Obama and Karzai
EmailPresident Obama has not yet made his decision about a new strategy in Afghanistan and Pakistan. Whereas the President was waiting for the previously scheduled November 7 Afghan run-off election to make his announcement, now that the run-off has been scrapped, the President’s announcement could come any day.
Today’s news that Afghan President Hamid Karzai is now the officially re-elected leader of that country will indubitably impact his decision, not that it was a surprise.
Is the White House “pleased” — as President Obama said — that Karzai was re-elected?
Senior administration officials say they’re pleased that the worst case scenario didn’t happen and the process didn’t collapse into a constitutional crisis.
And they’re pleased the process is over and they know who they have to deal with.
But as for their feelings about Karzai — the president spoke to Karzai today and delivered a message you will hear in the coming weeks from the administration and the international community — a new push for Karzai to reach objectives dealing with governance and anti-corruption.
You heard an interesting hair-splitting by the administration today – they called Karzai legitimate, as in the election process was fair, but they did not call him a credible partner for the US.
They’re saying to him he needs to prove his credibility.
The weaknesses of Karzai and his government have been highlighted for the White House by this whole election process, issues of good governance and corruption and a lack of basic infrastructure.
The strategy the President picks will need to take into account, therefore, a weak federal government.
There will be more focus on the provincial and regional governments; as well as more ways to assess progress made by the Karzai government – perhaps benchmarks.
That said, officials say this is a legitimate window of opportunity for Karzai.
-jpt
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Talk about credibility, is this going to become another long delay on a decision to back our troops, these delays are helping the terrorists they see this as weekness and gives them time to recruit and move people into places of ambush. McCrystal cant wait much longer and our soldiers deserve better.
Posted by: earl | November 2, 2009, 7:19 pm 7:19 pm
OBAMA IS GOING TO MAKE A DECISION RE SENDING MORE TROOPS? AH… WASN’T HE THE ONE WHO SAID THAT WE HAD LOST IN IRAQ? IF IT WASN’T SO SERIOUS, THIS PRESIDENCY IS REALLY LAUGHABLE. THE NIGHTMARE HAS INDEED BEGUN!! CONSERVATIVES, WE NEED TO SEND THIS ADMINISTRATION AND CONGRESS A VERY STRONG MESSAGE TOMORROW – PLEASE VOTE!!!
Posted by: Manitu | November 2, 2009, 7:43 pm 7:43 pm
I just hate to think about the troops.
Posted by: Fascist Hyena | November 2, 2009, 8:39 pm 8:39 pm
That election excuse was a convenient delay tactic. Whattaya do now, Sparky?
Posted by: ConservativeWoman | November 2, 2009, 8:54 pm 8:54 pm
“The weaknesses of Karzai and his government have been highlighted for the White House by this whole election process, issues of good governance and corruption and a lack of basic infrastructure.”
Rebuilding a nation that relies so heavily on the drug trade cannot be easy – for anyone. Bush experienced this as well. Good luck to Obama on this one.
August 10, 2007
Bush Administration Releases New Afghanistan Drugs Strategy
The U.S. State Department’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs unveiled a long-delayed update to its Afghanistan counter-narcotics strategy on Thursday.
Counter-narcotics efforts to date have failed to prevent a dramatic increase in the production of opium and processed heroin in 2006, with dire consequences for the international development and reconstruction effort in Afghanistan. The State Department report concludes that “[t]he drug trade has undermined virtually every aspect of the Government of Afghanistan’s (GOA) drive to build political stability, economic growth, and rule of law and its capacity to address internal security problems.”
Posted by: Visualize Whirled Peas | November 2, 2009, 9:22 pm 9:22 pm
Mr. Obama called Mr. Karzai, “Tell me Karzai, is your Presidency legit?”. Mr. Karzai responded, “I was going to ask you about yours”.
Posted by: young_voter | November 2, 2009, 10:19 pm 10:19 pm
An anlysis from Politico:
“Foreign policy never goes according to campaign plan, but for President Barack Obama, who promised a hardheaded new engagement with the world, the last week and the weeks he sees looming ahead must be discouraging.
“Across a region spanning Pakistan to the Mediterranean, foreign leaders seem to be challenging the very premise of his policy: that foreign countries can reasonably be persuaded to move in the direction of common interests, and that a better-loved America can get more done.”
It is simply astounding, and extremely dismaying, to think that supposedly mature and intelligent people expected anything else.
Posted by: Fascist Hyena | November 2, 2009, 10:27 pm 10:27 pm
Posted by: Fascist Hyena | Nov 2, 2009 10:27:38 PM
Yes, and the article concludes with . .
“Any foreign policy is going to have ups and downs, but what characterizes Obama’s foreign policy is a great deal of pragmatism and strategy,” said Galbraith. “Strategy by definition means you’re always evaluating the circumstances — the terrain — and making adjustments.”
Posted by: tierra | November 3, 2009, 2:43 am 2:43 am
Obama is having trouble making a decision? No way?!
There’s a reason why he voted present 129X in the Senate.
Decisions have pesky things called consequences. Obama avoids those.
He likes to keep his hands clean while others do the dirty work.
No backbone…
Posted by: hank | November 3, 2009, 8:11 am 8:11 am
Obama takes his sweet time while our troops are in limbo.
In harms way with no plan, no extra reinforcement. Promises Obama made months ago.
Both elections are almost over.
The one in Afghanistan and the races here.
What will be his next excuse?
