Cutting the head off the snake makes no rational sense?

By giving many of the lower-downs a 'pass' with the 'you were just following orders' rationale (something he has been repeating- think Chinese trade stuff), he provides his own players a good reason to want to 'follow orders'.

Obama was a symbol- get ride of it for good and the movement is dead. How to keep him from becoming a martyr? -have sufficient proof of his heinousness (videos/images- words/documents won't cut it).