Obama frankness

[dewdrop]

It was refreshing to hear a head of state openly criticise the security services in regard to the airplane bomb attempt. Would a head of state in this country be equally frank when some major issues arise.

 

[DerKaiser]

It was refreshing to hear a head of state openly criticise the security services in regard to the airplane bomb attempt. Would a head of state in this country be equally frank when some major issues arise.

I remember Michael McDowell laying down public ultimatums to security services over their handling of securicor vans being raided. That man was frank and look where it got him in terms of public service (though it did result in a nice pay raise from going back to the courts I guess!)

 

[galleyslave]

I'd be looking closer to home rather than to the security services. If you took away most of the politically inspired crap that passes for security and actually let the pros do whats necessary we'd actually be safer rather than than putting up with the theater that is airport security.

 

[DublinTexas]

It was refreshing to hear a head of state openly criticise the security services in regard to the airplane bomb attempt. Would a head of state in this country be equally frank when some major issues arise.

What other option does he have? He has not managed to get a single of his major plans into actions be it public option healthcare, closing of Guantanamo Bay or gays in the military.

The only way for him to show how different and serious he is by criticizing others and to ensure that he gets as far away from the responsibility as possible. I’m actually expecting that he soon says “this system was introduced by my predecessor, I promise you that we will get this fixed as a priority within 12 month” and naturally nothing happens then.

His instructions to the Secretary of Homeland security and then to the TSA were a joke, as usual the administration swung into crazy action which mostly made no sense. But at least he can now say “we have taken immediate actions and are reviewing the situation”.

To take away blankets at exactly 90 minutes before landing and to take offline the flying maps is a joke. If a terrorist wants to know when they are about to land he just needs to wait from the moment the blankets are taking away until he feels the pressure change and hears the gear coming out.

I suspected long that the administration wants to change the visa rules (i.e. make it more single entry and higher fees) and believe me that is exactly what is going to happen. The Visa rules will be tightened and it will get more expensive and also ESTA will now be introduced for Visa holders too.

I have no idea why everybody is behaving as if the terrorist thread is so big. The odds of being on given departure which is the subject of a terrorist incident have been 1 in 10,408,947 over the past decade, there is a very good article about that [broken link removed].

I'd be looking closer to home rather than to the security services. If you took away most of the politically inspired crap that passes for security and actually let the pros do whats necessary we'd actually be safer rather than than putting up with the theater that is airport security.

I agree with galleyslave. Life is risky itself, we might want to stop doing political stunts including airport security theater and leave this to the professionals.

 

[mathepac]

It was refreshing to hear a head of state openly criticise the security services in regard to the airplane bomb attempt. ...

It would have been more refreshing for him to turn down his Nobel Peace Prize on the basis that he promised to commit an extra 30,000 US troops to the "war" in Afghanistan. Politicians' smoke and mirrors is still just smoke and mirrors and a nomination for a War-monger's prize would have been more appropriate in the circumstances.

 

[BONDGIRL]

Well I cant see how Obama has really done for country since being appointed.. other then sending 30,000 + more troops to Far East.........

 

[VOR]

"I'm trying to sum up President Obama's first 11 months in office. He gave billions to Wall Street, cracked down on illegal immigrants getting healthcare, sending 30,000 more troops to Afghanistan. You know something? He may go down in history as our greatest Republican president ever."
~ Jay Leno, 3 Dec 2009

 

[onq]

Obama is too damn slick.

Slinky walk, perfect teeth, "looking into the distance sideways look", I'm already fed up to the teeth with his packaged charm.

He was appointed by the powers that be in the US because he was the right man at the right time to sooth the angry beast that the disgruntled American electorate was fast becoming.

If we needed more proof after W that the American president is nothing more than a front for the powers that be we have it now.

I don't think he even deserves this level of discussion, never mind that butt-kissing Nobel prize.

Mind you what better way to cement his faux credentials than accepting a peace prize founded by the guy who invented dynamite.

We are such sheep.

ONQ.

 

[censuspro]

It was refreshing to hear a head of state openly criticise the security services in regard to the airplane bomb attempt. Would a head of state in this country be equally frank when some major issues arise.

He's playing to his US liberal and democratic supporters who take his every word for gospel and refuse to allow anyone openly criticise him. Traditionally these people are skeptical of the army and CIA which are traditionally Republican organisations. Not very surprising.

I'm not an Obama basher but I think he's more style than substance. Be that as it may, he's better than he's predecessor and his presidency was a poisoned chalice.

At this rate he won't last two terms; provided Sarah Palin isn't the next Republican candidate.

 

[VOR]

He's playing to his US liberal and democratic supporters who take his every word for gospel and refuse to allow anyone openly criticise him.

I sat down with a staunch republican from South Caroline before Christmas. We discussed why we couldn't stand Obama. It turned out I disliked him for doing the things the republicans wanted done. He disliked him for saying the things the progressives wanted to hear.

I agree that he plays to the left (and acts to satisfy the right) but I sense that the left are getting sick and tired of his actions. Have a look at websites such as huffington or counterpunch. They are tearing Obama to pieces on a daily basis.