Fred Thompson: Obama Loosed 'Dogs of War' on CIA
He also warns that Obama and the Democrats are making America look like a "banana republic."
Sunday, April 26, 2009 4:45 PM
By: Jim Meyers
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Former Senator, TV star and presidential candidate Fred Thompson tells Newsmax that President Barack Obama is revealing his “naivete, ineptitude and arrogance” as he deals with matters of national security.
The Tennessee Republican, who now hosts a radio show on Westwood One along with his wife Jeri, also said the “dogs of war have been loosed” over left-wing attempts to single out Bush-era officials for prosecution relating to the treatment of detainees.
Newsmax.TV’s Ashley Martella cited the announcement that the Defense Department is going to release many pictures showing alleged abuse by U.S. troops in Iraq and Afghanistan, and asked Thompson what purpose that might serve.
“None, other than to serve as propaganda tools for our worst enemies,” Thompson said.
See Video: Fred Thompson Slams Obama's National Security Debacle - Click Here Now
“This was set in motion when the president first decided to release” CIA memos on interrogation techniques used on terrorist suspects, Thompson told Newsmax.
“There was no purpose in doing that except to make him look good internationally and to the left wing here at home,” he said. “It did a lot of damage.
“In one stroke of a pen he declassified top-secret documents that people would otherwise go to jail for releasing. It gave al-Qaida and the Taliban a blueprint as to the outer limits of our interrogation techniques.
“We have to remember that [the techniques were used] in the aftermath of 9/11. Congress was briefed on these techniques. Some of them asked if they were really going far enough to get what they needed to get, and it was approved at high levels in the administration.
“They carefully crafted them as best they could to not go too far, and to provide safeguards when they were carrying out these admittedly rough techniques on these people who had this vital information.
“So now we’re really talking about a war crimes tribunal, which this country has never done. We’ve never brought to criminal court prior administrations in this country.
“Harry Truman could have been accused of war crimes, I suppose, for dropping the bombs. President Obama authorized the killing of those three [pirates] in the Indian Ocean not too long ago. Prosecuting these people under these circumstances is something you hear about in banana republics and third-world countries, not the United States of America.
“The president’s opened up a terrible Pandora’s Box and there’s going to be a price to pay before this thing is ended.”
Martella asked if the Obama administration was acquiescing to its far-left base when it released the CIA memos on interrogation techniques.
“I think in this case, in all probability, they thought that they could cater to their left wing, appease their demands, by releasing these memos and then it might not go any further,” Thompson said.
“Because surely they were able to see that this was bad for them the way it’s going to be bad for the country.
“This is going to have ramifications that are far-reaching. They thought they could put the genie back in the bottle after they opened it, and of course appeasement never works that way.
“There was a firestorm. The attorney general’s received 250 names in a petition to urge the appointment of a special prosecutor for this. The left-wing blogs went nuts. They started running television ads and so forth.
“And then after promising that there would be no prosecutions, [Obama] acquiesced and now opened the door for that. So I think it’s a case of naivete, ineptitude and unbelievable arrogance and lack of experience.
“We elected someone who didn’t have two minutes’ worth of experience with regard to matters concerning national security. Now he’s cast in this position and he’s making decisions that are going to have far-reaching ramifications not only abroad, and not only with our enemies, but in dividing our country even further here at home in ways I don’t think we’ve ever been divided before.
“We’re going to have members of Congress testifying against each other if they go down this road.”
Martella noted that Rep. Peter King of New York has said that if Democrats do go ahead and attempt to prosecute Bush administration CIA interrogation lawyers, the Republicans should “go to war” with them.
“That just gives you an example of the atmosphere on Capitol Hill today,” Thompson observed.
“People are angry. People are upset. You’ve got people on the left, you’ve got the Democrats talking about truth commissions, talking about investigations and Congressional hearings and urging prosecution. They’re fighting among each other on the Democratic side as to just how they should go and how far they should go.”
