Strategy change for Afghanistan?

[Hew]

I just thought it was funny. I mentioned "cowboy" and "cavalier", but made no mention of Bush, and a conservative wasted no time drawing the link!

Yeah, I get it. Just like I thought it was funny that you were pretending your weren't referring to Bush.

Just like it's funny that now you're bending over backwards to remind us that Obama tells the military what to do; not the other way around. But on more than one occasion you've accused/criticized Bush for not following military advice.

[dnf777]

Yeah, I get it. Just like I thought it was funny that you were pretending your weren't referring to Bush.

Just like it's funny that now you're bending over backwards to remind us that Obama tells the military what to do; not the other way around. But on more than one occasion you've accused/criticized Bush for not following military advice.

1) So what's the point? I never pretended I wasn't referring to Bush. I merely pointed out that I didn't mention his name, and someone else promptly drew the association. You can spin and read all you want into it, I'm done with it.

The president and elected officials set policy, and the military advises how to carry it out. Ultimately, the president is the CIC. There's no conflict.

have a good one

[YardleyLabs]

Its osama's problem now. I wonder when he will man up and take the problem on as well as the consequences of his inaction.

It seems to me that he has been doing just that. He put McChrystal in place, requested his assessment, received it, and is reviewing it. Presumably he will make a decision on policy which will then be second guessed by everyone with a voice. He will be judged on the effectiveness of that policy, as he should be. The fact that eight years have been spent squandering the momentum that was created with our initial actions in Afghanistan, and the bravery of our special forces and their Afghan allies, is not Obama's fault, but it is the background for deciding what must now be done.

[road kill]

It seems to me that he has been doing just that. He put McChrystal in place, requested his assessment, received it, and is reviewing it. Presumably he will make a decision on policy which will then be second guessed by everyone with a voice. He will be judged on the effectiveness of that policy, as he should be. The fact that eight years have been spent squandering the momentum that was created with our initial actions in Afghanistan, and the bravery of our special forces and their Afghan allies, is not Obama's fault, but it is the background for deciding what must now be done.

If he waits long enough, he won't have to make a decision, his partner in Iran will make it for him.

Like it or not, and play the blame game all you want, Iran & Israel a ve3ry close to starting WW III.

This is incredibly dangerous right now.
And the Iran leadership sees the inaction as weakness.

Have any of you ever looked at this site??

http://www.stratfor.com/

Interesting takes on our percieved weakness at the top right now from abroad.

[Richard Halstead]

Jeff do you deny this meeting with McChrystal might have been spurred by the heat Obamma was taking for ignoring the request for more troops?

[dnf777]

Jeff do you deny this meeting with McChrystal might have been spurred by the heat Obamma was taking for ignoring the request for more troops?

The request for more troops has not been ignored. Actually, it was a request for more troops if we want to accomplish the mission as currently stated. I think the deliberations now are determining if the current stated mission is what we truly want. (or need)

I think we're seeing high level discussions as to what exactly our mission should be, and then, how to carry it out. I'm glad we're not dumping more troops on the ground, with inadequate tools, then figuring out what we want them to do after they're in harm's way.

I'm waiting to hear eventually WHO is advising the president on middle eastern issues. Some names that would be interesting would be Z. Brezinski, G.H.W. Bush, Richard Cohen, and Colin Powell. All men who were involved in successful operations involving the middle east. Well, Brezinski may be debatable, but he no doubt has insight into middle eastern culture, even if from past mistakes. History will hopefully serve as a guide to whomever formulates middle east policy.

[YardleyLabs]

Jeff do you deny this meeting with McChrystal might have been spurred by the heat Obamma was taking for ignoring the request for more troops?

Richard, I don't think I said any such thing. I suspect that the meeting on the tarmac was a direct result of media noise about the lack of a meeting. A decision on Afghanistan will affect us for years to come. If Obama elects to follow McChrystal's recommendations, few will remember McChrystal's name when the dust settles, but the war will define Obama's presidency and possibly the presidency of his successor. I don't think he has taken "too long" in making up his mind. I suspect he is leaning toward an expanded engagement given recent comments by McChrystal's commanders. Bush spent a year trying to build support for an invasion of Iraq, saying the whole time that no decision had been made. By saying that, Bush kept his options open in the event that opposition to the invasion was too strong to overcome. I suspect that Obama is acting in a similar manner.