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Tonight's Afghanistan escalation speech marks the end of the Obama administration. Instead we are witnessing the birth of the second Lyndon Johnson administration as President Obama joins a long line of American presidents who place imperial war above all other goals.
Yes, he campaigned on a platform of expanded war in Afghanistan. But we hoped, stupidly it seems, that that was just campaign rhetoric. We hoped that, once elected, he would come to his senses and at least not escalate a hopeless and destructive conflict.
But he has proved us wrong. While on most other issues that mattered to us -- torture, detainee abuse, civil liberties, civil rights for gays, healthcare reform, the economic well-being of the majority of the population, economic domination by the banks and other hyper-wealthy -- he has proved that his campaign promises were primarily rhetoric. But he has proved that when it comes to war and destruction, he is a man of his word.
From this day forward, Barack Obama is and will be the president of war and occupation. The myth of change, and even of intelligent administration, is over. All we are left with is the Audacity of Disgust.
Today I regret voting for Barack H. Obama. It won't happen again.
