President Obama Takes A Big Risk And Scores A Big Win For Democracy-And No One Gives a damn...

[Playinghardball]

President Obama pulled off a master stroke this week. He deployedU.S. military force in support of an infant democracy that desperately needs our help. The result was a resounding success, a vivid illustration of how the United States can put its unchallenged power to positive ends. He did it, once again, by sending in the SEALs, the U.S. Navy’s famous special forces. But this time they weren’t double-tapping a terrorist. Instead they seized a mysterious tanker that had skipped out of Libya with a shipment of oil that one of the country’s rogue militias was trying to sell on the open market. By doing it the SEALs foiled a potentially game-changing challenge to the authority of Libya’s hard-pressed government – one of the very few in the Arab world to have actually been elected by its own country’s people.

The reaction in Washington: a giant yawn. Deafening silence from Sens. John McCain and Lindsey Graham, who are always quick to demand U.S. military action in situations where it will usually make things worse. Fox News barely noticed. Nor was there a word of praise from the president’s liberal allies on Capitol Hill. Even the New York Times ran a perfunctory report. And as for the rest of America: Well, hey, the NCAA tournament is getting under way, and there are big controversies from the world of reality TV that need attending to. The collective disinterest is even more appalling when you consider that the country we just helped is Libya. You remember, right — the place where our ambassador was killed by terrorists two years ago? The president’s critics never tire of bringing that up, since they can use it to score political points against him

Oil is Libya’s lifeblood. The economy entirely depends on it; turn off the taps and everything grinds to a halt. Make no mistake: This was not “leading from behind.” This was an act of daring from a president who’s often typecast as too passive for his own good. But it was also a smart, calculated move — a truly surgical operation of a kind that probably only the United States could have pulled off with such confidence. It sends exactly the message that needs to be sent: If you try freelancing with oil resources that rightfully belong to the Libyan people, you won’t get far.

More here: http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2014/03/18/sealed_and_delivered_in_libya_0

Found on the Obama Diary

[Autumn]

1. A Big Win For Democracy

for another country.

[Demeter]

19. What democracy?

Somehow "democracy" and "neo-Nazi fascists" don't mix....

[Autumn]

25. Straight from the headline.

President Obama Takes A Big Risk And Scores A Big Win For Democracy-And No One Gives a damn. Oil is Libya’s lifeblood. Rah Rah Rah

Meanwhile here at home in our Democracy

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10024714784

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10024713614

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10024698979

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10024710031


And No One Gives a damn. rah rah rah

[Demeter]

26. We are on the same page

"S" for

[truedelphi]

46. Love your links. Of course, it is not all that important to have democracy here,

all that important to have democracy here, given that we have "The Bachelor," "The Voice," "The View" etc to keep our minds occupied.

[Autumn]

49. Democracy? We don't need no stinking democracy.

You listed all we need and we have a Democrat in the White House. It's all good no need to worry about anything.

[truedelphi]

58. Plus Lily Ledbetter.

I mean, how could it possibly get any better than this?

[Autumn]

59. It just don't

[Bobbie Jo]

105. What does that mean?

[Jesus Malverde]

107. ^^^^^ THIS ^^^^^

Dont hurt em too bad Autumn, your facts might make their "narrative" untenable.

[Rex]

119. How strange, none of them are even IN the other threads posting!

Gee...funny how some things are important and others don't even get a mention. That of course is a pattern we see here all the time and one reason I cannot take the Rah Rah crowd seriously for one second.

[Vattel]

2. What was daring about it?

[idendoit]

4. The fact that the U.S. military put their lives....

... the alliance between us and Libya and the defense of democratic principles, on the line, makes it daring enough for me. What do you think?

[Vattel]

7. So Obama is daring because he put the lives of American soldiers at risk?

I guess Bush was way daring then. And how did he put our alliance with Libya and the defense of democratic principles on the line? I don't get that. I thought doing it helped our alliance with Libya and defended democratic principles. What is daring about that?

Obviously soldiers who risk their lives are daring. Obama, not so much.

[idendoit]

38. I can see why you don't have a clue as to why.

The person giving the orders, the commander in chief, is just as responsible for the success or failure of the mission as the personnel who carry out those orders. If he had not given those orders, our pledge to help an ally in their time of need would be an empty one. An important democratic principle.

