Obama Expanding Rendition, Kos Kids Freak Out

US NewsFebruary 2009 • Views: 3,569

The international left labeled the practice as “outsourcing torture,” and the media spent oceans of ink denouncing it.

And now the hopey changey Obama administration is expanding rendition programs.

WASHINGTON - The CIA’s secret prisons are being closed. Harsh interrogation techniques are off-limits. And Guantanamo Bay will eventually go back to being just a naval base on the southeastern corner of Cuba.

But even while dismantling these discredited programs, President Barack Obama left an equally controversial counterterrorism tool intact.

Under executive orders issued by Obama on Jan. 22, the CIA still has authority to carry out what are known as “renditions,” or the secret abductions and transfers of prisoners to countries that cooperate with the United States.

Current and former U.S. intelligence officials said that the rendition program is poised to play an expanded role because it is the main remaining mechanism - aside from Predator missile strikes - for taking suspected terrorists off the street.

This news has driven many of the denizens of Daily Kos insane (a short drive): Daily Kos: L.A. Times Says: Obama Administration Hangs onto Rendition. (Hat tip: karmic_inquisitor.)

Cognitive dissonance — it’s what the left has for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

Jump to bottom

119 comments

NYCHardhat Sun, Feb 1, 2009 9:51:59am

Change

gclaghorn Sun, Feb 1, 2009 9:52:19am

Kos Kids Freak Out

Screw them.

karmic_inquisitor Sun, Feb 1, 2009 9:52:21am

Thanks Charles.

doppelganglander Sun, Feb 1, 2009 9:52:24am

Awesome, it’s a threefer: A good idea, an Obama reversal, and Kos Kiddies’ heads explode.

Sharmuta Sun, Feb 1, 2009 9:53:56am

Far left whackos like the koslings won’t be satisfied until America puts itself in a position where it’s completely defenseless. They take chompsky to heart in thinking America also has no right to use force to defend herself.

AuntAcid Sun, Feb 1, 2009 9:54:19am

“(a short drive)”
Ha!… more like a short putt.

rawmuse Sun, Feb 1, 2009 9:54:25am

In other news, the people in Hell want ice water.

Dark_Falcon Sun, Feb 1, 2009 9:54:28am

re: #4 doppelganglander

Awesome, it’s a threefer: A good idea, an Obama reversal, and Kos Kiddies’ heads explode.

In you’re visiting the Kos today, watch out for flying skull fragments. Don’t worry about flying brain matter, most Kossacks don’t have much of that. :)

gman Sun, Feb 1, 2009 9:54:29am

An explosion of outrage across the MSM in 5..4…3…2…1…..not

FurryOldGuyJeans Sun, Feb 1, 2009 9:54:55am

Obama can’t turn the US into a European Socialist hell-hole fast enough for the imbeciles at the Daily Kos.

And yet we are accused of ODS for speaking out and calling O a socialist.

rwmofo Sun, Feb 1, 2009 9:54:58am

Ya see, the left will fall in line behind “The One” even when he echoes what the Bush administration was doing simply because there’s a (D) after his name. Nothing to see here. Move along.

jcm Sun, Feb 1, 2009 9:55:09am

What did they think would happen?
Barney Frank would let them use his apartment?

NYCHardhat Sun, Feb 1, 2009 9:55:10am

The more things change, the more they stay the same.

jones Sun, Feb 1, 2009 9:55:25am

Good for Obama.

Foolong Moonbats since 2009.

I am surprised they had the sense to figure out he fooled them.

Erik The Red Sun, Feb 1, 2009 9:55:43am

Way OT: Liverpool 2 Chelsea 0 Full time. W00t. Go The Reds.

Spider Mensch Sun, Feb 1, 2009 9:56:01am

to all leftist lurkers here….he’s just another lying sack of shit politician even more so…this one will literally piss on you and tell you its raining. your mystery date isn’t a dream, he’s a dud!

[deleted] Sun, Feb 1, 2009 9:56:06am

doppelganglander Sun, Feb 1, 2009 9:56:08am

But even while dismantling these discredited programs, President Barack Obama left an equally controversial counterterrorism tool intact.

Discredited by the media and the left, maybe, but they are actually very effective.

FurryOldGuyJeans Sun, Feb 1, 2009 9:56:26am

re: #5 Sharmuta

Far left whackos like the koslings won’t be satisfied until America puts itself in a position where it’s completely defenseless. They take chompsky to heart in thinking America also has no right to use force to defend herself.

