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    tomder55's Avatar
    tomder55 Posts: 1,742, Reputation: 346
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    #1

    Dec 2, 2009, 07:09 AM
    The President's Afghanistan strategery
    The King of France went up the hill With 30,000 men, The King of France came down the hill, And ne'er went up again!

    July 4,2011 Mark it on your calendar Mullah Omar . That is the artificial date when the President says that US troops will begin their withdrawal from Afghanistan . Then he threw out a bone to those of us who don't believe in timetables by saying that the date wasn't set in stone ;but that conditions on the ground would dictate further action .The immediate question that comes to mind is ,why place a deadline in the 1st place? All positive reports I'm hearing is that the Afghan National Army (ANA) will require a minimum of 3-4 years training to be able to stand up... not 18 months.

    POTUS still doesn't get that announcing things like exit strategy has reprecussions beyond the theater of operation. How do shaky allies like Pakistan read it ? What will the rogue NORKs and the usurpers in Iran think of it ? How about AQ ? Can they wait out US pressure ? If I am them ,I'm game planning for post July 2011 . Is it a coincidence that the summer of 2011 is the time that the 2012 campaign begins in earnest ? Hardly.

    When President Bush announced his Iraq surge he spoke with an air of certainty despite all the domestic pressure he was under . There was no talk of exit ;he told everyone he was taking the action because he had victory in his sights. In contrast Obama's rally cry could've been To the exit all ....full speed to the rear !

    Ralph Peters calls it like it is "just plain nuts"

    Our president is setting up our military to fail -- but he'll be able to claim that he gave the generals what they wanted. Failure will be their fault.
    He's covering his strong-on-security flank, even as he plays to our white-flag wavers. His cynicism's worthy of a Saddam.
    Obama's right about one thing, though: The Afghans "will ultimately be responsible for their own country." So why undercut them with an arbitrary timeline that doesn't begin to allow adequate time to expand and train sufficient Afghan forces? Does he really believe that young Afghans are going to line up to join the army and police knowing that we plan to abandon them in mid-2011?
    Does the 2012 election ring a bell?
    What messages did our president's bait-and-switch speech just send?
    To our troops: Risk your lives for a mission I've written off.
    To our allies: Race you to the exit ramp.
    To the Taliban: Allah is merciful, your prayers will soon be answered.
    To Afghan leaders: Get your stolen wealth out of the country.
    To Pakistan: Renew your Taliban friendships now (and be nice to al Qaeda). This isn't just stupid: It's immoral. No American president has ever espoused such a worthless, self-absorbed non-strategy for his own political gratification.
    Setting up our military to fail - NYPOST.com
    excon's Avatar
    excon Posts: 21,482, Reputation: 2992
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    #2

    Dec 2, 2009, 07:20 AM

    Hello tom:

    I agree. We should have told 'em that we'll be there FOREVER... They'll believe that too.

    Really. They will. I mean, our history bears that out, no?

    excon
    tomder55's Avatar
    tomder55 Posts: 1,742, Reputation: 346
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    #3

    Dec 2, 2009, 07:24 AM

    Imagine Truman saying... by 1955 we will be out of the Koreas.
    excon's Avatar
    excon Posts: 21,482, Reputation: 2992
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    #4

    Dec 2, 2009, 07:42 AM
    Quote Originally Posted by tomder55 View Post
    imagine Truman saying ....by 1955 we will be out of the Koreas.
    Hello again, tom:

    I agree with you again, tom. But, not for the same reasons...

    War isn't something you dabble in. If it's a fight worthy of sacrificing our young, then we should be ALL IN, to borrow a poker phrase. If we can't decide, as a nation, whether we're ALL IN or not, we'd better be ALL OUT.