Some of these Democrats are “the same people who were briefed on these techniques back in 2002,” Thompson said, “including Nancy Pelosi, who’s not telling the truth now, who’s trying to parse words and trying to get around the fact that she knew what was going on, as others did back when this happened.
“That creates a new level of animosity like I’ve never seen before, and I served in the Senate for eight years. The dogs of war have been loosed in this country and I don’t know what is going to happen before we see the end of it. But none of it’s going to be good.”
Thompson’s radio show is heard on weekdays from noon to 2 p.m.
ALREADY many OBAMA FEDERAL STIMULUS funds for adultS disabled are being diverted to other programs - huge cuts including to psychologists are planned !
PLEASE VOTE NO ON 1E BECAUSE THAT BILL IS THE DEFINITION OF INSANITY !
DON'T ALLOW MH SPECIFIC $ TO "DISAPPEAR" IN THE CA GENERAL FUND.!!!!!!!!!!
WARning: CA CUTTING CARE TO DISABLED ADULTS on ssi/ssp THROUGHOUT all PROGRAMS increasing disability and inability among Adults with mh and multiple disability!
Act Now To Defeat Proposition 1E
California's Special Election is less than two months away. We must act quickly and take the necessary steps to defeat Proposition 1E.
From NAMI California by Grace McAndrews, Executive Director, March 26, 2009
It's up to us to act now to defeat this harmful act.
HERE'S WHAT YOU CAN DO:
FINANCIALLY SUPPORT THE CAMPAIGN
Attached for your convenience is a Fact Sheet & Contribution Form and Endorsement Forms for Individuals and Organizations. Please be as generous as you can. We ask that you share this information with all of your contacts, including members of your affiliate, neighbors, co-workers and friends listed in your address book. Post information on your web site and in your newsletter. Write letters to your local newspaper. Hold parties to support the campaign. Do whatever else is necessary to get the word out.
GET OUT THE VOTE
Voters who are registered to vote must vote at their polling place or vote-by-mail. This is critical. People who are not registered to vote must register by the deadline and vote either at their polling place or use the vote-by-mail ballot. This is critical as well. Historically, voting is light in special elections. We believe there is a good chance that t hose who opt for the vote-by-mail ballot may very well dictate the results of the May 19th election.
Those who wish to vote-by-mail can use the application printed on their Sample Ballot which will be sent prior to the elections, or one can apply in writing to their county elections official. If choosing the latter, you will need to submit a completed application or letter to your county elections official between 29 days and 7 days before the election. You can find the telephone number and address of your county elections official by looking in the front of your telephone directory in the White Pages Government Listing section under County Offices. Look for “Elections”, Registrar of Voters”, “County Clerks”, or “Voting.” For complete “how to” information of Registering to Vote and vote-by-mail, visit the following web site: www.sos.ca.gov/elections/elections Go to Voter Reigstration, click on Vote by Mail.
Critical Downloads:
Click Here to download the Fact Sheet and Contribution Form
Click Here to download the Endorsement Forms for Individuals and Organizations
NOTE: 501©3 affiliates can participate in this process as well as donate money to the campaign. Your affiliate's non-profit status will not be affected.
Thanks for helping to defeat Proposition 1E!!
Source: NAMI California
Link: http://namialifornia.org
digg user macdoodle would like to share this story with you:
http://digg.com/political_opinion/http_www_cbn_com_CBNnews_572147_aspx
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FAR RIGHT worries Serve America volunteers will breakup their monopoly on govt funding for social services. Misunderstands that they are volunteers and fears health care benefits and unionization. Claims America can't afford to help the kids have access to education.
TOWN HALL MEETING WITH PRESIDENT OBAMA
Wednesday, March 18th
Doors Open at 1:30 PM OC Fair and Event Center
88 Fair Drive
Costa Mesa, CA 92626
TICKET DISTRIBUTION INFORMATION
The event is free and open to the public. Tickets are required and will be available at the following ticket distribution location beginning at 10:00 AM Tuesday, March 17. Tickets will be limited and will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis:
OC Fair and Event Center
(Enter at Gate 1 or Gate 10; Park in Lot A.)
