President Obama is scheduled to announce today that combat operations in Afghanistan will be over at the end of 2014. That 13 year war (and don’t forget Iraq) was certainly worth it, wasn’t it?
Tag: Obama
Frontline: United States of Secrets
If you’re not completely appalled by the actions of the Bush administration (& inaction by Obama) after watching the part 1 of Frontline’s United States of Secrets, you’re comatose. The hubris of people like former NSA director Michael Hayden and Vice President Cheney’s former legal counsel David Addington is jaw-dropping and the treatment of longtime NSA employees turned whistleblowers absolutely chilling.
A soldier’s 10th deployment
Last night’s State of the Union proved Speaker Boehner really does need an intervention for his tanning bed use, VP Biden has now officially turned into your crazy old uncle, and the GOP has jumped the shark in choosing patriotic backdrops (notice the apples; pie anyone?) for their SOTU responses.  But what continues to stick in my mind is the moment when President Obama introduces Army Sergeant 1st class Cory Remsburg. No, not because of the two minute standing ovation he received and the understandable emotional reaction people (and myself) had- but to this line in Obama’s introduction:
“A few months later, on his tenth deployment, Cory was nearly killed by a massive roadside bomb in Afghanistan.”
His 10th deployment. Think about that for a minute.
Plenty of news orgs are characterizing this as the SOTU high point, but I haven’t read any stories or heard any of the talkingheads this morning pointing out the outrageousness of a soldier on his 10th deployment and how it illustrates the constant state of war this country is in. Our politicians are great at waving flags and giving standing ovations for injured soldiers while ignoring what this does to a country and its people’s souls.
Drones and civilian deaths
I’m just shaking my head…
“Actually, IDGAS how many. Killing potential enemies is messy”
That was a facebook comment in response to my current animation about human rights groups challenging the Obama Administration over the number of civilian deaths due to drone strikes. Ok, so even if one can’t feel simple human compassion for the deaths of non-Americans, I can’t understand how these people don’t see the impact these strikes have on our standing in the international community. Seems like it would just make the job of “killing potential enemies” harder.
Back to work
Congress is returning today after their a 5 week recess (you had most of August off from your job, didn’t you?) to face the question of Syria. President Obama will also be making his case for airstrikes on six(!) networks today, followed by a Tuesday prime-time address from the White House.
Here’s what I thought in 2003 about Bush’s push for war in Iraq:
…and here’s what I think about Obama’s case for airstrikes in Syria.
Sketches and stuff
Here’s the thumbnails from my sketchbook and the final poses for the current animation at The Washington Post.  
State of the Union sketches
Here they are all together; lots of colorful ties.
Live sketching Obama’s 2013 State of the Union tonight
So much news- the Pope announcing his resignation, the ex-LAPD officer is in a standoff with police at Big Bear, and the State of the Union is only 2 hrs away. I’ll be doing live sketches during the SOTU speech so I hope you’ll follow via the Washington Post or twitter.  For you dog lovers, the Westminster Dog Show is also on tonight. In case you’ll have to miss it, here’s a taste of our own Washington Worst of Breed:
What a difference 4 years make…
Obama and Hillary Clinton did a joint interview last night on 60 Minutes. Remember when they weren’t quite as friendly?
Looking back at the 2009 Inaugural
In preparation for the Inaugural, I dug out my animation from Obama’s first in 2009. Why did I color him blue? Oh, now I remember; the thinking at that time in Washington was that the new administration would usher in a period of cool, Rat-pack type style. That didn’t last long (either the thinking or my blue Obama).
Congress Clowns
President Obama to meet today with congressional leaders; Speaker Boehner calls the House back into session on Sunday. The fiscal cliff nonsense continues….
One week to the election
Hurricane Sandy came through DC last night, the polls are all over the place, and it’s a sprint to the finish. Let’s hope the media doesn’t create another election exit poll fiasco (remember 2000?)