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Wednesday, June 22, 2011
Scathing cartoon on Obama's Afghanistan policy
Cartoon critique of President Obama's Afghanistan policy
I have to say that I have no patience or sympathy for anyone who has anything negative to say about Obama's Afghanistan policy. Obama did not start Afghanistan or even come in the middle. Afghanistan was the seat of the terrorists that attacked on 9/11. The W. Bush Administration dropped the ball here while playing around with Americans lives in a war based on lies in Iraq. We should have flooded Afghanistan with troops after our initial attack and overwhelmed the Taliban and got bin Laden. We did neither. Even our initial gains were fading and the Taliban re surging long before Bush left office. We had already made a mess of this and Obama tried a troop surge to improve the situation. It appeared to have some success and some failure. Meanwhile Obama got bin Laden. Again, as the Republicans complain about Obama's strategy and plan, they had the ball---and did nothing with it but drop it, and like our economy, they flushed everything down the toilet and complain that Obama hasn't managed to retrieve the crap from the pipes before now. The Republicans offered no better strategies as evidenced by the fact that when they were in charge and fighting these wars---they created these messes.
I agree. But what would you have America do now? We botched it for years and the surge did not do enough. Americans are dying in these wars where little appears gained, where great resources are expended and things are difficult at home. I admit I would handle it differently, I would still flood the country with troops, better late than never, but it is possible after all these years the Taliban are too scattered and our imperative might have gotten lost.
I recall that this was the war that Obama said was righteous. You and I agreed with him...before he changed his mind [perhaps to attract support from his hard-left base as the election approaches].
I still agree a greater surge would have been an option, but I am not a part of the military. I do not know if this is to cater to the left, or just to cut our losses. When we talk about increasing troop we are talking about real men and women. It is tough to say why this is being handled the way it is, but it does seem like we should try to stay and finish this particular job.
5 comments:
I have to say that I have no patience or sympathy for anyone who has anything negative to say about Obama's Afghanistan policy. Obama did not start Afghanistan or even come in the middle. Afghanistan was the seat of the terrorists that attacked on 9/11. The W. Bush Administration dropped the ball here while playing around with Americans lives in a war based on lies in Iraq. We should have flooded Afghanistan with troops after our initial attack and overwhelmed the Taliban and got bin Laden. We did neither. Even our initial gains were fading and the Taliban re surging long before Bush left office. We had already made a mess of this and Obama tried a troop surge to improve the situation. It appeared to have some success and some failure. Meanwhile Obama got bin Laden. Again, as the Republicans complain about Obama's strategy and plan, they had the ball---and did nothing with it but drop it, and like our economy, they flushed everything down the toilet and complain that Obama hasn't managed to retrieve the crap from the pipes before now. The Republicans offered no better strategies as evidenced by the fact that when they were in charge and fighting these wars---they created these messes.
Perhaps...but to hand the Taliban the country back is also not wise.
I agree. But what would you have America do now? We botched it for years and the surge did not do enough. Americans are dying in these wars where little appears gained, where great resources are expended and things are difficult at home. I admit I would handle it differently, I would still flood the country with troops, better late than never, but it is possible after all these years the Taliban are too scattered and our imperative might have gotten lost.
Then we agree that a re-surge may be in order.
I recall that this was the war that Obama said was righteous. You and I agreed with him...before he changed his mind [perhaps to attract support from his hard-left base as the election approaches].
I still agree a greater surge would have been an option, but I am not a part of the military. I do not know if this is to cater to the left, or just to cut our losses. When we talk about increasing troop we are talking about real men and women. It is tough to say why this is being handled the way it is, but it does seem like we should try to stay and finish this particular job.
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