The Obama Contradiction

Monday, 30 April 2012 10:19

By Tom Engelhardt, TomDispatch
President Barack Obama exits Marine One on the South Lawn of the White House following a trip to Fort Stewart, Georgia, April 27, 2012. (Photo: Pete Souza / White House)

Weakling at Home, Imperial President Abroad

He has few constraints (except those he's internalized). No one can stop him or countermand his orders. He has a bevy of lawyers at his beck and call to explain the "legality" of his actions. And if he cares to, he can send a robot assassin to kill you, whoever you are, no matter where you may be on planet Earth.

He sounds like a typical villain from a James Bond novel. You know, the kind who captures Bond, tells him his fiendish plan for dominating the planet, ties him up for some no less fiendish torture, and then leaves him behind to gum up the works.

As it happens, though, he's the president of the United State, a nice guy with a charismatic wife and two lovely kids.

How could this be?

(More here.)