Obama: U.S. Goals In Afghanistan "Should Be Relatively Modest"

McClatchy Newspapers:

In an interview with McClatchy Saturday night as he returned from his overseas trip, Sen. Barack Obama answered questions about sending more U.S. troops to Afghanistan and other issues in his campaign against Republican Sen. John McCain.

Q: Afghanistan is something you've spoken a lot about...Take us to the next level, why, as you've said, and how, we need to put more U.S. forces into Afghanistan. To the Soviets it became a quagmire. How do you avoid that? How do you measure success? If you could give us a little more detail about what you think you'd like to do.

A: I'm not here to lay out a comprehensive military strategy. That's the job of our commanders on the ground. I can tell you what our strategic goals should be. They should be relatively modest. We shouldn't want to take over the country. We should want to get out of there as quickly as we can and help the Afghans govern themselves and provide for their own security. Our critical goal should be to make sure that the Taliban and al Qaida are routed and that they cannot project threats against us from that region. And to do that I think we need more troops. I also think that we need to deal with the situation in Pakistan and the fact that terrorists are able to operate with relative freedom of movement there right now.

Read the whole story: McClatchy Newspapers

Comments

[ChicagoPunk]

Already lots of neo-con fear in this thread. It happys me.

[macaac]

Yeah well what did he just tell Europe? Sounded like an Afghanistan surge to me.

[GTrollPatrol]

exactly

so tell me who he says he works for?

us? NOT

MIC

hell ya, they got themselves a winner

sadly =(

[BlackWidowPilot]

"MIC"

Am I right in thinking you mean *Middle Eastern Countries* by this abbreviation?

Leland R. Erickson

Citizen

[jmsent]

What he told Europe is that Afghanistan is a problem that's worsening, that it's also a problem for them, and that he will need their help. What is your problem with these statements?

[holeybuybull]

One of my problems with his take is that the primary purpose of NATO is as a defensive alliance, not an offensive force utilized to suppress foreign countries. Perhaps he was thinking of the French Foreign Legion.

[dadw5boys]

Most of the Afgan HERION ends up in Eroupe so they had better step up or that bumper crop will soon be cause havoc all over the Eroupean countries that are too cheap or lazy to support this intervettion in Afganistan.

[MagisterLudi]

I'm not here to lay out a comprehensive military strategy.
That's the job of our commanders on the ground. I can tell you what our strategic goals should be.
"I am not telling your what the strategy is...... I am telling you what the strategic goals are.

This is about as muddled of a statement as one can make. The guy obviously has no clue what the concept of strategy is, military or otherwise.­They don't teach it at law school or the boy scouts.

THis is Americans luck--- two incompetents in a row. both tall, thin, with giant ears, fudi-Christians and and a prediliction towards inflated ego and self-celebrity.

[axt113]

Hey genius, that's what all great presidents did, you can't micromanage everything, there is too much detail to do that, the smart leaders say, i need you to perform this task or achieve this goal and then they let the other guy figure out how exactly to do it, and only perform oversight and monitoring to make sure it gets done right. If a president tried to manage every detail they would get bogged down and have no time for other stuff

[NoahVail]

Get your stick and try to muddy the waters. That's your only chance. He seemed crystal clear to me. Maybe that's because I am a latte-sipping, elitist liberal. Umm... don't think so- 50-ish father of two and a Vietnam era vet. And I have normal-sized ears, too.

[JiminNC]

You might want to consider discussing something you know about. I think there is a thread in "Living" on the many culinary uses for McSpooge. I am sure you can take knowledge to that table.

[dadw5boys]

He was clear to me. He will have the military stop all this hand holding of corrupt government officals and go get the bad guys and if the war lords get in the way bye bye war lord.

[cunuck]

Obama is making a grave error in linking the Taliban with al Qaida. The Taliban are native Pashtun whereas al Qaida is Arab. The Pashtun's traditional country is bisected by the Afghan - Pakistan border. Sealing this border will cause a major uprising that would most likely result in the destabilization of Pakistan.

Here's some Pashtun sayings:

"Revenge is a dish best served cold"
"Me against my brother, my brother and me against my cousins, we and our cousins against the enemy."

The Pashtun's ethnic and tribal ties are much stronger than religious ties. Any attempt to remove the Taliban by force, especially by a foreign occupier, will result ONLY in strengthening them. The Taliban is a fairly recent construct of Saudi Arabia and Pakistan so the way to deal with them is negotiation and buy out.