Israel has even less right. For the Leftoids if you don’t actively participate in your slaughter you are to be condemned.

Shiplord Kirel Sun, Feb 1, 2009 9:56:42am

The chief difference between Obama and the media/left alliance that put him in power: Obama is accountable now, they still are not.

doppelganglander Sun, Feb 1, 2009 9:56:48am

re: #8 Dark_Falcon

In you’re visiting the Kos today, watch out for flying skull fragments. Don’t worry about flying brain matter, most Kossacks don’t have much of that. :)

LOL. I’m staying away. My hazmat suit is at the cleaners.

Erik The Red Sun, Feb 1, 2009 9:56:52am

re: #17 JammieWearingFool

Obama lied, Kos Kidz cried.

100 up dings for that.

[deleted] Sun, Feb 1, 2009 9:57:28am

Dark_Falcon Sun, Feb 1, 2009 9:57:42am

re: #12 jcm

What did they think would happen?
Barney Frank would let them use his apartment?

It depends. If they wanted to shove a boot up a terrorist’s ass, Frank might want to help.

karmic_inquisitor Sun, Feb 1, 2009 9:57:42am

Here is one of my favs - it even has a trademark dKos veiled assassination threat in it .

I want my money back

Not to mention my country.

I wish it had been a white guy who dusted Bush…that way he wouldn’t be thinking about posterity.

You know what I mean. Obama doesn’t want to come in as the first Black Pres and overturn the applecart…even though it needs to be overturned. It’s unfortunate timing for all of us, he included.

But God damnit….start tossing some furniture around, man. Nobody expected you to get there…you’re THERE….make some fucking waves!

Shiplord Kirel Sun, Feb 1, 2009 9:57:54am

Face it, left conformists: You were used like a cheap whore at a media convention.

NYCHardhat Sun, Feb 1, 2009 9:57:58am

re: #18 doppelganglander

Discredited by the media and the left, maybe, but they are actually very effective.

Waterboarding was very effective.

[deleted] Sun, Feb 1, 2009 9:58:22am

NYCHardhat Sun, Feb 1, 2009 9:58:34am

re: #23 JammieWearingFool

Just remember: When you’re going through hell, don ‘t stop.

I’m not.

AuntAcid Sun, Feb 1, 2009 9:58:45am

re: #5 Sharmuta

BOHICA. A tactic or a strategy? Diplomatic or military?
inquiring minds want to know…

jaunte Sun, Feb 1, 2009 9:59:07am

re: #25 karmic_inquisitor

Breaking news at Kos:
“The World Doesn’t Care About Our Feelings.”

[deleted] Sun, Feb 1, 2009 9:59:07am

esch Sun, Feb 1, 2009 9:59:14am

re: #10 FurryOldGuyJeans

And yet we are accused of ODS for speaking out and calling O a socialist.

Doesn’t bother me any. Thank Joe for making 0 out himself publicly. 0 IS a socialist, through and through. Can’t reasonably deny it.

I don’t know why so many on the right are scared of being labeled ‘hate-mongers’. It’s historically valid to hate your enemy, those who would enable your death and/or enslavement. So yes, I despise the left. Boo freaking hoo.

Nevergiveup Sun, Feb 1, 2009 9:59:16am

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas blamed the failure of the truce with Israel on the Palestinian factions in Gaza.

ynetnews.com

I guess he didn’t get the memo that it is Israel’s fault?

Killgore Trout Sun, Feb 1, 2009 9:59:32am

As much as they hated Gitmo it was an interesting experiment in transparency which unfortunately didn’t work. The Koskidz are outraged now but after Gitmo closes they won’t complain much because detainees won’t have lawyers or the IRC to spread stories in the press. Terror suspects will be sent into dark dungeons in horrible countries and we will never hear from them again. Out of sight, out of mind.

jones Sun, Feb 1, 2009 9:59:36am

#25

I wish a white guy won!

Can you imagine if that showed up here.

Sharmuta Sun, Feb 1, 2009 10:00:06am

re: #25 karmic_inquisitor

kos is populated by the deranged.

FurryOldGuyJeans Sun, Feb 1, 2009 10:00:15am

re: #27 NYCHardhat

Waterboarding was very effective.

Still is effective, but now we will never benefit from its used-to-be infrequent application.

FrogMarch Sun, Feb 1, 2009 10:00:35am

but but but KOS and Andrew Sullivan saw the hollywood movie about Rendition. they are educated about it!

