White House: Critics of Obama Are "Serving the Goals of al Qaeda"

White House: Obama Critics "Serving the Goals of al Qaeda"

White House: Some Critics of Obama are "Serving the Goals of Al Qaeda"

In an op-ed in USA Today, John Brennan -- Assistant to the President and Deputy National Security Advisor for Homeland Security and Counterterrorism -- responds to critics of the Obama administration's counterterrorism policies by saying "Politically motivated criticism and unfounded fear-mongering only serve the goals of al-Qaeda."

The administration op-ed is in response to a USA Today editorial entitled "National security team fails to inspire confidence; Officials’ handling of Christmas Day attack looks like amateur hour."

The editorial writers fault the Obama administration for announcing "last week that an attack by al-Qaeda is likely in the next three to six months. The warning is bound to frighten the public, with no obvious benefit beyond the ability to say 'I told you so.'"

Funny, when George Bush announced his "War on Terror," nine years ago, he pointed the finger at an "Axis of Evil" — namely Iraq, Iran and North Korea.

Seemingly, the Obama "Axis of Evil" is anyone who criticizes Obama.


— Doc Velocity






[edit on 2/9/2010 by Doc Velocity]

reply to post by Doc Velocity


I also hear that anyone who questions anything said or done by anyone within the US government, will have to wear a plastic monkey ass for 1 month, unless you lick the ground any administration member has walked upon, then it's only 21 days...phew!

Fair enough i guess...now...where's my TV remote.

Funny......I thought questioning our government was serving the goals of the American people.....

So anyone who disagrees or questions the Obama Administration is basicly supporting terrorist?

Seems to me that they're afriad of other people finding out that Obama isn't the end-all-be-all world leader.

I think the rest of the world needs to know that we as the American people do not agee with or fully support all of the decisions of our government.

reply to post by Doc Velocity


Well dip me in # and call me candy.

Now, where does all of this lead?

Welcome to Nazi world how may i kill you he says.





[edit on 9-2-2010 by OpTiMuS_PrImE]

reply to post by endisnighe


It all leads to a totalitarian state, a bit like China on nasty pills.

And of course, you Candy, wandering around smelling of poo.

So... you link to a right wing blog, and while I believe you that someone on there opinionated on something along these lines I can't find it except for one snippy comment from another reader.

This sounds very much like what the Bush administration said though, along with the infamous "you're either with us or against us" when people criticized his invasion of Iraq.

Can you show me the exact White House source and quote...I'm just not seeing it though I searched your ridiculous blog. Otherwise I think you're just blowing smoke and you're getting stars and flags from lazy sycophants here who haven't even checked out your link.

edited for spelling

[edit on 9-2-2010 by ChrisCrikey]

reply to post by ChrisCrikey


Here let me help you. It was hard to find, IT WAS BURIED IN THE FIRST PARAGRAPH!

In an oped in USA Today, John Brennan -- Assistant to the President and Deputy National Security Advisor for Homeland Security and Counterterrorism -- responds to critics of the Obama administration's counterterrorism policies by saying "Politically motivated criticism and unfounded fear-mongering only serve the goals of al-Qaeda."

Ahhh hahahaha. Didn't Bush say that? If you're not for us, you're for the terrorist! I was expecting new material from a new administration.

Seriously? Are ALL you folks' memory really THAT short? None of you remember the exact same thing being said when Bush was in office? It was their mantra for chrisakes. You weren't a true patriot unless you had a lapel pin and agreed with the Prez on all counts.

Not that I think this should be the case with ANY administration but let's be real. This is SOP in DC apparently.

Originally posted by ChrisCrikey
So... you link to a right wing blog,
[edit on 9-2-2010 by ChrisCrikey]

You blew it right there, pal. If you really think ABC News or this guy's blog on USA Today is a "right wing" blog then you're sadly misguided. I could see that statement being made about a Fox News outlet, but ABC News and USA Today??? C'mon!

Last paragraph of the blog. *Edit* Fair enough if it was blocked by something.

Politically motivated criticism and unfounded fear-mongering only serve the goals of al-Qaeda. Terrorists are not 100-feet tall. Nor do they deserve the abject fear they seek to instill. They will, however, be dismantled and destroyed, by our military, our intelligence services and our law enforcement community. And the notion that America's counterterrorism professionals and America's system of justice are unable to handle these murderous miscreants is absurd.

John Brennan is Assistant to the President and Deputy National Security Advisor for Homeland Security and Counterterrorism.

blogs.usatoday.com...


[edit on 9-2-2010 by sos37]

Originally posted by darkelf
Ahhh hahahaha. Didn't Bush say that? If you're not for us, you're for the terrorist! I was expecting new material from a new administration.

No.

What he said was "If you're not with us, you're against us."

That's different from saying "If you're not with us you're supporting terrorism". How?

"If you're not with us, you're against us" can mean if you're not onboard with our policies then you don't support our policies. Is that a lie? Is that a fallacy?

