Liberals’ approach to Afghanistan

I found a very big nest of thousands of brown recluse spiders in my basement garage. I decided to follow the strategy of a number of liberal democrats in their thinking about Afghanistan. I just do not park in there anymore. I’m sure they won’t ever come into the main part of the house if I ignore them.

Not sending the troops and resources that the generals have requested is surrendering to an enemy that is totally committed to our destruction. They will not quit the war.

Dan Dannaldson

Lee’s Summit

Comments

[rebelmama]

Mea culpa. The mama bear in me came thru a little too large. I don't expect to have any more vote or voice in this, but I am just very invested in the outcome and the emotions run high. I am not naive and I know that war is a political tool...it always has been, and sadly always will be. As with many of you, I'd love to have a "victory," but when you look at that part of the world, what does victory look like and how long before we have to topple the next dictator we've placed in power? I'm just saying, let's make sure we know what we're striving to achieve.

[laughingAtYou]

Thank you GHMan I was mistaken.

[Kate]

"I also have to wonder if maybe..just maybe President Obama has access to more information than 'candidate' Obama did."

I think that once a candidate receives his party's nomination, he receives daily security briefings the same as the president.

[Greghand]

Here you go Laughing at you!
My son's unit goes next year. How about you, Dan? You got a kid going over there?
The question Rebelmamma injected was kindly suggestive.

[laughingAtYou]

They must have removed one of rebelmama's posts because I can't see anywhere where she says that you have to have someone on the line to have an opinion. Must be in code that only the ones who want immediate answers can see.

And while I believe that every politician's actions are motivated by political gain including Obama's. I also have to wonder if maybe..just maybe President Obama has access to more information than 'candidate' Obama did.

[Zeno]

Rebelmama, you missed a very important point Kate made, or chose to ignor. You are making an assumption that the only way to be involved in this discussion is to have a loved one in the conflict. We all have a stake in the correct action being taken here. Not as person of a stake but it affects us all.
You also make a mistake to assume Pres. Obama's long decision process is about getting it right instead of politics. He said this was the war we were to fight! It was crucial according to candidate Obama. He again in March reiterated this point and said he had a plan. Politically he needed to look tough. But now, his "base" has begun to think he might "really mean it" about expanding the fight and they are going crazy. He has his generals telling him from their expertise what to do, but it is not a good energy for the base. Which he needs energized if he is going to get the Health Care Bill passed. That is what he is trying to GET RIGHT! Do enough not to look like a wuss, but not so much that the left base turns against him. Dem or repub it is all politics, I am sorry to say.
BTW, I am a right wing fanatic, (according to the lib bloggers here) who thinks this war is crazy and cannot be won. Unlike Iraq, (which was a mess) I see no possible coalition of inside forces that are needed to get this done.

[Kee]

Anyone here recall Sept. 11, 2001? Remember where those terrorists were trained and supported?

The only "exist strategy" there is, is victory, and it will take a surge to achieve it. I believe the professional soldier, on the ground, and in command. General MacNichols is an excellent tactician and a superior commander, the commander in chief needs to act now.

[rebelmama]

You can bet I will hug him before he goes, Kate. Thanks. You ask a very worthwhile question, but using semantics to justify young lives isn't going to cut it. IF it is worth it, let's get it done. IF it is not achievable, let's save our kids' lives and leave it to the infighting over there. The problem is, no one has a crystal ball and thus the decisions must be made on subjective interpretation of data and facts. And to that end, I say let's make DARN sure we are there for the right reasons, not the political gains for one side or the other. I will support and send my kid off to a war I believe in. Convince me.

[Kate]

Could I make my case once more for replacing the deplorable phrase “exit strategy” with “victory”. Exit strategy always reminds me of the old movies where people fire lots of shots while they back their way out the door. If we’re not comfortable calling it “victory”, or if victory is not our goal, then why are sending our military into harm’s way?

[Kate]

JHO, Dan! Make your point without using creepy spiders if you want some of us to read past the first sentence!

Rebelmama, you seem to disagree with whatever it was that Dan was saying. That’s fine, but remember, those of us who have loved ones in harm’s way don’t have any special moral authority on military tactics. Best wishes to your son. Give him a BIG BIG hug before he leaves.

