The President’s “surprise visit” to Bagram
Yeah, who was really surprised that Obama appeared mysteriously in Afghanistan on the anniversary of the death of Osama bin Laden? Ya know, after the administration had denied that he would go there as part of his year long victory lap. But he did and even the White House is calling it a “surprise trip” like it’s a treat or something.
So, of course, he had to take the opportunity to make a campaign speech while he was there. I happened to have a plate of pork chops at the time which needed my full attention so I had to read the text this morning.
I was surprised when I checked what my friends on Facebook were saying last night to discover that people learned for the first time that we were negotiating with the Taliban. Here at TAH we’ve been talking about it since November 2009. And we didn’t believe Eikenberry’s propaganda chief, Caitlan Hayden when she tried to deny that there were negotiations with Taliban.
But, of course, the highlights of Obama’s speech were about his main strategy – withdrawal;
Last year, we removed 10,000 U.S. troops from Afghanistan. Another 23,000 will leave by the end of the summer. After that, reductions will continue at a steady pace, with more and more of our troops coming home. And as our coalition agreed, by the end of 2014 the Afghans will be fully responsible for the security of their country.
Second, we are training Afghan security forces to get the job done. Those forces have surged, and will peak at 352,000 this year. The Afghans will sustain that level for three years, and then reduce the size of their military. And in Chicago, we will endorse a proposal to support a strong and sustainable long-term Afghan force.
The reason he mentioned Chicago (someone emailed me last night to ask why he mentioned Chicago) is because he’s headed to a summit in chicago this week to beg our allies for money to fund our efforts in Afghanistan – a truly worthless endeavor. The Euro-weenies are accustomed to the US shouldering the military and monetary burdens of the world’s problems. I’m pretty sure they expect that to continue.
Now I found this statement truly stupid;
Our goal is not to build a country in America’s image, or to eradicate every vestige of the Taliban. These objectives would require many more years, many more dollars, and most importantly, many more American lives. Our goal is to destroy al Qaeda, and we are on a path to do exactly that. Afghans want to assert their sovereignty and build a lasting peace. That requires a clear timeline to wind down the war.
It seems to me that the Taliban is more of a threat to Afghanistan’s sovereignty than al Qaeda. The incident I wrote about yesterday, when Taliban fighters interrupted by gunfire a meeting with village leaders and they murdered three Afghan children. It’s Taliban insurgents who are throwing acid in the faces of schoolgirls, shooting up classrooms, blowing up market places – not al Qaeda. So it seems like wishful thinking that there’s a place in the future of Afghanistan for radical Talibs.
Our soldiers, our sailors, our airmen, Marines, Coast Guardsmen and civilians in Afghanistan have done their duty. Now we must summon that same sense of common purpose. We must give our veterans and military families the support they deserve, and the opportunities they have earned. And we must redouble our efforts to build a nation worthy of their sacrifice.
Yeah, sorry, but it rings a little hollow while returning veterans face increased healthcare costs and a derelict Department of Veterans’ Affairs which can’t keep it’s promises to veterans and finds it difficult to accomplish the easiest tasks…like pay education benefits when the students need them.
But, hey, they were sure some pretty words.
Category: Barack Obama/Joe Biden, Terror War
As hard as I try to give this guy even a modicum of credit for doing the right thing, or what he thinks is the right thing it just never happens. The road to hell is paved with good intentions, but his intentions aren’t even good. It is all politics all the time with guy. It is about getting power and keeping power and pushing through his vision of a progressive utopia. You know that pie in the sky dream most of us had to compromise once reality set in. In our early 20’s. I just want this guy out of office and all of his sycophants with him.
I was up early this morning, work calls, so I flipped on the tv for a little background noise and what comes on? Ann Curry and Brian Williams on the Today show talking in breathless dramatic tones about “That night” when Obama took out Osama and what the scene in the Strategy Room was like. They are soap operas which have less drama and better acting.
Please America, end this nightmare in November if you have one shred of pride or self respect remaining.
I second JAG’s plea for America to end this nightmare. A mistake was made, it’s understood, now please, for the love of Pete, don’t double down on the stupid and re-elect this cardboard cutout.
I concur with both above.
“Second, we are training Afghan security forces to get the job done. Those forces have surged, and will peak at 352,000 this year. The Afghans will sustain that level for three years, and then reduce the size of their military.”
Three years? Sounds familiar. That’s about how long South Vietnam maintained a reasonably-sized armed forces before “reducing them” after we pulled our combat forces in 1971-1972.
Leaving a war prematurely often has consequences.
Unfortunately, the visitors (Bukake Joe and others excepted) to sites like this get it, and probably don’t need to be told how to vote. We are but a small drop compared to the racial minority vote, the illegal immigrant vote, and the “all others who buy that hope and change if you occupy crap and/or think Bradley Manning is a Nobel worthy gyro” vote. Those are the ones we should be afraid of. They hold the flush valve to the Country, and are stupid enough to push it, even while floating in the bowl.
Scubasteve, I agree with most of your post, and the ones preceding it. One minor nit to pick, though. “Those are the ones we should be afraid of”. Disagree, those are the ones we should be contemptuous of, they fell for “Hope and Change”, have been exposed to what it really is, and still believe. “Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it”.
