Obama sets out to woo wary military leadership

[scytherius]

Source: MSNBC

There was little talk of exiting Iraq or beefing up the U.S. force in Afghanistan; the one-on-one, 45-minute conversation ranged from the personal to the philosophical. Mullen came away with what he wanted: a view of the next president as a non-ideological pragmatist who was willing to both listen and lead. After the meeting, the chairman "felt very good, very positive," according to Mullen spokesman Capt. John Kirby.

Read more: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/27977381/

---

I love how in the article the military is thrilled to have Obama and be done with the Bush years. I see this as the military mistrust of Dems flip flopping and, when we are done, the Republicans will be distrusted and the Dems, trusted.

Isn't it amazing how different it is when you actually get adults with a brain for leaders?

[jody]

1. If Obama does not request funds to replace equipment and supplies depleted in Iraq/Afghanistan and

upgrade combat systems then IMO it's unlikely flag officers will support him.

Obama faces an either-or decision given our nations bankrupt status, either reduce his HEW vision or reduce DoD's bare minimum needs.

[tabatha]

2. There is TONS of waste in the military.

If he eliminates that, then it is no longer an either or situation.

[jody]

4. Agree and there is even more waste in current HEW programs. The question is why hasn't Congress

eliminated that waste already?

A president is limited unless you want to give him/her a line-item veto which Dems have opposed.

Line Item Veto Act of 1996
Presidents have repeatedly asked Congress to give them a line item veto power. According to Louis Fisher in The Politics of Shared Power, Ronald Reagan said to Congress in his 1986 State of the Union address, "Tonight I ask you to give me what forty-three governors have: Give me a line-item veto this year. Give me the authority to veto waste, and I'll take the responsibility, I'll make the cuts, I'll take the heat." Bill Clinton echoed the request in his State of the Union address in 1995.

The President was briefly granted this power by the Line Item Veto Act of 1996, passed by Congress in order to control "pork barrel spending" that favors a particular region rather than the nation as a whole. The line-item veto was used 11 times to strike 82 items from the federal budget by President Bill Clinton. <3><4>

However, U.S. District Court Judge Thomas F. Hogan ruled on February 12, 1998, that unilateral amendment or repeal of only parts of statutes violated the U.S. Constitution. This ruling was subsequently affirmed on June 25, 1998, by a 6-3 decision of the Supreme Court of the United States in the case Clinton v. City of New York. The case was brought by the then New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani.

A constitutional amendment to give the President line item veto power has been considered periodically since the Court ruled the 1996 act unconstitutional.

[pasto76]

5. waste

responsibility would scrap, or at least shelve, several dozen "developmental" weapons, weapon systems and/or weapon platforms while we are engaged in IRaq and afghanistan.

[humbled_opinion]

7. Ammo for Repukes

Go Ahead eliminate any single weapons program... follow it with any test of military might by Russia, China or possibly even Venezuela or a missle test or nuke threat from Iran and bang the Repukes are going to eat you up.

The impossible tight rope that Obama has to walk.... i.e.,

he has already championed increased troop in Afghanistan.

The Right rully intends to rape him as soon as any troops die in any combat mission in the hamburger hills of Tora Bora.

[tabatha]

12. Obama wants to increase the number of troops and improve the quality

of their protection.

You do not understand what he wants to do.

[humbled_opinion]

14. LOL

I fully understand what he wants to do. My point was the spin from the Republicans. Congress is on record requesting a 1/3 decrease in DOD funding. It doesn't matter what they cut the perception that will be spun is that the Democrats are sending our troops into harms way and cutting funding on critical programs needed to keep them safe....

Its simple sound bite talking points like that which score points. The elborate belaboring details of exactly what is being cut and the wastefullness of it, is all subjective, and is debateable on both side so it won't sell. you cut a program and have the audacity to send our soldiers to fight... that makes for selling headlines...

[Joe Chi Minh]

15. What right?

[humbled_opinion]

18. The Political Punditry.

Hello, did you miss the point in the election that 59 million people actually voted for Bush's third term! Ever stop and ask yourself why that could be? The catalyst to spark that anger is going to be any move that Obama makes that goes against the beliefs of the Conservatives. I deal with this every day at work. If he cuts any defense program, I don't care if it is something in the test phases or something that actually doesn't work at all. The punditry on the right is going to run criticism of him sending our soldiers off to die as he cuts defense programs that support them... It is a terrible cunundrum. If he wants to cut defense spending he cannot be hawkish on Afghanistan they are mutually exclusive.

[Joe Chi Minh]

22. If you believe 59 million people voted for Bush, you'll believe anything. Don't

forget you work in a very biased environment, from you've told us. Once the election process is made honest agan, the Democrats really will be the permanent majority. Especially after this accelerating economic depression. And aren't you assuming that the Democrats are going to allow the same "bent", Neocon, corporate media to continue running riot? You are also assuming that economic circumstances will be such that people will even COUNTENANCE defence spending.

So they are all assumptions I think you are mistaken about. Economic hardship and sane reform of elections and media will be the determinant factors relating to policy.

[Duende azul]

20. So what´s your idea?

Are you advocating to leave Afghanistan (and Iraq) in order to be able to cut defense spending?

Fine with me.
For what reason ever these unlawful wars will be ended - I don´t care, as long as they end and someone is held accountable.

[cyclezealot]

17. Considering how Bush is blowing up US equiptment in Iraq

a minimal DoD Xmas list will be HUGE....

