Obama, Cheney, National Security, and American Values

We see that, above all, in how the recent debate has been obscured by two opposite and absolutist ends. On one side of the spectrum, there are those who make little allowance for the unique challenges posed by terrorism, and who would almost never put national security over transparency. On the other end of the spectrum, there are those who embrace a view that can be summarized in two words: “anything goes.” Their arguments suggest that the ends of fighting terrorism can be used to justify any means, and that the President should have blanket authority to do whatever he wants – provided that it is a President with whom they agree.

Both sides may be sincere in their views, but neither side is right. The American people are not absolutist, and they don’t elect us to impose a rigid ideology on our problems.

This morning before heading to work, Peirce and I watched Obama make his speech on national security.

For my part, I’ve been somewhat uncomfortable with the President’s perspective on national security, which at times seems eerily similar to the “dominance at all costs” approach that has become the country’s M.O. in the past six years. While I can understand the rationale behind beefing up operations in Afghanistan and classifying certain information, I typically prefer to be erred on the side of peace and full disclosure. So, suspicious that Obama was merely being puppetted by the military-industrial complex, I was in need of a strong justification for more defense spending, the seemingly dragging process of trying terror suspects, and the use of executive privileges such as “state secrets.”

After the speech, I’m still not sure if Obama is simply doing his part to advance war and pandering to hawks. But I am once again confident that he can justify our actions to the international community, restore eloquence to the presidency, and bring up solid arguments for some of the left’s complaints.

The centrist approach is logical and reasonable. Obama acknowledges that terror threats exist and that some most likely emanate from some of the individuals currently held at Guantanamo. He also believes that the Bush administration’s handling of the matter wasn’t “sustainable.” Without a justifiable legal framework or the internatinal community’s favor, we were standing on very thin ice when it came to the legitimacy of our terror prosecution. Ultimately, this didn’t make us any safer. It certainly didn’t win the hearts and minds of the people being recruited by al-Qaeda and other terrorist groups. It didn’t gain us the support of allies in our military operations. And it set a dangerous precedent for the government’s power to detain even its own citizens.

Essentially, there was no check on these emerging powers of the executive. And that goes against what we stand for.

Obama went on to show that he understood the complexity of the national security issues. He knew that there were different categories of Guantanamo prisoners. He was aware that the states secret privilege was controversial and problematic. I’m sure every President has some understanding of the controversies before him, but few tackle them directly. Obama was confident enough to acknowledge the criticisms, state the opposition and make his argument. He practically singled out Fox News, Cheney, Limbaugh, and conservatives.

Most of all, I agreed with his anti-fear mongering rhetoric. For too long, those in power have tired to maintain that power by raising the specter of death, destruction, and terror. In short, letting terrorism permeate our lives, robbing us of our peace. Something Osama bin Laden must have been having wet dreams about when he was planning 9/11. And no one is better at reminding us that we are constantly threatened than Dick Cheney.

Cheney’s subsequent speech relied on one question to justify the “may-sures” taken while he was vice president.

Do you remember September 11th?

Yes, Mr. Cheney, I do. I think we all do. You get an A in recent American history, but what about the threats that we face today? What about the millions of displaced Iraqis who don’t have a positive words to say about the United States? What about the instability among the border between Afghanistan and Pakistan, a nuclear state? What about Muslim immigrants becoming unsympathetic to their adopted country? What can you say to that?

“On September 11th, we lost thousands of American lives…”

I see.

Cheney makes the argument that Obama takes half-measures when he refuses to be absolutist in his pursuit of terrorists. This is a fallacy. Embracing a philosophy of transparency to your people, of legitimacy in your methods, and of a distribution of responsibility among all three branches of government does not immediately weaken your efforts to gain and use intelligence, to stop threats to the homeland or to use the military to promote national security. But it does make your efforts sustainable.

Dick Cheney did his best to expand the powers of the executive in the name of naitonal security…his school of thought was rejected by the American public. The country’s founding ideals do not promote that much power concentrated in one entity. We had the foresign to recognize that absolute power corrupts…and when the corruption prevented the executive branch from promoting the general welfare because it was too busy going after its defined enemies.

Obama is arguing for the restoration of a balance of power. That’s what the United States is built to do. That should be an executive’s priority. To make sure the entire country can promote the general welfare and provide for the common defense at all times, in all climates, because the public should know that their government is legitimate.

I will always be a skeptic. Obama talks well and that’s refreshing given his predecessor. But this first year has shown him that he faces harsh realities when he tries to put his rhetoric into effect. And it seems like very often, he’s drawn back from his earlier visions of a liberal revolution in the country. And that’s okay…but he cannot back down from the ideals he expressed today at the National Archives. That is America. There are a lot of powerful people who agree with Cheney…and there’s a lot of pressure on Obama to downplay the importance of national security. For now, I’m reassured that he’s got a good head on his shoulders that is fully aware of reality and avoids extremism.

But a lot can happen. Let’s wait and see.

Good speech today, Obama.

Full text here.