Costa Mesa, CA
Hi All,
Terri S. sent me this link to give spread around. I hope everyone will visit it and pass the link.
All you have to do is visit the animal rescue site and click on the box. They will donate a small amount of food to rescued animals for each click they get, and they are not getting enough clicks right now.
Please help them help animals. It's simple, quick and free, and does a world of good. Please pass on to others that might be interested in helping.
Thanks,
Terri S.
http://www.theanimalrescuesite.com/clickToGive/home.faces?siteId=3
Loveya,
Duane
Barack Obama is leading a movement based on values and at the core of this is the value of empathy. Barack talks about empathy and the importance of 'standing in other peoples shoes', in many of his speeches (I've collected 50 so far). Empathy is the most basic value he ran on and he says the country has an 'empathy deficit' that needs to be filled. We are forming an Empathy Values Group to build on Obama's call to address the empathy deficit.
As part of this empathy movement, we are also putting together a video of his talking about this topic to give it some context and promote this foundational progressive value. Let's help fill the empathy deficit by making people more aware of the topic. This is a collaborative project and we invite you to take part. See.
Barack Obama and a New Spirit of Empathy (rough cut 1) (1 hr 15 min) http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-6504935098489252112 A Chronological Video of Barack on Empathy - Compiled from about 30 of Barack's speeches and interviews, etc on the topic of empathy.
Here's a review of the video: Hi Edwin, It is truly wonderful that you and others have grasped the brass ring of the progressive movement by highlighting the core issue of Empathy. I now see that everything about the rising of Barack Obama and the revolution in America is based on this principle. Thank you, thank you for your effort and the timely reminder to me of what is really important. It's easy to get lost in the dust that is being raised by so many who sincerely want to see change and see it quickly. But it is crucial to remember why we are being called in this time in history to change. You are exactly right, it is Empathy. Warmly, Terri Jan 28, 2009.
[Cross-Posted at Library Grape.]
As to the Bush administration's illegal excesses over the last eight years, there are a few salient options: (1) let bygones be bygones; (2) sic prosecutors after the lawbreakers; or (3) form up a South Africa-style Truth and Reconciliation Commission.
I am starting to lean toward option three. It would have the benefit of partially muting the "Witch hunt!" wing of the naysayers and, above all else, have the power to bring to light all of the illegal things that have been done in our name over the last eight years.
Here's where the action comes in. Representative John Conyers has introduced legislation to create a Truth Commission:
There is established the National Commission on Presidential War Powers and Civil Liberties (hereinafter in this Act referred to as the "Commission") to investigate the broad range of policies of the Administration of President George W. Bush that were undertaken under claims of unreviewable war powers, including detention by the United States Armed Forces and the intelligence community, the use by the United States Armed Forces or the intelligence community of enhanced interrogation techniques or interrogation techniques not authorized by the Uniform Code of Military Justice, "ghosting" or other policies intended to conceal the fact that an individual has been captured or detained, extraordinary rendition, domestic warrantless electronic surveillance, and other policies that the Commission may determine to be relevant to its investigation (hereinafter in this Act referred to as "the activities").
To date, Conyers' bill has only received 12 co-sponsors. We need to get the word out to Congress that Conyers' bill is important and has our support. If you have a few minutes, please write or call your Congressperson today to express your support for the Conyers bill: H.R. 104.
An open invitation to join : President Barack Obama Inauguration Day 2009 - Washington, DC Group!!!
http://my.barackobama.com/page/group/InaugurationDay2009
Make plans to be in DC on this historical day!
Make plans to be tuned in with TV and/or the Internet.
Be out in public with friends and fellow citizens.
A Grand and Wonderful Celebration!
