CapitalistMarks

Two sides of the same coin. Obama vs. Cheney.

Posted on 21. May, 2009 by scott in Social commentary, political munglings

This morning I listened to President Obama (BHO) talk about his administration’s approach to dealing with terrorism and the use of torture.? Only minutes later former Vice-President Cheney (DC) spoke with his views on the subject after being an integral part of our ‘defense’ for 8 years.

I was impressed with both talks.? I was persuaded by both talks.? How can this be?

BHO is a smooth talker and very personable.? DC is niether.?

BHO reflected on the founding principles of our nation.? DC spoke about the war that has been declared and is being executed against our nation each day.

I was encouraged by BHO’s compassion and sense of right.? I was frightened by DC’s arguments against limiting action in a time of war.

Didn’t we hear this about Korea and Vietnam too?? Liberals willing to stand for right in the face of destruction?? Conservatives willing to ‘go nuclear’ to save lives?

How do we distinguish which argument is right when they both resonate?

I think torture is awful.? I think war is worse.?

I think spending years trying to recover from disfuguring and crippling wounds on the battle-field is worse than any ‘days-long’ torture.? I can’t imagine how much suffering our wounded soldiers and their families are going through.? Frankly I don’t want to know every detail.? It is just too painful to think about–and yet it is real and it is out there (times many thousands).

With thousands killed and tens of thousands wounded this argument about torture seems frivilous.?

If BHO is not going to release the documents that show whether or not ‘enhanced procedures’ were effective in obtaining information that saved lives (as DC wants) then we must trust someone.?

Who?

At least BHO is willing to have oversight by the other branches of the goverment.? This is something that DC and his? partner George Bush were never willing to do.? Action without responsibiity is un-American that is for sure.??

Torture?? I don’t think I could have any part in it, but who knows what each of us would do to save the lives of our loved ones (or?decades of pain and suffering of a brother or child)??

So, I choose transparency without disclosure of every detail to the public.?

Let our chosen leaders make the decisions . . . as long as their is consensus and not dictated action.? But, never make it alone and in a vacuum.? We are a republic not a dictatorship.

Have there been others times like this in history?

I would hate to think of how many would have died (both Japanese and American) if the bombs had not been dropped and an invasion of the Japanes homeland was initiated.

I didn’t vote for BHO but I can tell you that given the last few months I would not regret admitting it if I had.? He is showing more courage in the face of fire, more willingness to negotiate and discuss, more clarity of thought, more directness of speech, more intelligence, more?bipartisanship . . . in the last months . . .?than we have accumulated in the last sixteen years (yeah, Clinton and Bush combined).

I just wish those knuckleheads in Washington D.C. would stop debating about fleas and start doing something about the economic, political and social buzzards that are circling overhead!

Tags: cheney, national defense, obama, political debate, torture