The New Anti-War Movement: Obama Faces Growing Backlash Over Afghanistan

The Daily Beast:

As President Obama's generals consider asking for more troops in Afghanistan, the White House is finding itself confronted with a new problem: lefty war critics. They aren't fringe figures, either. The latest eminences to ask tough questions about the dramatic shift in Afghanistan policy include Rory Stewart, the best-selling author; filmmaker Robert Greenwald; even Obama's own advisor Lee Hamilton, the former vice-chairman of the 9/11 Commission. While not a coordinated movement, these early rumblings of skepticism could gain momentum over time, providing yet another headache for Obama.

Read the whole story: The Daily Beast

Comments

[chicagomike]

I recently read that no one has successfully conquered Afghanistan since Alexander the Great. Well, Alexander died shortly after, so we'll never know if he could have held on to it. And, of course, others have indeed invaded and controlled Afghanistan, at least for a time...but they have either been other Muslims, or groups like the Mongols whose descendants became Muslim. I don't know what Obama is thinking if he truly believes we can succeed there. We are outsiders in more ways than one, and we are wasting money and America/NATO lives, and killing innocent civilians. We went after the "al-Qaeda-linked" (love that term) Taliban eight years ago, and they are resurging, while the rest of the country is slipping back into the power of warlords. Our puppet Karzai is corrupt and ineffective, and there is no light at the end of the tunnel. Get out NOW with a shred of dignity, before we leave with our tails between our legs.

[rollingdivision]

Anti war, no anti Bush, wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are perfectly acceptable to the progressives!!

The news that emerged is that the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have virtually fallen off the liberal radar screen. Kossacks (as fans of DailyKos like to call themselves) who were consumed by the Iraq war when George W. Bush was president are now, with Barack Obama in the White House, not so consumed, either with Iraq or with Obama's escalation of the conflict in Afghanistan. In fact, they barely seem to care.

It's an extraordinary change in the mindset of the left. I attended the first YearlyKos convention, and have kept up with later ones, and it's safe to say that for many self-styled "progressives," the war in Iraq was the animating cause of their activism. They hated the war, and they hated George W. Bush for starting it. Or maybe they hated the war because George W. Bush started it. Either way, it was war, war, war.

Not too long ago, some observers worried that Barack Obama would come under increasing pressure from the Left to leave both Iraq and Afghanistan. Now, it seems those worries were unfounded. For many liberal activists, opposing the war was really about opposing George W. Bush. When Bush disappeared, so did their anti-war passion.

[bigsioux]

Day after day another member of our armed forces gets blown to pieces and shipped home and it goes largely unnoticed in the MSM. Instead, lunatics calling health care reform the equivalent of the final solution saturate the airwaves. That says plenty to me about America's interest in Afghanistan.

[rollingdivision]

Remember the anti-war movement? Not too long ago, the Democratic party's most loyal voters passionately opposed the war in Iraq. Democratic presidential candidates argued over who would withdraw American troops the quickest. Netroots activists regularly denounced President George W. Bush, and sometimes the U.S. military ("General Betray Us"). Cindy Sheehan, the woman whose soldier son was killed in Iraq, became a heroine when she led protests at Bush's Texas ranch.

That was then. Now, even though the United States still has roughly 130,000 troops in Iraq, and is quickly escalating the war in Afghanistan -- 68,000 troops there by the end of this year, and possibly more in 2010 -- anti-war voices on the Left have fallen silent.

No group was more angrily opposed to the war in Iraq than the netroots activists clustered around the left-wing Web site DailyKos. It's an influential site, one of the biggest on the Web, and in the Bush years many of its devotees took an active role in raising money and campaigning for anti-war candidates.

[rollingdivision]

Byron York's wrote a column on the demise of the antiwar movement, now that George Bush is no longer President. How does it happen that Barack Obama continues our involvement in Iraq at the same level that had been planned by the Bush administration and increases our forces in Afghanistan, with hardly a peep from the formerly-antiwar left?

Cindy Sheehan sent this message to York after his column appeared,

Mrs. Sheehan:

I read your column about the "anti-war" movement and I can't believe I am saying this, but I mostly agree with you.

The "anti-war" "left" was used by the Democratic Party. I like to call it the "anti-Republican War" movement.

