Memes poke fun at Obama after his 'Ask Osama bin Laden' remark
PUBLISHED ONJanuary 13, 2016 1:34 PM
Netizens were quick to grab one of President Obama's most bodacious lines from his final State of the Union address yesterday and bombard the Internet with hilarious memes of him as a swaggering hero and hot shot in assorted attire and poses.
Staunchly defending his terror-fighting record, he had rebutted and challenged critics, notably from Republican camp : "If you doubt America's commitment - or mine - to see that justice is done, ask Osama bin Laden."
As everyone knows, bin Laden, is dead. The founder and head of notorious militant group al-Qaeda was killed in Pakistan on May 2, 2011, by United States Navy SEALs.
The president forged ahead with his point on his counter-terrorism policy with more bravura: "Ask the leader of al Qaeda in Yemen, who was taken out last year, or the perpetrator of the Benghazi attacks, who sits in a prison cell. When you come after Americans, we go after you. It may take time, but we have long memories, and our reach has no limit."
Of course, that added fodder for meme creators to come up with wacky depictions of a fearless, bragging president.
Obama was reported to have made remarks in a similar tone at a press conference in December 2011 after bin Laden was killed.
"Ask Osama bin Laden and the 22 out of 30 top al Qaeda leaders who have been taken off the field whether I engage in appeasement," he was reported as saying.
The latest online hilarity also sparked off a verbal rumpus between two camps - Obama fans and his critics.
Those on the Democrat president's side defended his internal and world policies, while his detractors were quick to maul him.
Personalities in the Republican camp were not spared either.
Those who had been lampooned in memes and criticised online include former presidential candidate Mitt Romney, and its current presidential hopeful, Donald Trump, whose abundant spewing at rallies has whipped up more controversies and jokes than any other candidate so far in the race for the White House.
chenj@sph.com.sg
See also: President Obama's State of the Union address
See also: If Donald Trump was a Muslim in Pakistan