Nevergiveup Sun, Feb 1, 2009 10:00:47am

re: #35 Killgore Trout

As much as they hated Gitmo it was an interesting experiment in transparency which unfortunately didn’t work. The Koskidz are outraged now but after Gitmo closes they won’t complain much because detainees won’t have lawyers or the IRC to spread stories in the press. Terror suspects will be sent into dark dungeons in horrible countries and we will never hear from them again. Out of sight, out of mind.

The way you put it makes me believe closing Gitmo was the right…….ah never mind.

realwest Sun, Feb 1, 2009 10:00:59am

re: #3 karmic_inquisitor
With all due respect to Charles, THANK YOU.
And as I posted on the Dead Thread:

re: #919 karmic_inquisitor
NOW wait just one cotton-picking minute here, from your link:

The rendition program became a source of embarrassment for the CIA, and a target of international scorn, as details emerged in recent years of botched captures, mistaken identities and allegations that prisoners were turned over to countries where they were tortured.

The European Parliament condemned renditions as “an illegal instrument used by the United States.” Prisoners swept up in the program have sued the CIA as well as a Boeing Co. subsidiary accused of working with the agency on dozens of rendition flights.

But the Obama administration appears to have determined that the rendition program was one component of the Bush administration’s war on terrorism that it could not afford to discard.

The decision underscores the fact that the battle with Al Qaeda and other terrorist groups is far from over and that even if the United States is shutting down the prisons, it is not done taking prisoners.

[emphasis added, realwest]
I thought President Obama was going to get the World to love us again? This is a strange way of doing that (but still a GOOD decision for us!).

n in wi Sun, Feb 1, 2009 10:01:08am

Obama’s going to outsource those jobs.

Shiplord Kirel Sun, Feb 1, 2009 10:01:34am

He’s doing what McCain would have done, but Mac would have enjoyed it more.

rwmofo Sun, Feb 1, 2009 10:01:45am

re: #5 Sharmuta

Far left whackos like the koslings won’t be satisfied until America puts itself in a position where it’s completely defenseless. They take chompsky to heart in thinking America also has no right to use force to defend herself.

Good point. I further think that there’s an element in this bunch who will essentially experience a catharsis of sorts when we are successfully attacked - because “we deserve it.”

vagabond trader Sun, Feb 1, 2009 10:01:48am

Wait til they find out that the free stuff isn’t free.

Pianobuff Sun, Feb 1, 2009 10:01:54am

It’s all Rush’s fault

Killian Bundy Sun, Feb 1, 2009 10:02:21am

When he closed the overseas CIA interrogation facilities and banned “torture”, I was sure Obama would also eliminate the rendition programs, arguably one of the most controversial covert programs we run.

/at least we still have some way to extract intelligence from foreign terrorists

Insufficiently Sensitive Sun, Feb 1, 2009 10:02:35am

Obama’s just following a fine old Democratic Party tradition. Extraordinary renditions were the Clintons’ favorite method of dealing with creeps and scalawags, off the legal books you might say. Sure, they spent the whole Bush administration thundering denunciations against anything but Los Angeles County criminal trial methods for terrorists, but they had the whole MSM ready to holler ‘Amen!’, without a peep about their own use of renditions.

And Obama’s got a stout Secretary of State who knows all the machinery of renditions to the last Rolodex.

Sharmuta Sun, Feb 1, 2009 10:02:38am

re: #36 jones

I wish it had been a white guy who dusted Bush…that way he wouldn’t be thinking about posterity.

Also note the sexism. The candidate for the nomination closest to the needed delegates was a woman.

FurryOldGuyJeans Sun, Feb 1, 2009 10:02:48am

re: #33 esch

Did I say I was scared of being labeled anything? ;)

I was just once again pointing out the cognitive dissonance that is the logic and reasoning used by Leftoids. If they can’t project, they use name-calling.

Dark_Falcon Sun, Feb 1, 2009 10:03:11am

re: #34 Nevergiveup

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas blamed the failure of the truce with Israel on the Palestinian factions in Gaza.

[Link: www.ynetnews.com…]

I guess he didn’t get the memo that it is Israel’s fault?

Breaking News: Ice flows spotted in the river Styx. Not really, but it is welcome news that Abbas actually has a grasp on the principles of cause and effect.

NYCHardhat Sun, Feb 1, 2009 10:03:26am

re: #32 MandyManners

Wasn’t it was used on an extremely small number of terrorists, like five maximum?

Not sure…I’ve read only high ranking AQ were done.

