By Kenneth J. Theisen
Barack Obama was elected because millions of people believe that he can change the political direction of this nation from the fascist trajectory that the Bush regime has been traveling over the last 7 plus years. When he takes office in January he will have the power to undo some of the damage of the Bush administration. But he will not do so because he does not owe his political allegiance to the masses of people in this country, but rather to the small class of people who live on the exploitation of the masses here and throughout the world. These are the people he will serve, regardless of the wishes of millions of people that voted for him.
I have listed a few of the actions Obama could take if he was a real agent of change. I invite readers of the World Can’t Wait site to add others in the comment section after this article. I do not expect Obama to actually accomplish any of these items, but I think it is worth reflecting on how much damage has been done and then to think about what it will really take to reverse the course set by the Bush regime. We can not rely on false saviors from the ruling class such as Obama. We must rely on the masses to become politically active in a mass movement to actually have any hope of making real change possible.
As president Obama could do, but won’t do, the following:
He could direct the Department of Justice to begin investigations into the various crimes of Bush administration officials and agents. These would include, but not be limited to: war crimes, crimes against humanity, the invasions and commission of acts of war against sovereign nations, massive spying, torture, kidnapping, murder, the illegal overthrow of governments, assassinations, abuse of immigrants by illegal detentions and arrests, the use of government offices to politicize official actions, etc.
He could order the review and repeal of executive orders and presidential directives that potentially give the president dictatorial powers.
He could close down U.S. run torture sites run by the Department of Defense (DOD) such as those in Guantanamo, in Iraq, and Afghanistan which hold prisoners taken in the so-called “war on terror.” He could order the DOD to begin investigations into the crimes committed at these sites. These would include torture, false imprisonment, and murder. Tens of thousands of prisoners have been held in these hell holes. He could pardon any prisoners convicted under the Military Commissions Act which strips defendants of their human and legal rights.
He could order the CIA to cease renditions and to stop the operation of “secret” prisons. The CIA has kidnapped and outsourced torture to “allies” in the war on terror, including to countries on the U.S. State Department’s own list of countries that engage in torture.
He could decrease the size of the U.S. military which now operates 750 bases and sites in over 100 countries, instead of advocating the increase of the military by 92,000 troops.
He could withdraw all U.S. troops and military resources from Iraq and Afghanistan, instead of calling for the escalation of the war in Afghanistan and the continuance of the war in Iraq.
He could withdraw U.S. support for the puppet governments in Iraq and Afghanistan.
He could order the CIA, DOD, and other government agencies to cease covert and overt military operations against Pakistan, Syria, and Iran.
He could order that U.S. military assistance to countries such as the Philippines, Indonesia, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Columbia cease. These and other countries use this aid to suppress their own people.
He could stop aid to Israel which uses the aid to suppress the legitimate rights of Palestinians and other people and to maintain the most lethal military (including nuclear weapons) machine (other than the U.S) in the Middle East.
He could dismantle the massive spy operations conducted by the CIA, NSA, FBI, and other intelligence agencies against American and other innocent people throughout the world.
He could order the review of all federal regulations issued during Bush’s tenure that impact the environment. Those that undermine the protection of the environment could be repealed.
He could propose legislation to repeal the Military Commission’s Act (MCA), the Federal Intelligence and Security Act (FISA), the PATRIOT Act, the Protect America Act of 2007 (PAA), and the International Economic Emergency Powers Act (IEEPA). These and similar laws lay the legal basis for stripping people of their constitutional rights and also the creation of a police state.
He could direct the Department of Justice to investigate and prosecute all those involved in the recent financial crisis that committed federal crimes.
He could direct the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to stop raids on work places and other sites that may contain immigrants. He could direct that DHS stop erecting barriers along the borders that in effect kill immigrants by forcing them to cross deserts, mountains, or other deadly terrain. He could order that the military no longer cooperate in the so-called policing of the border. ICE operations like “return to sender” that target immigrants for deportation could be dismantled. He could pardon all immigrants currently held or previously charged with such “immigration” crimes such as “illegally” crossing the border, using “fraudulent” documents, overstaying their Visas, etc. He could propose legislation that would “legalize” millions of immigrants without various restrictions, penalties, or other inhibitions that would make these immigrants unwelcome in the U.S.
He could order all federal departments and agencies under his control to destroy “lists” created in the so-called “war on terror.” These would include no-fly lists, terrorist profiling lists, lists of immigrants from various countries, etc.
He could order the destruction of information gathered under the various spy operations created in the “war on terror.” This would include information gathered against various anti-war groups and their members or other groups that otherwise opposed the Bush regime.
It behooves President elect Obama to take steps towards undoing the bulk of the steps that have marched America towards being one heartbeat away from becoming a dictatorship and restoring the Constitution of the US as the legal document and means to govern. Karl Rove\’s self declaration of being god\’s right hand man be damned.