And then it wasn't.
Even as that White House ceremony was going on there were questions about whether Bowe was all that. There was mystery surrounding his disappearance, he had just walked off base, and there were some hard feelings in the Army that resources had been diverted and men endangered searching for Bowe. Had the president's achievement come at too dear a price? He had released five Taliban held in Guantanamo in exchange.
And then Bowe's hometown canceled their parade.
Bowe was in Mannheim, Germany at the time of the White House ceremony getting a medical evaluation. I don't think he ever made it to freedom. By the time he was ready the Army was not so sure. I think he went immediately into custody for investigation.
That investigation has concluded with the filing of general court martial charges against Bowe for a most serious offense, "misbehavior before the enemy by endangering the safety of a command, unit or place." The charge carries a maximum penalty of life in prison and we're only given one of those life things.
It was the worst of times. I cannot think of a single instance where Barack Obama's judgment has been so exposed. He plowed right ahead with all the questions swirling and made the trade of five hardened enemy fighters for one American traitor if the charges stick. The president gave the appearance of a "rigid ideologue," Peter Wehner's characterization of him, of possessing a "closed mind," ditto.
And with the five Taliban out of Gitmo Obama was able to check off an item on his bucket list, the closing of the base entirely. Which stirred feelings of ulterior motives from the Getgo.
The president fucked up; he has fucked up his fair share as president. Recently, I have had occasion to regret a post of a couple of months ago, I think I must have had some potent spirits when I wrote "The Case for Greatness." I concluded, please don't tell me I went further, that there was a more compelling case for "very goodness" but not greatness. Maybe "good." "Adequate." Gentleman's "B-." He has an agenda, which a president might profit from having, it seems to me knowing what you want to do is a he'pful thing for a POTUS to have. But only if those things you know what you want to do are not stupid shit. He did stupid shit with Bowe.
He knew he wanted to get the Iran deal and he pursued it with closed-minded commitment and he got it: the signature foreign policy achievement of his presidency. And he won't change his mind on Iran no matter how many medium range missiles Iran test-fires.
Obama's mind does seem to be closed on some things and a mind is a terrible thing to close. It is not the best of times, it is not the worst of times, either, but the case for very goodness is looking shaky and Obama is only a little above his Gentleman's "C" predecessor and his second term grades, the buck it years, are bringing down his GPA considerable.
This is Public Occurrences and that is the incredible shrinking Barack Obama.
