The Note, 3/27/09: A ‘New’ Afghanistan Strategy– Benchmarks, but No Timetables

And I’m sure armchair general McCain will show his “cooperation” with thew new administration by slamming this new decisions on “his” war.
http://www.political-buzz.com/

“The era of the blank check is over” says Obama???? Isnt that an oxymoron comming from Obama?

BO is getting us into something the russians couldn’t do and they had no press to hurt their cause.

Sounds kind of like a page from Bush’s play book?

billy bob, I find what you say about Obama and military kinda hilarious. W was in the National Guard back when it just stayed in the States and he never showed up. His Daddy’s influences allowed him to get away with it. He got us into a war with no practical experience whats-oh-ever! Sometimes when someone isn’t that intelligent they at least have common sense to fall back on………..W…hmmmmmm?
Obama has his generals to listen too, just like W did. Except maybe Obama will actually listen to them?….Hmmmm.

I see you nut jobs are eating your bile for breakfast this morning, spreading sunshine where ever you go…the economy is showing evidence of recovery..geitner is on the right track, Afganistan is finally getting the attention bush refused to give it, so we are starting all over there, this administration is on top of everything in 2 months…bush couldn’t be bother with the economy for 8 years, blew the war in afganistan, spent our money and american lives for weapons of mass destruction? and you want to cheer for that crowd..there is just something wired wrong with your brain…can we do a cavity search up there????

If all else fail just toss our to be worthless paper money at the Taliban. They may still want it to warm their hut after they take over huh ??

Reading through some post on ABC I see some people forget quickly. A week after 9/11 Americans would have had no problem sending all resources into Afg and after Bin Laden even if we had put back in the draft. Later on aprox. 80 percent of Americans were against the Iraq war. Obama throughout his election campaine said he would end the war in Iraq and put the resources back to where they should have been in going in the first pace after Al Qaeda and Bin Laden and into Afg. Remember it was Al Queda and Bin Laden that attacked the World Trade Ctr, not Sadaam. I do not know if Bush was honest with the people about our reasons for Iraq, dont really care as he is gone, however it was poor military planning and management when he spread our forces so thin we couldnt send help in to Afg where the Generals were asking for help and relief. Sadaam should have come later if at all. Sadaam atleast kept Iran in some kind of check. Obama is not doing anything in Afg, Iraq that he didnt promise he would while campaining. If some would have listened to Obama instead of closing their partisan ears and slandering him and bashing him they might have heard him promise to do exactly what he is doing.

Oh, picking on the mother who protested the war after her son was killed and she was upset George couldn’t really explain why we invaded Iraq. Nice way to win mothers, women, and people of conscience, over to your rightwing side.

Wow, speaking clearly and coherently, WITH the intellectual curiosity to want to listen to those with differing views. all the while, insisting that every aspect of each program/issue be fully accounted for in a comprehensive budget WITH the placeholders for the projected costs for all of your anticipated program shifts, how grown up,adult of you r President.
Very refreshing!

Why can’t he look straight at the camera? Why does he have to keep on going side to side? Why can’t he look us in the eye?

Okay so 1.5 Billion for the next five years on top of what Congress has already passed?

Here in North Carolina state taxes are raising. It doesn’t matter if Federal Taxes drop when the states are going to tax citizens at a higher rate

I demand a time table for withdrawl. This Administration has a lot of audacity to think we are just going to let him wage this war without time tables. Sound familiar?

Timetable, timetable, timetable, we demand it Obama, remember.

AL CIA Qeada is an invention. It was the nickname of a CIA database. THis is a phony war on terrorism. Wake up Sheep! http://www.infowars.com

The world is full of double standards!!

Obama is the worst president we’ve ever had!!!! No contest….

cowgirl, you are a tool. You sure are angry this morning. Has Obama’s war policy got you all riled up? Angry that he was the anti-war candidate and is not so much the anti-war president? Duh, should of seen it coming!

Veteran…….Obama is asking Congress today to pass a bill that will give Pakistan $1.5 billion dollars in aid PER YEAR for the next five years.

Oh, Barb, sorry you “suffered” for 8 long years under Bush. Waaaah, waaaah, waaaah!

