The Change I No Longer Believe In

It's true Obama is very bright and has amazing public relations charm. Whereas Ronald Reagan lacked discretion, Obama is renowned for telling each individual audience exactly what he thinks they want to hear. Now, almost a year and a half after his inauguration, all I can say is: So much for "Change We Can Believe In." BTW, I voted for him, and probably deserve a pie in the face for doing so. But what are the FACTS?

1. The US is still very much in Iraq.
2. The Obama administration has escalated the war in Afghanistan, just as he told us he would during the '08 campaign. It's a fine testament to my own capacity for self-delusion that I thought he might be cajoled into doing otherwise.
3. Obama decided to keep George W. Bush's Iran-Contra and Iraq War tainted Robert Gates in office.
4. The latest Pentagon budget to be passed cost a RECORD $708 billion - realistically it's more in the neighborhood of $1 trillion.
5. The Obama administration has fought passionately in the courts to be able to "legally" violate the civil/human rights of those detained unconstitutionally. It's even gone out of its way to let the torturers from the Bush regime off the hook.
6. Obama has been - to say the LEAST - much less forceful than he needs to be about making BP plug the spewing Gulf oil well and clean up the sludge.
7. Obama has been saber-rattling lately in the direction of Tehran and Pyongyang.
I could go on, but I think I've made my point. I no longer believe in this alleged change.