Jules Crittenden writing about the AP report that The One has rejected all the Afghanistan "options" presented to him so far... and ordered his National Security folks to serve up "other options:"
OK, I get that the political piece is vitally important, and for Eikenberry (ed: US ambassador to The Af), up to his armpits in scheming warlords and bureaucrats in Kabul with his frontline diplomats daily engaged in pitched and desperate note-passing against an entrenched corruptancy, the light at the top of his own well probably is awfully dim and far away. This is a highly complex situation. Thinking outside the box, maybe it does make sense to put the cart ahead of the horse. It is intriguing, though, that in the middle of a hot war in which a determined, murderous enemy is making gains, there are ”options beyond military planning” that are so pressing that they actually trump military planning. Sounds like the president, in a show of resolve, wants to signal more firmly to Karzai and the scheming warlords that the United States is prepared to hold its breath until the Afghan people turn blue, or that the United States might even take its bat and ball and go home. Also, to signal to the United States military that he won’t be pushed around if it kills them.
One bright spot, in the Vietnam avoidance agenda. Remember how they accused LBJ of picking targets from the Oval Office? Can’t accuse Obama of that. He’s actively not picking targets from the Oval Office.
In the meantime, our Ditherer-in-Chief is jetting off to Beijing to try and convince the Chinese they should finance his health plan, his economic stimuli, and his other assorted pricey pet rocks. And further in the meantime, our troops in The Af won't get the resources their commander asked for BACK IN AUGUST, a request which the military establishment... including the SecDef and CENTCOM commander... supports. Amazing, innit?
But... you should go read Mr. Crittenden. The man is frickin' spot-on.
Boy oh boy, that is gonna leave a mark, isn't it?
ReplyDeleteMy "benefit of the doubt" supply ran out for Obama some time ago. It is clearer every day that he cares little for our military. He may have a passing interest in National Security as a whole (but only because he lives here), but the US military, specifically, means nothing to him.
I still find it amazing that the stimulus bill had to be passed RIGHT NOW, the health scare he's still trying to get done NOW, the bail outs, hell everything EXCEPT the military has to be done in such a damn hurry. I guess being shot at isn't that important compared to bribing the non contributing members of society.
ReplyDeleteAndy: You and me both where "benefit of the doubt" is concerned. The One's "get out of jail free" card expired with me a long time ago. And I agree; Obama has neither compassion nor understanding of the military.
ReplyDeleteRude1: Well said. All this immediacy about shit that isn't immediate, yet he leaves our troops twisting in the wind while he contemplates the political ramifications of ANY decision he might make where the war is concerned. So much for Afghanistan being "the good war," eh? I hold the man in absolute CONTEMPT.
Pricey pet rocks, heh. At least it would be a "heh" if it weren't so damn scary. Subsidies for veterinarians? GOd knows what else.
ReplyDeleteAnd, it's good to see that you've joined us and jumped off the fence insofar as contempt for the CinC goes. It makes me cringe every time I see him pretend to salute a uniformed service member.
God, don't let him sell any more of us to China or snuggle up to the NORKS any farther than he already has.
PS -- Happy Day After Veterans Day and thank you for your, and your offspring's, service!
The man is an empty suit, complete incapable of making the decisions that matter. The only things he truly cares about are those which will give the government further control over our lives.
ReplyDeleteLike Andy, I used up all my BOD awhile back.
It has always amazed me at the total lack of respect the Military gets from the political Left in this country. How is it possible to grow up in this land of ours and not recognize how important a strong military is to keeping us comparatively safe. Proof is that Joe Biden and John Kerry are considered "experts" on military planning, or at least what counts for it in the Democrat party.
ReplyDeleteDespicable.
BT: Jimmy T sends.
The other Andy here... My wife and I were talking today about just how frail, and "all over the map" BozObama seems to be.
ReplyDeleteThe guy is not only out of his league, he's like me trying to play golf straight up with Tiger Woods.
The problem is that Obama owns the course, and can set the par for each hole. Jeepers, I shudder to think what BozO is gonna do a few months from now. I have watched the guy steadily deteriorate. He's not man enough for the job.
Hell, I know I wouldn't be. But this clown actually fooled the majority of voters in to thinking he was. Sheesh!
Moogie: Yeah, my opinions on The One have solidified. It's gonna be a loooong three-plus years, I'm afraid. And thanks for your other sentiments!
ReplyDeleteBR, Jimmy and Andy: I hate to sound like a broken record (or give away my age by using prehistoric metaphors) but I agree with all three of ya.
This just makes me seethe. Obama is no Commander-in-Chief. He is a Coward-in-Chief who has just shown the world the seedy underbelly of his thought process.
ReplyDeleteHe campaigned on the war in Afghanistan being the war of necessity. What about that war did he not understand when he was making those statements?
And now? He's had 4 months to review several options provided by the individual Obama selected to give those options.
How hard is it to select Option 1, 2 or 3???
Mr. President - you can't vote present anymore. It's your ballgame and you've just shown the enemy that America doesn't have, anymore, what it takes to respond to the threats they pose daily.
God help our warriors.
I just wondered of he thinks he can afford to stall because the traditional seasonal Taliban fighting season is over for a while (apparently). A lot of lives depend on this man but he isn't man enough.
ReplyDeleteThe manliest out of all the contenders last year got it completely right with the words, "This is a man who can give an entire speech about the wars America is fighting and never use the word 'victory' except when he's talking about his own campaign."
ReplyDeleteIt's a shame that none of the other contenders had the balls to come out & say something like that.
Kris sez: ...shown the world the seedy underbelly of his thought process.
ReplyDeleteBut Kris! The man is just SO damned intelligent! And thoughtful! Cool, calm, No-Drama-Obama! Give him a break! (It's hard to be sarcastic in this space. I wanna retch now.)
Alison: EVERY-damned-thing is political with this guy. My cynical little mind thinks he doesn't want to distract his base from the healthcare brouhaha we're mired in at the moment. Sick.
Morgan: Nice way to work in a Palin quote! I gotta admire that...
I quote from Mr. Crittenden: "Here is a young president, prepared to allow himself to be portrayed as "weak" or "dithering" in the slow and meticulous arrival at public policy."
ReplyDeleteEr, excuse me. Could it be because he is "weak" amd "dithering"?
Naw, Cat... whatever made ya think THAT?
ReplyDelete