But now this guys says "If you criticize us you're supporting Al-Qaeda (terrorism)".

I see a huge difference.

reply to post by endisnighe


Okay sorry, I see it now - it was blocked by my script blocker...and I wonder why there are so any scripts running on that page but whatever... I'm not ,however, interpreting Brennan's words in the same way you are. He does in fact say:

""Politically motivated criticism and unfounded fear-mongering only serve the goals of al-Qaeda."

Brennan writes that, "Terrorists are not 100-feet tall. Nor do they deserve the abject fear they seek to instill."

I would have to agree that excessive fear mongering from both al-Qaeda and among the right wing is potentially dangerous in leading us to excessive, expensive, paranoid and reactive moves to counter the some 100 declared al-Qaeda combantants with whom we're dealing. Paranoia serves no one well.

reply to post by Detailed Perfection

So anyone who disagrees or questions the Obama Administration is basicly supporting terrorist?

NO. Clearly not anyone.... Read the headline one more time, not Doc Velocity's headline the real one, the one that isn't totally out of context.

DV's headline: white house: critics of Obama are serving the goals of al qaeda
Actual headline: white house: SOME critics of Obama are serving the goals of al qaeda.

this thread makes it sound like any criticism of the O admin. is supporting al qaeda. What he's actually saying is, SOME critics of the admin's COUNTER TERRORISM POLICIES, not every policy, embolden the enemy. Whether or not you choose to agree with that is up to you, but lets not take this out of context.

Thats what you get for either A. not looking a little deeper into a thread by a guy with 2 big red tattoos on his avatar, or B. fully supporting anything anywhere that opposes Obama and "the left" in any way shape or form. It should be noted that the Bush administration said this same type of crap when they were running the show, but I suppose it made perfect sense back then huh?




I'll post some of the more interesting quotes from the article, since I'm obviously the only one who read it.

Moreover, Brennan says, hundreds of terrorists have been convicted in criminal courts

really Mr. Brennan? Name a few cases please....

"This administration's efforts have disrupted dozens of terrorist plots against the homeland and been responsible for killing and capturing hundreds of hard-core terrorists, including senior leaders in Pakistan, Yemen, Somalia and beyond — far more than in 2008."

yeah right. show me. dozens of plots against the homeland in 1 year?

DISCLAIMER: since i know I'll probably get flamed by a buncha right wing whackos for posting this, and probably called a lefty, Obamatron etc etc. I'll just disclaim this whole post by saying I am not an Obama supporter. I DID NOT vote for him. Now watch as anyone who flames will be so dumb they won't even read far enough into my post to see this disclaimer. This is like shooting fish a in a barrel.

reply to post by Detailed Perfection


And therein lies the rub.

Every word spoken on an international footing by our governments, automatically becomes we, the populations who voted these people into positions of authority, saying it.

How many times have Non-US readers, heard something said by someone 'official' from the US, only to immediately make you think - "Those Americans are barking mad" or whatever? How many think that about pretty much any other country's leaders or officials? Lot's i bet. It's because we voted them in, they speak for us all, so what they say on the world stage, is in effect, what we're saying.

I know that's not what it's like in reality of course, but that's how it goes down.

It's a good point to make though.

Originally posted by liquidsmoke206
reply to post by Detailed Perfection

 

So anyone who disagrees or questions the Obama Administration is basicly supporting terrorist?

NO. Clearly not anyone.... Read the headline one more time, not Doc Velocity's headline the real one, the one that isn't totally out of context.

Skip the headline and read the text from the blog itself that I linked above. It does NOT say "SOME who criticize..." it clearly says:

"Politically motivated criticism and unfounded fear-mongering only serve the goals of al-Qaeda."

That's not in any way selective. It's saying if you, ANYONE, offers politically-motivated criticism" then you're seeking to do Al Qaeda's work.

reply to post by sos37

What he said was "If you're not with us, you're against us."

OH PLEASE!! the bush administration said the exact same things brennan is saying.

That's different from saying "If you're not with us you're supporting terrorism".

wow, being that that is in quotes I'm assuming it's an exact quote from brennan or the admin....care to source it? didn't think so.
That's not what brennan is saying reread it...yer jumping to foolhearty conclusions.

furthermore, brennan is not spouting off policy he's spouting off his own opinions...half the people in this thread are completely failing to deny ignorance.

reply to post by smyleegrl


Didn't one of your famous statesmen make a comment along the lines of; "A real American patriot is one who is vigilant and continually questions the government? Or something like that.

Basically he said that if you don't keep tabs on TPTB to make/keep them honest, it'll be your own unpatriotic faults when they become corrupt and dishonest, for not paying attention and asking the difficult questions and/ or not demanding an answer to them.

reply to post by spikey


Yes, I cannot remember the exact quote but it was something like

"Due diligence is the price of freedom"

I feel like an idiot right now, that quote is on the tip of my tongue, but for the life of me I cannot remember it or who said it. No worries, though, I'm sure I'll remember it about 2 in the morning.