In Wednesday’s American Thinker, Silvio Canto, Jr. observed  that Pres. Barack Obama’s failure to say anything at all about the killing of Maj. Gen. Harold J. Greene in Afghanistan “speaks volumes."  Indeed it does!

But, for those of us who have come to have a sense of what to expect from Pres. Obama, here are some other things he might have said.

He might have at least acknowledged the event by declaring it another case of workplace violence, as he did when Maj. Nidal Hasan murdered 13 and wounded more than 30 at Ft. Hood.

Obama might even have taken the opportunity to preface his remarks about Gen. Greene by giving a "shout-out" to Dr. Joe Medicine Crow, as he did in his remarks about the Ft. Hood massacre. Or he could have grinningly introduced someone else in the audience before addressing the somber topic, or made some other inappropriate quip to trivialize the statement to follow. 

It's not as if issuing a statement about the killing would have interrupted his golf game, or one of his frequent (and lavish) vacations. He was in Washington, DC, addressing the U.S./Africa Business Forum; there were plenty of reporters around. It might have taken all of ten minutes out of his busy, demanding day.

He might have said he'd "just found out about it," the way he "just found out about" the IRS scandal, or the VA scandal, or Benghazi, or anything else that he only became aware of when he heard it on the news or read it in the paper.

He might have told us that he was “as upset about it as anyone."  And then he might have sternly vowed to “not rest until those responsible have been brought to justice” (and then he could have proceeded directly to the golf course, or to Air Force One for his next vacation).

Who knows? He might have even laid the blame on a video, or on persons who had “acted stupidly."  He might have even remarked that if he had a son, that son would look like Gen. Greene (or perhaps like Gen. Greene’s killer). He might have taken yet another opportunity to remind us that Islam is a peaceful religion that has been integral to the fabric of America since the Mayflower landed, and that in no way are we at war with Islam.

But No. Not a word. Not even an acknowledgement that it had occurred, let alone a word of sympathy or condolence to the man's grieving family (or to those of us who, as patriotic citizens, bemoan the loss of any of our military men and women). ¡Ninguna palabra! Not a single word about it. Zip, Zilch, Nada; Nichevo.

Instead, by his total silence, he trivialized the event and the slain warrior (not, strictly speaking, a casualty of combat, but a murder victim), and reminded us of his utter contempt for our military, and for our American notions of decency and respect. 

But then, why should any of us find this surprising? After all, Obama can't even spell "respect".

Author’s Note: Stu Tarlowe has penned more than 65 pieces for American Thinker. His pantheon of heroes and role models includes Barry Farber, Jean Shepherd, Long John Nebel, Aristide Bruant, Col. Jeff Cooper, Rabbi Meir Kahane, Hunter S. Thompson, Ed McMahon and G. Gordon Liddy.