Barack Obama and the New Spirit of EmpathyVideo Project
Barack Obama is leading a campaign based on values. At the core of this is the value of empathy. I'd like to put together a video of Barack's speeches on empathy and show how he has been promoting the value of empathy. Send me an email if you'd like to help out on this project. Edwin Rutsch (email)
Join the project to put together a video of Barack Obama talking about the importance of empathy. Obama talks about empathy, the importance of "standing in other peoples shoes" and filling the national empathy deficit in many, many of his speeches. (I've collected over 30 speeches and interviews so far.)
Empathy is one of the basic values he ran on. We are putting together a video of his talking about empathy to promote this value. This is a collaborative project and we would like you to take part.
Join online or attend meetings in the SF Bay Area.For more info see: http://progressivespirit.com/Projects/Obama-Empathy-Video
signup for the next meeting at http://my.barackobama.com/page/event/detail/gsxyl2
Video from Literacy & Empathy speech
I wasn't doing anything with it, so I made it into a support site for Obama!
http://www.wooism.org/
Tell the Department of Justice: Investigate voter intimidation in New Mexico. Here at CREDO, we're paying close attention to potential voter suppression issues that could affect voters around the country. Today, we're writing to let you know about a problem in New Mexico that could lead to voters being disenfranchised. The problem: Private investigators have been showing up at the doors of poor and Latino voters - asking them intimidating questions, insinuating that they don't have the right to vote. Who's affected: New Mexican voters in good standing who have every right to go vote on Election Day - but who may not show up at the polls if they've been frightened in their own homes. The solution: E-mail Attorney General Mukasey - the Department of Justice is charged with stopping voter suppression and protecting every American's right to vote. A spokesman for the DOJ's civil rights division has said that they are "looking into" this problem, but that's not good enough. We need a serious investigation worthy of these insidious tactics. Pass this site on to every New Mexico voter you know - with only days left till the election, we need to make sure that as many New Mexico voters as possible are educated about this problem so that if intimidators show up at their homes, they'll know the right thing to do: Shut the doors in their faces. Thank you for working to protect our democracy. If you want to learn more about this issue, you can do so by clicking here.
http://act.credoaction.com/campaign/doj_suppression_nm/?rc=homepage
PLEASE DIGG
http://digg.com/political_opinion/MULTI_DISABLED_IN_THE_OC_Homeless_hopeless
ACORN Obama Campaign RESPONSE
(Please copy this message and post it everywhere. Send to media. Blog it. Post it.)
(This is a reply from watchdog@barackobama.com ~Neil)
Thanks for sending in the email about ACORN. This smear has been gaining popularity lately as people look for explanations for our economic crisis -- and smear artists looking to destroy Barack see an opening. Every word of it is dishonest and manipulative.
Email smears like this are part of a broader, shadowy strategy to scare people who aren't very familiar with Barack by spreading false information.
Here are the facts:
Barack Obama was never an ACORN community organizer.Barack was never an ACORN trainer and was never an employee of ACORN.ACORN was not part of Project Vote, the successful voter registration drive Barack led in 1992.As an attorney, Barack worked with the U.S. Department of Justice to represent ACORN and other voter's rights groups in a lawsuit to enforce the widely praised federal Motor Voter Law in Illinois.The Huffington Post has laid out the evidence showing the truth about Barack, ACORN, and these smears. See: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/10/05/smears-contradicted-obama_n_132098.htmlhttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/10/03/obama-camp-debunks-voter_n_131686.html
Barack Obama was never an ACORN community organizer.
Barack was never an ACORN trainer and was never an employee of ACORN.
ACORN was not part of Project Vote, the successful voter registration drive Barack led in 1992.
As an attorney, Barack worked with the U.S. Department of Justice to represent ACORN and other voter's rights groups in a lawsuit to enforce the widely praised federal Motor Voter Law in Illinois.
