Maggie's Farm

Living in New York, I've found the most useful thing the Village Voice offers is concert listings. Well, I assume they still offer these, that was the only thing it was ever good for, really. It has always had pretensions of being a "valued" news resource but never was. In fact, even my most liberal of friends laugh at its reporting.
It is classless and absurd, extreme and petty. It has the ability to take a look at the other side and make fun of its views, but gets angry when the other side takes a look at IT and makes fun of it - the Village Voice is a petulant child. It has never grown up, it never will grow up, it doesn't WANT to grow up. It wants to be fed, clothed, bathed, and pampered all while it complains about how these activities are being provided for it. Then, in the midst of you paying attention to one of its tantrums, it yells at you for not paying attention enough.

It's a silly "periodical" (I don't know what to call it, really). Now that I'm past the regular concert-going stage of my life, and I take things alot more seriously, I can't see any value in reading the VV. Neither do any of my friends who clung to it for years as their most vital link to the world.

Eventually, we all grow up. Then the Dick & Jane style of reporting, masked by the use of words gleaned from a thesaurus, simply doesn't appeal anymore.


Now, all that said - I DO AGREE that many on the Right have been overly complimentary to the wrong people for this, as well as been overly skeptical. I firmly believe the events unfolded as we've been told - to at least 95% accuracy (given there is some we can't be told). What I think is ridiculous is that many on the Left say this is a great victory.
Why?
Well, it is, in the sense that we finally got him. But for the Left it's a great victory NOT because we got him, but that it somehow gives legitimacy to Obama. Now he's earned his "HAWK" wings. As if. In reality, it's pretty clear we've known (or SOMEBODY) has known about Osama's location for some time and done nothing. This operation was clearly timed to provide maximum political benefit.
Not that Bush wouldn't have done the same thing. I'm sure he would've. Or even McCain.
But the fact is, Obama's having a rough go of it lately and clearly decided "I need a win, and this is an easy win."

Good for him. He got his win and I credit him for it.
But then let's step back and think:
1. Was it worth it? Osama wasn't really THAT important and hasn't been for some time. His support in Arab populations has been dropping over the years, particularly in light of recent revolts.
2. Do we now sanction state sponsored assassinations? I seem to remember that Obama specifically said he would never do this kind of thing. I guess until he needed to.
3. Are we now acting unilaterally? Obama clearly stated this kind of operation would NEVER happen under him - that he would ALWAYS seek allies and partnerships. So I guess that's out the window (thank God for that too, glad to see Obama has grown up just a little). My point here isn't that Obama was wrong to do it unilaterally, just that his supporters now love him for acting this way even though they oppose the whole concept of how he behaved.......and if a Republican did it - LORD WHAT AN UPROAR we'd have from the childish Left (yes -that's YOU Village Voice).
4. Will we withhold funds from Pakistan? We should. We won't. Obama knows its the right thing to do, but he can't afford to do it because it would destabilize the regime there, and he's got too much on his plate now (interestingly, having too much on his plate was something he sought to avoid when he was running for president. Funny how he's doing all the things he said he wouldn't)


Look, it's good OBL is dead. And it's good to give credit where it's due (to Bush AND Obama, but mostly Obama for giving the go sign). But it hasn't changed a damn thing and anyone who thinks it has is as childish as the Village Voice.

As far as I know, Miranda rights are reserved for US citizens and/or anyone arrested within the US borders. Which means he would've had NO Miranda rights.

Not that it matters.

The idea that he was unarmed, or that this was a "kill mission" both concern me. But I don't think they concern me enough to be questioning them. What does concern me is how the Left would react if this had been Bush?
I was no fan of Bush. I'm an anti knee-jerk reaction kind of person. As a result, I'm pretty forgiving at first glance. I'm willing to let the facts come in (such as they are or will be). I'm not going to rush to judgement.

BUT EVERY KEY OBAMA SUPPORTER (particularly those silly VVoicers) is knee-jerk mentality. When it was Bush, you can bet each one of these questions, and 20 more, would have been asked, the reasons for the mission questioned, the cost of the mission questioned, the kill order questioned, the burial questioned, etc.

Since it's not Bush, they are happy clams to just sit back and say "Yay! Our nice young man in the White House has proven all his naysayers that he's a tough, effective leader when the moment arrives."

Um...not so fast.
He agonized (as he should) over this decision. So what led him to this particular decision, at this particular time? I really do want to know this. For one KEY REASON. All Obama supporters say he is a deep thinker, reflective, caring, etc.

OK. So what was so deep here and needed so much reflection, IF IT'S AS IMPORTANT AS OBAMA PAINTED IT?

As a mid level manager at a major corporation, I know that swift decisions can be difficult, but are often necessary. That's why doctors have high pressure training as residents....it helps them to learn how to think clearly.

So you have to think clearly when presented with the chance to "get" your #1 enemy priority - right?

Which means dithering is a problem.
Yet Obama slept on this decision. Why? What was he sleeping on? Was it just whether to use missiles or helicopters? No. That's not really a decision - missiles were never going to be utilized in Abbottabad due to the kind of residential area it is - lots of people who support the US in some fashion.

No, he was sleeping on something else. What it is, I don't know. I'm willing to guess that it was whether killing Osama was an option. I'm also willing to guess that it was how to time this so he would get maximum political benefit.

Just my feeling, and I'd bet dollars to donuts I'm right.

Well, if Obama did say that then yes, it would matter. Alot, really, because I agree that while the Constitution is a great document, it's only for the US.

This idea that somehow it extends beyond our borders (which, frankly, if the Canadians or Mexicans or anyone like that want it to, fine then it can) is absurd.

I think Obama had him killed, and timed it for now, because he's getting fed up with the bad press and even worse economy. To him, this was an easy win. It was probably a struggle to overcome his natural instincts to keep someone alive, despite the relative ease with which OBL showed in offing a huge number of people, and putting so many more at risk.

But, in the end, to Obama the real problem is what Stalin said - "the death of one is a tragedy, the death of millions is a statistic." Obama had to figure out how authorizing the death of one person would mesh with his internal wiring. As we now know, anyone (even the most deep thinkers) really don't have a problem with having someone killed as along as the situation is right.

I suppose ordering the deaths of Libyans helped smooth that road a bit, though.


For anyone reading this who thinks I'm taking shots at Obama, please read carefully. Frankly, I'm happy the guy finally grew a set. Now if he'd start acting like he'd had them all along the country would get somewhere. But we all know he's going to become the great apologist soon enough.

"Oh, sorry about killing that Arab Leader of yours. I was basing it on events from 10 years prior, and that was presumptuous of me. Next time I'll consider your feelings before I act impulsively like that. America is so sorry for putting you out."

Well, I keeed....but there is an element of this in play, and even the liberals know it.

Another Rick? Damn....we keep proliferating....so much for originality!

Actually - you're right. It WAS a compliment.