Obviously they aren't soldiers, they're sailors.

[Vattel]

55. He is responsible but that hardly makes it daring that he gave those orders

[SunSeeker]

61. Giving an order for a mission that can fail IS daring.

If that mission had not worked out, the Right wing would have been all over him. And he knew if he succeeded, no one would give him credit. So a lesser president wouldn't have bothered. But Obama did it because it was what needed to be done, even if it had little up side and a whole hell of a lot of potential down side for him.

[Vattel]

63. OMG, the right wing would have been all over him? That must keep him awake at night. (sarcasm)

[SunSeeker]

65. The Right would use it as an "example" of how Dems are failures at foreign policy.

And even thought it is not true, little instances like a failed mission are blown up in the MSM, and could have further hurt Dems in the midterms. A lesser president looking at tough midterms coming up would not have bothered.

[idendoit]

67. Yep, that's about how it turned out for Carter.

[reddread]

101. treason and sabotage isnt the same as failure

Something tells me Obama isnt facing the same obstacle course.

[idendoit]

103. Treason and sabotage on who's part?

[reddread]

117. if you arent old enough to remember what happened

it doesnt really matter.

[idendoit]

130. And if you refuse to say who or what you're posting about, why bother?

[Kurovski]

137. BEN GAZAZZEEEEEE!!!!

It's not like the righties need reality to create any kind of example at all

[SunSeeker]

138. The GOP gets way more mileage out of an actual failure.

When Obama actually misses the mark, like with the ACA website launch, everyone blames him: Republicans, Independents and even fellow Dems. Dems (unlike the GOP) only push back, if at all, when it is something the GOP made up, like with Benghazi or the IRS. That is why the GOP hasn't gotten much traction out of the IRS and Benghazi "scandals." But the GOP playing up the ACA website launch mess has definitely hurt Obama and the Dems in general...because Dems themselves acknowledged it was an actual failure.

[tazkcmo]

102. Whether or nor to send ours troops into harm's way

is the most difficult, and yes, daring decision a person can make. In fact, the only decision that may be tougher to make is whether or not to use nuclear weapons. I'm an Army veteran and I'm so glad I never had to make a decision like that. I for one give our President credit.

[mikeysnot]

111. Dude you lost give it up...

[Phlem]

142. " I can see why you don't have a clue as to why."

OK then.



-p

[alcibiades_mystery]

13. Don't bother

If the whole thing had gone ass up the same dude woulda been on here assailing Obama for failure or some such. There's no use discussing anything with that sort.

[okaawhatever]

14. Amen to that. nt

[Bobbie Jo]

106. Not just that dude.

They're all pretty predictable at this point.

[Dawson Leery]

3. kick

[cheapdate]

5. Given the situation...

and the choice between action and inaction, this was probably the right decision.

[Whisp]

6. K&R

[TxDemChem]

8. Thanks for bringing this to our attention.

I had no idea. He doesn't get the kudos he deserves all the time, but people like you spread the word. Thanks again.

[MineralMan]

9. It was a good decision and a good outcome.

Had it not gone well, it would be big news, though. Better that it's not big news, IMO.

[AngryDem001]

34. Good news never brings in good ratings.

Gore, death and destruction always bring in good ratings and big bucks.

[kairos12]

35. As is said, " if it bleeds it leads, if it thinks it stinks."

The state of our "news."

[AngryDem001]

39. Walter Cronkite is spinning in his grave.

Congrats to the SEALS on a successful mission!

[Rex]

10. McCain is a fucking clown that would have already started WWIII with Pootie.

He has zero credibility and Lindsey Graham is an embarrassment to the human race. Period.

[Mr.Bill]

21. If McCain was president Americans would be coming home in body bags from about six countries.

I've actually lost count. Libya would be one of them, though.

[idendoit]

75. I agree, McCain would have panicked by now.

In 1967 a devastating conflagration broke out on the flight deck of the Forrestal. It was fed by a pilot who panicked and dropped the ordinance mounted on his plane, before he bailed. That pilot was John McCain. He had several 'mishaps' in the cockpit. Including cutting power lines in Spain while 'clowning around'. If his father hadn't been an admiral, he would have washed out before he ever became a prisoner.