When will the President release a copy of his original birth certificate on file in Hawaii? Why would he send lawyers into court to block its release? What could he be hiding?

Trish – It is a shame that before he became Prez, O didn’t have the heart, intelligence, and decency to wonder that question himself when he was villifying Bush.
It’s a pain watching baby “O” grow into a man.

american are smart people so they choose asmart leader let him work. because weloose already we loose respect mony and valuable young soluder.

Going into Afganistan was the right thing to do…finishing off AlQueda is what we should have done…bush refused to serd troops back when we were being over run by taliban…you don’t give a damn about the troops and what they have been thru there…put anoter piece of pie in your pie holes..you use the military when it suits your purpose…you don’t support them, you don’t give them proper equipment, you don’t give them proper medical care afterwards, they are horribly underpaid for putting their lives on the line every fricking day..and you republicans have to nerve to babble on about meaningless drivel..Its why you no longer hold the reins of government..you are unable to steer it anywhere but in the ditch

What was the strategic value of fighting a land war in Iraq? What is the strategic value of fighting a land war in Afghanistan? What actual threat does either country pose to the United States other than harboring training bases for the exportation of terrorist activities throughout the world as well as drug exportation in the case of Afghanistan?
Who are our allies that are contribution troops and money in Afghanistan? How much?

Chuck…It just so happens that Pakistan has nucleor weapons…should those weapons fall into the hands of AlQueda,and pakistan be over run and toppled…we are in serious trouble..that makes 911 look like childs play..you had better be paying attention…this never should have got so out of hand while we played “oil” games in Iraq

Bush ran off what Allies we had.Maybe Bush thought he was going to pay for the afgan war with Heroin recoved from the poppy growers-like he was going to pay for the Iraqi war with Oil….

N-Page…there were no AlQeda in Iraq—Saddam wouldn’t allow any force to upset his dictatorship/democracy…remember, they came once we destabilized the government and declared victory??? who has a faulty memory..and just a little sidebar…Saddam and Iran had been too busy fighting each other to bother the US…we fixed that didn’t we…we could have let them just keep killing each other off…and bankrupt both countries..now we are bankrupt, AND hav Iran to deal with..now whos strategy has some holes in it????

Treasonous…come on..dissent is not considered treasonous unless you are from a communist country….

Amy,
Obama has absolutely stepped wrongly. Check out his proposed budget that INCREASES deficit by over 7 Trillion dollars. THAT makes no sense. His own economic advisors say his plans won’t work and he has the audacity to insist they are wrong. Where is that outrage from the left? So far all I have heard is, “Give him a chance.” He’s got his chance. The question is, “What is he doing with it?”
The wars Mr. Obama is saddled with are wars that were thrust upon this nation from those outside of it. The left seeks to lay blame for all of it on one man. Fine. Do your thing. But be ready that subsequent men in the same position will have the blame laid at their feet as well. We were not at war on Sept 10 2001. George W Bush was reading to school children for Pete’s sake that morning. On Sept 11 we were at war. George Bush trusted a war hawk. Finally saw that he was wrong and brought someone else in. Yet the left hates him still.
The outright ignorance and violence of the left is repugnant. Take cowgirl for example. Disgusting mouth, lack of creativity and screwed up facts.
I have read plenty, watched plenty, and will further educate myself as needed on the war and all of its implications. I can only hope that I will enjoy watching the left eat crow over the next four years as much as they will be humiliated by having to do so.

NPage
I think your loyalty to George Bush and the Republican Party is coloring your perception, but so be it. If you have read objective sources regarding the invasion of Iraq and are still a supporter, than I doubt anything I have to say will change your mind.
Just try to remember that many of these “lefties” and liberals, and Democrats and Bush-haters are your family, friends and fellow citizens. We are not a race from planet Mars or denizons of a criminal class. I think the language gets crass and emotions heated because people are defending ideals they hold strongly.

