President Obama's Trust Deficit (re: Afghanistan)

[IrateCitizen]

President Obama's Trust Deficit

Tonight as I listened to President Obama's Speech On Afghanistan and why we need to commit more troops, I found myself asking "Where's the trust? Where's the credibility?"

His pledge to send another 30,000 troops to Afghanistan while simultaneously declaring troop withdrawal in 18 months is bound to please no one.

Obama said "I have determined that it is in our vital national interest to send an additional 30,000 U.S. troops to Afghanistan. After 18 months, our troops will begin to come home. ... If I did not think that the security of the United States and the safety of the American people were at stake in Afghanistan, I would gladly order every single one of our troops home tomorrow."

Excuse me, but if the mission is vital to our national interest how can it possibly be correct to give a precise deadline to bring the troops home in 18 months?

Not that I am arguing for an unlimited commitment (because if it was up to me I would declare the war was won and leave), but let's face it, if something is of "vital national interest", then deadlines are senseless.

Apparently Afghanistan is vital to our interests for the next 18 months, after which "who cares?"

Does that make any sense? The only way it can possibly make any sense is if he has no intention of leaving after 18 months unless the war is won. Given there is no mission statement, no measure of victory, and nothing but nebulous goals, there is absolutely no reason to believe the war will be won in 18 months.

SNIP, TO CONCLUDE WITH THE MOST ASTUTE OBSERVATION IN THE ARTICLE, IMHO...

By attempting to appease both the hawks and the doves, Obama looks like a wishy-washy fool, hoping our vital interest in Afghanistan will be solved in 18 months.

READ THE REST HERE

ON EDIT: FIXED LINK

[Ineeda]

1. Source? n/t

[IrateCitizen]

2. Click on the link at the bottom.

It's from Mike Shedlock's site -- usually financial commentary, but I found his assessment of Afghanistan to be rather insightful, and he doesn't really have an axe to grind on this issue from either side.

[Ineeda]

3. "Blog not found" n/t

[IrateCitizen]

4. Try it now.

I apparently didn't delete the "h" of "http" after I pasted the address in the link. It's been fixed now.

:dunce:

[Ineeda]

5. link okay now but you're quoting

Mike Shedlock, conservative Obama-hater? Kinda what I thought. Buh-bye.

[IrateCitizen]

6. So, since Michael Moore said basically the same thing, does that make him...

... a conservative Obama-hater too?

If anyone expresses logical concern over Obama's escalation in Afghanistan, does that make them an Obama-hater by default?

I only ask because I want to ascertain whether the discussion here is about ideas or personalities. Since the election, I've been much less than sure in that regard on these boards.

[frylock]

7. it's all about personalities around here..

i'm still waiting to hear if this policy would be acceptable it that were mccain up there speechifying last night.