[chknltl]

129. There is no evidence that John McCain contributed to the Forrestal fire.

Specifically regarding that fire aboard the Forrestal: I often see this claim and another one that asserts John McCain did what is called a "Hot Start" just prior to the errant missile firing. There has been much written on the topic of what started that fire and the actions of all involved but no actual evidence to support the wild claims that John McCain acted in any way negligently prior to or during this incident.

IMHO we in the DU should be careful when it comes to how we bash those we disagree with if we are to be taken seriously. Please understand that I am not picking on you specifically, (I have actually seen similar forms of that 'urban legend' regarding John McCain and that fire posted here in the DU), I merely want to do my part to squash an urban legend that far too many believe to be a truth.

[idendoit]

131. The video, all be it bad, is on you tube.

It is the main part of a film on flight deck safety that every ships crew that works on the flight deck is required to watch. You can see, in the original, clearly the ordnance dropping from the aircraft just before he bails. The crew running across the deck with hose and extinguisher are trying to rescue him him. He makes it to safety the crew stays to fight the fire. One of the 500 pounders rolls into the fire under the adjacent aircraft. The first explosion starts a chain reaction. This was all described in detail by the instructor, without identifying the pilot. It is fact, not conjecture.

As for the other stuff, here's a start: articles.latimes.com/2008/oct/06/nation/na-aviator6

Anything else you need just google: mccain + reckless.

[chknltl]

132. No, we truly do not know all of the facts about the Forrestal fire.

There is much we can not know. We do not know for sure which plane was hit by the Zuni rocket fired from across the deck. John McCain claims that his was the plane hit, others suggest that it had to be the plane next to McCain's hit instead. There is no real proof either way. Did that rocket hit to either of the planes directly or indirectly cause those old WWII era bombs to dislodge? We don't know and can not know that either.

All the times this topic has been debated here in the DU nobody yet has provided concrete evidence that the ONLY way for those bombs to have been dropped to the deck was through the direct actions of John McCain. I dunno, I like to think we here at DU are better than those who "Swift Boated" John Kerry.

[idendoit]

133. You may not know, but I and many others do.

Don't take my word for it, read the wikipedia entry about the incident. Scroll down to the lessons learned part. Learn or Burn was still mandatory for advanced flight deck firefighters when I was in. The entire video coverage has been studied extensively to prevent it from happening again. The sequence of events, response failures and personnel involved are well established.

[chknltl]

134. You have actual evidence prooving that John McCain dropped those bombs?

This is going nowhere idendoit, (cool name btw), this topic has been extensively argued out here in the DU over the years, hell I may even have instigated one of those debates. What I have learned from my own research while participating in some of those debates is that there is indeed a strong likelihood that those bombs dropped from McCain's plane because of the actions of the Zuni rocket. That pretty much IS the accepted explanation. No amount of research that you can ask me to do will show that not to be a plausible course of events. Could McCain be directly responsible for those two bombs dropping? Sure, this is a different plausible course of events but there is no concrete proof that this is what McCain did.

Senator McCain has plenty of stuff we can pin him with without the necessity of using this particular topic. When we accuse him of doing something that he may or may not have done-something for which there is no concrete proof, then we are no better off with our arguments then those who quote the Swift Boaters who deliberately tried to sink the Kerry bid for POTUS. However if you DO have some sort of concrete proof.....well that would be noteworthy scoop indeed!

[Iliyah]

11. K & R

No matter what Pres O does some still find fault.

Go Obama!

[sheshe2]

54. You've noticed that too, Iliyah?

Yup, never ever good enough.

GObama!

[JDPriestly]

12. Thanks for posting. K&R.

Recently, the biggest challenge to the central government's authority has come from so-called "federalists," armed groups who are demanding far-reaching autonomy for Cyrenaica, Libya's easternmost region. The federalists, led by Ibrahim Jathran, don't seem to be especially interested in negotiating with the government in Tripoli; instead they've tried to blackmail it into accepting their demands by seizing oil installations in the region and declaring that they're going to sell off the resources under their control.

http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2014/03/18/sealed_and_delivered_in_libya_0

Obama is great when it comes to foreign policy. So many of his wise moves in that area are ignored.

[okaawhatever]

16. Americans who don't want war aren't being informed by the media how other solutions can have the

same effect. This may seem like only one tanker, but what it represents is money to buy weapons and pay soldiers to keep their revolution alive. You can disarm the opposition by removal of weapons by force, or taking the money they're stealing to buy them, bottom line...no weapons for the rebels.

