Et tu Obie

[auth. Jan 19th]

Sorry I 'aven't been 'ere for some days. Da 'ead cold works its uncomfortable magic.

During that time. Obama has made it this far. He took a train ride in a private coach. The only thing missing was the steam. It was replaced by a lot of other hot gases.

The only saving thing for Obama is that unlike his thick predecessor he appears to have surrounded himself with very smart people. But I have found that the only thing he does is repeat the same old phrases of future hope.

Closing Guantanamo takes the stroke of a pen. Filling out the forms for the transfer of billions to the banks takes the stroke of a pen.

Here lies a striking comparison. The leader of Afghanistan, Karzai, is rumored to be guarded by a full US Marine Brigade or about one thousand soldiers at any time. This is a lot of guards.

In Washington, according to CTV news, Obama's security detail for his first day on the job will be 40,000 security personnel, police and secret service agents. Or in other words, Obama is being guarded with a force roughly the size of the entire Canadian Army (circa 1995).

In most grim estimates the size of direct Al Qaeda operatives, optimistically put the global count as around17,000. This is highly speculative numbers, since the organizational structure and behavior not only changes from region to region, also remains liquid within it.

A terror group, any terror group wins by inflicting terror. Strategic topographical control remains a minor priority. The over the top response by Americans shows that the terror group wins again.

I am also reflective on history. Americans should study history. Most political leaders are not overthrown by an alien force but often by those considered close allies. Julius Caesar, Caligula, Sertorius, Anwar Sadat, Indira Ghandi, were offed by members of their own guard or, with the guard's complicity. Indeed one is more likely to have a successful internal attack than a successful external attack. A leader should also be aware of the mood of the Praetorian Guard.

This was taken to extreme in the Ottoman Empire when these emporers employed foreign born eunuchs called Janissaries. What history proved though was that the Janissaries played a role in leadership changes as that empire matured. Indeed they shortened the reigns of more than one of their supposed benefactors.

So Obama has a Praetorian Guard too. One army of guards exists surrounding him. Ironic, that it is only called the Secret Service. History should cause him to fear his Conservative leaning guards more than some imaginary terror plots.