[pasto76]

3. comments from a veteran

When I came home from Iraq in 2004, I had 2 years left in my contract as a reservist. The "re-election" pushed me away from re-enlisting(for the second time. I have served 12 years total). The two years after the election convinced me that Iraq was no longer an endeavor worth dying for. Worth widowing my wife, and having our daughter grow up without a dad. Republican or democrat, I had always trusted that the CIC would actually value the lives of me and my soldiers. Bush never did.
For the last month, I have been considering and discussing with the wife re-enlisting next summer - when I finish a 3 year training period for my job.
Ive always wanted to serve and I still do. Ive learned things about soldering that no one knew in my unit when we deployed in 2003. critical things. I can help keep my army strong. Thousands of soldiers go into harms way, every day, protecting some ideal. They need help, and I can do my part.
But faith is being restored. Obama has always spoken of Iraq, Afghanistan and my soldiers with sincerity and urgency. He Signed on immediately to the Modern day GI Bill (that Bush, MCCAIN, PALIN and a majority of republicans opposed). He has demonstrated already that he will LISTEN. The comments from the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs is so encouraging. I think I can trust a President Obama not to waste my life.

it is also infuriating that after YEARS of "cowards cut and run", that these same shitbags have signed a deal, putting a deadline on US forces in Iraq. Didnt that bitch Palin call that the white flag of surrender? Thats for all you lurking freepers out there (almost none of whom have served in Iraq)

be cool

SGT PASTO

[bemildred]

6. Thanks for your service, Sergeant, and your comments.

Would that your leadership had been worthy of you.

[lamp_shade]

8. Bravo !!

[humbled_opinion]

10. Points From the Right...

Obama never served.

His Selective Service registration is even being questioned.

He fully intends to cut weapons programs and in fact the Congress has asked for a 1/3 budget cut for the DOD starting in 09.

Obama was against General Patreaus surge tactic in Iraq which has been a wild success.

If he removes troops too quickly from Iraq and the country implodes he will get the blame.

He fully intends to send thousands more troops to Afghanistan where they will surly die in the meat grinder hills of tora bora quickly surpassing the casualy rates to date.

So it appears that no matter what Obama does he is damned. How long will it be before his anti-war base turns on him too?

[pasto76]

16. .

>>Obama never served.
not a requirement to be CIC. I trust him more than I will ever trust Bush.

>>He fully intends to cut weapons programs and in fact the Congress has asked for a 1/3 budget cut for the DOD starting in 09.
GOOD!! for the D-O-D. Maybe the missile shield will get cut. Or the crusader howitzer system. Or maybe the F22 , or hell the F35. WE NEED MONEY FOR THE GROUND TROOPS NOW, NOT SYSTEMS THAT ARE YEARS FROM BEING OPERATIONAL

>>Obama was against General Patreaus surge tactic in Iraq which has been a wild success.
"wild sucess" really? how many troops died last month? Since Last year? You call that a wild success? I call it merely improvement with miles to go.

>>If he removes troops too quickly from Iraq and the country implodes he will get the blame.
Funny, Bush can run the show for 5 years, but get none of the blame. Oh yeah, you call these "points from the RIGHT"

>>He fully intends to send thousands more troops to Afghanistan where they will surly die in the >>meat grinder hills of tora bora quickly surpassing the casualy rates to date.
Myself AND my soldiers would rather spend the next ten years deployed, away from our families to GET THE BIN LADEN. Remember, the guy who actually ATTACKED US?

>>So it appears that no matter what Obama does he is damned. How long will it be before his anti-war >>base turns on him too?
Since Obama is not bent on staying in Iraq "not matter what" or "to win" he's hard pressed to lose my support. My criticism is harsh when it comes to the soldiers. I was there though....were you?

[humbled_opinion]

19. Never been There.

however, I do work with military leaders everyday and I know a little something about tactics and new technology. Those points were the ones that are debated daily in my world. I do not agree with them and when I can I counter them.

The bottom line is that Obama is a hawk regarding Afghanistan and the need to get OBL but sending the troops to fight and cutting defense budgets are mutually exclusive In the world that I work in.

like I said before, it matters little which program he cuts it is going to get whittled down to a talking point. Obama cuts defense spending as he orders troops to battle.

Doesn't sound too good does it. Follow on stories of how Obama never served day one in the military and is asking the ultimate sacrifice of Soldiers chasing the ghost OBL... blah, blah, blah...

On the tora bora issue, the enemy is entrenched the Russians lost countless thousands in those very mountains in the 1980's, You know we went there shortly after 911 full force 13 months before diverting troops to the Iraqi build up. Ground assault is ludacris the Afghan problem has never really been about manpower that was and is political spin.

But you can be sure of one thing, my main point... The repukes are going to criticize, chastise and berate him about every decision he makes.

[Mari333]

21. a lot of Dems dont agree with his stance on Afghanistan either. n/t

[keopeli]

11. Thanks for your comments and repeatedly standing up for our country. n/t

[tabatha]

13. I hope you send any thoughts you have to the Obama team.

They WANT to hear for you.

In the last eight years I have felt that the troops, more than any other sector, have gotten the short end of the stick.

In fact, they have been abused.

Dying for Bush's desire to go to war with Iraq even before he was president. Not treating them well after they returned, battered and hurt. Not supporting their families.

I almost puked when he said that the thing he will miss most is being CIC of the wonderful troops.

Thank you for your service, your comments, and especially your desire to go back and help.

[tabasco]

23. Hooah Bro.

I got out after twelve.

It was a tough decision but they were offering money to get out back then and I took the money and ran. :)

Sometimes I regret it but you just can't go back.

[IndianaGreen]

9. Wooo? They should all be purged from their leadership positions!

Not only them, but any chaplain that engages in proselytizing or spreads rightwing propaganda in the guise of religion should get kicked out of service.