Battle of the Bilge

A Rise in Rhetoric

The far right wing establishment has been growing increasingly bold in their attacks against the Commander in Chief in recent months, with Glenn Beck’s anti-Obama diatribes, the tea party and town hall gatherings and cries of a communist takeover becoming a common reality of everyday life. But one article posted this week at the conservative website NewsMax took the rhetoric to a new level. It caused such a stir that NewsMax has pulled the article from their site (but not before it was captured by several media watchdogs). Columnist John L Perry, whose long career in journalism and public service – he served in support roles for both the Lyndon Johnson and Jimmy Carter administration – has been a loud and brutal critic of President Obama since the primary season. But none of the article he has written for NewsMax has garnered this much attention. Probably because none have been so obvious in their call for the overthrow of the President. Saying the possibility of a military coup is ‘remote, although gaining’ and that this is all hypothetical does not negate the danger of the words being used.

The Article (as it appeared before being deleted)

Obama Risks a Domestic Military Intervention

By: John L. Perry

There is a remote, although gaining, possibility America’s military will intervene as a last resort to resolve the “Obama problem.” Don’t dismiss it as unrealistic.

America isn’t the Third World. If a military coup does occur here it will be civilized. That it has never happened doesn’t mean it wont. Describing what may be afoot is not to advocate it. So, view the following through military eyes:
Officers swear to “support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic.” Unlike enlisted personnel, they do not swear to “obey the orders of the president of the United States.” Top military officers can see the Constitution they are sworn to defend being trampled as American institutions and enterprises are nationalized. They can see that Americans are increasingly alarmed that this nation, under President Barack Obama, may not even be recognizable as America by the 2012 election, in which he will surely seek continuation in office. They can see that the economy — ravaged by deficits, taxes, unemployment, and impending inflation — is financially reliant on foreign lender governments. They can see this president waging undeclared war on the intelligence community, without whose rigorous and independent functions the armed services are rendered blind in an ever-more hostile world overseas and at home. They can see the dismantling of defenses against missiles targeted at this nation by avowed enemies, even as America’s troop strength is allowed to sag. They can see the horror of major warfare erupting simultaneously in two, and possibly three, far-flung theaters before America can react in time. They can see the nation’s safety and their own military establishments and honor placed in jeopardy as never before.

So, if you are one of those observant military professionals, what do you do?

• Wait until this president bungles into losing the war in Afghanistan, and Pakistan’s arsenal of nuclear bombs falls into the hands of militant Islam?
• Wait until Israel is forced to launch air strikes on Iran’s nuclear-bomb plants, and the Middle East explodes, destabilizing or subjugating the Free World?
• What happens if the generals Obama sent to win the Afghan war are told by this president (who now says, “I’m not interested in victory”) that they will be denied troops they must have to win? Do they follow orders they cannot carry out, consistent with their oath of duty? Do they resign en masse?
• Or do they soldier on, hoping the 2010 congressional elections will reverse the situation? Do they dare gamble the national survival on such political whims?

Anyone who imagines that those thoughts are not weighing heavily on the intellect and conscience of America’s military leadership is lost in a fool’s fog.

Will the day come when patriotic general and flag officers sit down with the president, or with those who control him, and work out the national equivalent of a “family intervention,” with some form of limited, shared responsibility?

Imagine a bloodless coup to restore and defend the Constitution through an interim administration that would do the serious business of governing and defending the nation. Skilled, military-trained, nation-builders would replace accountability-challenged, radical-left commissars. Having bonded with his twin teleprompters, the president would be detailed for ceremonial speech-making.

Military intervention is what Obama’s exponentially accelerating agenda for “fundamental change” toward a Marxist state is inviting upon America. A coup is not an ideal option, but Obama’s radical ideal is not acceptable or reversible.

Unthinkable? Then think up an alternative, non-violent solution to the Obama problem. Just don’t shrug and say, “We can always worry about that later.”

In the 2008 election, that was the wistful, self-indulgent, indifferent reliance on abnegation of personal responsibility that has sunk the nation into this morass.

A History of Hate

John Perry’s columns at NewsMax usually contain degrading comments about the president and his ‘Marxist agenda’. A quick look at his article archive will show his utter bias, including such articles as:

• Feb 27, 2008 – What’s So Secretive About Barack’s Hussein?
• Apr 30, 2008 – Wright Is an Ugly Wart on Obama’s Nose
• Jul 14, 2008 – Obama’s Achilles’ Heel Is Obama
• Nov 19, 2008 – Obama Supporters to Seek Marxist Payback
• Apr 13, 2009 – The Flying Kenyan-American
• Apr 27, 2009 – Obama, the Puppet President
• Jul 13, 2009 – Obama’s Phony War on Terror

While there are many more examples, the last one is a significant example of the conservative tactic of pretending that President Obama’s time in office is the cause of our troubles as a nation. That he is responsible for Iraq, Afghanistan, the Wall Street Bailout, and the erosion of freedom and liberty of Americans. President Obama has done nothing to restrict gun control, yet he is accused of preparing to take away your guns. He has attempted to repair our national image in the global community, yet he is accused of being soft for engaging in talks with nations we may not agree with. He has shown remarkable restraint in the face of comparisons to Hitler and threats on his life, yet he is painted as an imminent threat to our way of life.

Not too long ago, the same conservative voices that are now attacking President Obama were stating that criticism of President Bush during a time of war was tantamount to treason. Imagine the reaction if a left wing blogger wrote the article above in 2003.

Our officers, although overworked and underpaid, are shining examples of duty and sacrifice. And they have a Commander in Chief that, even if they don’t agree with politically, determines their course of action during war and peace. Officers turning their efforts toward overthrowing their constitutionally and majority elected president would be violating the Constitution, abandoning their oaths and would mark an end to the republic as we know it. Mr. Perry should understand that fact, and with as much experience as he has, should know that words are far more powerful than weapons, and both must be chosen carefully.

Update

In an exchange with a writer from Salon.com, a NewsMax spokesperson attempted to explain their reasons for pulling down the column:

In a blog posting to Newsmax John Perry wrote about a coup scenario involving the U.S. military. He clearly stated that he was not advocating such a scenario but simply describing one.

After several reader complaints, Newsmax wanted to insure that this article was not misinterpreted. It was removed after a short period after being posted.

Newsmax strongly believes in the principles of Constitutional government and would never advocate or insinuate any suggestion of an activity that would undermine our democracy or democratic institutions.

Mr. Perry served as a political appointee in the Carter administration in HUD and FEMA. He has no official relationship with Newsmax other than as an unpaid blogger.

― Alex Koppelman

Of course, that doesn’t exactly match what we see in Mr. Perry’s biography or in his article archive, but at least NewsMax is attempting to distance themselves from this type of rhetoric, and that is a step in the right direction.

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