President Obama is breathing fresh life into the term “lame duck.” At home and abroad the president seems frozen, powerless to confront the most demanding political issues. From foreign wars to Ferguson the president’s lack of audacity seems destined to be his legacy. And while working class people in Ferguson are demanding justice at home, the U.S. establishment is insisting on war abroad.
Who will Obama listen to? Based on his past actions Obama will continue to act for to the richest 1 percent, who’ve prospered under his presidency by devouring 95 percent of all new U.S. wealth.
The U.S. super rich are outraged by Obama’s hesitancy to wage war overseas. Republicans and Democrats alike are pouncing on Obama to “act boldly.” The Washington Post explains:
“…key lawmakers from both parties criticized [Obama’s] reaction to international turmoil and suggested the administration should be more assertive in addressing conflicts in the Middle East and Ukraine.”
Being “assertive” in this case simply means waging war.
But a different kind of war than the covert type Obama has been waging. Since being elected Obama has fought various covert wars around the world, as documented in Jeremy Scahill’s excellent book and documentary, Dirty Wars.
Covert war was the strategy that Obama campaigned on, which fooled millions of Americans into believing he was the “peace candidate.”
And while he succeeded in getting fewer boots on the ground, the skies overseas are filled with swarms of drones and fighter jets.
As long as Obama could prove to the U.S. establishment that covert warfare would successfully promote their interests abroad – referred to as “U.S. interests” by politicians and the media – he was given hefty corporate campaign donations.