Posted by: tyler | November 3, 2009, 8:16 am 8:16 am
Obama can’t make a decision about Afghanistan at least until PelosiCare gets a vote.
He can’t get a wave of backlash about sending more troops until that passes.
Health Care is Obama’s legacy.
Afghanistan is low on obama’s priority list.
Posted by: kyle | November 3, 2009, 8:20 am 8:20 am
“Any foreign policy is going to have ups and downs, but what characterizes Obama’s foreign policy is a great deal of pragmatism and strategy,” said Galbraith. “Strategy by definition means you’re always evaluating the circumstances — the terrain — and making adjustments.”
=================================
Notice that Galbraith did not include “execution” as a characterization of Obama’s foreign policy….kind of like “voting present”….
Leaders make decisions. It is clear after 10 months that Obama is not a leader, rather, he is a puppet to Pelosi, Soros, the SEIU, etc., and an appeaser of banana republic strongmen and close-fisted mullahs.
Posted by: tjp612 | November 3, 2009, 8:30 am 8:30 am
LOOK THIS IS AN INSURGENCY IN AN AREA 2X THE SIZE OF IRAQ WITH 7 MILLION MORE ANGRY MOUNTAIN PPEOPLE
MCCRYSTAL COMMITTED INSUBORDINATION AND WENT PUBLIC.
HE SHOULD HAVE BEEN FIRED THAN LIKE TRUMAN FIRED MCARTHUR WAS THAT NUT WANTED OUR TROOPS TO COMMIT SUICIDE IN RED CHINA.
MCCRYSTAL IS DEMANDING 40,000 MORE TROOPS.
THAT WILL BRING US TO 110,000 THE EXACT SAME NUMBER THAT THE SOVIETS HAD WHEN THEY LOST AFGHANISTAN.
THE 40,000 DOES NOT INCLUDE LOGISTICAL SUPPORT, SO YOU CAN THROW AND EXTRA 10,000 TROOP IN MAKING IT 120,000.
THEN WHAT?
WE GO INTO PAKISTAN?
NO, IT’S BEEN 7 YEARS OF NEGLECT UNDER BUSH AND BUSH LOST THE WAR BY FOCUSING ON THE WRONG ENEMY.
NOW THE PEOPLE HATE US AND IT’S BECOME AN INSURGENCY AGAINST THE US.
WE CANNOT WIN ANY INSURGENCY ANYWHERE WITH A CONVENTIONAL STRATEGY.
THE BRITS DISCOVERED THAT IN 1781, WHEN WASHINGTON BEAT THEM WITH THE HELP OF THE FRENCH.
THIS IS RTHE LONGEST WAR BY FAR IN US HISTORY AND IT WAS ALL A WASTE THANX TO BUSH AND CHENEY’S STUPIDITY.
WHAT HAVE WE ACCOMPLISHED, BUT BANKRUPT THE ECONOMY AND DRAIN OUR MILITARY.
AT LEAST NIXON KNEW TO USE B-52S DAY AND NIGHT IN SUPPORT OF THE TROOPS,… NO BUSH BLEW IT WITH A DECADE OF INCOMPETENCE.
PULL OUT NOW.
Posted by: CHUCK | November 3, 2009, 11:12 am 11:12 am
Posted by: tierra | Nov 3, 2009 2:43:00 AM
And from the same article:
“The administration is finding it difficult to have six major priorities,” said Jon Alterman, the director of the Middle East program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. “It’s not a question of can the administration walk and chew gum, but it’s hard to devote high-level attention to a wide diversity of things.”
Welcome to the real world Mr. President. It’s easier to sit by and criticize than it is to actually do the work. Maybe you should have voted Present a few less times, and not spent most of your political career campaiging for your next position.
Posted by: Visualize Whirled Peas | November 3, 2009, 12:22 pm 12:22 pm
“…you’re always evaluating the circumstances — the terrain — and making adjustments.”
That’s precisely the problem. Obama has been “evaluating” McChrystal’s request for three months and does not even know whether he is going to adjust, let alone what his adjustment will be.
The problem in the Afghan war right now is not with Afghanistan’s president, it is with America’s president. Karzai knows that, the NATO allies know it, the Pakistanis know it, and you can bet your bottom dollar that every generall, colonel, company commander, platoon leader and grunt knows it.
And I promise you that not a single one of them is sitting around blaming George W. Bush for anything.
Posted by: Fascist Hyena | November 3, 2009, 12:26 pm 12:26 pm
Posted by: Fascist Hyena | Nov 3, 2009 12:26:36 PM
Precisely. And this was AFTER he announced his Af-Pak plan in March (that he stole from the previous administration), promised to have (I believe it was) $170,000 security forces trained by 2011, and then a few months later changed his mind to re-evaluate.
Posted by: Visualize Whirled Peas | November 3, 2009, 1:30 pm 1:30 pm
” Obama has been “evaluating” McChrystal’s request for three months”
_______________________________
Three months? Nonsense, can you not get simple facts right? Why should anybody believe what you post?
McChrystal’s report was handed over to U.S. Central Command on August 31, 2009.
This report was separate from his request for troops – which did not come to the Pentagon until the week ending September 25 – as widely reported.
Why is it right wingers will lie or fail to do any respectable research in your thrashing attempts to soil the President?
The right wing repeatedly reveal themselves as unprincipled and untruthful zealots.
Posted by: tierra | November 3, 2009, 2:39 pm 2:39 pm