Jackass of the century, GW Bush (image, Alex Clark)
As the hawks circle around Obama, drowning out any pacifist voice, Keith wonders why someone like Gen. McChrystal is given so much credence, a question that the Obama administration should have spent some of that “dithering” time contemplating.
General McChrystal has doubtless served his country bravely and honorably and at great risk, but to date his lasting legacy will be as the great facilitator of the obscenity that was transmuting the greatest symbol of this nation’s true patriotism, of its actual willingness to sacrifice, into a distorted circus fun-house mirror version of such selflessness.
Friendly fire killed Pat Tillman.Mr. McChrystal killed the truth about Pat Tillman.
And that willingness to stand truth on its head on behalf of “selling” a war — or the generic idea of America being at war — to turn a dead hero into a meaningless recruiting poster, should ring essentially relevant right now.
From the very center of a part of our nation that could lie to the public, could lie to his mother, about what really happened to Pat Tillman – from the very man who was at the operational center of that plan – comes the entire series of plans to help us supposedly find the way out of Afghanistan?
We are supposed to believe General McChrystal isn’t lying about Afghanistan?
Didn’t he blow his credibility by lying, so obviously and so painfully, about Pat Tillman?
Why are we believing the McChrystals?
I really think that if we get out of Afghanistan and Iraq as quickly as possible it will actually help the economy. Of all the stupid mistakes Bush made, these wars were at the top of the list. They threw the country into debt, they helped Al queda recruitment and they created enemies we never used to have. It is time to cut and run, while half of us still own our houses and have jobs.
GTFO! You mean Barry isn’t following through on campaign promises? No fuckin way!
Tough call on this one. This is what I expected (increase troop levels) because the last thing Obama needs is yet another reason for the right to point fingers at him for being soft or weak.
Of course Cheney can’t keep his mouth shut so he still gets it from him, but that is a separate issue.
Also, I’m not sure at what point you can say we “won” the war in Afghanistan. Maybe we never will be able to say that just as we couldn’t in Vietnam, but if you pull out now are you just saying all of the men and women who died over there died in vain?
There is no easy answer. I do like him not setting a timetable however because that simply informs the enemy that they just need to wait us out. Maybe in a year he can re-evaluate the situation and announce our departure. That could possibly be the middle-ground because it seems all the left wants to do is leave regardless of the impact and all the right wants to do is bomb them back to the stone age no matter the cost (economically or politically speaking).
I don’t think anyone envies a man who has to inherit two wars and then has to somehow end them leaving people thinking it was all worth it. Frankly I don’t think Bush had any intention of exiting or ever thought that far ahead – he knew that would be someone else’s problem so he could eat the meal without worrying about who was going to be doing the dishes.
Lyndon B. Johnson anyone?
Has the Good ol’ USofA ever invaded a country and NOT had active military bases there for decades after?
I have often felt we should pull troops out of combat situations in Afghanistan and Iraq and have a small force and base in each country, like 15-20,000.
“I will promise you this, that if we have not gotten our troops out by the time I am president, it is the first thing I will do. I will get our troops home. We will bring an end to this war. You can take that to the bank. “- Barack Obama, October 27, 2007
“We’ve got to get the job done there, and that requires us to have enough troops so that we’re not just air-raiding villages and killing civilians, which is causing enormous pressure over there.”
Barack Obama on Afghanistan, Aug. 2007
“We need more troops, more helicopters, more satellites, more Predator drones in the Afghan border region.”
Barack Obama, July 15, 2008
STFU, Sy.
Trifecta Tuesday. I went to lunch DT with PG today and Munson and Jodi Slacker walked in and shortly after Sy walked in. The South DaCola trifecta. And BTW, Sy, Munson wishes I was stalking him, but I have better things to do, like eating chalk.
Great food & service at Parker’s BTW. Gotta bring the wife there.
I’m just happy you and PG were able to maintain your composure and not start a ruckus, I would’ve hated to see Munson bust open the door with your forehead.
Death-grip Munson!
He threw a guy out of Minerva’s once.
Back on topic, I don’t know why you all are so fuckin’ pist at BHO.
The man is simply continuing Bush policy in Afghanistan, even though he and other ranking Dems have said Bush has ignored and/or screwed it up.
Take a read of this and tell me how increasing troop strength 10 fold is ignoring it. And if it’s screwing it up, than I guess BHO is bent to follow suit:
“For Afghanistan, troops in-country grew gradually from 5,200 in FY2002 to 20,400 in FY2006.
Between FY2006 and FY2008, average strength there jumped by another 10,000 to 30,100.
Under the Administration’s plans, CRS estimates that average monthly Boots on the Ground in
Afghanistan may increase to 50,700 in FY2009 with a further increase to 63,500 the following
year once all new units are in place. Currently, additional increases have not been approved.”