The Northern Warlords are another factor that will make things messy during this period as they will vie for power

If you think Iraq was/is a quagmire, you "ain't seen nothin' yet".

[brainuser]

"Here's some Pashtun sayings:"
I suggest the former can be documented as French. I suggest the former can be documented as Arabic, and was widely quoted in connection with the mess in Iraq. In any event I assume they sound very different in Pashto. Care to provide the text? I thought not.

[brainuser]

"I suggest the former can be documented as Arabic," should be ""I suggest the latter can be documented as Arabic,"

[dadw5boys]

The rebel Mujahadeen is what the USA calls the Taliban or al Qaida.

The rebel Mujahadeen is who the USA armed against Russia and who became al qaida.

[cunuck]

Mujaheddin simply means warrior or fighter.

There are Pushtunwali Mujaheddin and Islamic jihadist Mujaheddin. The former is indigenous while the later was created by the CIA (under Carter/Reagan) with the help of the Saudis and the Pakistani army to fight the Soviets.

Here's an article that further discusses this theme (error in grouping the two factions):
The Land of an Eye for an Eye
The dangers of going after the Taliban and al Qaeda in Pakistan
By Aamir Latif Posted 8/19/07
http://www.usnews.com/usnews/news/articles/070819/27pakistan.htm

[beaupritchard]

"being able to slip into the anonymity of a crowd, of watching the world as opposed to be being watched"

It's called freedom ... one gives up much to be in the public eye.

[darthdarcy]

As long as the Taliban is supported by the Pakistani ISI then they will continue to to infiltrate into Afghanista­n..

The same is true of al-Qadea..­which is supported by the Pakistani ISI..

How much of the billions we sent Pakistan is being used to fund the Taliban and even al-Qaeda provide arms and training and refuge to these groups..?

Let's remember the Chief of the Pakistan ISi Ahmed their intelligence forces sent Mohamed Atta $100,000 towards the 9/11 attack to help finance it ..

Bush blew the War on Terror at Tora Bora allowing all these Taliban to escape from a nearby city the ISI flew them out and allowing bin-Laden and Zawahiri to escape and even giving them a truce to help accomplish this betrayal..­they also allowed a caravan of 1,500 cars and truce full of Taliban mostly and al-Qeda escape across the Pakistani border..

We have to create a no mans land between the two borders in the region where they cross over using our Ari forces which has not pulled it weight in this conflict and why has Bush cut 40,000 Airmen when we are at war on multiple fronts and people talk about Bill Clinton cutting our forces...

Bush let bin-Laden get away after he slaughtered nearly 3,000 of us and those here on our soil, he's a disgrace as a Commander in Chief a total disgrace..­.

[Gma11]

Marvelous!! The man keeps getting better and better.

And he has a wise philosophy of life.

[Adagio]

This McClatchy interview and the Newsweek interview also being reported tonight provide two examples of something that impresses me about Obama, which is the way he answers questions directly. He actually listens to the questions and formulates answers that respond to them. I am sick and tired of pols who respond to interviews with canned talking points regardless of whether they fit the questions asked. I think you have to give him credit for that even if you don't particularly like his answers. Just saying.

[Superbus]

Wait just a minute! What he says about the commanders on the ground in Afghanistan is just the opposite of what he says about the commanders on the ground in Iraq!!

Is anyone surprised??????????

[JiminNC]

He never said anything about not listening to commanders on the ground shortbus but of course you already know that. Flaccid post but thanks for playing.

[IndependentTogether]

You must be one of those "low information voters" that we keep hearing about. So, I'm not surprised that you don't really know what he's actually been saying about Iraq. FTR, with regards to listening to the commanders, what he says about Afghanistan is identical to what he's been saying about Iraq. But just to reduce your confusion, when he talks about overall strategic decisions he's asserting that that's the CC's responsibility. That's the truth. Sorry if it's too much of a distinction for you to comprehend.

[axt113]

Umm no it isn't, he isn't telling the commanders which units to remove or from where, he isn't telling them the nuts and bolts, he has created a strategic goal, withdrawl in 16 months at a pace of one to two brigades a months, from that point on its their job to figure out how to do it.

