[142857] The Magic Number . / "The Arrogance of Power" by Hugo J. Byrne / Courtesy of Miguel Uria

[142857]

THE ARROGANCE OF POWER 
By Hugo J. Byrne

 

For exiled Cubans who remember the first few months of the Castro tyranny, Washington’s present attitude is like the plot of an old black and white movie they viewed long ago. When reporters of the then free Cuban press questioned Castro on government actions which were seemingly at odds with his discourse, the “maximum leader's" response was evasive: “The President of Cuba is Dr. Urrutia, and I am not even a member of his cabinet.  I have no authority to interfere”.

 

Naturally, the exile’s feeling of de-já vu is not surprising. President Obama recently claimed he had nothing to do with Attorney General Eric Holder's decision to reopen the investigation into alleged constitutional violations by CIA interrogators. Obama has the constitutional authority to block the Justice Department's move, but he decided against doing so over the best advice of seven former CIA directors who served under different administrations.  Have we any reason to doubt the President’s word? 

 

The violations were allegedly perpetrated against Muslims captured with plenty of evidence corroborating their own terrorist activities.  Previously, the President had decided officially not to prosecute.   According to most reliable polls, 70% of the American people agreed with his first decision.  

 

Given the President's previous policy statements, why the about face? Holder's justification for the abrupt change of heart was the acquisition of “new evidence” in the case.  What new evidence? In spite of the campaign promise of total openness and transparency, the White House disclosed no information at all on the nature of the “new evidence”.   In fact, Obama’s presidency is so far the most secretive in U.S. history, and the most dismissive of public opinion as well. 

 

President Obama’s aide and former Chairman of his successful presidential campaign, Mr. Axelrod, dismissed outright questions about massive opposition to Obama’s health care:  “They do not represent the majority of the American people.  They are wrong”!  Meanwhile, polls indicated that 56% of the public opposed government takeover of health care, while only 43% were in favor.  Is this not the epitome of the arrogance of power?

 

The honest observer's task is to decide whether Obama's decision to investigate the CIA reflects his latent antipathy for that intelligence body-or is just a slick ruse by Obama to distract the public away from the embattled health care debate.  At any rate, what is certain is that such a move is not in the American public's best interests, safety and security.  

 

Some increasingly embarrassing situations point strongly to the previous paragraph's first educated guess.  The sudden appearance of Honduras' deposed ex-President inside the Brazilian embassy in Tegucigalpa is evidence of either U.S. collusion with Brazil or an incredible failure of the American Intelligence effort.

 

The presence of a belligerent Zelaya inside Honduran territory, openly challenging Roberto Micheletti's government, would have been impossible without Brasilia's open complicity.  Zelaya did not cross any border or travel incognito to the capital to request admission to enter the Brazilian embassy.  Just like President Obama, “moderate” President “Lula” has long been notorious for talking and acting in opposite ways.

 

The most important pieces in this diplomatic jigsaw puzzle are statements by both ex-president Zelaya and U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.  Mrs. Clinton declared that Zelaya's presence inside Honduras is an opportunity for his return to power so that he can preside over elections scheduled for November 29.  One version of the events in Honduras has Zelaya landing on an American military airstrip last Monday.  If that is proved, Mrs. Clinton will be unable to hide the American administration's complicity in the shameful affair. 

 

After some ambiguous gibberish, and urged by his manager-sponsor in Caracas, Zelaya returned only to reject the November elections. He asked for a constitutional convention instead that would vest him with permanent political power.

 

In the meantime, President Obama tried a vigorous TV offensive pressing hard for his government take-over of the American health care system, now or later.  His pitch blitz was marginally successful with his approval jumping 4 or 5 percentage points in most polls.  But those meager gains are now eroding as fast as the ones he achieved after speaking to the joint session of congress.  Further more, Obama pointedly refused to include Fox News among his interviewers.  

 

The immensely popular cable news network is the only one airing some openly critical views of the administration.  Many observers have concluded that Obama’s shunning of Fox could be his biggest blunder since the inauguration.  Journalist Chris Wallace, widely respected for his fairness and impartiality, characterized the president’s attitude as the “behavior of a crybaby”.  Ironically, Obama has no qualms about meeting America's mortal foes “without preconditions”, but shies away from facing America's free press.

 

At the time of this writing, Obama spoke to the United Nations' General Assembly. The Anointed One continued the tired theme of his presidency's new approach of breaking with all past American diplomacy.  He castigated Israel anew on the issue of its settlements.  His choice of words appeared to indicate that he wants Israel to dismantle every settlement built since 1967.

 

Obama’s speech unabashedly continued to emphasize his own personal importance, to undermine every U. S. ally, and -against all common sense- to invite the friendship of every enemy.   His messianic attitude was not lost on America's enemies.  Libya’s Dictator, Muhamar Gadaffi, actually praised Obama’s leadership and wished him a lifetime presidency.  Gadaffi rambled for 90 minutes instead of the 15 allotted to every speaker.  

 

The following day it was Venezuelan Dictator Hugo Chavez' turn.  Chavez, who seems to have a fixation with smells, ventured that Obama’s was one of hope as compared with the offensive smell of the devil (former President George W. Bush).  The possibility exists that Chavez caught some of the scent left behind by Gadaffi’s garments worn the previous day or, at the very least, was left dizzy by the effects of his own flatulence.

 
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