How Obama Took Over the Peace Movement

by John Stauber — March 27, 2009 - 2:00pm
  • Topics: Afghanistan, Politics, War / Peace
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    John Podesta's liberal think tank the Center for American Progress (CAP) strongly supports Barack Obama's escalation of the US wars in Afghanistan and Pakistan. This is best evidenced by Sustainable Security in Afghanistan, a CAP report by Lawrence J. Korb. Podesta served as the head of Obama's transition team, and CAP's support for Obama's wars is the latest step in a successful co-option of the US peace movement by Obama's political aides and the Democratic Party.

    CAP and the five million member liberal lobby group MoveOn were behind Americans Against Escalation in Iraq (AAEI), a coalition that spent tens of millions of dollars using Iraq as a political bludgeon against Republican politicians, while refusing to pressure the Democratic Congress to actually cut off funding for the war. AAEI was operated by two of Barack Obama's top political aids, Steve Hildebrand and Paul Tewes, and by Brad Woodhouse of Americans United for Change and USAction. Today Woodhouse is Obama's Director of Communications and Research for the Democratic National Committee. He controls the massive email list called Obama for America composed of the many millions of people who gave money and love to the Democratic peace candidate and might be wondering what the heck he is up to in Afghanistan and Pakistan. MoveOn built its list by organizing vigils and ads for peace and by then supporting Obama for president; today it operates as a full-time cheerleader supporting Obama's policy agenda. Some of us saw this unfolding years ago. Others are probably shocked watching their peace candidate escalating a war and sounding so much like the previous administration in his rationale for doing so.

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    The System is not in crisis--the System IS the crisis.

    Submitted by Anonymous on April 7, 2009 - 12:39am.

    Thanks for a good summary! I am very much with you on this analysis,

    Well Said

    Submitted by Anonymous on April 6, 2009 - 12:33am.

    Thank you very much for this succinct summary of the Obama Deception Campaign.

    We knew it when we saw it a year ago, with the saber rattling on Afghanistan and the talk of "taking out" bin Laden, but the alternative was so chilling that we could deceive ourselves that Obama would promote many progressive issues.

    Now it is clear that despite social program funding contained in an otherwise "pork" laden stimulus package, corporate interests will always come first and foremost under any Democrat-Republican Government.

    Zionists have always controlled the Left

    Submitted by Anonymous on March 31, 2009 - 4:53pm.

    Good article on the nuts and bolts but it does not mention how Zionists have long controlled (they more or less created) the Left/peace movement. Jeffrey Blankfort is a Jewish person who lives in CA and tells many stories of the Zionists sabotaging the peace movement regarding the Middle East. Noam Chomsky can wail about East Timor but if anyone tries to connect Israel to human rights violations the Left will pounce all over it saying you are not blaming Imperialism as the Left Trots and their gatekeepers do. Try pointing out that Israel is the dog tail that wags the dog and find yourself marginalized, ignored, or villified. Read the books by Mearsheimer and Walt, James Petras and Stephen Sniegoski and you can understand why the Left and Peace Movement (har) are ineffective from the get go.

    Movement or Party?

    Submitted by Anonymous on March 31, 2009 - 1:21pm.

    So who cares. Long ago, after the 'Nam War and the Central America horrors I decided that most US citizens like and support war: They know where the goodies come from.

    All I can hope for is the financial load on the system will cause its collapse a la USSR. Bin Laden has been quite open that this is his strategy. Terror is just his tactic.

    Chris Herz

    Retitled: How Obama Neutralized the Peace Movement – and Dissent

    Submitted by Anonymous on March 31, 2009 - 1:17pm.

    Thanks for your post. You said:
    "Some of us saw this unfolding years ago. Others are probably shocked watching their peace candidate escalating a war..."

    Sadly, most of the people I know fall into a third category: those who don't give a shit (and these are intelligent, creative, anti-war people). Obama is their man and they're still savoring their 'victory' in the game. They were tricked by mainstream media into believing they only had two choices: McCain (booo, grrrr) or a new fresh face with a great smile and a great speech.

    When our choices as citizens are fraudulently presented as black vs white, red vs. blue, etc., most will accept one as 'the best we can do' and forgo honest efforts toward real progress and peace. If Obama advocates a certain strategy in Afghan/Pakistan, you'll find little opposition or concern from those who supported him. The minds of the masses have been programmed to embrace the game of elections and the Left vs Right theater. It is entertaining and sustains the fantasy that our system of government is a democracy.