[rebelmama]

Kee, thanks for your years of service in the past. I mean that very sincerely. That being said, I stand by my desire to analyze this carefully and decide whether or not our young lives are worth this. War can be a convenient political tool, and I want satisfaction that, in this instance, my son's service is not a pawn. Too bad "mission accomplished" wasn't...it would have freed us up to wrap this thing up long ago.

[ggbridge]

Okay, I laughed out loud Whispering.

I also thought it was humorous when Dick Cheney accused Obama of dithering when obviously the Bush administration had done a complete analysis if Afghanistan in the fall of 2008... Of course we'd only been at war for six years by then! The Soviets at one point had 600,000 troops in Afghanistan and they still lost. Pull out our troops, keep intelligence there, and bomb al queda from drones. Done and done.

[Kee]

Yep let's cut and run, that will really impress the terrorist world. Lets leave a big power vacuum in Afghanistan. What's the worse that can happen? I mean after all, the Taliban are vanquished and are no threat and AQ is dead too. Let's just kick that old can on down the road, I mean after all Senator Clara and the ammo humper have spoken.

OH, and listen lets stop this silly nonsense at the airports too. I mean I am so tired of taking my shoes off, emptying my pockets, and walking through long lines. I mean it is just ridiculous!

After all people this so-called "war on terror" is just a bumper sticker. Let's just get back to normal, jeez!

[viet-vet1970]

Just ran across this interview with a former Marine captain who just resigned as the senior U.S. aid official in an Afghan province. His letter of resignation makes interesting reading, and it echoes the thoughts of my young relative in Afghanistan.

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=114287485

[Smarter Than You]

Remember when candidate Obama had all of the answers for Afghanistan?

CNN, July 21, 2008

Sen. Barack Obama said Sunday that United States needs to focus on Afghanistan in its battle against terrorism.

Sen. Barack Obama and Afghan President Hamid Karzai meet Sunday in Kabul.

"The Afghan government needs to do more. But we have to understand that the situation is precarious and urgent here in Afghanistan. And I believe this has to be our central focus, the central front, on our battle against terrorism," Obama said Sunday on CBS' "Face the Nation."

Obama said troop levels must increase in Afghanistan.

"We need a sense of urgency and determination. We need urgency because the threat from the Taliban and al Qaeda is growing and we must act; we need determination because it will take time to prevail. But with the right strategy and the resources to back it up, we will get the job done," they (Senators Obama, Hagel and Reed) said in the statement.

New York Times, July 20, 2008

"We have to understand that the situation is precarious and urgent here in Afghanistan, and I believe this has to be the central focus, the central front, in the battle against terrorism," Obama said in an interview with CBS News.

In a nearly two-hour lunch with President Hamid Karzai and other top Afghan officials, Obama "conveyed that he is committed to supporting Afghanistan and to continuing the war against terrorism with vigor," said Homayun Hamidzada, a spokesman for Karzai,

[viet-vet1970]

I have a young family member nearing the end of his second tour in Afghanistan. He is too focused on his job to follow the debate at home, but here are a few of his thoughts.

1) Ordinary Afghans don't want us in their country. Even to "help."
2) Afghans consider the Karzai government corrupt and incompetent.
3) Many on-the-ground troops feel there is no way to "win" in Afghanistan.
4) Many of our troops think we need to drastically change what we're doing in the 'stan, or go home. Because our strategy is not working.

[rebelmama]

I am grateful that what appears to be a great deal of thought is going into this decision. It is awfully late in the game to be considering what our goals should be, what an exit strategy might look like, and what a real cost/benefit analysis reveals (where our military, not just our treasury, is the cost). But late is better than never. My son's unit goes next year. How about you, Dan? You got a kid going over there?

[whispering_to_kc]

Brown recluse spiders are just that ... reclusive. They're non-aggressive.

If you leave them alone, they won't bother you.

[whispering_to_kc]

Dan found a very big nest of thousands of brown recluse spiders in his basement garage.

He decided to follow the strategery of a number of conservative republicans in their thinking about Afghanistan.

So, Dan went into his neighbor's backyard and he shot their cat because he always hated that thing anyway.

Dan still parks in the garage but he wonders, "why am I still getting these spider bites even though I killed the neighbor's cat?!"