SmithAntics

In looking at the comments regarding the Rick Warren post (Monday December 22nd - "Republican's upset"!), I was somewhat pleased to see some optimism amongst the nine of you! I am annoyed by the Warren appointment as well as the Neocons and Neoliberals that Obama has decided to fill his new administration with; both groups supporting machiavellian secrecy in dealing with our adversaries around the globe.

Let's face it folks, times are indeed perilous and eight years of "all hat and no cattle" diplomacy by the cowboys at BU$HCo. has made us look like bullies on the global playground. We have been foolish in our endeavors in Iraq, yet I doubt Obama will handle an incursion and inevitable war in Afghanistan with the disorginization and failure with which Bush has handled Iraq. War is unpredictable and ultimately tragic, however and I don't see any incursion there as being a "quickie"!

What Obama has assembled is a wartime cabinet that will try to take the baton pass from Bush on Iraq, withdrawing eventually from that quagmire, but at the same time ramping up plans for Afghanistan and possibly Pakistan (which looms as a problem as well considering the terrorist entities that exist there).
Last month's Mumbai massacre could be just the beginning of more activity from Al Quada backed training forces not to mention the lesser known factions in that country.

I've maintained these past eight years that whenever some jingoistic, wingnut from the Right came at me about 9/11 and terrorism, that, "Yes, Terrorism = Bad" and we can in fact start the "War on Terrorism" once we get the hell out of Iraq and go after those who supposedly attacked us! Attacking Iraq after 9/11 seemed the equivalency of Roosevelt declaring war on Brazil after the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor. (This, provided that you believe that middle east terrorists attacked us that day in the first place....!)
I'll save that "theory' for another post.

Obama will go into Afghanistan in his first term and he has the cabinet and advisers to do it! This is not what progressives, at least here at this blog, had in mind for an Obama administration, not to mention the Rick Warren invocation selection which has chapped more than a few hides beyond this blog.

If you're wondering when Obama is going to turn into FDR and instill the "New New Deal", wait until the BIG, BIG financial meltdown, that brings on the next great Depression, to hit us at the beginning of Obama's second term in 2013. This from an economics major and current Wall St. Day Trader who, as a Progreesive liberal, feels "Obama has completely faked out the left"!

In looking at the comments from the Warren post (12/22), specifically those from Fried Wire and Adjective, which I cited above as being rather optimistic, it occurs to me that it will take Obama time to unravel and sort out the last eight years. BU$HCo. is leaving behind a steaming turd burger for the new administration to clean up. This could easily take Obama's entire first term to rectify and then, and only then, will he be able to begin instilling a truly Progressive agenda for the country.

I hope everyone had a great Xmas!

(We'll talk Gaza later)