    George Bush dabbled in Afghanistan for 8 years with the predictable outcome. Looks like Obama is doing the same thing.

    excon
    speechlesstx's Avatar
    speechlesstx Posts: 1,111, Reputation: 284
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    #5

    Dec 2, 2009, 07:57 AM

    But he sounded tough. After handpicking his commander, asking for a plan, sitting on it and squirming over it for 8 months, the media's shtick is "Obama wants to move quickly on Afghanistan."
    George_1950's Avatar
    George_1950 Posts: 3,099, Reputation: 236
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    #6

    Dec 2, 2009, 08:18 AM

    The Union Army is still in Atlanta; look it up: Fort McPherson, named after a blue belly.

    If I were a competitor or enemy of the USA, I would give Obama the Nobel Prize, or any other award he wants.

    If he was as smart as the MSM thought he was, he would defer any prizes or awards; but he loves the adulation. Lol He's a sucker for himself.

    Btw: I thought the students at West Point looked irritated with being a prop for the pres. Can't say as I blame them: we used to study when I was in college, and I expect they still do at West Point.
    Wondergirl's Avatar
    Wondergirl Posts: 39,354, Reputation: 5431
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    #7

    Dec 2, 2009, 08:23 AM
    Quote Originally Posted by George_1950 View Post
    I thought the students at West Point looked irritated with being a prop for the pres.
    I noticed that too. Did you see the one guy who was asleep sitting up?
    excon's Avatar
    excon Posts: 21,482, Reputation: 2992
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    #8

    Dec 2, 2009, 08:24 AM
    Quote Originally Posted by George_1950 View Post
    I thought the students at West Point looked irritated with being a prop for the pres.
    Hello George:

    So, I suppose you're going to tell us that the dufus just happened to be flying around the Atlantic Ocean when he spotted an aircraft carrier and decided to drop in to give a speech...

    Dude! If you want to criticize Obama for his policies, go for it... But, if you accuse him of doing exactly what your buddy, the DUFUS did, I'm going to call you on it.

    excon
    George_1950's Avatar
    George_1950 Posts: 3,099, Reputation: 236
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    #9

    Dec 2, 2009, 08:36 AM
    Quote Originally Posted by excon View Post
    Hello George:

    So, I suppose you're going to tell us that the dufus just happened to be flying around the Atlantic Ocean when he spotted an aircraft carrier and decided to drop in to give a speech....

    excon
    I would love to see Obama land on an aircraft carrier; I would pay to see that. Lol
    George_1950's Avatar
    George_1950 Posts: 3,099, Reputation: 236
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    #10

    Dec 2, 2009, 08:48 AM
    Quote Originally Posted by excon View Post
    Hello George:

    So, I suppose you're going to tell us that the dufus just happened to be flying around the Atlantic Ocean when he spotted an aircraft carrier and decided to drop in to give a speech....

    excon
    Upon further consideration, why don't you send this up to your pals at the White House? Suggest President Obama land on a carrier (do we have one called Benedict Arnold), and apologize to the sailors for Bush's misdeeds and statements of victory... surely, they will agree with him and cheer him as well.
    excon's Avatar
    excon Posts: 21,482, Reputation: 2992
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    #11

    Dec 2, 2009, 09:10 AM

    Hello again, Steve:

    speechlesstx agrees: They all use props, but Obama is the prop master. But which has more cred as a CIC?

    I don't know. Seeing the dufus with his parachute straps all tight, revealing his package for all the world to see, wasn't too presidential. But, what do I know?

    excon
    George_1950's Avatar
    George_1950 Posts: 3,099, Reputation: 236
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    #12

    Dec 2, 2009, 10:03 AM


    You progressives can find the silliest things to gripe about.
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    tomder55's Avatar
    tomder55 Posts: 1,742, Reputation: 346
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    #13

    Dec 2, 2009, 10:28 AM
    War isn't something you dabble in. If it's a fight worthy of sacrificing our young, then we should be ALL IN, to borrow a poker phrase. If we can't decide, as a nation, whether we're ALL IN or not, we'd better be ALL OUT.
    He could've decided it wasn't worth it ;but he knows that we are engaged in a war with jihadistan or radical Islam(whatever you call them) and a retreat is viewed as a weakness that they are more than willing to exploit. Adding additional troops and giving them an impossible mission is worse. But as with most things ,the President makes decisions based on HOPE .
    tomder55's Avatar
    tomder55 Posts: 1,742, Reputation: 346
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    #14