[Cha]

33. Yes, the USA has all kinds of enemies and one of the biggest is the US corporatemedia-

whoredom. For the gopropaganda and what they don't report about this Admin to push their own narrative.

[kairos12]

40. I would say that the corporate media connection is currently

our greatest enemy. They might not have nukes, but they an agenda and a public forum which has turned much of population into shambling idiot zombies (with tricorn hats) who vote and speak against their own best interests. These weapons of mass deception deployed by a randian corporate state will mark the end of the Republic.

Sorry, ranting.

[Cha]

41. Don't be "sorry".. thank you, kairos!

Exactly.. "weapons of mass deception".

US media is turning the country into a nation of zombies.

[kairos12]

43. I think I like watching the "Walking Dead" because living in Arizona

I experience it everyday. Zombies abound in SUVs and Arpaio stickers, never mind Governor Boneyfinger.

[Cha]

66. Hope you get a Good Dem Gov in next time.. I have no

idea if there's a chance in hell of that but I can wish.

The walking dead is a perfect show to illustrate the caliber of rw politicians in America..



kairos

[kairos12]

83. That cartoon is hilarious. Made my night Cha. Thanks

[Cha]

84. You're Welcome, k~ :)

[tofuandbeer]

89. :D

[Cha]

92. :D

[steve2470]

15. k&r nt

[Jesus Malverde]

17. Are we still rescuing the failed state we created.

It's been three years, and the country is still a mess of militias and radical islamists.

You do know this "democracy" which previously had some of the most radical feminists and progressive women's rights in Africa has adopted Sharia....right?

The ethnic cleansing of Black Libyans, the division of a country controlled by warring gangs, the enslavement of women, lets ignore all that and focus on how the US propping up our puppet transnational government is leadership. The fact some rag tag jihadist can sell oil directly to the north koreans probably tells us all we need to know.

The oils resources don't belong to the Libyans they belong to the multinationals who will take them like they stole the sovereign wealth funds.

[malaise]

18. +1,000

The freedom to loot and plunder is priceless - literally

[cprise]

24. Agreed. OP is serving up "free dumb" propaganda.

AKA "American Exceptionalism"

I am against corporate-controlled, sham democracy.

[Jesus Malverde]

27. FP started as a propaganda outlet for industrialist Andrew Carnegie

They represent the narrowest of 1% views.

[Skittles]

73. it works on non critical thinkers

big time

[Jesus Malverde]

99. They occasionally go deep on a topic

But you have to be a critical reader.

[Autumn]

29. Reminds me of another country that we imposed "democracy" on and women got screwed

oh yeah Iraq.

[cui bono]

93. Yeah, I was going to say wait another 7 years and it'll be as good as that other country

we "liberated" is now. Iraq.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

53. Unfortunately revolutions are a mess. So was the US Revolution. nt

[Jesus Malverde]

60. If you want to call NATO's war on Libya a revolution

thats one way to frame it.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

96. Duh. Read up on the Arab Spring revolution and how it happened before "Nato" got involved. nt

Also, it was a UN Security Council Resolution for a no-fly zone based on an earlier resolution against the Gadaffi regime's brutal putdown of the Arab Spring and referring his regime to the International Criminal Court. There were many more countries involved than just Nato.

It wasn't a war on Libya. It was a war on Gadaffi's dictatorship.

Yes, revolutions are messy. In the US Revolution in a less global age, France played a role. The French Revolution was messy.

Are you going to argue that Gadaffi was a good guy? I hope not.

My point is that peaceful overthrows of regimes are rare, and the results of revolutions are "failed states" for a few years while things stabilize. The USA was a "failed state" by many measures for a few years during and after the revolution.

[Scootaloo]

104. You got the quote wrong.

It's "democracy is messy."

You were trying to quote Donald "Unknown Known" Rumsfeld, weren'cha?

You came VERY close, you'll nail it next time.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

109. Wrong. I was not quoting anybody. Revolutions are messy.

I was making the point that so soon after a violent changeover from a brutal dictatorship to a democracy is not going to be a walk in a park, so it is much too soon to apply the "failed state" slam. However, Libya has problems; there is no denying that.

