Conscience

As we reported here, President Barack Obama is escalating the war in Afghanistan. In fact, by the end of this year we may see troop levels in Afghanistan at a level TWICE what it was under George W. Bush.

Give Peace A Chance, Unless Obama Wants A War

Even the Huffington Post has reported on the seemingly hypocritical silence of the anti-war movement. After all, Obama’s actions in Afghanistan have pretty much guaranteed that the war there will continue for years on end. Not even the most optimistic observers see that war ending under Obama’s first term.

Surprisingly, the liberal Huffington Post comes to roughly the same conclusion as I did regarding the peace movement. The only reason anti-war organizations are not protesting Obama is because they LIKE him.

Here’s what the Huffington post concludes:

So, why the lack of enthusiasm for protesting Obama’s warfare policies? For most, it seems to boil down to trust. For the first time in decades (for many, the first time in their lives), a considerable number of peace activists trust the President of the United States.

The Huffington Post then quotes a young activist:

“We need to give him a chance,” one activist beseeches, “I really believe that he is doing the best he can.”

How touching.


Of course, if George W. Bush had increased troop levels in Afghanistan, the hippies and peace-niks would be in the streets of San Francisco as we speak calling for an end to this oppressive/capitalist/imperialist/endless war.

Meanwhile, a suspected U.S. missile strike in Pakistan killed many civilians yesterday. U.S. troop death totals are on the rise in Iraq, reaching a high for the year in April. Five troops died yesterday when a U.S. soldier went crazy and shot his own comrades.

Doesn’t this pull at the peace movement’s liberal heart strings? Shouldn’t they be working to pressure the President through activism into deciding for a peaceful, non-violent end to these violent conflicts?

There is one group publicly calling out Obama on his Afghanistan policy, and that’s the hyper-liberal, unashamedly socialist organization ANSWER (Act Now to Stop War and End Racism). Note, however, that they are marching on the streets to end the Israeli occupation of Palestine, and encouraging actions regarding everything from the increase in subway fares to Cuba travel policy, but shockingly, they have no actions planned against Obama for escalating the war in Afghanistan.

How about a little consistency? Is that too much to ask from the very well-educated throngs of young people who make up the peace movement? For people who pride themselves on being non-conformist and critical-thinkers, you are acting like a bunch of sheep before Obama’s vast glow.

Just pathetic.