Anyone else notice that the adoring crowd that The One wades into looks like the remf-iest sorts in all of remfdom? I don’t think his handlers trust, like, or admire actual combat troops. I dont think he does either.
@7 I imagine if you checked, the only people that were armed in the room were Secret Service. That’s how much he likes and trusts our combat troops.
Campaign year stuff…
Glanced at the TV while getting ready for work.
I was struck by the number of troops getting a side shot while shaking hands with Obama. Looked more like trophy photo shot than actual “awsome to meet you” moment.
Okay, and where are the same assclowns who claimed Bush’s visit to Iraq over Thanksgiving in 2003 was “staged for political purposes” and that the turkey wasn’t even real (!) standing on this little photo op?
And yes, libtards–that’s all this was. A “spiking the football” campaign year photo op. I dare you to try to convince anyone but your fellow liberal bukake recipients otherwise.
Jonn, I know you wanted to look over the Agreement. 9 pages long, lots of US commitment to spend money, download your copy here: http://waronterrornews.typepad.com/home/2012/05/2012-us-afghan-agreement-.html
Oh, here’s one CI will like: http://waronterrornews.typepad.com/ps/2012/05/when-the-tide-turned-for-the-taliban.html
Hysterical. First Sparky defies anyone to convince folks it was anything more than a photo-op and then WOTN does just that when he posts the link to an agreement signed during this trip. Also, when did the GOP get to be such a bunch of whiny ass titty babies? Dick Cheney went on national TV and stated with great certainty that should Kerry get elected we would be attacked again: http://articles.cnn.com/2004-09-07/politics/cheney.terror_1_dick-cheney-edwards-of-north-carolina-kerry-administration?_s=PM:ALLPOLITICS And the Dems didn’t whine to THIS extent. Unlike Cheney’s comments, President Obama’s comments are directed against something Romney ACTUALLY SAID in 2007. He stated that going after Osama Bin Laden was not worth a lot of time and effort. He should either 1. stop being such a pussy and own and defend the comment or 2. stop being such a pussy and state that he was wrong when he said it. Either way he needs to stop being such a pussy because this whole “WAAAAH! PRESIDENT OBAMA IS BEING MEAN TO ME!” Isn’t playing with anyone other then the folks here. I never had a problem with Bush’s Thanksgiving Day appearance. Whether or not it was or wasn’t a photo op is something i don’t care about. That was an “accomplishment” of the Bush administration and it was something he had every right to highlight any way he sees fit. It was up to Kerry to point out that it was a waste of lives, money, and time and that it was detrimental to the war on terror. Apparently Kerry didn’t do that to the satisfaction of voters. You seem to want to play this idiotic game of heads I win, tails you lose with Obama’s military accomplishments. If they’re successful Obama can’t tout them and if they’re not successful you get to eviscerate him over them. And you’re all acting like pouty little bitches because he doesn’t want to play your games. Again, make the argument that it wasn’t a gutsy call, something which George Bush appointed Secretary of Defense Robert Gates disagrees with: http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-505267_162-57424791/romney-disappointed-in-obamas-jabs-on-bin-laden/ or have some class and give the man credit where it is… Read more »
@WOTN – And I would ‘like’ that why exactly?
Uh, insipid . . . that “agreement” you’re touting above was an agreement to reach an agreement at a later date. A deferral. A make-work photo op. A punt. Kicking the can down the road. So your first point above is busted as being obvious bullshit. Pointing fingers and accusations at the GOP for whining? Give me a freaking break! Talk about the pot calling the kettle black. Bush and the GOP was attacked nonstop – in personal terms, not with political rhetoric . for 8 years. “Chimpy.” “Bushitler.” “Stupid” (when a GT score comparison indicates that Bush is actually considerably smarter than Kerry; like our current POTUS, Kerry is little more than an eloquent but otherwise limited talking head). Taking a ship’s end of mission banner out of context and falsely claiming the POTUS used it as a political prop. So spare me the complaints of whining and cries for civility. Take your lumps; it’s your side’s turn. The heat feels good, doesn’t it? Just “embrace the suck.” (smile) Oh, and you’re 100% talking out of your ass regarding Bush being to blame for bin Laden’s escape at Tora Bora. Bush isn’t to blame for that; blame for that falls squarely on the theater commander and his staff. It’s not the POTUS’ job to plan military operations or determine resources required, insipid. That’s the theater commander and his staff’s job. And in hindsight, at Tora Bora that commander and his staff obviously could have done better. While I greatly respect GEN Franks’ abilities as a theater commander, IMO that was his one serious military failure in the otherwise exemplary military operations in both Afghanistan and Iraq in 2001-2003. IMO, GEN Franks and his staff at CENTCOM failed to ensure sufficient reliable reserve forces (e.g., a US combat brigade and aviation BN in ready reserve) were immediately available for a major engagement of exactly that sort (trapped AQ or Taliban leadership). Had CENTCOM asked for those forces, I will absolutely guarantee they’d have gotten them. Because of this lack of US forces available, short of nuking Tora Bora we ended… Read more »
Here’s an interesting bit of trivia: As per the agreement signed by Obama on his (4th ever) campaign stop to Afghanistan, a raid like the one to kill OBL would be disallowed.