[Vashta Nerada]

62. Agreed.

[bvar22]

68. Thank You!

Apparently, most DUers do NOT know who "WON" in Libya.

[Le Taz Hot]

98. OMG. Facts!

You just interrupted the latest cheer squad session, you know that don't you? And I love how OUR military is out there rescuing . . . OIL. Not OUR oil, but oil that belongs to private enterprise. No one ever asks that question, do they?

[IronLionZion]

140. Did people vote for it?

In that part of the world it's usually a choice between murderous secular dictatorship or elect a murderous religious theocracy. Either way, its murderous. Life doesn't always work out the way Americans want.

[sabrina 1]

20. Libya is a democracy? Have you been following that disaster and human rights nightmare since the

oil was placed under the control of the 'right people'?

Who runs Libya now?

I would say that anyone who goes anywhere near OIL is going to get a reaction from the Western nations. And who in Libya is benefiting from their oil now?

They USED to benefit from it. They were not in debt eg to the IMF or World Bank. They had free education, health care, in fact it was the law in Libya that everyone had the right to own a home. Special needs citizens especially.

But since the takeover of the oil, all those social programs no longer can be afforded. Lots going to PROFIT now. Libya is far from being any kind of democracy, fledgling or otherwise.

I know facts are not always welcome here, but for some of us they are extremely important still. And human rights remains a priority for most Democrats. Libya is now a human rights nightmare. Far, far worse than it was before.

[hfojvt]

91. are you sure about that?

I read somewhere that Libya was an infant democracy.

[Hissyspit]

115. Tunisia is the success.

Libya is a bit of a mess:

"As of 2014, lawlessness, security issues, and regional factionalism remain as significant and seemingly ever increasing problems for the current interim government.[77]"

[rollin74]

22. K & R

[Trust Buster]

23. Oh please !!!!!!!!!!

This move was about the integrity of oil shipping lanes and not democracy.

[DevineBovine]

30. K&R n/t

[chompers]

28. I do not see why we used SEALs for this.

[okaawhatever]

48. Who do you think we should have used? This is very much the SEAL's wheelhouse. Are you suggesting

not using someone in the military?

[chompers]

82. Team America and all that.

[Cha]

31. Cool.. I see there's the usual whiners about the USA so this couldn't possibly

be a good thing. Of course, the rw wouldn't think it was good either.. it's not Benghazi.

"Libya is in urgent need of help. The post-Qaddafi government, chosen by the people in free and fair elections, is struggling to survive challenges to its power from myriad armed militias, Islamist death squads, and regional separatists. All of these forces share an interest in keeping the central government destabilized and weak. None of them wants to see democracy succeed. So even though it can genuinely claim a genuine democratic mandate, the government's writ is shrinking by the day."

We're struggling to survive too from ugly elements trying to take over our Democracy.. it's called the Koch Forces and they're friggin everywhere.

[zeemike]

32. Interesting language being used.

"this time they weren’t double-tapping a terrorist"

The "double tapping" is when the kill some one with a drone attack and when the people come to rescue them the tap them again killing more innocent people....so now I guess double tapping has become something to brag about.

[okaawhatever]

50. Bullcrap. A double tap is a one-two to the heart and head. That is standard shoot-to-kill

procedure worldwide.

[zeemike]

81. Well pardon me for not knowing the jargon of killing.

I guess that article was meant to appeal to those that do.

[cui bono]

94. :)

Omg... that post slayed me.

[bullsnarfle]

128. It is both. n/t

[BrainMann1]

36. Right!!

You are right my friend. Very few of us Democrats are saying anything because of the up coming elections. They are the sorry ones we don't need and probably never needed. Every now and then we get a rethug who try to post an opinion here but we know who they are. The President is doing what we call we in the south "The right thing.

[Doctor_J]

42. Heh

They are the sorry ones we don't need and probably never needed.

Bookmarking for November

[Le Taz Hot]

100. Yeah, for when

the progressives get blamed for massive losses. Couldn't POSSIBLY be the reich-wing candidates they offer up.

[Spider Jerusalem]

37. ...

"deployed military force in support of a potentially US-friendly government in an oil-rich state". Oil is the USA's lifeblood even more than Libya's; it's in the USA's geostrategic and economic interests to do as much as possible to ensure the uninterrupted flow of oil from Libya, because reducing the total available on world markets would probably lead to another 2008-style recession. That's what this is about. Let's not pretend it's altruism and "assisting a fledgling democracy".