The Huffington Post has laid out the evidence showing the truth about Barack, ACORN, and these smears. See:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/10/05/smears-contradicted-obama_n_132098.html
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/10/03/obama-camp-debunks-voter_n_131686.html
There's no way to stop these dangerous, misleading viral emails one-by-one, but together we can take the political process back from the cynical politics of deception. We can all start by spreading the truth about Barack Obama.
Forward this email to everyone else who received the ACORN smear, then head to Fight The Smears <http://www.fightthesmears.com> to get details about more smears and see what else you can do: Fight The Smears: http://www.fightthesmears.com
Here are a few facts about Barack Obama that people might be interested to learn: * Barack Obama is working for middle class Americans. The Obama-Biden tax plan includes a tax cut of $1,000 for more than 150 million working Americans. The plan will also eliminate income taxes altogether for more than 7 million senior citizens who make less than $50,000 per year. Finally, Obama's plan will provide an average of $500 to 10 million homeowners, the majority of whom earn less than $50,000 per year. Learn more about the Obama-Biden tax plan: http://www.barackobama.com/issues/economy/#tax-relief http://www.taxpolicycenter.org/publications/url.cfm?ID=411693* Barack Obama knows that the problems we're facing in this election are too serious to let the politics of manufactured controversy and fake outrage dominate. He wants to bring our troops home from Iraq, so we can focus on Afghanistan and track down the terrorists who attacked us. And he's proposed a detailed plan for using alternative energy sources to relieve America's dependence on foreign oil within 10 years and put millions of Americans to work.See more about Obama's plan for change here: See Barack's detailed plan for America: http://my.barackobama.com/page/content/planforchange_ad/* After being raised by a single mother and by his grandparents in a modest household, Barack studied hard and won scholarships and loans to attend Columbia University and later Harvard Law School, where he became president of the Harvard Law Review. After law school, he returned to Chicago, where he helped disadvantaged citizens work for better jobs and better schools. Barack later went on to teach constitutional law at the University of Chicago, helping to educate the community leaders of tomorrow. Read more about Barack Obama: http://www.barackobama.com/learn/meet_barack.php
Here are a few facts about Barack Obama that people might be interested to learn: * Barack Obama is working for middle class Americans. The Obama-Biden tax plan includes a tax cut of $1,000 for more than 150 million working Americans. The plan will also eliminate income taxes altogether for more than 7 million senior citizens who make less than $50,000 per year. Finally, Obama's plan will provide an average of $500 to 10 million homeowners, the majority of whom earn less than $50,000 per year. Learn more about the Obama-Biden tax plan: http://www.barackobama.com/issues/economy/#tax-relief
http://www.taxpolicycenter.org/publications/url.cfm?ID=411693
* Barack Obama knows that the problems we're facing in this election are too serious to let the politics of manufactured controversy and fake outrage dominate. He wants to bring our troops home from Iraq, so we can focus on Afghanistan and track down the terrorists who attacked us. And he's proposed a detailed plan for using alternative energy sources to relieve America's dependence on foreign oil within 10 years and put millions of Americans to work.
See more about Obama's plan for change here: See Barack's detailed plan for America: http://my.barackobama.com/page/content/planforchange_ad/
* After being raised by a single mother and by his grandparents in a modest household, Barack studied hard and won scholarships and loans to attend Columbia University and later Harvard Law School, where he became president of the Harvard Law Review. After law school, he returned to Chicago, where he helped disadvantaged citizens work for better jobs and better schools. Barack later went on to teach constitutional law at the University of Chicago, helping to educate the community leaders of tomorrow. Read more about Barack Obama: http://www.barackobama.com/learn/meet_barack.php
Please forward this to anyone you know who has received this smear email about Barack. Together we can make sure these negative and divisive attacks don't affect this election.
Thanks for your help,
Obama for America
Everyone should watch this interview with the New York Times regarding the comparative differences of Obama and McCain's health care plans. If this isn't enough to scare the hell out of everyone, it should.
http://www.hulu.com/watch/38308/msnbc-decision-08-mccain’s-healthcare-plan-–-bad-medicine
