Thursday, September 05, 2013

High confidence


Oops, just found a post I forgot to post yesterday about Obama’s press conference in Stockholm.

On NSA snooping, he suggested that “it may be that the laws that are currently in place are not sufficient to guard against the dangers of us being able to track so much.” Oh, a narrower law would certainly be a help, but just because something isn’t technically legal does not make it obligatory. Just fucking stop snooping on everything and everyone. Just. Stop.

On chemical weapons, “I didn’t set a red line; the world set a red line.” But did the world name the United States sole judge, jury and executioner? Because if not, don’t pretend to be acting on the world’s behalf.

“Keep in mind, I’m somebody who opposed the war in Iraq and not interested in repeated mistakes of us basing decisions on faulty intelligence. But having done a thoroughgoing evaluation of the information that is currently available, I can say with high confidence chemical weapons were used.” George Bush had high confidence about Iraq. Cheney had high confidence. Rumsfeld had high confidence. Condi had high confidence. God save us from politicians with high confidence.

“But I do have to ask people, well, if, in fact, you’re outraged by the slaughter of innocent people, what are you doing about it?” Not bombing Syria, that’s what I’m doing about it.

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1 comment:

  1. from the info available to me, i share obama's high confidence that chemical weapons were used

    i lack confidence as to who is to blame

    and i feel real unease about the proposition that more destruction and death will make a positive contribution to the situation

    on the other hand, i'm pretty sure that bombing a country is an act of war, and that according to that outdated piece of paper, the u.s. constitution, there are certain formal procedures that should take place before acts of war are initiated

    oh well - this is the future - you got to LIVE it, or LIVE WITH it

    and eventually, of course, get out of the way

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