NYCHardhat Sun, Feb 1, 2009 10:04:11am

re: #46 Pianobuff

It’s all RBush’s fault

Fixed

Sharmuta Sun, Feb 1, 2009 10:04:40am

re: #44 rwmofo

Good point. I further think that there’s an element in this bunch who will essentially experience a catharsis of sorts when we are successfully attacked - because “we deserve it.”

Exactly! In being strong on defense, we’ve prevented another attack. They think we should be weak and defenseless, because we have no right to defend ourselves against an enemy with a grudge they think is legitimate.

esch Sun, Feb 1, 2009 10:05:33am

re: #50 FurryOldGuyJeans

Of course not. 8)

Hope I didn’t come across as sounding critical of you. I was referring to conservatives in general. Many seem to be uncomfortable with conflict.

/FASCIST!

FurryOldGuyJeans Sun, Feb 1, 2009 10:05:54am

re: #47 Killian Bundy

When he closed the overseas CIA interrogation facilities and banned “torture”, I was sure Obama would also eliminate the rendition programs, arguably one of the most controversial covert programs we run.

/at least we still have some way to extract intelligence from foreign terrorists

Obama will expand the milk and cookies pretty please interrogation programs.

Pianobuff Sun, Feb 1, 2009 10:05:55am

Countdown for rendition being renamed to the “Homeward Bound” program in 5…4…3..

Killgore Trout Sun, Feb 1, 2009 10:06:10am

Allah Imposed Hitler Upon The Jews To Punish Them : Al-Qaradhawi
Liveleak Video

red satellite Sun, Feb 1, 2009 10:07:02am

poor whittle kos kids….someone steal your hope and change lunchbox.

MJBrutus Sun, Feb 1, 2009 10:07:15am

Rendition is an evil practice. Americans should do what we need to do to get information out of these inhuman vermin. Rendition is a cowardly way to truly bypass the rule of law and get others to do our dirty work. When we coerce detainees, even under the evil Bishitlerburton heyday, we did not torture anybody (nuts to those who call sleep deprivation, water boarding and the other techniques torture). But giving them over to the tender mercies of middle East barbarians who have no lines to cross is itself barbaric. It’s no surprise that Dems love the practice so much.

It gets even more for for the ONE.

Military judges of the trials for the scum in Gitmo have flipped the new CINC the bird!

Killian Bundy Sun, Feb 1, 2009 10:07:29am

outsourcing torture

That’s pretty much what rendition amounts to and why terrorists fear it.

/the Egyptians, et al, don’t have many, if any, limits on interrogation techniques

AuntAcid Sun, Feb 1, 2009 10:07:41am

re: #56 FurryOldGuyJeans

Obama will expand the milk and cookies pretty please interrogation programs.

“Tell me where the bomb is or I will tickle you!”

jcm Sun, Feb 1, 2009 10:08:28am

re: #46 Pianobuff

It’s all Rush’s fault

Obama is going after Rush, Rush sells Club Gitmo gear, now that market is drying up because of Obama.
/

realwest Sun, Feb 1, 2009 10:08:40am

re: #35 Killgore Trout
Uh, what makes you think that Gitmo will close? All Obama did was appoint a group to come up with a plan to close Gitmo within one year. That certainly doesn’t preclude said group from asking for, and getting more time within which to complete it’s work, nor for Obama to take their final recommendations to the various intelligence agencies and the DoD for comments and…….well, you get the idea.
It is, in it’s own fashion, the “Chicago Way”.

sir c Sun, Feb 1, 2009 10:10:21am

Meet the new boss…. same as the old boss….

FurryOldGuyJeans Sun, Feb 1, 2009 10:10:35am

re: #55 esch

Of course not. 8)

Hope I didn’t come across as sounding critical of you. I was referring to conservatives in general. Many seem to be uncomfortable with conflict.

/FASCIST!

You can be critical of me all you want if it is warranted. ;)

I don’t see a lot of conservatives that need condemnation. I see a whole crop of RINOs and weak-kneed Republicans on the other hand that are more than deserving. The problem is that there are not many true Congressional Conservatives to form an effective opposition when so many love being the minority dogs getting abuse and very rare belly scratches.

jcbunga Sun, Feb 1, 2009 10:11:54am

So who’s happy with this guy?

Nobody appears to be taking him seriously.

He has shown no sway with the Republicans, taxpayers are pissed, the Dinnerjacket told him to f-off, the military court defied him, the Kos hippie babies are restful.

Who’s impressed with this guy so far?

