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February 3, 2009
Save us from a Military Takeover!
Via Sister Toldjah comes this on the Huffington Post
WASHINGTON, Feb 2 (IPS) by Gareth Porter - CENTCOM commander Gen. David Petraeus, supported by Defence Secretary Robert Gates, tried to convince President Barack Obama that he had to back down from his campaign pledge to withdraw all U.S. combat troops from Iraq within 16 months at an Oval Office meeting Jan. 21.But Obama informed Gates, Petraeus and Joint Chiefs Chairman Adm. Mike Mullen that he wasn't convinced and that he wanted Gates and the military leaders to come back quickly with a detailed 16-month plan, according to two sources who have talked with participants in the meeting.
Obama's decision to override Petraeus's recommendation has not ended the conflict between the president and senior military officers over troop withdrawal, however. There are indications that Petraeus and his allies in the military and the Pentagon, including Gen. Ray Odierno, now the top commander in Iraq, have already begun to try to pressure Obama to change his withdrawal policy.
A network of senior military officers is also reported to be preparing to support Petraeus and Odierno by mobilising public opinion against Obama's decision.
Petraeus was visibly unhappy when he left the Oval Office, according to one of the sources. A White House staffer present at the meeting was quoted by the source as saying, "Petraeus made the mistake of thinking he was still dealing with George Bush instead of with Barack Obama."
Petraeus, Gates and Odierno had hoped to sell Obama on a plan that they formulated in the final months of the Bush administration that aimed at getting around a key provision of the U.S.-Iraqi withdrawal agreement signed envisioned re-categorising large numbers of combat troops as support troops. That subterfuge was by the United States last November while ostensibly allowing Obama to deliver on his campaign promise.
It took me a day but I think I've figure out what this is all about.
It's an attempt by the kook antiwar left to make our president into a hero by portraying a fascist military takeover that he must immediately put down.
If you don't believe me follow the link and read the whole thing. It's the story of how active duty military officers are secretly planning a public relations campaign to undermine Obama.
Michael Goldfarb, writing at The Weekly Standard, says file this story under fiction. He's not buying it at all:
"Porter, relying exclusively on anonymous sources, has alleged that America's top general (known to the left as General Betray Us) is acting in defiance of his commander in chief and angling to subvert civilian control of the military. Is it true? Well, Gareth Porter was the man who wrote a book, Cambodia: Starvation and Revolution, attacking the "myth" that Pol Pot and the Khmer Rouge were engaged in mass murder. I'm sure he had great anonymous sources for that story, too."
Googling around, I discovered how the left is spinning this; as insubordination that our heroic president must immediately squash. This one is precious:
Generals' Revolt Threatens Obama Presidency
If an article by Gareth Porter in run by InterPress is correct that CentCom Commander Gen. David Petraeus and Iraq Commander Gen. Ray Odierno, backed by a group of lower-ranking generals, are planning to mount a public campaign to try and undermine President Obama's plan for a withdrawal from Iraq in 16 months, Obama needs to act fast and nip this dangerous act of insubordination in the bud....
Obama, on a much more serious issue--the conduct of and termination of a war--is now apparently being more or less openly defied by his top generals, who after all get their glory and power by having troops in battle, and who are also worried that a collapse of the puppet regime in Iraq could leave them looking like losers. They are thus opposing a pullout from Iraq (and a hardly precipitous one at that!) out of self-interest and self-preservation...
There is only one answer to this challenge to presidential authority: President Obama must sack both Petraeus and Odierno...
This is not just a matter of salvaging an Obama presidency. It is also a profound constitutional issue....
Got it? Obama the hero saves us from a fascist military takeover. Sounds like this Porter fellow has seen Seven Days in May one too many times.
Don't misunderstand this post; I am not attacking President Obama, but rather some of his supporters.
I don't see that the Daily Kos has picked up this particular story, but diarist testvet6778 thinks that even retired generals speaking out are a threat to the republic. Really.
Posted by Tom at February 3, 2009 8:00 PM
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Comments
Good news for the revolution!! LOL Go Petraeus! This Obama SOB betrayed us!!! You have my support, sir. LOL
Well, someone must protect our free nation from this Muslim communist foreigner in the White House. This Obama-nation did not produce proof of US citizenship. He's not a Constitutional "POTUS". He's a fake. I don't consider any refusal to obey his orders as "insubordination". I consider it patriotism.
Where there's smoke there's fire. And many a truth is said in jest. (I doubt Petraeus is actually preparing at this time to split -- but I do believe the armed forces WILL remain true to the Constitution and the American people as Obama cuts our military spending to seek to weaken us before our enemies (esp. Muslim enemies) - or launch a communist takeover of the USA - because Obama is a traitor. When Obama goes TOO FAR - our armed forces will honor the Constitution and not this betrayer of the USA - this Muslim communist Obama. Our armed forces will NOT let we the people down. We the people will remain free.)
The army is going to split by 2012 from Obama as our national defense against this traitor... if and when, perhaps, Obama goes too far. ha ha ha ha!! Obama better tow the line and not move to overthrow our Constitution and the American people to foreign enemies (esp. Muslims who would of course seek to annihilate us as a people). Our army WILL rise up against this dictator wannabe in patriotism to God and true country.
(Thanks for the advance heads up, Oh Sovereign God of the USA. :) )
I did get grins from this article - though I don't really believe it's more than rumblings of discontent, mistrust, and lack of communist sympathizing in our armed forces towards Obama. Our army, should a Muslim communist move to overthrow our Constitution and betray the American people to foreign enemies, are duty-bound to follow the Constitution and represent the people NOT any fake ""POTUS" who seeks to destroy us through deceit.
I don't trust Obama. But in God I trust - and in the armed forces of the USA. "Semper Fidelis"
There are too many Christians in this nation - and in the armed forces - for Obama to "get his way". Lincoln - he's not.
Posted by: l at February 3, 2009 9:17 PM
Whoa, the military will rise against 'the Muslim communist foreigner'? Even McCain countered his own supporters when they claimed Obama was not a US citizen. Mr. "I" can certainly critique Obama's policies, but advocating a military coup? File that comment under "right-wing nut."
Posted by: jason at February 5, 2009 2:29 PM
