I have but one question for my readers. It revolves around what I term an “If / Then Equation.”
It goes something like this:
IF Mr Obama is committed to completely removing all American troops from Afghanistan in 18 months (already having communicated his timetable and its concomitant tactics for all to hear and see in the speech this week), THEN why should even one more American troop die in that country?
“Benchmarks for getting out”? For once in his useless life, Bill Ayers might be right:
BZ
Thanks to Yid With Lid & Random Acts of Patriotism for videos!
(By the way, click on and look closely at the top photo. For my fellow Rangemaster and gun friends, that is trigger discipline!)
Lies, “Conditional Timetables” and Report Cards.
Why is the Current AdminstRATion Treating the American Populace like Children?
Could it be that the fact that over 50% of Country voted for this idiot, proving that they are idiot children, Swayed to the DemocRAT side by Media and Hollywood “Bright Lights” and Character Assinations?
When Will they Realize that the great Obomanation is lying, Has Lied and will Lie in the Future all while flushing our country down the toilet?
Double Diget Unemployment, More taxes and now esclating a war that had been won before this idiot told the Terrorists when we were leaving, Thus giving them a Date to hold out until.
And all these idiots want to do is go around insulting Sarah Palin and Fox News.
Is it just me or does anyone else want to “Bitch Slap” the smiles off these bastard’s faces?
Oh, Carliseboy. I love your ‘DemocRAT’ word play discovery! You must be in 11th grade. Good for you!
“…a war that had been won before this idiot told the Terrorists when we were leaving,” It was ‘won?’ already? Right.
Yes, over 50% voted for him. Sit down and stfu.
So are you antiwar peacenik now BZ? We have lost less than 1000 troops over eight years over there. We can win this one. Viet Nam is a false comparison.
DeaconBlue- I am pro Obama and think Iraq was a mistake, but we need to put a hurt on the Taliban and Al-Queada. We need to hurt them so bad they’ll never ever again want to tangle with us. I have not forgotten 9/11 and think we need to be like the posse in Butch Cassidy & the Sundance Kid. Never stop. Ever. “Who are those guys?”
CB, DB, Tim: the point is, if the specific announcement is made that there will be, unequivocally, removal of all troops in area in 18 months, then we have violated most every precept known battle. The last thing you do is make your overarching strategy public, as well as the tactics you plan to utilize. This is a military recipe for failure. The Taliban, AQ, terrorists of every stripe, read, use the internet, watch the news and the media.
BZ
I agree bz. Putting expiration dates on wars only helps the enemy and makes allies lose confidence in our commitment. I don’t buy the notion that a timeline will put pressure on the Karzai government to get its act together. Obama’s rhetoric is about looking for the quickest exit, rather than on persevering to “win”. The Taliban, on the other hand, has the right tone for their side: “We’ll send more coffins back to America”.
I agree with you, BZ. Obama is clearly not interested in fighting the war to win it. He’s just wanting to keep the public happy.
I tend to believe that people like Gen. McChrystal might just know what they’re talking about. Liberals want to paint our military leaders as war-mongers, but the soldiers I know are not about picking fights…but finishing fights. Who wouldn’t rather be home, safe with family and friends?
You either fight or you do not fight.
You do not fight war on a dimmer switch, as that means you are getting people killed to no good reason.
I would prefer we fight, take the fight to the Taliban in Pakistan, and live with the results.
To do that we need a second supply line into Afghanistan and we don’t have it, nor is the President sending HRC to use her contacts to do that. Barring that we need every Alpine and Mountain Warfare trooper we can get from Europe, Canada, and our Allies and need a second Mountain Division on our own.
If we will not fight the modern way, then fight the way that has won in the past in that region: Alexander fought in a way that no one could believe, did the impossible and with his 10,000 took the region. He fought the Mountain fight and won with Macedonians who know Mountain Warfare.
Dribbling in more troops for COIN is getting people killed to no good end as it is not backed by Mountain Warfare. I wrote about MW and it is the ONLY way to win in the region. Working ‘hearts & minds’ helps, but you must prove to the warrior based culture that you not only have the will to help but the will to fight the kind of fight that is needed. We can do much else in the region, we can alleviate our problems of supply and offer a better way for Afghans to live, but to do that we must also fight.
There are many political and societal opportunities available to settling this hash in the region, but only if we fight, fight hard, fight well, fight comletely and are taken serioiusly. That will piss off the Left, the Right, the Pakistanis, put fear into Iran, gain applause from India, China, the surrounding ‘stans and the US would gain in credibility as we offer to help those who are honorably fighting afterwards to make a better life for themselves.
As it is the dishonorable foes must be put to the curb with the trash.
This President is not living up to the one commitment he made on the campaign trail that I endorsed: fighting, fighting hard and getting this ended. Instead he is emulating Johnson. I fear for our men and women in uniform because of that.
You either fight or you do not fight.
There is no third option.