Saturday, August 31, 2013

"For everyone who thinks they know Obama's views on war and peace"

I totally agree with Jon Favreau.

But I would also suggest that folks re-read President Obama's speech at Cairo University...particularly this passage.
Of course, recognizing our common humanity is only the beginning of our task. Words alone cannot meet the needs of our people. These needs will be met only if we act boldly in the years ahead; and if we understand that the challenges we face are shared, and our failure to meet them will hurt us all.

For we have learned from recent experience that when a financial system weakens in one country, prosperity is hurt everywhere. When a new flu infects one human being, all are at risk. When one nation pursues a nuclear weapon, the risk of nuclear attack rises for all nations. When violent extremists operate in one stretch of mountains, people are endangered across an ocean. When innocents in Bosnia and Darfur are slaughtered, that is a stain on our collective conscience. That is what it means to share this world in the 21st century. That is the responsibility we have to one another as human beings.

And this is a difficult responsibility to embrace. For human history has often been a record of nations and tribes -- and, yes, religions -- subjugating one another in pursuit of their own interests. Yet in this new age, such attitudes are self-defeating. Given our interdependence, any world order that elevates one nation or group of people over another will inevitably fail. So whatever we think of the past, we must not be prisoners to it. Our problems must be dealt with through partnership; our progress must be shared.

5 comments:

  1. Hi Smartypants, just watched it on TOB site. He hasn't changed his position on war & peace, the people with their panties in a twist need to grow up and maybe go back and re-listen to what he said and I mean really listen. Lazy journo's. Thanks again. Favreau has it right.

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  2. Frustrates me that no one in the media is pointing out the real problem here - and that is that everyone is comparing this to Iraq, instead of Libya. We are NOT planning to invade a sovereign country with ground troops, we are NOT planning on any sort of extended military intervention. IT IS NOT IRAQ. Sheesh.

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  3. There are some crazy people on tv. These people have some need to be angry with Obama. Nevermind the man's consistency. They just feel like being mad. Why can't they at least wait until a decision's been made before losing it?

    Vic78

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  4. love the last paragraph--this could just as easily apply to attempts by the privileged to overpower the less educated; to efforts made by local authorities to limit voting rights for citizens; by men in power passing laws to limit women's rights, and so on. not just internationally, but within the u.s.a., the congress, the business community.

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  5. Love love your blog and your commenters! Thank you...and your commenters!

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