Forum Post: Cornel West says, "Let us not be deceived: Nixon, Bush, Obama, they're war criminals."
Posted 11 years ago on Feb. 19, 2013, 2:55 a.m. EST by PeterKropotkin
(1050)
from Oakland, CA
This content is user submitted and not an official statement
Cornel West says, "Let us not be deceived: Nixon, Bush, Obama, they're war criminals." Philosophy professor, social critic and activist Cornel West says that like Richard Nixon and George W. Bush, there is no way to avoid the conclusion that President Obama—due to his execution of foreign wars and direction of clandestine military operations overseas resulting in the direct and foreseeable death of innocent people—should be called out for what he is: a 'war criminal'.
Appearing on Tavis Smiley's radio program on Thursday, West said: "We’ve been talking about this for a good while, the immorality of drones, dropping bombs on innocent people. It’s been over 200 children so far. These are war crimes.”
"I think we have to be very honest," he said.
"... dropping bombs on innocent people. It’s been over 200 children so far. These are war crimes.”
A once ardent supporter of the president—campaigning strongly for Obama during his presidential run in 2008—West has been critical of a number of aspects of the president's policies since taking office, including his refusal to adequately address poverty in the United States even as his administration acted mightily to save large financial institutions and Wall Street banks.
West's comments on US foreign policy came as Smiley spoke about the ongoing confirmation process of John Brennan, Obama's nomination to run the CIA and chief architect of the ongoing drone assassination program and what the radio host termed the president's "license to kill".
"Let us not be deceived: Nixon, Bush, Obama, they're war criminals," West said. "They have killed innocent people in the name of the struggle for freedom, but they're suspending the law, very much like Wall Street criminals. The law is suspended for them, but the law applies for the rest of us."
Just this week in Afghanistan, five children were killed and five more wounded when a suspected missile from a US drone exploded in Kunar province. Four adult women were also reported killed in the attack along with a number of adult males who may or may not have been the intended targets.
Making the point, West concluded, "You or I, brother Travis, if we kill an innocent person, we're going to jail. And we're going to be in there forever."
__http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/02/15-4______________
What I love about most liberals, like West, is that we are not afraid to look at issues or our leadership objectively. The right wing is so narrow-minded and one way ( their way) that they don't mind choosing to look like complete idiots in order to avoid agreeing with any liberal.
The RW is authoritarian. They follow and believe, rather than think and decide. They fear and hate differences. This is documented science.
Yep. I think a lot of it has to do with their Christian mentality of never questioning authority ( which even Jesus preached against).
I was discussing the mentality of slavery with a friend yesterday which I believe has a lot to do with our current economic problems. Essentially, America is still a country that evolves around promoting slavery- even more today than prior to the civil war. If it were not for slaves today, America would be nothing. The RW has a very archaic, arrogant and chauvinistic set of principles that they need to believe is based on Biblical doctrine. They apply patriarchal family dominance and oppression to the entire country in the name of Jesus Christ.
Belief over reason. Much more controllable.
Slavery evolved into wage slavery, much easier and cheaper!
Jesus preached obediance to god, but not necesarily authority of any kind.
Besides, Jesus was world's greatest non-violent civil resister.
Yes, I completely agree. I was describing how the RW has used the Bible to justify their own abuses on humanity. GWB even stated that G-d told him to go to war. Need we wonder why he now spends his time painting himself bathing?
Jesus also taught that we are to ' seek and find' answers and not just subscribe to any (popular) belief by default. He encouraged us to question everything and then choose by our own free will. My 8th great grandfather was fired from his job because he refused to baptize his child. He believed it was wrong to force a child to become a member of any religion without their educated consent. Some Christians have deliberately chosen to misinterpret the scripture and use it to their own advantage to promote violence- child abuse, corporal punishment, wars, animal abuse, spousal abuse.
That's the way of the world unfortunately; but you can't let other people's ignorance hinder yourself.
Jesus whether god or just man, was good.
How many Dems vote against Reid and Obama when the time comes? How many are making some serious noise about NDAA and killing Americans? Not too many. The D party is authoritarian too, full of followers and those still clinging to the false believe that those rich assholes care about them.
One could even say that those two posts above illustrate the hypocrisy perfectly.
Not disagreeing with you on the right. Just saying the left is the same way.
What "left" ?!!! You've only got variations on the theme of 'right' in US politics really, imo !! Sad but true !
ad iudicium ...
That's what neglecting our political system has brought us.
Big$ would have been stupid and incompetent to not seize the opportunity!
How many Cons vote against Boner or McTurtle? How many Cons made noise about the bogus war, invasions, and occupations on terror? Dems are constantly infighting, that's why they can't use or hold power. Glad you agree. There are vast differences, to say they are the same is naive or dishonest!
Infighting? Some real infighting would be a welcome surprise.
Both sides line up like mindless pods and keep marching to the beat of fascism.
I agree. Along with the war criminals he mentioned, everyother president who ordered the killing of another human being is a criminal; regardless of political affliations.
Obama, Bush the second, Clinton, Bush the first, Reagan, Carter, ect. They are all criminals.
And then there are liberals who just look like idiots for whatever reason:
http://dailycaller.com/2013/02/18/democratic-lawmaker-apologizes-for-suggesting-women-afraid-of-rape-cant-be-trusted-with-guns/
http://www.bizpacreview.com/2013/02/19/colo-legislator-on-guns-defend-yourself-with-ballpoint-pens-51505
Hell, we can go farther than that. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SfPwR00HXM0
Every president is a war criminal. Any president who ordered another human being to be killed is a criminal.
History will glorify them regardless.
Good point. We were just talking the other night about what Bush's War on Terror will look like in the school history books (brought to you by Walmart!! :)
Read Madeleine Albright's apology to Iranians after their successful revolution to oust the US puppet government. US foreign policy has been full of murder and torture for a long time.
http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0004/19/i_ins.00.html