Obama: Illogical in Washington; Illogical in Cairo

I listened to parts of President Obama’s Cairo speech this evening. The speech was generally quite an eloquent plea for reconciliation with Muslim nations. And I think it was a step in the right direction.

It is most unfortunate that Mr. Obama’s otherwise commendable address was fatally flawed by fundamental illogicality. Obama stated in the speech that he would be happy to leave Afghanistan if the country were free of radical elements hostile to and threatening to the United States. And, since that it not the case, therefore he has been forced to continue- and expand- the American occupation. Well, by that logic, since there any number of countries where there are radical Islamic groups operating which are potentially threatening to the U.S., it would seem that Mr. Obama would be justified in invading them and in establishing virtually permanent occupations. Are Syria, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Pakistan, Somalia, and so on and so on, any less threatening than Afghanistan- or Iraq? No, Mr. President, your argument was unsound and your motives still appear highly questionable to say the least.

Terrorism is countered not by grand-scale invasions and occupations but by heightened security at home and by effective police action, including appropriate and limited military action abroad- military action grounded in competent and effective intelligence. All the rest is just pseudo-rationale parroted from Bush and Cheney and serving the interests of their war-profiteering constituents, who are still profiting grandly from these never-ending wars with President Obama’s stamp of approval.

What Mr. Obama delivered in Cairo was a recipe for endless war since there is hardly the most remote possibility that Afghanistan- or any other Muslim (or non-Muslim) country will ever be squeaky clean of radical Islamic elements, threatening or otherwise. No, Mr. President, observant Muslims and many others throughout the world will easily see through your equivocations.

The fact that President Obama is in fact in the process of establishing a permanent state of warfare will be apparent to thoughtful people the world over. The Bush- Cheney legacy lives on. God help us.