The controversy over President Barack Obama continues with an interesting twist: Maj. Gen. Carroll Dean Childers (ret.) and active U.S. Air Force reservist Lt. Col. David Earl Graeff are supporting the litigation. On July 8th, Maj. Stefan Frederick Cook filed the suit July 8th in federal court demanding conscientious objector status and a preliminary injunction based upon his claim that President Barack Obama is not a natural-born citizen of the United States. He argued that, since Obama cannot serve as president of the United States, he cannot order him to deploy as commander-in-chief of the U.S. Armed Forces.
What is curious is the decision by the military to suddenly revoke the deployment orders of Cook. That served to fuel the growing movement spreading this rumor. The government is now claiming that the lawsuit is “moot” since Cook doesn’t have to go to Afghanistan. Cook in turn has added a claim to this lawsuit that he was retaliated against for his lawsuit after he was terminated at Simtech Inc., a Department of Defense contractor.
The addition of a retired major general and active colonel will have more of a promotional and legal benefit for these litigants. It was an unfortunate decision to revoke these orders. The Administration should have fought the lawsuit on the merits rather than try to moot the matter. The optics are perfect for those alleging a grand conspiracy to conceal Obama’s birth certificate (which has been viewed as third parties) and hide his alleged foreign born status.
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Guys, this is *not* about conspiracy theories.
There is one simple question that needs answering. Is it a constitutional fact that a U.S. Citizen must be born on U.S. soil AND specifically, are *both* of his/her parents required to be U.S Citizens?
Who among us posting here would not tender whatever documents required, answering this question for the last time. I know that I certainly would. As a Federal LEO, I had to reveal virtually everything about me, every relative who worked for the govt., and my clearances were thoroughly reviewed every 5 years.
The Bush National Guard story cratered under the weight of the patently phony, Microsoft Word-generated “official” documents that Dan Rather so naively and willingly proferred. If the Obama citizenship controversy issue is merely a figment of the far right’s imagination, then why doesn’t the President just end it once and for all by tendering his birth documentation to independent, reputable forensic document examiners for authentication? What’s so hard about that??
I tend to agree with Jim Byrne (above) on this one.
rafflaw,
You are, to some extent, wrong. I personally believe that Obama is a “natural born” US citizen, but I’m extremely bothered by his refusal to address the issue.
It’s not – at least not in all cases – swiftboating. Obama’s response to this issue has been unconscionable.
Mr. Turley
As the supposed pre-emminent constitutional scholar, why don’t you explain to all of us the issues surrounding ‘what is a natural born citizen according to the constitution?’ ‘What court cases and congressional actions have declared a natural born citizen to be.’ , ‘what the assetions are in these claims and lawsuits.’ , and why Obama has refused to date to answer any of these challenges on the merits and in fact has spent close to or more than 1 million dollars weaseling around them on standing grounds or other technicalities.
If these questioners are so absolutely wrong and misguided, please show that with facts and evidence rather than laughter, denials and scorn.
Don’t the people have a right to know?
regards…
Why would an honorable man continue to fight so hard to hide information about his birth? Why? –How long does one stand on “you can’t make me”?
The one document that should put an end to the controversy must be the same one that will create a greater controversy.
Mike Spindell hit it right on the nose. This is a swiftboat attempt to discredit the President and to derail or slow down the health care reform and other issues from being successful. The business of being an objector on the grounds that the President does not have the right to be President is BS. What standing does a soldier have to object to the President’s status as President? My understanding of the CO requirements is that an individual applying for that status must show that he/she is against all wars on moral and ethical grounds and not idividual policies or wars. I had a friend during the Vietnam war that applied and received his CO status and was only able to claim the moral and ethical grounds. Also, once you are in the military it is far higher standard to be successful in obtaining the CO status. I have to agree that the administration should have proceeded to prosecute this individual or to deny his claim, but his legal ability to withdraw his request to be deployed is a legitimate one.
No matter what this won’t go away. It will become the “Vince Foster suicide” of this administration in the eyes of wingnuts. As for Cmdr Codpeieces National Guard Service, it’s clear that the mainstream media let itself be muzzled on that one.
There is more evidence than the birth certificate. Evidence shows Barack Obama was an Indonesian citizen in the US on a student visa even after his parents were divorced when he was over 18 years old. That is why he did not register for the selective service, he was not required to, being a foreign citizen. Then he had to create one for the campaign when questions were asked.
The charges and evidences against Barack Obama are on my website, court style:
http://www.divine-way.com/forgery_evidences_sss_reg_colb_birth_cert_for_obama_impeachment.html
and
http://obama-birth-cert-forged-sss-impeach.blogspot.com
A copy was sent to Barack Obama and US Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald. Both were sent about 2-11-09. Barack Obama clearly thinks he has something to hide.