Prince of Dorkness Sun, Feb 1, 2009 10:13:20am

re: #39 FrogMarch

but but but KOS and Andrew Sullivan saw the hollywood movie about Rendition. they are educated about it!

Rendition II another Hollywierd movie that no one will see, paid for by the Hollywood bailout portion of the stimulus bill.

kytan Sun, Feb 1, 2009 10:14:01am

The question remains: Who are the rubes?

Baboon Cheeks Sun, Feb 1, 2009 10:14:19am

Kos kids are fighting amongst themselves over this. Some will adopt a more realistic stance regarding such things, others will scream about betrayal and start designing effigies of Obama. Can’t wait to see the creative output of the latter group at the next round of demos.

AuntAcid Sun, Feb 1, 2009 10:14:31am

re: #65 sir c

Meet the new boss…. same as the old boss….

Why does this remind me of “Blazing Saddles”?

Catttt Sun, Feb 1, 2009 10:14:51am

Drives Kossites nuts - good in an atavistic way. Of course, I wish they’d go sane, in my heart of hearts.

Boogberg Sun, Feb 1, 2009 10:15:34am

Haha!

It’s easy to talk shit until you’re actually charged with the safety of the US. I’m sure there’s loads of classified information that President Obama has access to that he didn’t have before he was elected.

vagabond trader Sun, Feb 1, 2009 10:15:38am

I so love when deplorable peeps fight amongst themselves. More please.

Elcid Sun, Feb 1, 2009 10:16:53am

“rendition”…Wonder if the Big O means, a performance of a musical or dramatic work.

AuntAcid Sun, Feb 1, 2009 10:16:55am

re: #69 kytan

The question remains: Who are the rubes?

Well, in poker, if you don’t know who the mark is, it’s you.

Catttt Sun, Feb 1, 2009 10:20:24am

re: #74 vagabond trader

I so love when deplorable peeps fight amongst themselves. More please.

I just read a bit of the thread at Kos. It really is fun watching them fight about how, ok, um, rendition might be, um, ok…….or not…..or ok…..or not.

unreconstructed rebel Sun, Feb 1, 2009 10:21:33am

Please do not take this as an endorsement of the current administration, but anything that sends the Kos fever swamp into hysterics is fine with me.

Killian Bundy Sun, Feb 1, 2009 10:22:01am

It is kind of funny that he won’t allow our personnel to use torture but if our proxies use it on our behalf, hey, no problem!

/is that ironic or hypocritical?

unreconstructed rebel Sun, Feb 1, 2009 10:24:46am

Sorry for the very short visit, but, since I am not Tom a Democrat, I need to go figure out what I owe in taxes.

/that will make me as fevered as the Kos kids.

anotherindyfilmguy Sun, Feb 1, 2009 10:25:05am

re: #26 Shiplord Kirel

Face it, left conformists: You were used like a cheap whore at a media convention.

Q: What’s the difference between a whore and the media folks at a media convention?

A: Most whores don’t record everything they do for money.

Boogberg Sun, Feb 1, 2009 10:27:56am

re: #80 unreconstructed rebel

Sorry for the very short visit, but, since I am not Tom a Democrat, I need to go figure out what I owe in taxes.

/that will make me as fevered as the Kos kids.

Well if it’s any comfort, if you actually owe taxes, you’re way better off financially than me.

yochanan Sun, Feb 1, 2009 10:28:46am

re: #35 Killgore Trout

As much as they hated Gitmo it was an interesting experiment in transparency which unfortunately didn’t work. The Koskidz are outraged now but after Gitmo closes they won’t complain much because detainees won’t have lawyers or the IRC to spread stories in the press. Terror suspects will be sent into dark dungeons in horrible countries and we will never hear from them again. Out of sight, out of mind.

WORKS FOR ME.

joncelli Sun, Feb 1, 2009 10:31:59am

Allow to take the opportunity to say “Bwahahaha! Detention at Guantanamo was a legal, straightforward method of incarcerating illegal combatants without killing them, so naturally you were against it, lefties; and now, true to form, your BDS and hero-worship of Obambi has led you head-first into the Law of Unintended Consequences. Welcome to reality, assholes!”

Catttt Sun, Feb 1, 2009 10:33:19am

Human Rights Watch is so f**king hypocritical!

They basically say that because it is really hard to “design a system that doesn’t result in people being sent to foreign dungeons to be tortured,” it is ok to use the old system, as long as you WANT to have a different one.

So - if it is REALLY HARD for someone to pay taxes, then can he/she not pay them, as long as he/she wants to design a system someday that will make it easier for him/her? Humpfh.

