Obama Seeks To Retake Terrorism Front - Thursday speech largely intended to mollify political left

[jefferson_dem]

Obama Seeks To Retake Terrorism Front
By Adriel Bettelheim, CQ Staff

After antagonizing the political left with several unexpected national security moves, President Obama on Thursday will seek to reassert control over the politically sensitive area of fighting terrorism.

Obama will travel to the National Archives Thursday morning to deliver what aides say will be a 35-minute speech that articulates his principles on national security.

The address comes after a turbulent stretch during which Obama flipped positions and blocked the release of photographs allegedly portraying prisoner abuse by U.S. military personnel. He also restarted Bush-era military commissions that try terror detainees. And on Wednesday, the Democratic controlled Senate denied funding for the administration to help shut the detention center at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba.

The speech comes at almost the same time former Vice President Dick Cheney is scheduled to deliver remarks on the subject of “keeping America safe” at the American Enterprise Institute, a conservative think tank. Cheney has been a vocal and persistent critic of Obama’s policies, saying they raise the risk of another terror attack.

By delivering an address in the shadow of the Constitution and Bill of Rights, Obama will seek to portray his January decision to shut Guantanamo by Jan. 22, 2010 as essential to restoring the United States’ reputation as a nation built on the rule of law.

“We know that court cases are coming every day that are rendering different judgments about what legal standards there are in this country, the values that we have to uphold, and we’re taking all of that into account in making decisions about how to close Guantanamo Bay,” White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said Wednesday.

The speech is largely intended to mollify the political left, which increasingly suspects Obama is trying to shield his predecessor’s counterterrorism policies from public scrutiny.

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http://www.cqpolitics.com/wmspage.cfm?docID=news-000003122240

[Canuckistanian]

1. So he's going to make some announcements?

Like:

Asking for a Special Prosecutor?

Ending the Military Commissions?

Prosecuting war profiteers?

Closing down all "black sites"?

Ending aerial bombardments in Iraq and Afghanistan?

Finding the Plame leaker?

Investigating detainee deaths?

I'll be waiting to see what he does.

[billyoc]

13. I'll guess, "No, No, lol, No, lmfao, No, No".

[jenmito]

2. Good. And I'm so glad Cheney is going to give a fear-mongering speech around the same time...

a tactic rejected by the majority of people in the last election reiterated by a guy with a 16% approval rating.

[Uzybone]

3. Contrast cannot be more damning

[Cha]

4. Yeah, well, I know

he's not trying to protect those assholes.

Good on your speech tomorrow, President Obama.

[ima_sinnic]

5. today his admin urged the SC to drop the case against Bush/Cheney re Plame

I will be so NOT "mollified" by some lame-ass BS about "looking forward" while traitors, mass murderers, and torturers in my name run around free to wreak mayhem at will.

[pleah]

6. Exactly!

:applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause:

[Clio the Leo]

8. lol, so what you're saying is your mind is fully open to hearing what the President has to say?

Good to hear! ;)

[ima_sinnic]

10. I'm saying I'll hear what he says but expect very little

so you think he's suddenly going to reverse his protection of war criminals in 24 hrs?

[Clio the Leo]

11. No .......... because the speech is 13 hours away, not 24! ;-) NT

[Name removed]

12. Deleted message

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[Name removed]

14. Deleted message

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[jefferson_dem]

18. No shit. Those who claim to be the most "protesty" are the biggest tools.

Predictably...

[ima_sinnic]

19. those who go along to get along are the biggest FOOLS

predictably ...

[jefferson_dem]

22. Touche.

:hi:

[Clio the Leo]

17. Thank ya!

And no, there will be no big change over night. You and I BOTH know what he's going to say, and I'm sorry that you wont be hearing what you're wanting to hear.

But I fear you may have misunderstood the man that (I'm assuming) you voted for. Retribution is a wonderful thing .... as long as WE are in power. ;)

[Bluenorthwest]

16. Snark on this subject is naff

What a shitty bit of stupidity.

[Clio the Leo]

20. And gravity served up with a side of condescension....

.... gets us nowhere. ;)

[frog92969]

7. "The man who would choose security over freedom deserves neither."

Thomas Jefferson
:patriot:

[damonm]

21. Ben Franklin,,,

Is the better attribution.

[katandmoon]

9. It's going to take a hell of a lot more than a speech!

[Vidar]

15. Prosecute our terrorists, starting with Cheney, while you still have some

popularity & credibility, Obama.

[Clio the Leo]

23. You know I think that would solve all of this mess......

.... if we could just "have" Cheney as the scape goat and be done with it. We would love it and the GOP wouldn't complain (who's gonna defend Cheney? Seriously?!)

But I fear that over simplifies the issue.

I want to thank each and every one of you for electing Barack Obama President and NOT me because I am SO not envious of his position when it comes to this matter.

[rug]

24. Yes, that's what I voted for, mollify.