Diddling intensifies
The Washington Post reports this morning that after President Obama’s latest meeting (tenth in 86 days) with advisers over whether to properly staff our war in Afghanistan or not, he’ll continue to dawdle at a furious pace;
For much of the fall, Obama has been meeting with his war council to determine a new strategy in Afghanistan, where 68,000 U.S. troops are currently deployed. Now he has 18 weekdays left to announce his decision — not counting Thanksgiving break — before he leaves for his Christmas-holiday vacation in Hawaii.
But his schedule for the rest of November and December is filling up with other events and appearances, some of which could create public relations challenges if they happen too close to the presentation of an expanded war effort.
Administration officials have said Obama will not outline his decision until after Thanksgiving, and it appears increasingly probable he will do so early next week. In addition to McChrystal and Eikenberry, senior administration officials whose support for the strategy is essential are preparing to be in town for possible appearances before Congress.
So here we sit 87 days (thanks, for keeping count, Claymore) since General McCrystal requested more troops, but Obama’s schedule is filling up with events to which Republicans aren’t invited. It’s really a shame that this war keeps intruding on Obama’s social schedule – I mean he’s dedicated 30 whole hours to the thing in the last 87 days – what else do you guys want?
Category: Barack Obama/Joe Biden, Military issues, Terror War
Cruising around the net trying to digest the various versions of Obama’s plan from supposed leaks is leading me in one direction as far as what his proposal is. It seems to be a plus up of 34,000 troops, basically voting present again because he couldn’t make a decision on whether to go all in or get the hell out, combined with a strategy that seems to imply to McChrystal don’t get any of them killed and don’t you dare threaten the civilian population.
I don’t know what good sending 34,000 more troops is going to do, which is spread out over 6 months so I am not sure what the net gain will actually be, if it seems they are not going to go after the enemy, but rather be water carriers for the tribal elders.
It looks like the plan is pretend to send troops, while not actually beefing up the numbers due to normal rotations, keep them out of the wilderness and in 6 months call the whole thing a wash just in time for the 2010 elections so the Dems can gain some political points when he orders them home.
But then I am somewhat of a cynic in regards to out Undecider In Chief.
Seems like the 0 wants to hang with the Hollywoodites, rather than actually make a decision. But, maybe he hasn’t had the right advice up to now? With Oprah at the dinner, he’ll get the wise counsel that he needs to make the right decision.
And, like Justa A Grunt, I’m a cynic too.
…I heard on the radio this morning that the administration is “close” to publishing its A’stan strategy. Close. Day 87 since the commander in theater asked his CnC for help. As I mentioned in my email, looks like Commander Teleprompter has voted ‘present’ on his own military.
Clay,
Come on, you are being rough on him. It isn’t like Bill Ayers has been to the office more times than The One has met with Gen McCrystal. Well, actually it is exactly like that (2 vs. 1)
Maybe he had to approve the guest list to the State Dinner tonight.
Consider that in 87 days:
We went from D-Day to liberating Paris in WWII.
We went from the North Koreans pushing across to 38th parallel to making our own counterattack at Inchon.
We went from detecting Russian missile pads in Cuba to having them taken down.
We went from Iraq pushing across the Kuwait border until 500,000 troops were in theater.
We went from 9/11 to the fall of the Taliban-sponsored government in Afghanistan.
And this guy can’t figure out how to manage the politics of war. Barry, the politics are simple–you either commit to win, or GTFO. This middle-ground crap isn’t gonna make it.
I think I’m finally understanding why the left used to claim that Bush was using the military as a backdrop or prop for his political initiatives…that’s what the left does, except for the part where they actually follow through with the fighting part..that part, not so much. I mean, there’s place cards and menus to approve, while our people in uniform will be eating Thanksgiving dinner that tastes like it was popped out of a cardboard box, if they’re lucky to even get a hot meal this holiday.