Abu Bin Squid Sun, Feb 1, 2009 10:33:32am

I made it to 40 comments or so. Some douche has a footer stating:
obama got me from hello

He walks on water to these self-hating twits. Lol.

Abu Bin Squid Sun, Feb 1, 2009 10:34:09am

re: #6 AuntAcid

“(a short drive)”
Ha!… more like a short putt.

A gimme.

joncelli Sun, Feb 1, 2009 10:35:59am

re: #84 joncelli
Of course, “incarcerating without killing” implies that the alternative is dead bodies behind bars, so let me rephrase that as “getting people off the streets without killing them.”

realwest Sun, Feb 1, 2009 10:36:13am

re: #79 Killian Bundy
Hey Killian - I dibs hypocritical.

caligal Sun, Feb 1, 2009 10:37:56am

thank goodness for small things. I am pleased/relieved to read this.

Catttt Sun, Feb 1, 2009 10:39:27am

Interesting clip from a comment by Kossite “Pluto,” who indicates he/she is not an American:

I saw Obama’s face after his first Intelligence briefing. I looked at it very closely. He will keep you safe, no matter what unspeakable things he must do to the living bodies of those who are suspected of trying to harm you. And they will be trying as hard as they can to harm you.

Noam Sayin' Sun, Feb 1, 2009 10:44:44am

Face it, Kos Kidz, you f*cked up. You trusted him.

Sheepdogess Sun, Feb 1, 2009 10:51:26am

If Obama’s doin it, it must be bad.
Maybe he’s keeping it open for the Bush trials….coming soon.

I don’t trust him.

swamprat Sun, Feb 1, 2009 10:57:18am

This will just lead to America being hated.

lincolntf Sun, Feb 1, 2009 10:57:23am

Reading that piece/the comments was the first time I’ve ever felt like posting at Kos. Anyone know if it’s open registration? I didn’t happen to notice.

z9z99 Sun, Feb 1, 2009 11:01:05am

Two quick observations about the Democrats in power:

1.) They do not adjere to principles as principles, but as means to political ends. The opposition to our treatment of detainees when George Bush was president was not so much a necessary result of some noble humanitarian precept, as much as a convenient club with which to hit Bush over the head, and something that was of considerably less interest when Bush was gone. Likewise, we might ask how anyone should be entrusted with the responsibilities of a publlic official (e.g. Geithner and Daschle) when they are so lethargic in observing their responsibilities as private citizens. It is easy, and of course accurate) to accuse them of hypocrisy, but it is more useful to conider, not that they occasionally violate their principles, but that they never embrace them very seriously in the first place.

2.) The left is enchanted by theories, believing that their own superior intellects can construct the Utopias that are the nightmares of people with more common sense. Leftists love theories and doctrines and fantasies but are noticeably deficient in actually noticing things. This is a great disconnect between the capmpaign rhetoric that caused liberal intelligentsia to swoon, and the real world facts, whose variance from comfortable theories, inevitably smacked Obama in the face after inauguration. The result of this variance will be clumsy and ultimately insulting attempts to spackle over the differences by talking down expectations, and promising that these drifts from the leftist ideals are only temporary expediencies, when in fact leftist ideals nearly aways result in regrettable temporary expediencies.

swamprat Sun, Feb 1, 2009 11:05:09am

Typical socialist; The theory is sweetness and light, but the reality is a bloody club.

rw in san diego Sun, Feb 1, 2009 11:17:55am

re: #79 Killian Bundy

It’s a cultural thing.

///

nigella Sun, Feb 1, 2009 11:22:54am

swamprat is right. It was easy for Obama to spout all his hopey-changey feel good thoughts on how he would treat “freedom” fighters we un-justly picked up trying to kill us. Once inside the White House, the reality is different. It’s not to say he didn’t know about the dangerous nature of this so called “war on terror.”He knew, he had to say all those peace in our time things because he needed the Kool-aid drinkers to vote for him. My honest opinion is he doesn’t have a clue how to deal with any of this. Lord help us all.

100

Zimriel Sun, Feb 1, 2009 11:25:24am

I don’t believe in rendition either, and I’m in full agreement with the Kossacks on this one. Whatever means the US has at its disposal ought to be formal.

The US should instead have a “torture warrant” program, for when they net (1) a batch of terrorists who’ve (2) already been convicted of a felony. This lets them waterboard Khalid Shaykh Muhammad. This also keeps the SF City Council from chaining up zombie (say) and sending him/her to the Uzbekistan Hilton.

