Monday, May 23, 2011

War Powers Amateur Act



Remember when Barack Obama started lobbing cruise missiles into Libya, but assured everyone that his good-natured horseplay would last "days, not weeks?" Well, that was two months ago, and the president is now refusing to ask for congressional approval (which is required by the War Powers Act after 60 days) by denying that blowing buildings, machinery, and human beings to tiny bits is actually war-like.

Even Bill Clinton, who parsed words so carefully that he "did not have sexual relations" with a woman who used his DNA for toothpaste, would be embarrassed to use the tortured language coming out of the Whitehouse.

For instance, Congress doesn't need to approve a war because the president says "US participation has consisted of non-kinetic support"...that is, except for the "kinetic pieces that are intermittent." Which is sort of like saying that it's okay if Al Qaeda flies jets into our skyscrapers as long as they don't do it every day.

Among these non-kinetic activities are "the suppression and destruction of air defenses." Frankly, Hope n' Change isn't quite sure how you destroy air defenses in a non-kinetic way, other than unionizing the enemy forces and hoping they either go on strike or have such lax hiring standards that the people can't figure out how to do their jobs.

The president also says, in an "oh, by the way" fashion, that the US is executing "precision strikes by unmanned aerial vehicles against a limited set of clearly defined targets." Which sounds pretty damn kinetic to us, since those "unmanned aerial vehicles" are more likely to drop Hellfire missiles than leaflets.

But noOOOooo. This isn't "war," it's just a jolly hobby for Obama...much the same way his wife raises yams. And from the left-leaning media, we hear not a peep. Not about Obama, not about Libya, not about America's open-ended commitment to an undeclared war.

But it isn't like the media is engaged in a cover-up. They're just practicing non-kinetic reporting.

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22 comments:

Anonymous said...

Stilton,
Excellent submission as always. From today's submission:

"And from the left-leaning media, we here not a peep" - may want to change to "hear" not a peep.

Angry Hoosier Dad said...

Your allusion to Monica is most appropriate in reference to Obama and his "relationship" with the LSM. "Once you get past the taste, honey, it's not so bad."
Forgive me.

Pete(Detroit) said...

So, who has authority to order troops home?
Armed Services comm? SecDef? Joint Chiefs? Just who is able (if only willing!) to stand up to CIC and tell him 'Sorry, Sir, that's an illegal order, and we're NOT going to follow it...'?

Jim Hlavac said...

Ah, it's just a live fire training session, it's not a war. No one is getting killed, they're being collaterally damaged. It hasn't been weeks or days, no, it's been 2 months now. We're not for regime change, we're for ... well, I don't know what "we're" for anymore at all. I'm for taking out Kaddafi quick, like Osama (they both did have this thing for planes, now didn't they?) And he should be easier to find, too, since he goes on TV a lot to give the Bronx cheer to us. Then let the Libyans enjoy their new strong man.

Meanwhile, the simp is busy wrecking the nerves of Israel. And since he won that Nobel war has broken out in numerous places. And the man is delusional enough to think he can organize those communities over there when he can't organize any community over here.

The press is very concerned with what out-of-office Schwartzundschriver is doing and and I'm just positive that Elliot Spitzer is full of advice on what that couple should do to preserve the marriage. In other news, as soon as the next philandering millionaire socialist is at the helm of the IMF we'll lend or give money to people who don't seem to know what to spend it on other than more weapons and secret police.

It's amazing what was in that health care law, isn't it? Or is it Bush's fault? I'm sure Obama will tell us as soon as he gets back from the golf course. And where's Cindy Sheehan when you need her?

Pete(Detroit) said...

Wow, Jim, what a concise way to drive the message home...
Tho I think I just figured out his US border policy - he wants US to return to 'pre-1867' borders..

WMD said...

@ Jim and Pete, Right on! Both comments were beautiful!
And I love all the "kinetic" talk. A kinetic shiver just went up my leg. Oh, wait, does someone else already own that one?

