Response to Obama's Step Program on Terrorism

by Melinda Pillsbury-Foster 

Barack Obama's 'Step Program' for combating terrorism provides a transition to the automated war machine which takes the judgment of individual military out of the equation.

There are two reasons for this. The first is cost. The largest portion of the reduction is personnel costs. This leaves room to increase profits to the military-industrial complex which controls our government. The second reason is that machines have no conscience.

They follow orders and feel no empathy or compassion.  

We cannot allow this to happen.

The DOD has been opposing this move to automation for some time. Many within America's military understand anonymous killing by drones and other arms length technologies have, demonstrably, traumatized and murdered innocent civilians in every instance where they are used.

All people have rights, including the right to life. Our rights are inherent, vested in us by God, not by the Constitution or government.

America's behavior in this is nothing less than criminal. Those responsible, including the leadership of the last two administrations plus the Clintons and Sidney Blumenthal for their efforts to bring on the War in Iraq, should be arrested and tried for treason.

Knowing your mother, grandmother, child or other loved one can be blown to bits before your eyes has produced a natural hostility and distrust of our nation. Do you feel warm and fuzzy about Muslims right now? No. Is this fair? Again, no. But it is human and is dividing us and building distrust where once a global community was growing.

All of us are angry and traumatized by the killings in San Bernardino. I made multiple calls to a friend who lives there in the hours following the mass murder. Hearing her voice brought me to tears of relief.

President Obama is increasing the danger to American with the policy he mandates for war on terror. He is making it far more likely this kind of killing will increase.

The police who handled the crisis in San Bernardino acted just as they should have and deserve to be thanked, commended, and trusted. Seeing this warmed hearts and helped bring the community and those watching together.

However, we need to avoid generalizing their courageous individual and group response as reflecting on other law enforcement personnel and jurisdictions which continue to show they do not understand their obligations under the Constitution and routinely violate the rights of those they are paid to protect and defend.

Trust must be earned or it only makes us vulnerable.

A people who fear their government are not free. Today, Americans fear both terrorists and their government. This must change. We need a president who will end the corporate wars and make peace the mission.