Thursday, October 29, 2009

Obama at Dover Air Force Base: Empathy or Political Ploy?

I'll let you make this call. I can't say what Obama's motive was for his recent trip to Dover Air Force Base to witness the return of fallen American soldiers coming home from Afghanistan. I can only hope that his motives were pure and not part of some dark ploy leading up to the decision to send more troops to Afghanistan. For years the left has used Dover and the returning bodies of U.S. servicemen as a weapon in the debates surrounding the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. One can only hope that this is not the case now. It is good that the commander-in-chief made the trip to Dover, but if his motives were less than honorable and driven by some dark political agenda well that is disgusting. The truth here is that we will never know the truth, so I must take things on there face value even though I have lingering doubts about this man. I hope the "Dover Football" is not in play again!
As his decision on Afghanistan war strategy nears, President Obama made a surprise trip to Dover Air Force Base Wednesday night into Thursday morning to attend the dignified transfer movement of 18 U.S. personnel who were killed in Afghanistan on Monday.

The dignified transfer is a solemn movement that is conducted for every US military member that dies while in service in a theater of war.

The 18 killed included service members and Drug Enforcement Agency agents.

The traveling press corps that accompanied the President to Dover was permitted to witness one of the transfers, per the wishes of the families.

The President stood at attention with the six –person carry team near the ramp of the C-17 which carried the flag draped transfer case which held the body of Sgt. Dale R. Griffin of Terre Haute, Indiana. As the carry team brought the case down the ramp, the President and the official party saluted.

Sgt. Griffin’s family members were also present.

The President was accompanied by Attorney General Eric Holder, Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz, DEA Acting Administrator Michele Leonhart, U.S. Army Assistant Judge Advocate Maj Gen Daniel Wright, U.S. Army Special Forces Commander Brig. Gen. Michael Repass, and Air Force Mortuary Affairs Operations Center Col. Robert Edmondson, who will served as the Dignified Transfer Host Officer.

Fifty-five Americans have died in Afghanistan this month, making it the deadliest month of the war since it began eight years ago. Two hundred and seventy-seven Ameriacns have died this year, forty-three percent more than last year. News story from FOX News

15 comments:

Steve Dennis said...

I think that everything this man does is through a political prism. I hope his motives were true but I can't help but think there was a political ploy to it.

davidwwalters said...

Pink Eyes says:
"I think that everything this man does is through a political prism"
-But then that's what politicians do, you know, like the production staged aboard the U.S.S Lincoln back in May 2003. It should have been sobering for him to witness these bodies of our fallen returning. Sure it is an act, an act to show the American people his respect for these fallen and the responsibility he assumes for it. It's more of a sign of respect for them than merely giving up golf. (Does "W" still eschew golf or was that only while president?)

TexasFred said...

Political ploy..

Obama has NO idea of what the words honor, dignity and duty mean, to the military of to anyone else...

Ron Russell said...

Bush is no longer Command-in-Chief, DW. And in 2003 it did appear that the war in Iraq was over, hindsight in great for armchair generals and the likes of us. Time is never thick and only history has depth. Time is thin. I will not judge his act, but with the upcoming decision on Afghanistan is his sights I leave all possibiltues open---good and bad. And the act if geninue is not any greater or less than Bush's giving up golf---He gave up one evening on the trip to Dover and Bush many on the links. Statements like that are out of place. I feel Bush to be an honorable man and the jury is out on the modern day socialist this man who would destroy in a few years what its taken over 200 hundred years to build. This current occupant of the White House is a counter-revolutionary who would over-turn the American revolution and set us on a path to some form of totalitarian socialism. I know you think that is far out and I understand, this is however how I feel and I am not alone in my thinking. Barack Himself Obama and those around him are a real and present danger to the American of my fathers, the America of the founders, and the American I love. And those who foolish stand with him are either blind, stupid or represent the voices of the radical revolutionary change he embraces. I think you David fall into that last group and theirs nothing I can do about those people. There is hope however for the other groups as they are part of the vast American middle that can be swayed. I've said all I'm going to on this issue. Thanks for your visit David and goodbye.

Right Truth said...

His motives are NEVER pure.

Deborah F. Hamilton
Right Truth
http://www.righttruth.typepad.com

Anonymous said...

Thanks for stopping by HIM.

I agree that this administration can't help but politicize things. It's their ideological background; that is the calling card of the progressive left in the post-Soviet world. Communism and socialism are no longer four-letter words, and we're seeing the inevitable consequence of such: academicians playing sea-monkey with the government because socialism works, "it just has to be implemented properly".

Snarky Basterd said...

Obama: Dithering ... dithering ... dithering ... gee ... do you think I should really do something?

The Right Look said...

I so want to believe that the motives are pure. No matter if they were or not. I bet he sleeps different after seeing the caskets in person.

One can hope.

-j-
The Right Look

Ron Russell said...

I doubt he sleeps good always expecting that knock at 2 AM with the secret service telling him people are outside with torches and pitchforks. I he doesn't get one in this life its a sure bet he'll get one in the next.

Light Up Your Life said...

His motives were only for political means. He is a Marxist, a fascist, a narcissist, a communist, and a self-centered 'donkey'. He only showed up to make sure he could do a 'photo op' to let the world see 'how sorry he is' and 'how concerned he is' and I AINT BUYING IT.

No sir, this fish aint biten' that worm. He only did this for his pathetic political image, it was just to 'keep up appearances', nothing more-nothing less.

I cannot be convinced other-wise, I am sorry.

Ron Russell said...

"Fish ain't biting that worm" I like that phrase. It's almost always the case when I go fishing. I agree photo opt.

Matt said...

On the plus side, he is supposed to do these things. HOWEVER, this is the guy who doesn't respect the pledge, and we can't forget the whole flag pin thing. So, he is supposed to do it, but he's using our dead as a photo-op. A lesson he probably learned from all the former Clinitoids that work for him. Clinton was the MASTER of the photo-op.

Storm'n Norm'n said...

It's all a ploy to gain favorability from the military...
he still hates them...only more so, becauses he has to do this against his own wishes.

I could see this coming miles away!

Teresa said...

This man only thinks about one thing: himself. He only cares about his image and his ego. I really would like to think that his actions in going to Dover were genuine, or out of honor but he has consistently shown otherwise over the past 10 months. I think he's using the coffins photo-op as a part of his agenda to back out, or withdraw troops out of the war, he called a war of necessity. To leave Afghanistan would be a great detriment to our national security. I think he's one that has forgotten about 9/11 or chooses to ignore all of the realities related to 9/11.

Ron Russell said...

I think many need to think long and hard before supporting withdrawl from Afghanistan. I would provide a launching pad for terrorist, but the injury to U.S. relationship abroad would be terrible. Defeat and thats what it would be would produce a gaint recruiting poster for terrorist all over the world and embolded their efforts.