“The wars Mr. Obama is saddled with are wars that were thrust upon this nation from those outside of it. The left seeks to lay blame for all of it on one man. Fine. Do your thing. But be ready that subsequent men in the same position will have the blame laid at their feet as well. We were not at war on Sept 10 2001. George W Bush was reading to school children for Pete’s sake that morning. On Sept 11 we were at war. George Bush trusted a war hawk. Finally saw that he was wrong and brought someone else in. Yet the left hates him still.”
NPage, I think you have a doctor’s appointment you must have forgotten….A little alzeimer’s?
George W. Bush had every intention of coming up with some kind of spin to get back into Iraq while he was running for his first term. He wanted a chance to redeem his daddy. Oh and that book he was reading was UPSIDE DOWN. He might be able to read at that grade level, but I doubt very much that he could read at a first grade level upside down. LOL
And cowgirl and Amy……you rock!

Silky, the seven trillion budget deficit
embraces a 10 year period and reflects Obama’s choice to choose action on all fronts as has been his approach since he took office. If the program he is undertaking is successful future budgets will reflect the decrease of the deficit.
If his program does not work future spending elements of the budget will be substantially reduced or eliminated by congress.
Trying to make any serious discussion about a budget that embraces a period 10 years out is folly and so is not worth a lot of discussion since many elements will never stand as proposed regardless of what happens. Projections are exactly that, basically not worth the paper they are printed on and just about everyone who works with them knows that. Anything above a look three years out is fantasy island time. On the other hand, when your program is looking 10 years out you have to provide numbers to go with that look, regardless of the probable validity.
And since budgeting and funding are two very different arenas it would seem that all of the verbosity regarding the budget is more like a look at kids playing grown ups.

I have had a VERY good day in my book and I am very pleased with myself…I have offended the most offensive people on the planet..the least thoughtful..less likely to google…most likely to oogle…..I am going to go pick some daisys now, and help an old lady across the street and go buy some girl scout cookies, they are hurting from the economic crisis…have a good weekend all..things are looking up!!!

Silky; What’s uuuuup? The budget for this year won’t increase our national debt by $7 trillion this year, but the long term affects will, conservatively speaking, add 7 trillion to our deficit. Probably more. Me? I can’t wait for the extra $13/wk. in my paychecks, even if they’re only worth 75 cents when it’s time to spend them, which is now, before they lose purchasing power. Let the good times roll! Have a great weekend dadgummit.

I don’t like it but I support my President in whatever decision he makes.
Posted by: Iraq Vet | Mar 27, 2009 10:52:57 AM
*************************************
You sound just like a “Kool-Aid” drinking person thats under a “trance” of “I want ask” and “you don’t have to tell me” cause I will drink it anyway.

Amy -
Check out the report at the Congressional Budget Office labeled, “A Preliminary Analysis of the President’s Budget and an Update of CBO’s Budget and Economic Outlook”. While most years, except the Clinton years had us at a deficit, check out the huge deficit expected in the next few years. Then go to the year by year forecast link. Check the next three years out.
With regard to Iraq, I suggest a few documentaries, including Iraq in Fragments which was made 2003-2005. Then compare that to BBC’s Iraq timeline of the last year. I would also recommend a review of the discussions leading up to the invasion of Iraq. Be sure to listen to legislators from both sides of the aisle. Look into more reports than just main stream media on the “disappearance” of WMDs.
Now read closely what Obama proposes in Afghanistan. Think through the differences and similarities for yourself.
Like I said before, I do not fully agree with Bush’s invasion of Iraq. However, so many Obama supporters are insisting that perhaps something has come to light to Barack Obama that he cannot discuss – yet those same people are vicious in their condemnation of George Bush without giving him the same consideration they demand for Obama. They end up invulgarities and fallacious logic, like cowgirl.

So, Amy. Also from a not 20something. You didn’t address any of the facts I presented. I suppose you are using not having experience in military matters as a reason that someone should think that your thoughts were accurate, but that’s a fallacious argument. A United States President supporting the Constitution is in his/her oath, so that’s a given.
My assertion hasn’t changed and you haven’t presented any facts to challenge it. From the left-leaning centrist, to the far-left radical (especially the far left radical), liberal/progressives are operating under a double standard. The issues that they “stood” for so vehemently against President George W Bush, they are now painfully and noticably quiet.