And L3wis, here’s the post withdrawal numbers they calculate, you were off by 30K, or about the same number BHO is sending in:
“In FY2009, total troop strength is expected to remain the same as planned increases in Afghanistan offset declines in Iraq. By FY2012, overall troop strength for the two wars is likely to decline to 67,500 when the
withdrawal from Iraq is expected to be complete.”
http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/natsec/R40682.pdf
Munson should be tried for crimes against citizens and treason. He has executive privelege and will walk. There will be serious repurcussions for his corrupt developers circle and certain city employees. For their sentence, they should be offered a tour in Afghanistan sweeping mine fields.
Costner,
“Lyndon B. Johnson anyone?”
I met Billy Sol Estes once in West Texas. Years later I encountered him at Dealy Plaza in Dallas hawking pamphlets. Billy Sol was LBJ’s wealthy front man much like L here. He ended up broke and homeless. Munson cronyism types will have ‘Phillips to Nowhere’ for their future dead-end tents site. However, they’ll have to move their camper every 30 days.
Sy-
I do agree with you on one thing. Obama is a gigantic disappointment. I still wonder if Hillary would have made a better president. But, I still believe he is better then McCain. I think the thing that bugs me about Obama is he diddle-dallies when it comes to making decisions, fuck, it took a couple of months to pick a dog for his kids (and I personally think that Ted Kennedy, a guy dying of brain cancer) made the decision for him.
I think the thing that bugs me about Obama is he diddle-dallies when it comes to making decisions, fuck, it took a couple of months to pick a dog for his kids (and I personally think that Ted Kennedy, a guy dying of brain cancer) made the decision for him.
In that way I suppose he’s a complete 180 from Bush.
I’ll take a guy who takes his time coming up with the right answer (leaving Iraq and A’stan right now is definitely not it) over a guy who goes with any idea Rumsfeld or Cheney ever had.
Bush had his positive attributes, Hillary has hers, and McCain has his as well. Overall, I think we got the smartest of the candidates, and one who isn’t likely to take us into another war.
Hillary was a total fake. I’d have voted for McCain before I voted for her. McCain had some baggage of his own. His temper was an issue and he picked Palin as his running mate. If that’s the kind of maverick decision he’s likely to make, it’s best that he lost.
GoD:
“Overall, I think we got the smartest of the candidates, and one who isn’t likely to take us into another war.’
Maybe so, but I also think we got the candidate with a disturbing mindset and a very dangerous habit of thinking his cult of personality can always win the day. Every speech, even one as crucial as his Afghan one, is strait from campaign mode. He knows no other way. Which also exposes the fact that he knows nothing more than being a Community Organizer with a tendancy to constantly apologize for America around the Globe.
Sure, best case he’s a pacifist trying to appease his base, but worst case is his apology tour is seen as weakness on parade, particularly to the Middle East & China, who are all too happy to see America on it’s knees, cup in hand.
His act is wearing thin and it’s obvious to more and more people every day, like this piece from Der Speigel articulates:
http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/0,1518,664753,00.html
I imagine you have apology quotes from his “apology tour”?
The middle east is only an issue until they run out of oil. Then the money flows back our way and they’re back to riding camels.
China is only powerful until they reach the point where they’re unable to feed themselves (again) because they’ve either polluted or developed all their arable land and fisheries. Both of those things will happen in anoher generation or two.
I watched the Afghan speech, and it seemed to me like he was honest about the current situation. Iraq is winding down to the point where our troops don’t have to be there. Afghanistan is on the verge, and we’ll be able to do the same thing there with the help of the pakistanis pushing from their side.
GoD:
“I imagine you have apology quotes from his “apology tourâ€?
Ask and ye shall receive:
Speech by President Obama, Rhenus Sports Arena, Strasbourg, France, April 3, 2009.[1]
“So we must be honest with ourselves. In recent years we’ve allowed our Alliance to drift. I know that there have been honest disagreements over policy, but we also know that there’s something more that has crept into our relationship. In America, there’s a failure to appreciate Europe’s leading role in the world. Instead of celebrating your dynamic union and seeking to partner with you to meet common challenges, there have been times where America has shown arrogance and been dismissive, even derisive.”
This and 9 more examples in the link below.
http://www.heritage.org/research/europe/wm2466.cfm
I guess that settles it. Being honest and forthright about our own past is tantamount groveling at the feet of the rest of the world.
Imagine if he’d said the following: “From now on, the United States will no longer own up to its mistakes. We are totally innocent of any wrongdoing, and owe the world nothing for anything we’ve ever done.”
Would you be cheering him on?