Sorry if I'm shouting on this post, but I'm straining to be heard above the ear drum piercing screams for war coming out of Minnesota's 4th Congressional District and my representative, Democrat Betty McCollum. You may recall, she did an abrupt about face on her long held anti-war beliefs and last week demanded that Barack Obama's red line through Syria be painted in blood:
"This is a crime against humanity that requires an unequivocal response from the U.S. and the international community. To do nothing and allow Syrian President Assad and his generals’ impunity following such an atrocity would undermine the most fundamental global norms of conduct that keep Americans safe while directly putting at risk our key regional allies – Jordan, Turkey, and Israel.
As I have stated previously, the U.S. should not take unilateral military action, but it is clear the Obama Administration is making significant diplomatic efforts to seek support from a host of nations, especially Arab League nations, for a limited military strike.”
McCollum and Obama becoming the Legion of Doom is a surprise, especially when you consider what brought them together in the first place. It was about Christmas time in 2007 and a young, naïve Illinois Senator running for President caught the eye of St. Paul's representative and got one of his first endorsements based on one premise: peace. From Rep. McCollum's endorsement:
"The Iraq War has been the most disastrous foreign policy decision of our lifetime and Barack Obama got it right when he opposed this war of choice from the start," said Congresswoman McCollum. "Barack Obama has the courage to move our country forward by challenging Washington's tired conventional thinking. I'm endorsing Barack Obama for President because I trust his leadership — for my family, for our country and for a more secure world. We need a President who can unite the American people to confront the serious challenges facing our nation, especially ending the war in Iraq, and that is Barack Obama."
Back in 2007, the pacifistic warm fuzzies weren't sent on a one-way street. McCollum's endorsement earned this warm, peaceful retort from the man who would bomb Syria:
"Congresswoman McCollum has been an outspoken leader on the challenges facing communities across America, and I'm grateful for her endorsement," said Senator Obama. "Betty McCollum had the judgment to oppose authorizing the war in Iraq, and she has worked to end the war as quickly and responsibly as we can."
All they were saying .... was give peace a chance.
They're singing a different tune now. Times have changed, and that dictator's use of chemical weapons in Syria is apparently unaccountably worse than that dictator's use of chemical weapons in Iran. Where the latter deserved a peaceful response, the former deserves death from above.
Being rational, logically-consistent, principled politicians, I'm sure McCollum and Obama will soon be releasing new statements updating their former positions. And if they're employing the same press release writers as they did in 2007, it will sound something like this.
From the Desk of Rep. Betty McCollum:
"The absence of US involvement in the Syrian War has been the most disastrous foreign policy decision of our lifetime and Barack Obama got it right when he supported this war of choice from the start," said Congresswoman McCollum.
"Barack Obama has the courage to move our country forward by continuing Washington's tired conventional thinking. I'm endorsing Barack Obama for President because I trust his leadership — for my family, for our country and for a less secure world. We need a President who can divide the
American people to confront the serious challenges facing our nation, especially starting the war in Syria, and that is Barack Obama."
From the Desk of President Barack Obama:
"Congresswoman McCollum has been an outspoken leader on the challenges facing communities across America, and I'm grateful for her endorsement," said Senator Obama. "Betty McCollum had the judgment to support authorizing the war in Syria, and she has worked to start the war as quickly and irresponsibly as we can."
We'll stand by for further updates. I'm especially hoping to hear Iron Betty McCollum's reaction to that peace plan from bleeding heart dissident Vladmir Putin.