    Dec 2, 2009, 10:52 AM
    btw: I thought the students at West Point looked irritated with being a prop for the pres.
    noticed that too. Did you see the one guy who was asleep sitting up?
    And Chris Matthews thought Ike Hall was enemy terroritory .
    The president chose to address tonight and I thought it was interesting. He went to maybe the enemy camp tonight to make his case. I mean, that's where Paul Wolfowitz used to write speeches for, back in the old Bush days. That's where he went to rabble rouse the "we're going to democratize the world" campaign back in '02. So, I thought it was a strange venue."
    Matthews on Obama's Speech at West Point: He 'Went to Maybe the Enemy Camp Tonight' | Video Cafe
    speechlesstx's Avatar
    speechlesstx Posts: 1,111, Reputation: 284
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    #15

    Dec 2, 2009, 11:00 AM
    Quote Originally Posted by excon View Post
    I dunno. Seeing the dufus with his parachute straps all tight, revealing his package for all the world to see, wasn't too presidential. But, what do I know?
    Bush was after all an F-102 pilot and he was riding in the co-pilot's seat of a Navy S-3B Viking. I think his dress was appropriate (and I'm sure required) for the ride.
    galveston's Avatar
    galveston Posts: 451, Reputation: 60
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    #16

    Dec 2, 2009, 02:17 PM

    I've noticed that the libs have a catch-all response to criticism of Obama.

    "Bush made him do it." Or similar equivalent.

    That is becoming a tired old dog that just ain't going to hunt anymore.
    George_1950's Avatar
    George_1950 Posts: 3,099, Reputation: 236
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    #17

    Dec 2, 2009, 02:25 PM
    Quote Originally Posted by galveston View Post
    I've noticed that the libs...

    That is becoming a tired old dog that just ain't gonna hunt anymore.
    Libs/progressives don't hunt anyway; they take.
    paraclete's Avatar
    paraclete Posts: 2,706, Reputation: 173
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    #18

    Dec 2, 2009, 02:42 PM
    Strategy, the only strategy implicit in this latest move is a logical withdrawal from Afghanistan and unless the enemy should become emboldened there will be more troops to facilitate it. Let us hope that Obama's withdrawal from Kabul doesn't finish in the same way the British retreat from Kabul finished.

    Obama said it all when he said the only country he is interested in developing is his own. A recognition of two things; America is in dire need of addressing its own internal problems, and Afghanistan is a backward society that resources should not be wasted on.
    tomder55's Avatar
    tomder55 Posts: 1,742, Reputation: 346
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    #19

    Dec 2, 2009, 03:00 PM

    Let us hope that Obama's withdrawal from Kabul doesn't finish in the same way the British retreat from Kabul finished.
    I wouldn't wish that on anyone.

    Obama said it all when he said the only country he is interested in developing is his own. A recognition of two things; America is in dire need of addressing its own internal problems, and Afghanistan is a backward society that resources should not be wasted on.
    He also said Afpakai is a national security concern of the United States worthy of our continued effort.
    paraclete's Avatar
    paraclete Posts: 2,706, Reputation: 173
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    #20

    Dec 2, 2009, 04:33 PM
    Quote Originally Posted by tomder55 View Post

    He also said Afpakai is a national security concern of the United States worthy of our continued effort.
    Which means he is willing to put money into it, to provide Pakistan with military and economic aid. You have to tread a fine line when you are dealing with paranoid people and the Pakistani's are very paranoid. Pakistan is a breeding ground for Muslim terrorists and very close to being a failed state. We have to remember that Pakistan is a factor in the Taliban, they fostered their development. Their President is a Taliban sympathiser.

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