The “same people are vicious in their condemnation of George Bush without giving him the same consideration they demand for Obama.”
George Bush was supported in the first year or two of his Presidency, until it became evident he mis-used the anger we felt about the attacks of 9/11 to convince us we needed to invade Iraq, a country that had nothing to do with the 9/11 attacks. Obama is grappling with the mess left behind by Bush. If Obama starts lying to us, torturing prisoners, and generally screwing up, then I will hate him as much as I hate Bush/Cheney, but he has a ways ago.

This is what I call defending the constitution of the United States:
HEADQUARTERS
Multi-National Force—Iraq
Baghdad, Iraq
APO AE 09342-1400
10 May 2007
Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines, and Coast Guardsmen serving in Multi-National Force—Iraq:
Our values and the laws governing warfare teach us to respect human dignity, maintain our integrity, and do what is right. Adherence to our values distinguishes us from our enemy. This fight depends on securing the population, which must understand that we—not our enemies—occupy the moral high ground. This strategy has shown results in recent months. Al Qaeda’s indiscriminate attacks, for example, have finally started to turn a substantial portion of the Iraqi population against it.
In view of this, I was concerned by the results of a recently released survey conducted last fall in Iraq that revealed an apparent unwillingness on the part of some US personnel to report illegal actions taken by fellow members of their units. The study also indicated that a small percentage of those surveyed may have mistreated noncombatants. This survey should spur reflection on our conduct in combat.
I fully appreciate the emotions that one experiences in Iraq. I also know firsthand the bonds between members of the “brotherhood of the close fight.” Seeing a fellow trooper killed by a barbaric enemy can spark frustration, anger, and a desire for immediate revenge. As hard as it might be, however, we must not let these emotions lead us—or our comrades in arms—to commit hasty, illegal actions. In the event that we witness or hear of such actions, we must not let our bonds prevent us from speaking up.
Some may argue that we would be more effective if we sanctioned torture or other expedient methods to obtain information from the enemy. They would be wrong. Beyond the basic fact that such actions are illegal, history shows that they also are frequently neither useful nor necessary. Certainly, extreme physical action can make someone “talk”; however, what the individual says may be of questionable value. In fact our experience in applying the interrogation standards laid out in the Army Field Manual (2-22.3) on Human Intelligence Collector Operations that was published last year shows that the techniques in the manual work effectively and humanely in eliciting information from detainees.
We are, indeed, warriors. We train to kill our enemies. We are engaged in combat, we must pursue the enemy relentlessly, and we must be violent at times. What sets us apart from our enemies in this fight, however, is how we behave. In everything we do, we must observe the standards and values that dictate that we treat noncombatants and detainees with dignity and respect. While we are warriors, we are also all human beings. Stress caused by lengthy deployments and combat is not a sign of weakness; it is a sign that we are human. If you feel such stress, do not hesitate to talk to your chain of command, your chaplain, or a medical expert.
We should use the survey results to renew our commitment to the values and standards that make us who we are and to spur re-examination of these issues. Leaders, in particular, need to discuss these issues with their troopers—and, as always, they need to set the right example and strive to ensure proper conduct. We should never underestimate the importance of good leadership and the difference it can make.
Thanks for what you continue to do. It is an honor to serve with each of you.
David H. Petraeus
General, United States Army
Commanding

Sam, thats exactly what bush did, and look what it got us….a ruined economy…Do you really think we are stupid enough to do it that way all over again…sorry you are talking to the wrong elephant

“Community Activist Unleashes Might
of America on Afghanistan”….women
and children will be slaughtered.
Right, Murtha? Right, Kerry? How
soon before Reid opines, “the war is LOST?”

NPage | Mar 27, 2009 9:39:45 PM
You said; … “With regard to Iraq, I suggest a few documentaries,” …
__________________
I am ABSOLUTELY CERTAIN if there existed ANY Reasonable, Logical, Realistic Argument to support the claim that WMD’s; IN FACT (NOT Propaganda) existed, the Bush/Cheney/Rove Administration would have inundated “the media” with that information! (And, they didn’t.)

i am 17 and just signed up for the army Obama is doing a good job so far i was rooting for McCain but i am glad that Obama won i just hope that the war settles down once i get there.

we need to let mister mccain handle the situation with his miltary training and war skills.