101

avanti Sun, Feb 1, 2009 11:48:37am

re: #16 Spider Mensch

to all leftist lurkers here….he’s just another lying sack of shit politician even more so…this one will literally piss on you and tell you its raining. your mystery date isn’t a dream, he’s a dud!

Well, this leftie approves of pragmatic decisions based on logic. Screw the far left if they can’t deal with the real world. Had he have followed the moon bats, I would have been very disappointed.
Had they have also thought he’d fulfill their every wet dream when they voted for him, surprise !

102

wiffersnapper Sun, Feb 1, 2009 11:52:25am

kossacks won’t truly be happy until markos becomes supreme ruler of earth with lord xenu as his 2nd in command

103

avanti Sun, Feb 1, 2009 11:59:39am

re: #90 caligal

thank goodness for small things. I am pleased/relieved to read this.

When you think about it, he and McCain both said they’d go after the terrorist where ever they are. He even got flack for saying he’d go into Pakistan without permission to get Ben Ladin, that sounds a lot like the rendition the far left is moaning about.
I guess they expect if we found a bad guy, we should go through a government that would likely tip off the bad guys before acting, screw that.

104

hershel Sun, Feb 1, 2009 12:04:24pm

””(a short drive)”
Ha!… more like a short putt.

A gimme”

They’ll have to put it in reverse.

105

Wm T Sherman Sun, Feb 1, 2009 12:07:45pm

Many of the Kos Kids are excusing it now that their man is using it, and the opposition to it is fairly calm and reasoned rather than hysterical.

Exact same program, different reaction in the extreme. Partisan hypocrites.

106

Syrah Sun, Feb 1, 2009 12:15:51pm

Obama is an offensive prick.

He clearly recognizes the necessity to capture and even torture the bad guys, but he doesn’t want the US to have a direct hand in it.

What a fucking gutless wimpy weasel.

107

MrPaulRevere Sun, Feb 1, 2009 12:16:53pm

re: #11 rwmofo

Actually there are several at Kos who are defending rendition now. Apparently its righteous now that a Democrat is in the White House.

108

Kaymad Sun, Feb 1, 2009 12:28:18pm

That’s democrats for you. Pretend like you’re above it all, but ship your dirty laundry out for others to do. That way you maintain your false moral authority.

109

[deleted] Sun, Feb 1, 2009 12:58:13pm

110

bill-tb Sun, Feb 1, 2009 2:01:21pm

Too funny …

All the election of 2008 proved is it’s real easy to make idiot voter out of ignorant people by promising them enough free stuff, and then forgetting to deliver the goodies. The communists have been doing this for some time, Hugo Chavez in Venezuela is the latest communist to do this.

All this shows is how correct the above proverb is.

111

splat Sun, Feb 1, 2009 9:48:39pm

All you need to do is get into the into the liberal mindset on this….

< liberal >
His holiness St.O is allowing this for completely legitimate and honorable reasons for preserving peace, unlike GW fascistbush-cheneyhaliburton who were only doing it for utterly evil reasons for oil.
< /liberal >

Ta da ! Instant justification !

Personally I hope President O is selling some of his more clueless supporters down the river like only a really good Chicago politician can.

112

DrCruel Sun, Feb 1, 2009 10:50:26pm

In my opinion, Obama is far too reasonable to be anything but a terrible disappointment to the Leftists.

I hope my suspicions are right, that President Obama turns out simply to be a more clever version of President Bush. I’ll have such a laugh about it.

113

DrCruel Sun, Feb 1, 2009 10:56:49pm

#93: To be fair, I don’t trust him either - he has too many dark connections to unsavory people - but thus far he hasn’t done anything I’d expect a Leftist to do. CLearly he could, given the majority of Demo loonies in the Congress, but instead he seems happy enough to get his hands on all that bailout money.

If all he’s going to do is rob the public treasury, I’m relieved. After all, that’s been going on since at least the start of the Clinton administration. Hardly the moonbat Armageddon I was anticipating.

114

dpolwarth Mon, Feb 2, 2009 3:24:45am

First off, I’ll declare that I live in the UK and so didn’t get to vote for either McCain or Obama. Before you assume I’m a liberal, I personally would have voted for McCain, though maybe I was wrong about Obama - he seems to have some common sense.