May 15 – war, credit cards, healthcare and Saberi update

My apologies for the delay, blogosphere. I’ve been participating in the highly enviable position of moving out of a dorm and moving into a college apartment for my summer courses and my job at the newspaper. Thus, the delay. But we’re about halfway settled in and I consider the summer officially started. Part of my goals for the summer is to start tackling issues more in-depth, expand the Geek Databases, and start promoting some good causes. Starting Monday be on the lookout for a new PtP weekly – Magnanimous Monday, in which I find a good cause or activity for your average socially conscious blog reader to participate in.

It’s going to be a good summer. Been spending time with Peirce, Marathon, iJet, Heathcliff, and Pop Star. A few of us sold some books at BookHolders in Blacksburg. I went ahead and gave the Advantage program a try, but I don’t have high hopes for it. Word on the street says that they’ll undersell your books and get you significantly less than the estimated payout. But, oh well, at least I keep my dignity by not taking four bucks for a perfectly good book from the University or “independent” Tech Bookstore. I’ll keep you all informed.

One lesson about moving in to an apartment – call your power company way ahead of time. We lucked out and only had to spend a few hours in the morning without power, but they ultimately gave us a range of three days we could go without power. You know, that thing they do — “you can expect this utility sometime between May and July.” It’s frustrating. Someone explain why they can’t give you an exact time in the 21st century.

But that’s your personal update for the week. I’m going to comment on a few top news stories courtesy the AP/Yahoo News. Lost fans, a full review of the season finale in a separate post after this.
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Military-Industrial Complex Watch

Remember that war Barack Obama promised he would end? The one in Iraq? Remember how he said we needed to beef up our forces in Afghanistan and that this would ultimately make us safer?

Well he’s making good on at least one of those. Obama has requested $85 billion to send more troops to Afghanistan and foreign aid to Iraq. The House of Representatives voted and settled on adding more money for “military equipment such as cargo planes, mine-resistant vehicles, Bradley Fighting Vehicles and Stryker armored vehicles.” That’s a total of $97 billion for this request and $900 billion for the Iraq and Afghanistan wars.

Remember when that much money was a huge number for the Bailout?

I’m not belittling the importance of Afghanistan. I’m not saying foreign aid is necessarily a waste. But the numbers are crawling up there…and I know there are more than a few people who voted for Obama because they figured he’d find a way to spend money more efficiently in Defense…not add to the bill. The article says 51 democrats voted against Obama’s request and “all but a handful of Republicans stood behind the president.”

So when he meant working together, he at least meant…on the war effort.

This is all particularly grating to me in light of the president’s reluctance to try suspects of terrorism held on U.S. soil. FTA:

On Wednesday, the president reversed a recent administration decision to release photos showing purported abuse of prisoners at U.S. military facilities in Iraq and Afghanistan. Mr. Obama cited concern that releasing the pictures could endanger U.S. troops. Mr. Obama ordered government lawyers to pull back an earlier court filing promising to release hundreds of photos by month’s end as part a lawsuit brought by the American Civil Liberties Union….

..

Defense Secretary Robert Gates, at a hearing last month, hinted at the administration’s deliberations, saying that there were “50 to 100 [detainees] probably in that ballpark who we cannot release and cannot trust, either in Article 3 [civilian] courts or military commissions.”

The administration’s move to block the release of military detainee photos was welcomed by Republicans in Congress and by some military family groups but condemned by the ACLU and others.

…Seriously?

New Face. Same Game.

Yes, risking anti-American sentiments abroad is bad and puts our troops in a dangerous position. So you know what we should have done. Never detained human beings without properly charging them or trying them in the first place. Never tortured. Never invaded a country and ruined its infrastructure. Unfortunately, whether under one administration or another, we have! The damage is done. Releasing the photos at this point can only spread information that we need to incorporate into our national memories so that we never screw up this badly again. If it mobilizes us to hold our leaders to a higher standard, then ultimately it can improve the state of affairs.

But we’re mostly interested in keeping the faith in the war effort going, aren’t we?

I won’t even get started on Pelosi’s claims about being misinformed by the CIA…frankly, I’m not sure why I should care about one prominent politician’s lies over another’s. If someone cares to tell me why it’s so important that the Speaker of the House be the most ethical legislator in America, please let me know.
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The Economy, Stupid

Knowing next to nothing about economics, I merely find this interesting and slightly heartening.

Obama, to his credit, is really pushing on this credit card reform act. FTA:

The “Credit Cardholders Bill of Rights” seeks to shield consumers from misleading small print in card contracts, empower cardholders to set their own credit limits, and require companies to fairly allocate payments.

The measure also targets practices such as marketing credit cards to minors, targets unfair rate hikes and charges and improves transparency for people shopping around for credit cards…

..The US Federal Reserve says Americans have been piling on large amounts of extra credit card debt in last decade, with balances averaging 7,300 dollars.

As delinquency rates rise and many card holders have trouble paying up during the recession, card firms collect an annual 15 billion dollars in penalty fees….