Email the president that you want this controversy ended, http://www.whitehouse.gov/contact/ The president, administration and Congress, and media will only press the president to quickly end this controversy if the people press them for a quick end. He should easily be able to end this controversy with proofs he has held as hidden. The president is open for blackmail from his own administration and others who have his records: Kenya, Pakistan, Indonesia, classmates and faculty at his colleges etc. This is serious and he cannot get out without prayer.
The issue is as ridiculous as was the “Swiftboaters” game in the Kerry candidacy and no doubt funded by the same crackpots.
I’m not surprised that an Air Force General and Colonel have got involved in this given the fairly successful attempts to Christianize The Air Force Academy in Colorado. Remember to the long history of air Force Kookery exemplified by General Curtis
LeMay, who wanted to H Bomb Cuba and Russia during the missile
crisis.
The Air Force has always had an overrated sense of their own importance, given that no wars have ever been won solely, or partially by air power. It’s the guys on the ground the Infantry and the Marines who win the wars, backed up by the men of the Navy, who win them at sea.
Finally, Jonathan’s point about why the Army dropped the orders, rather than allowing the case to go through is a good one. All it did was add fuel to this addled fire.
To me rcampbell’s perspective on this is the best one. This is perhaps the least probable of conspiracy theory surmises and if some evil group really planned this then we are all in trouble because they would have to have had strong psychic as well as superb analytical powers.
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What’s really curious is that the military has done such a bad job explaining why Cook’s orders were revoked.
Apparently, because Cook volunteered for duty in Afghanistan, he has the right to change his mind. By filing his suit, the military obviously concluded he had changed his mind, and accordingly revoked his orders to deploy.
The fact that Cook volunteered, then filed his suit, certainly speaks to his motives.
View the video and comment on its contents.
The controversy is the difference between a natural born U.S. citizen v. a U.S. citizen. To become POS, one must be a Natural Born U.S. Citizen.
Requirements for a Natural Born U.S. Citizen
1) Born on U.S. soil
2) *Both* parents must be U.S. Citizens
Accordingly, Mr. Obama’s father was not a U.S. Citizen but was subject to British rule. Therefore both of Obama Jr.’s parents were *not* U.S. citizens and Jr. is *not* a *Natural Born* Citizen.
There is no question whatsoever that B.H. Obama is a U.S. citizen because one of his parents—his mother—was a U.S. Citizen.
Professor Turley, given your status as a constitutional scholar, what is your position regarding the Natural Born U.S. citizenship requirement for the U.S. Presidency v. the naturalized or ‘plain’ U.S. citizenship?
Vince Treacy, please consider addressing this specific controversy.
One has to be amazed by the inanity of all this. First of all, as George mentioned, it doesn’t matter where Obama was born, he’s a citizen by virtue of his mother’s citizenship. Secondly, and this is the part causes me outright laughter, these lunatics call this a conspiracy to elect a socialist, a communist, a terrorist, etc. Now, if you were going to try to subvert the American system would you really select a half-black man born in the early 1960’s of a white mother, give him a Muslim name and fully expect he’d become President of the United States? You’d have to first plan Clinton’s daliances in order to get a completely incompitent and maleable GWBush elected, plan and execute the 911 disaster and the failures of the Iraqi invasion and the implosion of the economy. Even Dick Cheney isn’t that conspiratorial.
And, the soldiers should all get it in writing that they will never be deployed. At this point I suspect our govt. will argue on their case on the merits, but if there’s a chance of people not being sent to war, I’m all for taking it.
Argue it on the merits.
If this is how the govt. wants to deal with it, then every soldier ought to join this claim and get out of being sent to any one of our many illegal and immoral wars.
Exactly What IS a Natural Born Citizen?
I’m guessing that this retired Major General wasn’t curious one bit about Commander Codpiece’s mysterious National Guard papers.
Can greater minds than mine explain this to me? If President Obama’s mother WAS a U.S. Citizen (and there is no dispute there, from what I understand), then President Obama could have been born inside the Kremlin — or on the Moon for that matter — and still be eligible to stand for the presidency, correct? I don’t agree with him on many things, but it seems like this illegitimacy argument is beyond foolish.
Yes, Obama should fight the issue, not continuously bury it. Then again, maybe – just maybe – he has something to hide.
Mike Castle (R-DE) asked about Obama Birth Certificate
I say try the man for dereliction of duty. Maybe an Article 15 would be appropriate under the circumstances.
“Cook in turn has added a claim to this lawsuit that he was retaliated against for his lawsuit after he was terminated at Simtech Inc., a Department of Defense contractor.”
Well la tee da, should not all us us be so lucky: First) Still employed by the DOD and earning benefits and pay; Second) Working for a DOD Contractor, being paid and earning Social Security credits, humm, not a bad gig; and Third) Refusing to Follow Orders as Commanded by the CIC? Maybe a Section 8 would be more appropriate.
What does he think he is?