The Barack Obama Evolution Blog

The Prime Directive

Yes I am a Star Trek fan but this post is not about that type of prime directive. Where there can be no interference with the internal development of pre-warp civilizations (civilizations where the technology for interstellar spaceflight has not been developed). The directive has evolved to include purposeful efforts to improve or change in any way the natural course of such a society, even if that change is well-intentioned and kept completely secret.

The Star Fleet Federation takes an oath to do no harm or interfere with other species. The understanding that I am addressing with the Prime Directive was present in the underlying tone of President Obama’s announcement last night about sending more troops to Afghanistan.

As I listened to the President I became very solemn to know that one of the 35,000 that he is sending over to Afghanistan includes a young man I know.  As I was listening to his speech I really wasn’t moved on way or another. I suppose I was still  numb at the news of this young man I know going to Iraq.  My reasoning was purely to get a better understanding why more troops had to be sent and more money expended. As I listened to President Obama’s speech his 3 reasons for his decision as well as his 3 prongs of execution were made clear.

I looked upon his face and into his eyes I could see that this was not an easy decision to send people to war knowing that some would be killed and never return. I saw a deep regret of what a commander in chief must do to preserve the whole. This is hard to live with and a very difficult decisions that I pray we as individuals may never have to make.

I remember a Star Trek episode where Spock died to order to save the whole of the Enterprise. The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few or the one,was the statement spoken by Spock. Yes this is not Enterprise but the pain is no less felt from President Obama as it was with Captain Kirk. I deplore the killing in war but understand that it is a necessary evil for the preservation of all, this is my left brain thinking. Wars have been fought since Biblical times. It is combative force between our humanity and necessity to preserve all life.

As I continued to listen I understood the superficial reasons for sending more. I am concerned where the money is coming and as  a United States citizen I should be. I would be derelict of my citizenship if I wasn’t. I watched as we were at war with Saddam Hussein and the billions/trillions that poured into this warfare.I know war costs money and also makes money, to me the reasons behind it heavily outweighed the few reasons I saw for not. I hated to admit it, reality can make you feel oxymoron-ic at times.

President Obama also stated it himself,

“So, no, I do not make this decision lightly.  I make this decision because I am convinced that our security is at stake in Afghanistan and Pakistan.  This is the epicenter of violent extremism practiced by al Qaeda.  It is from here that we were attacked on 9/11, and it is from here that new attacks are being plotted as I speak.  This is no idle danger; no hypothetical threat.  In the last few months alone, we have apprehended extremists within our borders who were sent here from the border region of Afghanistan and Pakistan to commit new acts of terror. And this danger will only grow if the region slides backwards, and al Qaeda can operate with impunity.  We must keep the pressure on al Qaeda, and to do that, we must increase the stability and capacity of our partners in the region.”

So we literally march on for a better world peace to live long and prosper.

“Evolve”

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Posted on Wednesday, December 2nd, 2009 at 7:48 under Barack Updates, Foreign Affairs per Barack, Home Security per Barack, Legislative Barack, The Renegade Spot. Leave a response, or trackback from your own site.