The American Bankers Association, which represents credit card issuers, has warned that the proposed legislation would lead to a freeze in credit — at a time when the government needs a rush of spending to revive the economy.

Well, that would be bad. But it’d be nice to see credit card companies reined in from an essentially predatory practice. So, Ba-rock…though it’s a drop in the bucket compared to all the other stuff going down — you know…like GM facing bankruptcy now in addition to aforementioned violations of international law.

What's in your wall--GAH!

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Good news, everyone!

Roxana Saberi, the journalist arrested for spying in Iran has been freed!

As you can see from the article, she looks a little different after spending four months in prison, but she’s reunited with her family and Iran should think twice before jailing random Americans again. Hoo-rah.
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Turn Your Head and Cough

Democrats are trying to make sure everyone has health care…and maybe even make it more affordable. Remarkably, Republicans want to talk to Obama about “finding a common ground.” Meanwhile, Israel and Palestine decide to combine into a single country called Happyland. FTA:

House Democrats are crafting a plan that would require all Americans to carry health insurance and would help families making less than $88,000 pay the premiums. Employers, too, would have to help foot the bill….

The summary of the House proposal says one of its main goals is to “minimize disruption” for people who already have coverage by allowing them to keep their coverage. All Americans would be protected by an annual limit on out-of-pocket costs, a safeguard already in the best private plans.

Individuals would be required to get coverage, either through an employer or government plan, or on their own. That’s something Finance Committee senators now have basically agreed on, as well, Baucus and Grassley said.

Employers would be required to provide coverage or pay the government a percentage of payroll under the House Democrats’ plan. The issue continues to divide senators….The summary of the House plan does not include any cost estimates, but independent experts have put the price tag for such a plan at $1.2 trillion to $1.5 trillion over 10 years, with some estimates ranging as high as $1.7 trillion….

Separately on Thursday, House Republican leaders released a letter to Obama requesting a meeting on health care. Republicans, who have been strongly criticizing the Democrats’ general approach, said they want to try to find common ground on consumer protections, preserving patient choice and encouraging preventive care.

Force me to get healthcare? But what if I happen to be one of those kooks that doesn’t trust insurance providers and feel they’re out to get me…Hey, well, uh..at least we’re talking about it, right?
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So that’s the state of affairs.

Man, a lot of things happen while you’re finishing a semester of college and lock yourself from the outside world.

Lost review coming up. I’m also toying with a review of the entirety of The Office season 5. We shall see. Until next time, this is Phil the Pill and I’ll be moving furniture.

Google Watch, Pakistan Watch, Kirk-Watch

All I have left is a judicial process take-home test, but it’s a doozy and my brain is dying.

So keeping it brief.

Google-Apple Monopoly Watch. Google CEO Eric Schmidt says it’s no big deal.

In a media session held Thursday before Google’s shareholders meeting in Mountain View, Schmidt said he hasn’t considered stepping down from Apple’s board because he doesn’t view the maker of the iPhone, iPod and computers as a “primary competitor.” He echoed that sentiment when a shareholder later asked him to step down from Apple’s board to avoid further government scrutiny.

…Walker told reporters that Google is “comfortable” that it doesn’t generate enough revenue in the same markets as Apple for Schmidt’s and Levinson’s dual roles on the companies’ boards to violate antitrust law.

Color me cynical. But I think antitrust laws are antitrust laws. They’re both tech. They’re both producing phones. It’s the principle of the thing. It sets a bad precedent. I think both these companies are good for the future of tech…they should set a good example.

Switching gears to Pakistan watch. Warring in the Swat Valley is producing thousands of refugees and people who are stuck in the middle of the violence.

A half a million people have either already left the Swat Valley and nearby districts or want to leave but can’t because of the fighting, Pakistani officials and the U.N. say, bringing the number of people likely to be displaced due to anti-militant offensives across Pakistan‘s volatile northwest region to 1 million.

..

Tens of thousands of people remain trapped in Mingora. Some have said the Taliban are not allowing them to leave, perhaps because they want to use them as “human shields” and make the army unwilling to use force.

“We want to leave the city, but we cannot go out because of the fighting,” said one resident, Hidayat Ullah. “We will be killed, our children will be killed, our women will be killed and these Taliban will escape.”

“Kill terrorists, but don’t harm us,” he pleaded.

Reading that gives me a pit in my stomach…I don’t feel good about the situation in Afghanistan and Pakistan at all. Correct me if I’m wrong, but doesn’t the U.S. have some sort of involvement in this fighting. I mean, it’s the Big Bad Taliban and part of Obama’s plan to “refocus” on Afghanistan. But if we’re getting civilians tangled up in this, what do you think that will do to the perceptions abroad that we’re supposedly trying to fix with this new administration?

Where do you think terrorists come from, anyway?

I have no problem with Pakistan taking control of its country. But you don’t make things more stable by killing your innocents. Being humane reaps a lot more benefits than merely a clear conscience.
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Today’s controversy: Star Trek, which I am seeing tonight in Christiansburg. Since it’s not a real controversy, here’s a video from Not a real news network:

Vodpod videos no longer available.