Chuck said...

This is what happens when you have congress-critters who don't even know what is in the constitution and a Predident who doesn't care. And this in spite of the fact that they all took a vow to defend it.

Guess it wasn't a vow, really, just a kind of non-kinetic promise.

And, as far as they media is concerned, well, if they don't report it, it didn't really happen, don't you know.

Lee The Voice said...

Sounds like lord Obama's spin doctors have been reading Nixon.

Stilton Jarlsberg said...

@Anonymous- Thanks for catching the typo (which has now been fixed). I guess I'm getting hard of here-ing.

@AngryHoosierDad- Unfortunately, you've captured the very essence of the LSM's relationship with Obama. So to speak.

@Pete(Detroit)- Who will speak up to reign in this president? I'm amazed that he can simply declare that there is no war, much the same way Monty Python's black knight denied having his arm cut off.

And I love your line about returning the US borders to "pre-1867" levels. Great!

@Robert- I'm growing to hate the word "kinetic" because this administration is making it meaningless. Seriously, what is non-kinetic destruction? Are we taking out anti-aircraft guns with rust?

@Jim Hlavac- Thanks for the Weekend Update! Very comprehensive!

@Chuck- Whatever happened to all the "experts" who used to flood the airwaves to question President Bush's authority to wage war? You're right- the media believes if they don't report something, it never really happened.

@Lee The Voice- When it comes to "spin," it seems like this administration is packed with Whirling Dervishes.

Mike aka Proof said...

"kinetic misdirection" Great! Fits in well with all the other Newspeak of this administration.

Bruce In KC said...

Just saw the following headline on a Daily Mail article that was linked through Drudge: "Codename 'smart alec': British police label Obama with 'mildly offensive' Punjabi word for visit to UK" What, narcissistic asshole was already taken?

WMD said...

@ KC Bruce, I think "narcissitic asshole" is the one they use for John Edwards.

WMD said...

Hey Stilt, I just misspelled "narcissistic" Could you change that for me?

Thanks.

Stilton Jarlsberg said...

@Robert- Sorry, I can't edit the comments, I can only nuke 'em. If you want to repost with corrected spelling, I can nuke your previous two comments. And this one, so I don't appear to be hallucinating.

Anonymous said...

Stilton,

Please pick up on the pasty-white-guy act o'bama is trying to pull off in ireland. I thought he was black... or was that Muslim.. or was that a pasty white guy from Ireland? Can't wait to see how you might cover it!

LUV what you cover here (hear?) and how you go about it!

WMD said...

Stilt, I'm just kidding. I like the old west sort of style of this blog. Others I sometimes comment on have emailed me and asked me to tone things down a bit. I comply and I understand why, but here at HnC I like the rules a lot better. And the fact that you reply to many of the posts. It gives me a warm kinetic fuzzy feeling. In short I guess I feel like you have an actual sense of humor.

Again, Many Thanks.

WMD said...

By the way,

WHERE'S MY WATCH!!!!

Stilton Jarlsberg said...

@Robert- Glad you like the ambiance around here. I really enjoy the give and take with the comments and don't want to impose too many restrictions on what can be said.

As far as the delivery of your watch, I encourage you to play Carly Simon's song "Anticipation" to help build a pleasant sense of suspense as your wait grows longer and longer. Even Mrs. Jarlsberg is getting anxious for her watch to arrive.

Good things are worth waiting for. As are really cheap things from Hong Kong.

Pete(Detroit) said...

Stilt - "you're so vain" works too... "I bet you think this watch is about you"..

WMD said...

Stilt, I know the watch will get here. Just messin' around. I mean, what could possibly go wrong with a company named Arts Cow? Maybe they should be Kinetic Cow? (Hey, it's kinda funny).

WMD said...

Just saw Detroit Pete's comment, much funnier than mine. Very good. I am in the presence of kinetic genius.

Emmentaler Limburger said...

Kinestetic intellectual existentialists, all of you. And, I guess, me, too.