[Peace-discuss] Mishmash from O.

[C. G. Estabrook]

"civilian trials are a fundamental American value and now we'll deny them to 
many detainees"

"Afghanistan is in our absolute vital interest and we'll start leaving in 18 months"

...like most Obama decisions, last night he incorporated enough of every side 
and paid homage to conflicting principles such that it's impossible to identify 
what he really believes ("civilian trials are a fundamental American value and 
now we'll deny them to many detainees" is quite similar to: "Afghanistan is in 
our absolute vital interest and we'll start leaving in 18 months").  He's 
convinced his admirers that this is a form of noble "pragmatism" but, far more 
often, it appears to be a mishmash of political calculations bereft of principle 
and plagued by numerous internal contradictions that make it impossible to 
understand, let alone defend.  Everyone gets to read into it whatever they want 
to see.  --G. Greenwald