Barack Obama-Peacemaker and War-Monger in Chief

When President Obama received the Nobel Peace Prize, millions of people began to look at him as weak and many thought that their mantle of Keeping America Safe was safe.  That was until his first major test of the pirates taking over an American Ship and holding the captain hostage.  The normal workings of other countries were to negotiate with the pirates, give them what they wanted and get back their ship and personnel.  That was until Barack Obama stepped to the plate to take a swing at that ball.

To many surprise, he ordered the killing of those holding that captain hostage and in the end not only got back the captain, crew, ship and cargo but made all those dreaming to one day become a pirate in that region quickly choose another line of work.  Somali Pirates used to be in the headlines almost daily until they picked the wrong ship and the wrong president to test.

Next came the Osama bin Laden raid where many had spoken tough about getting him but no one cared to make their promises a reality.  In steps, again, this Nobel Peace Prize Winner who had opposed the War in Iran while others fell in line.  A man who had said that he was not opposed to war but he was opposed to a “dumb” war.  In the early morning dawn, while everyone else slept, a group of six highly trained and motivated Americans received the order form this same guy to go and get bin Laden.  Again, this man pulled off something similar to what other presidents had but he was successful.

Now we have Syria, in which he has also set a precedent by going to congress first and still you search for more and more reasons to doubt that he might have a clue where others didn’t even know that game existed.  Do I favor another situation where America and my fellow fighting men and women may be dragged into another 10 plus year civil war, no but I do favor allowing this president the favor of his own history made in these types of situations.

Toughest part about this entire situation, speaking of the Syria airstrikes, is the criticism was there when he did not act as quickly as others wanted him to earlier in the Syria conflict, but now after giving Syria a mulligan on the first use of chemical weapons, he sees no other real option except limited airstrikes and now they still complain.  It is apparent to me that nothing this president ever say or do will suit those who despises him not for what he has or is trying to do but who he is.

Some say Ronald Reagan would do things differently and history tells us that’s true because not only did Reagan refuse to listen to congress but he sold chemical weapons to the very person Operation Iraq Freedom was all about.  They ask how much an American fighting man or woman life is worth but ignore them when they come home and no president has done more for those same heroes than this guy.  They say that they have had enough war but many who speak has never dodged one bullet and while we are on the subject of veterans let me put to rest another assertions that is not true.

Patriotism is the willingness to put your life on the line for the rights, freedoms or protection of a nation and no one group personifies that more than our veterans.  But not only our veterans, we can say the same about our police officers, fire fighters, teachers and medical personnel as well.  You see, when you are deciding whether you wish to serve in any of these capacities, one of the most important choices you will have to make is life or death.  Every military member knows that putting on that uniform could ultimately mean the loss of their lives yet many still do.  The same can be said about police officers and firefighters.  It is a choice that they make freely and without coercion so respect that.  It was a few whining mothers and fathers who caused the military to change how they turned boys to men and a seriously strong reason why there are so many coming home damaged if they come back home at all.  The military used to be about training you to maintain, adapt, teach you respect and honor but not today’s military.  Today’s military is about treating members like porcelain dolls instead of making them men and women of granite.

Bottom line, be careful what you wish for America because you just might get it.  Look at this president’s history dealing with events like this, consider that some information used to make this decision may never be known and also think about what happens if those chemical weapons are sold to help Syria maintain its civil war.  These weapons which could have been eliminated by these airstrikes but we were too afraid to try or trust.  Barack Obama is not George Bush and if you do not believe me, compares a picture of them both.  Chuck Hagel is not Donald Rumsfeld; even Stevie Wonder can see that.  This is not a return to the Iraq scene but you really do not need me to tell you that.

We are right to have a debate when it comes to decisions of this magnitude but let’s have an honest one and not one filled with lies and excuses.  No one knows what will happen tomorrow which is why decisions are difficult.  It would be easy to say what to do today if you knew what tomorrow would bring.  All we can do is try and prepare for as many contingencies as we can heading into the next day.  Don’t get it twisted because if those who claim to know everything did, wouldn’t they have shared it with the rest of us as they now claim this president should?