works against our own interests. This doesn't include the world crisis of Global Warming, climate change, and the impact of peak oil.

The third has direct effect on the first. It is both a problem in its own right and it affects all of us at the bank and at the kitchen table. Our standing and relationship with the world impacts us and will impact our children and our grandchildren. It is not only a bread and butter issue, it is also one of the moral issues of our times.

When I read of Clinton's pattern and position she takes on foreign policy issues I can't help but wonder how she will actually change things. She says she will "end the war in Iraq" and she may. But what about the rest? What about the big picture?

That brings me back to what Obama says about "ending the thinking that got us there in the first place". It may be a glib talking point and he may do himself injustice by not going into it in detail. But I think he's talking about ending the unilateralism and the trigger happy hawkishness that has imbalanced our place in the world and prevented us from being an honest negotiator at the table when it comes to things like the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the UN, etc.

I know that despite the fundraising scandals and some of the other stuff we harp on, Clinton is deep down a decent person. Decent people don't allow children to think they are picking up a toy and being blown to bits. Unless.

Unless somehow they are being influenced. Unless somehow they are getting bad advice. Unless some how they are succumbing to the thinking that has got us all into this trouble.

That's what I think Obama is talking about.