[denbot]

44. A kick from an old tin can sailor

Bravo Zulu Mr. President.

[Benton D Struckcheon]

45. Missed this.

Many thanks for posting it.

[Damansarajaya]

47. Sounds to me (in support of what others have already posted)

that Mr. President once again used our military to support the oil industry and control of it.

I don't get the "fighting for democracy" part.

[840high]

79. I don't either.

[Erich Bloodaxe BSN]

51. Well, kudos to him and the troops involved.

And thanks for posting this.

[hue]

52. Exposure! Another move from our POTUS for historians to analyze many years from now!!

[sheshe2]

56. K&R

[Overseas]

64. K&R.

[freshwest]

69. Thanks, Playinghardball. As usual, those doing the work get no thanks. n/t

[1StrongBlackMan]

70. Wow ...

Reading the responses to this OP, I'm really thinking that DU Administrators needs to disappear DU for about a week ... then send out a general invitation announcing its return for Democrats (or whomever their target announce might be ... I really think it's time for some clarification) ... as it is clear, there are plenty here that just can't see any action related to this Democratic President, as a good thing!

[Hissyspit]

88. "Return to Democrats"

It was always open to people other than Democrats.

[Kurovski]

95. Whining about DU is so awesome. That'll bring everyone back.

You had every chance to rebut the folks who wrote why they saw it as-not so-great deal.

Instead you chose to wax adorable to yourself.

You can read who is welcome here. It's already been clarified, I think when you do you may also read about the "no whining" about DU rule. Skinner stashed the info somewhere around here...

http://21stcenturywire.com/2014/02/25/snowden-training-guide-for-gchq-nsa-agents-infiltrating-and-disrupting-alternative-media-online/



Here's from the terms of service:

"Winning elections is important — therefore, advocating in favor of Republican nominees or in favor of third-party spoiler candidates that could split the vote and throw an election to our conservative opponents is never permitted on Democratic Underground. But that does not mean that DU members are required to always be completely supportive of Democrats. During the ups-and-downs of politics and policy-making, it is perfectly normal to have mixed feelings about the Democratic officials we worked hard to help elect. When we are not in the heat of election season, members are permitted to post strong criticism or disappointment with our Democratic elected officials, or to express ambivalence about voting for them. In Democratic primaries, members may support whomever they choose. But when general election season begins, DU members must support Democratic nominees ..."

[deutsey]

97. +1

[Enrique]

108. you seem to be under the impression

that with a Democratic president, that when someone posts a giant picture of a battleship, we all have to salute.

I think it's perfectly fine for people to read this article and be persuaded by the author's argument. But it's also just as perfectly fine to reject it or be skeptical of it.

[frylock]

116. they should also post a loyalty oath..

this big tent is starting to get lousy with leftists and progressives. The Very Sensible People are probably starting to feel a little crowded.

[1StrongBlackMan]

118. Mock all you wish ...

this small spot in the universe is getting lousy with "Democrats" that spend more time and effort seeking to be critical of Democrats, than working to get republicans unemployed.

[frylock]

122. isn't that the job of the DNC?

the dems have gotten all the effort they're going to get from people like me. maybe they put some desirable candidates out there that actually motivate people to vote for them. people are getting damn sick and tired of voting for the sole purpose of getting republicans unemployed.

[IronLionZion]

141. Kvetching about everything, is as liberal as driving a Prius to Costco for soy milk

If people around here ever express a positive attitude about anything, I would be very suspicious.

There are psychological reasons for that. Liberal as an ideology always believe things can and should be better. Liberals love to think of themselves as brave revolutionary patriots fighting the power RAWR! Online communication leads to negativity and passive aggressive behavior snowballing out of control.

[Ilsa]

71. K&R for PBO! nt

[SunSeeker]

72. K & R

[WhaTHellsgoingonhere]

74. Nor was there a word of praise from the (Democrats) on Capitol Hill.

This is why we lose the branding game with the Republicans. Had this been McCain or Romney, the Republicans would have seized on it and turned McCain/Romney into the second coming of Eisenhower.

The Democrats, true to form, drop the ball. Now, several months on when I'm arguing with a Republican and a I mention this, they'll think I made the whole thing up.