Outlining the needed goals is not the same as micromanaging the issue

[Rotwang]

I'm pretty sure we lost the window to build the trans-Afghanistan pipeline from the Caspian Sea fields that Unocal-consultant Hamid Karzai was trying to negotiate with the Taliban, back before 2001. But at least he got a cool hat and a funky cape, and now he's the Mayor of the Munchkin City.

I agree that we should try to undo the damage we've inflicted and try to restore some order. But let's skip the part where we endeavor to transform the place into a giant Petri dish for culturing "democracy­."

[abouttime]

Thanks for the facts.
Your advice is wise.
did Obama say: We shouldn't want to take over the country. We should want to get out of there as quickly as we ...
We'll hold him to that campaign promise!
US out of Iraq, Afghanistan, and on an on, and...

[harriscrl3]

Exactly these goals have to be modest and America should be providing assistance to the Afghan people but ultimately its their country and they should set their own destiny like the Iraqi people.

Carol

[coolrepublica]

I thought Afganistan was the true war. Whatever happened to that idea in obamaland?

[Dreamers101]

Fo’ols and there brains sometimes get departed for each other is that what happen to you?

[harriscrl3]

Obama is not a warmongerer he doesnt want to get bogged down in war for years when they are a lot of stuff that needs fixing at home his point is that if we didnt go into Iraq and waste time and money not to mention cost us lives we could have contained Al Queada in Afghanistan where they were and we probably would be getting out of Aghanistan by now. He never planned on staying in Afghanistan anymore than he did Iraq. The republicans are the once who are always fighting wars cause thats the only political capital that they are capable of using. He believes that unless there is an immenint threat war should be used as a last resort.

Carol

[JiminNC]

Your problem is in your first two words. No ... you didn't. Hannitybots do not have that capability.

[cct84]

Oh come on Barry! You're starting to sound weak. Just a few days ago you were more than willing to tell GEN Patraeus how to do his job in Iraq, but your answer for Afghanistan is "...I'm not here to lay out a comprehensive military strategy. That's the job of our commanders on the ground..." And Iraq isn't? What gives? If you're willing to let the commanders on the ground lay out the strategy for Afghanistan, how about letting GEN Patraeus lay out the strategy for Iraq--I mean, he is the commander on the ground you know.

I have a question for all you huffbots. Since you're so fond of asking Bush to define "winning" in Iraq, why don't you ask Barry how he defines "winning" in Afghanistan. Don't be surprised if the answer sounds a lot like what we're doing in Iraq.

[JiminNC]

A real commander in chief always takes advice from his commanders and then tells them what their job is, not how to do it. That is the problem with whiny McBots, you just can't grasp the concept of civilian rule. And I suspect most of you have never served, your children or parents either. No, playing 6000 hours of Doom doesn't count.

[cct84]

No, but 24 years of military service does.

[axt113]

Again, outlining the goals is not the same as micromanaging, telling them they need to be out in 16 mnths is a strategic goal, it isn't telling them strategy, they figure out how to do it. Telling them they need to beat Al-qaeda in Afghanistan and Pakistan is a goal, they figure out how to do it.

He does what all good leaders do, you map out your goals and you assign the best people to those tasks and you only monitor to make sure the goals are being met, but you let them deal with the nuts and bolts

[coolrepublica]

Goals in Afghanistan should be modest? Talk about shooting low. I say the only goal that is acceptable is winning.

"I'm not here to lay out a comprehensive military strategy. That's the job of our commanders on the ground" Barack Obama

And since when does Obama, Mr. "I don't care if the commanders say 16 months is a bad idea, I set the agenda as commander in chief" started listening to the commanders. Quick someone call General Patreus and tell him Obama is coming to his senses. I think.

Obama fanboys, no need to respond I know you guys would accept failure on anything as long as Obama is making sure that it fails. So save the spin for people who care.

[JiminNC]

Okay genius, define winning instead of whining.

[GTrollPatrol]

i define winning as reverting back to the original intent of our founding fathers, period

while that war may not be lost yet, hell of a lot of them battles have gone for the NWO

sadly, =(

[axt113]

Withdrawl in 16 months is a strategic goal, just as defeating Al-Qaeda in Afghanistan and Pakistan is a strategic goal. So yeah his statment was 100% accurate

[dadw5boys]

TAKE AWAY THE CRAP BUSH DEMANDS OF THE MILITARY AND LET THEM DO THE JOB IN AFGANISTAN IS ALL HE WILL DO.