So unlike the title of the blog stated, the latest news about the Pakistani incident in which a number of Pakistani soldiers were killed in a drone strike, is that Obama will not offer any formal apology yet. According to the article in the NYTimes, there are a few different reasons for the absence of any apology from our president. The first reason is that they want to wait until a full investigation into the incident is completed before the president says anything more on the matter. The second, which seems to me like it would be the first, is that certain administration officials feel that for Obama to overrule the military would give the Republicans more fodder in their debates for president. Really? People seriously feel that it is more important to remain politically correct than it is to do the humane thing and apologize? Well, I shouldn't be surprised by much of this at all. Whenever we think we have seen it all from Washington, something else happens that increases our ire and disdain with our elected officials and drives an ever growing wedge in the relations between populace and government. Now there have been apologies issued, just not from the president, but rather from our Secretary of State and Secretary of Defense. But they do not go far enough in my mind. Even the ambassador to Pakistan has implored the White House to issue a formal apology in an attempt to alleviate tensions between the two nations. Yet the military balks and Obama will simply be guided by his advisers into non-action. I have a few problems here that need to be discussed.
The first is our military, a bungled bunch of suits in Washington who feel that they are in charge and can act however they feel fit. This is the same military that failed to plan for the eventuality of making cuts to their own budget. This is the same military that acts with impunity around the globe and does not take into consideration the true impacts of their actions. Mostly, how can the military balk at suggestions that the president of the United States offer a formal apology to the Pakistanis? While I do not know all the details, and obviously the military doesn't as well, it seems pretty cut and dry from the outside. A drone, most likely built and operated by the U.S. military killed two dozen Pakistani soldiers. These are Pakistanis that have families that they will not be going home to and while our military and government feels it is more important to conduct "investigations", these families are left to suffer. Regardless of the situation in which these soldiers were killed, it shouldn't have happened. But then again, I do not agree with most of our recent military campaigns in that area anyway. It seems at this point that Obama has simply become a pawn being pushed around, guided by the military and advised by his cohorts. Whatever happened to the Obama that had such gusto and determination? Oh wait, its coming up on elections, his brain must have been sold at auction. Not that I voted for him or agree with everything he has done, but as President of the United States, he has to take a stand based upon what he believes in, not based upon upcoming elections or the political atmosphere at any given time.
It is becoming more and more clear that our government is full of disenfranchised robots, heeding the call of lobbyists and the ever powerful military. When it is said that the influence of the United States is waning, we have only to look at our ineffective elected officials to see why. None of them can reach a meaningful decision, most resort to finger pointing and bickering, and all the while they live off of our taxpayer dollars. What gives? Mostly though, it is instances like this latest one, where the president can't make his own decision that really shows where power is held in Washington. It shouldn't matter under what circumstances these soldiers were killed under, they were killed and as such, Obama should apologize. A sign of weakness some might say? I say it is a sign of humanity. Screw the political system and anyone who might gain from Obama making his apology. It is the right thing to do. Yet the right thing, unless aligned with proper politics, is usually pushed aside. What ever happened to refocusing efforts on improving our own country and our economic malaise? That's right, it was a dream I had a few nights ago that will remain as such, a dream. Until Obama can take off his panties, wipe himself clean, and stand up for himself, I will offer the apology for him. On the behalf of the president and the United States, I offer our condolences to those families who lost someone during our reckless drone attack in your country. I can't say it won't happen again, but at least I can say we are sorry.
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