    Here's the point, and I said this during the campaign: Obama and the Democratic Party are there to neutralize dissent in America. Under Bush, blatant lies and crimes of government where right there in our faces. The silver lining was that this united the people against war and corruption; it gave us enormous power and potential. By buying into the theory that all evil comes from the 'other' team (Republicans), the Democrats win what they want: time and control. They got a free pass from 2006-2009 that will likely continue for as long as the Obama marketing wave has power.

    If progressive/peace groups had put their weight behind honest leaders like Kucinich, Nader or Paul, McCain might indeed have won the election. But we would be even more angry, united and motivated. THAT would be a victory for the people – a victory for understanding what we're up against. Instead, the 'divide and conquer' strategy of the corporate elite has won again. And we're stuck in deception hell.

    Yes, the progressives could have finally won,

    Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on April 21, 2009 - 2:03pm.

    but this exquisite fake swept into office wiping out decades of work on reform: elections, healthcare, economics, media and the military industrial complex. He represents a continuation of the subversion of our government for private profit and power. His stealthiness, his lying to the public about his intentions certainly rings my bell with the current CMD article on the illegality of using propaganda domestically. I don't think one can be a propaganda tool and uphold the oath of office at the same time.

    the easily led...

    Submitted by Anonymous on March 31, 2009 - 4:32pm.

    Precisely. The corporate elite do, in fact, play the electorate like a violin. Owing to a prolonged period of socio-political inactivity, non-involvement, complacence, etc., the electorate haven't got the stomach for a fight. For example (and this was brought to the attention of labor observer David Macaray on Counterpunch), where was American labor's presence, en masse, in DC to keep people like Specter and Feinstein on red alert vis a vis the EFCA Bill? American labor has not flexed any socio-political muscle--to any material degree--since Seattle, 1999. The result: EFCA Bill will emerge still born, i.e., corporate powerbrokers have thrown far too much money at K Street for it to receive a fair toss.

    When "We, the Sheeple" get close enough to the slaughter house that denial ceases to offer any solace it will then, in fact, be too late: the noose will have been cinched snugly to the throats of the halt and the blind. The Trifecta of Evil--the business sector/MSM/DC are perfectly willing to play hardball. That's how the game is won.

    Anyone who fell for ANY aspect of the campaign rhetoric--underwritten by $700+ million in media expenditures--is either a callow adolescent or utterly, and hopelessly naive. There are, of course, individuals eager to be led. That "personality" only serves to cultivate the top-down control by careerists--DC, Wall Street--whomever--currently wrecking our lives as well as our environment, i.e., the planet.

    We, the Sheeple: look up ahead. What do you see?

    The Wars

    Submitted by Anonymous on March 31, 2009 - 12:36pm.

    As a disabled combat vet of the debacle of Vietnam, I just keep waiting for somebody to start talking about the "light at the end of the tunnel". I know it's too cynical but let's not forget who funds these guys to get elected and as much as I would like to believe in grassroots power and the tooth fairy, the reality is that the think tank "best and brightest" and the wonderfully "able" generals and Pentagon have the ear of the President because they represent money and power in Washington. Somehow the bubble needs to be broken into and people need to speak loudly and clearly that these wars are wrong, need to end, and can end IF WE CHOOSE TO END THEM! And end them with peace, not violence. peace, tw

    Peace and War

    Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on November 15, 2009 - 10:54pm.

    I would like to know what happened with the peace movement...When Bush was in there were Peace Marches and rallies.. Where have they gone... I don't care who is President or which party is in... War is not the answer... We need to get out of the middle east . They have been fighting for centuries and always will.. There is no Chance for any kind of peacefullness until we leave. We would keep fighting if someone invaded our country... I bet when we brought down Sadam they didn't think we would be in there country, and region, for the next 8 to 9 years...NO MORE WAR!!!!!! OBAMA bring our Men and women home...That is why I voted for you!!..

    inaccuracies re: MoveOn.org

    Submitted by Anonymous on March 31, 2009 - 12:14pm.

    As a local coordinator for MoveOn.org's Operation Democracy council in Grand Rapids I can attest to the many times we demonstrated against the war and urged our Congressman Vern Ehlers to stop voting for the funding that escalated the war. MoveOn today is focusing on Obama's clean energy/green jobs proposal with a partnering with Green for All and the Clean Energy Corps proposal. I have heard nada about any attempts to influence its members to support Obama's foreign policy initiatives, which would no doubt be a devisive issue with our five million plus constituents. Mike Franz, Grand Rapids, MI