Obama’s Military Excellence, by Bryan R. Parker
President Obama’s early military performance has exceeded expectations. The President’s performance in Afghanistan, Iraq and now the Somali coast, shows that he has the judgment to lead our military. During his presidential run, Mr. Obama was routinely questioned regarding his readiness for being Commander in Chief. He responded, as evidenced by his vote against the Iraq war, that he had the requisite judgment to respond reasonably, effectively and with force when necessary. In his first 100 days he has, as promised, started a plan of withdrawal from Afghanistan, made a surprise visit to Iraq during his G20 summit to discuss transfer of power, and acted with great care and judgment in this most recent situation.
In the most recent situation in Somalia, President Obama said that force may be used “only if the captain’s (Richard Phillips) life was in imminent danger, and the opportunity was present for clear shots at each of the captors”. It is this nuanced, well reasoned approach that should earn President Obama his greatest applause. In contrast to the previous President, Mr. Obama did not rush in without regard to human life, instead he exercised appropriate caution, while being clear that in certain situations, force is indeed appropriate. With three shots, and in an instant, three captors were killed. The navy seals team, as directed by their President, restored order.
President Obama’s follow up, of course, will define his military legacy in the end. Now that we have escalated violence in the region, we can surely expect the pirates of the region to retaliate. To be consistent, and so these enemies will know that they will be met with force for these kind of actions, President Obama must remain committed to the region. At the time of this writing, the author has learned that four more ships had been captured. How Mr. Obama responds now will shape his evolving grade in Military 101.
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I would agree that our Commander in Chief has comported himself exceptionally well in this most trying of times. The actions against the Somali pirates were swift and heroic and his stance on our presence in the Middle East indeed show an ability to make informed and considered decisions. But it's early yet. America's troops in Afghanistan are fighting under increasingly chaotic circumstances (check NYT April 20) and Pakistan is about to implode, only compounding an already too far gone situation. The euphoria of last week's rescue lasted but a day before the pirates resurfaced. In a way this bold rescue may have made already troubled waters more dangerous. I fear any premature celebration of our President's efforts. The road ahead is long...
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