Why is Prez Obama heading into danger? [UPDATE: It's about money]

Why take such a risk? Why, for money and power of course.

EDIT and UPDATE: Egh, there is a clear security risk in India. President Obama is willing to walk headlong into it. Why? Because he is trying to score some lucrative agreements for the Federal Government’s pet companies; deals that would be between the government of India and Boeing, among other American companies.

How son-of-a-bitching noble, eh? More at the update below.

Originally posted at DATELINE ZERO Nov 6, 2010, morning. Last updated Nov 6, 2010, evening.

From DATELINE ZERO – As I write this, the Saturday morning news offers this in the major story:

Commercial flights are likely to be delayed by at least an hour when Air Force One, with an escort of three aircraft and five helicopters, touches down at Mumbai airport on Saturday morning. Though officials have yet to receive communication on air-space closure, protocol calls for a gap six minutes during a VVIP visit.

All eyes are on India, and all the security surrounding the President. Indeed, this has brought up a lot of questions, and more than a little suspicion.

9 AIRCRAFT IN OBAMA ENTOURAGE…
600 SECURITY AGENTS FORM ‘PROTECTION RING’ AT HOTEL…

This Presidential visit to India has grown into a huge spectacle involving 34 warships, a 3,000 person escort, the presence of 9 aircraft and a security ring of 300 people. An entire hotel has been booked for this visit.

CONTRAST: British PM David Cameron flying commercial…

Amusingly, Obama’s personal detail includes his ever-present prompter — sometimes called TOTUS (Teleprompter of the United States). Some people in India are a little perplexed, saying “we thought Obama is a trained orator.”

Welcome to American politics.

No doubt, there are security risks galore. Worry about a “Mumbai-style attack” has been talked about in both the US and the UK news. As the President Obama heads to Mumbai, India Todayhas an article about “the two faces of Obama,” saying that this visit “might only expose a dubious policy as he winks at his wartime ally, Pakistan, with one face and smiles at his peacetime friend, India, with another.” Thus, warning that Obama is blundering foreign policy in a way that could be very damaging, and even dangerous.

So why not call this off? On the other hand, why was this visit to India announced so far ahead of time as to give enemies opportunity to plan something? EDIT: Maybe because TPTB within the so-called “military industrial complex” said so.

But there could be something else to consider; the trip to India could be a simple case of misdirection. EDIT: Something else to consider, also, is that Obama is trying to score contracts for American companies. This, apparently, is what modern American foreign policy is all about.

There’s been speculation that something bad is brewing, and the president is actually heading to a safer place.  This is orchestrated to make it not appear that Obama is heading for cover.EDIT: “a more lucrative place.”

SEE RELATED: Web Bot “November Tipping Point” Update: Date Changed To Nov 14, build up to begin Nov 5…

UPDATE — Nov 6 evening:

My original post makes be look like an ass, because I didn’t see this earlier. I just saw an article at Economic Times that that actually explains why the White House is going through all this trouble to get to India. The answer is simple, but pretty disgusting, in my opinion.

Pres Obama is heading over there to personally kiss ass in the hopes of scoring some juicy defence contracts for Boeing C-17s, Lockheed Martin C-130Js, and shit load of other junk.

It’s doubtful that this is Obama’s idea, but that’s the cynical conspiracy theorist in me talking again. Obama is probably going because he was told to go.

India is likely to indicate or announce defence and other deals with the US worth around $15 billion during President Barack Obama’s Nov 6-9 visit.

While India is yet to decide the winner for the 126-plus Medium Multi Role Combat Aircraft (M-MRCA) contract from among the six US and European competitors, Washington is already set to win orders for six more Boeing C-17 Globemaster III strategic airlifters in addition to the 10 already being negotiated, six more Lockheed Martin C-130J Super Hercules aircraft in addition to the six already purchased, and possibly new combat and heavy lift helicopters depending upon the trial results.

The deal for four more Boeing P8-I Multimission Maritime Aircraft (MMA), or long-range anti-submarine aircraft, which the Navy recently announced, could also be firmed up.
…
These defence deals exceed $10 billion in value.

So there. Nothing complicated. Obama is simply risking money, security, and (according to the India Today) national diplomacy in the hopes of scoring “defence and other deals” from India’s government.

Hope it’s freaking worth it.

View the full post at Dateline Zero.