[oldandhappy]

76. Thank you for this post.

Appreciate the fact that you caught it and put it here. I am glad to know this.

[TheKentuckian]

77. What democracy? The nation we turned into a shitpile theocracy?

[AverageJoe90]

78. Well.....sadly, it's to be expected.

As for why DU might have problems in this regard, well, I'd venture it's because cause *some* people are too busy.....whinging about Obama not being liberal enough, or "white privilege", or how the Democrats are no different than the Repubs, etc.....

[blackspade]

80. Not sure what was so risky about doing his job.

We have an alliance with Libya's democratically elected government and we assisted them in an anti-smuggling operation.
That's great, but why is that a noteworthy event that needs to be broadcast far and wide?
Why is this some kind of 'master stroke?'

[Beartracks]

85. The GOP & MSM think no military action/response happens...

... unless there's "big boom" that they can put on TV.

===============

[flamingdem]

86. thumbs up

[FairWinds]

87. We are coming up on the 50th anniversary . .

of another (post's words) "vivid illustration of how the United States can put its unchallenged power . ."
That was the overthrow of the democratically elected government of Brazil - April 1st, 1964.
"for positive ends" (?) not so much.
The US was instrumental in installing a thug military dictatorship that murdered and tortured tens of thousands.
The US foreign policy elite has done this REGULARLY around the world. They have ZERO respect for democracy or human rights.
Think about that when you watch the Olympics this summer, but don't count on the ONE % US media, including and especially Foreign Policy, to cover the events of April, 1964.
I'm a Vietnam vet, and a proud member of Veterans For Peace.

[DeSwiss]

90. Oh, excuse me.

- I wandered in by mistake, I thought journalism was served here. But all I see all you have is public relations on the menu......

[Hissyspit]

113. We saved the oil!

[DeSwiss]

114. We save the oil, and BP loses it. :-/ n/t

[840high]

135. That's Democracy. lol

[gtar100]

110. It's not always that we don't care, it's often that Democrats undersell their wins.

And it only exasperates the problem of the media not giving them anywhere near equal time to republicans.

[MannyGoldstein]

112. And this was a big risk... How? nt

[Phlem]

143. Apparently because of #38

Putting soldiers lives at risk taking out the trash for another nation for oil.

It's all black and white like it usually is.

-p

[Rex]

120. So 171 recs and nobody cares?

nt.

[IrishAyes]

121. GREAT OP !!!!

Count me out of those who don't give a damn, because I certainly do. Very proud of President Obama and I don't care who knows it. If they can't shut me up here in the remote MidWest corners of RedNeckLand, the naysayers on DU had might as well save their breath. I don't need to validate my choice to anyone. Anyone who objects can go suck a lemon.

[bowens43]

123. the US needs to mind it's own fucking business.

[Hulk]

124. Hurray!!!

Is that how you spell "yippee!!"? No matter. WE need to get the news out there. Call up the right wing radio propagandists and ask them about it!! Get the fookin' word out, if the news won't!

[tritsofme]

125. If the White House wanted this to be a big story, it would.

It seems like it is getting coverage in proportion to its importance. It is silly to suggest otherwise.

[Enrique]

127. I could see how they might not want to talk about this

some people might see it as a glorious victory, other people might wonder how many more glorious victories, for how many more years, we're going to have to do because of our Libya adventure.

[MisterP]

126. this time we're just backing a strongman against AQ and secessionists taking the oil with them

last time it was entirely the opposite

this is why it's important to learn history

[FairWinds]

136. The US Govt. destroys democracies . . AND

. . No One Gives a damn.
Brazil, 1964 (While LBJ was building the Great Society here, he sure did not do it there. The CIA also trained the torturers for the military dictatorship that the US had installed.)
If you don't speak out when the Nat Sec elite do it abroad, how can you complain when they do it here, to you and yours?
Where is the outrage ?

[nyabingi]

139. Why is Obama...

...so militaristic when it comes to Africa? The expansion of AFRICOM, supporting the military coup against the democratically-elected leader of Egypt (Morsi), the killing of Qaddafi (which left the country in chaos), the support of Ugandan and Rwandan dictators, etc. I know you're looking for reasons to cheer for Obama, but his record in Africa is not one of them...