And now on to my point: I was disappointed at the reaction from the Daily Kos community. Really I was, and I say this as someone who sits in between Republican and Democrat. The venom thrown at Bush over the last few years has been pretty shocking, so I was expecting some serious hard words to come from the hard-left liberals once Obama decided to continue Bush’s policies. What was so surprising was how they seem to backpedal and go out of their way to justify something that up until now they had railed against.

You can almost smell the hypocrisy on that message board. It smells like unwashed feet.

Ignore the rights or wrongs of the situation for a moment, and just look at the reaction of the average commenter. Imagine they were talking about the strategy of sports teams, or something, rather than politics. For the last few years they have been condemning the strategy that Bush used. Now their guy, after promising to make big changes, continues this ‘bad’ practice. Observe the way they try to justify it. It’s okay now to carry out the policy, because Bush’s face is no longer at the helm. Yet, in their heart of hearts, they must feel awful at the backpedaling and hypocrisy. It’s really quite a wretched reaction. Where are their big principles now? Where is the great liberal power intent on changing the world for the good? What is left of the shreds of their ideologies?

I can only imagine they have invested so much of their soul in Obama that they can’t quite bring themselves to acknowledge reality: the man lied to them. He was never going to make much of a political change, because the reality is he has little room to maneuver. But the Kos crowd really, really believed that the political reality would somehow change with a black man running the show. I just can’t quite understand how people can be so blind and woolly-headed.

I had hoped there would be a few more people willing to criticise Obama. I hoped the Kos kids would at least have some kind of moral compass willing to acknowledge the naivety of their viewpoint.

I don’t care if their beliefs are right or wrong. I’m just saddened by how many of them are willing to sell out those beliefs when confronted with political reality.

115

VioletTiger Mon, Feb 2, 2009 5:19:19am

“This news has driven many of the denizens of Daily Kos insane (a short drive): “

Still laughing over this one. Too funny.

116

Colonel Panik Mon, Feb 2, 2009 6:06:00am

re: #106 Syrah

Obama is an offensive prick.

He clearly recognizes the necessity to capture and even torture the bad guys, but he doesn’t want the US to have a direct hand in it.

What a fucking gutless wimpy weasel.

Continuing the democrat tradition, as practiced by Sir William The Slick. The Jihadists were treated better in Gitmo than they would be in an Egyptian prison, and we probably got more useful information from them than we will from our “rendition” partners.

But the left still whined.

117

crosspatch Mon, Feb 2, 2009 9:00:54am

“extraordinary renditions were the Clintons’ favorite method of dealing with creeps and scalawags”

But oddly, when offered a chance at Osama bin Laden, Clinton passed. People in this country lose sight of the overall context of things. Bush wasn’t doing anything that Clinton didn’t do, it is just that after the close election in 2000, the left decided they were going to continue to fight Bush, tooth and nail, through each and every day of his administration. This continued for so long that it became embedded in the culture and the sour grapes of the 2000 election turned into a bitter wine of hatred for Bush reinforced in every segment of public information outlets and non-media cultural content such as the entertainment industry.

These people are *still* trying to find ways of resurrecting the Bush Administration as their bogeyman for just about every issue. They aren’t going to let it go because for many of them, it has been the general culture for the past 8 years. 8 years is a long time if you are in your twenties. Most of the Kos Kids were in diapers during the Carter administration and don’t remember what kind of trouble you get into by running away.

118

Ron Shaw Mon, Feb 2, 2009 10:51:32am

It is only rendition if those to be rendered are not warned in advance that they will soon be traveling abroad. This ‘advance warning’ tactic used by Democrat Presidents must obviously be on ‘Page 1’ of their play book. Thusly, rendering any rendition program moot in practice yet active for PR…or, as Burger King Democrats have shown the preference to always ‘have it their way’ as well as ‘both ways.’

119

Mattman Mon, Feb 2, 2009 12:19:43pm

I’ll say this for the KosKids; as wrong as they may be (which is plenty), it’s nice to see that some of them are at least sincere, in the sense that if it was wrong for Bush to do it, then it’s wrong no matter who does it. Unlike some the so-called human rights groups that howled as though you stepped on their ingrown toenail when Bush did it, but now suddenly it’s going to be A-OK.

I guess heartfelt moral preening at least has the “heartfelt” part going for it. But for Obama and the professional human-rights community to scream bloody murder about Bush —- when they clearly recognized all along that these were difficult issues (interrogation, rendition, Guantanamo) with no easy answers —- just shows that they were more than happy to tear down their country when they didn’t even believe it themselves, even though they were hurting their country along the way. They were happy to do it in order to cripple a Republican, and in order to regain power themselves. Just sickening.

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