While I agree with you about the hypocrisy of such sites as the DailyKos, I have known for a long time that the Democrats are equally responsible with the Republicans. That's why I left the party in May 2007 and that's why I ran for Congress against Nancy Pelosi in 2008.

I have my own radio show, "Cindy Sheehan's Soapbox," and I was out on a four-month book tour promoting the fact that it's not about Democrats or Republicans, but it's about the system.

Even if I am surrounded by a thousand, or no one, I am still working for peace.

Sincerely,
Cindy Sheehan

[dukeitout]

We were invaded on 9/11 by Al Qaeda. They killed 3000 of our citizens. The only valid reason to wage war in Afghanistan or Pakistan is to destroy Al Qaeda. Once that happens, we should get out. Also, if Al Qaeda is not a threat to us in 2009 we may justify shutting down any warfare in the 2 countries. We should not be nation-building in that area in any event. We should vigorously pursue nation-building of the good ole USA.

[jwalter]

destroy the CIA and all other "intelligence" agencies and the terrorists go with them.

[uneeda]

the u.s. will get out of afghanistan when once again there are enough people demonstrating in front of the geo washington monument......until then it'll be more of the same......preaching about change with zero action

[tbone99]

One reason we may be in Afghanistan is to pressure Iran - we have it surrounded on three sides , should we decide to go in for their oil.Thats my opinion.

This article offers an interesting take on why is there a war in afghanistan ?
http://www.globalissues.org/article/304/why-is-there-a-war-in-afghanistan

[Durango]

The "reason" we are in Afghanistan is because Bush/Cheney made foolish mistakes and allowed the Taliban to make a come back after their collapse in 2002.

And now the President has to figure out a way of correcting those mistakes.

How do we get out without a bloodbath? How do we withdraw without it being a victory for al Qaida and their clones? Which BTW seem to be on the run throughout most of the world.

That is the challenge president Obama faces. And I believe he has the wisdom to find a solution.

I certainly hope so.

As far as invading a country for its oil.

We will not see that scenario played out for a long long time. If ever.

Been there, done that. Didn't turn out that well.

[PaxEterna]

Two "Waterloos" await our President:

1) health care reform, which he has all but abandoned
2) Afghanistan

One will ruin us domestically, the second internationally, and if we are not already the laughing stock of the entire world for our foolish refusal to take care of our own people, then we will be when we obliterate Afghanistan in the name of peace while Americans at home die for lack of health care.

[Durango]

Keep dreaming.

And keep those thoughts in your head for the next 7 1/2 years of the Obama Administration.

[Chili4me]

NO BLOOD FOR HEROIN
NO BLOOD FOR HEROIN

[v eyepete]

I think someone should start thinking about the powerful people who are behind the military industrial war machine in the USA, and then think what would happen to a new guy who came in and said, "OK lets just stop everything." What do you think would happen to that new guy? As we have seen in my lifetime, crazy things can happen if one bucks the status quo in an inappropriate way. It would really be better if the people of this country woke the f up and start telling government what it wants instead of waiting for someone else to do everything for them. Many of us stopped the war in Vietnam. How soon they forget.

[thegreatpuubah]

You know what? Most of you railing against Obama at this point in his presidency are what I like to call fair weather supporters. When everyone was high on hope and showing how not racist they were, they were in Obama's corner. Now that the fight is on to implement the things that he said he wanted to do. (Go back and read!) You want to wimp out. Here's a lesson some of you need to learn. Stick with who brought you to the dance. This is not the time for giving in, or for giving up or for questioning you judgement to elect Obama. This is time to stand shoulder to shoulder. It is time to circle the wagons. The breath of fresh air we have been afforded by winning is not assured. It is time to fortify our positions. Lay the foundation for where we want to go. It's amazing! Look within yourselves and ask why am I so dang critical of him? He is not Kucinich, never was, never tried to be!

[Nobodyownsme]

No, not Kucinich! But he is doing a good parody of W.

[Mogamboguru]

NOT ONE WORD you say is a decent excuse for what Obama is or isn't doing.

NOT ONE WORD.

[S1m0n]

You don't have to support every single one of a candidate's positions to support that candidate in general. Many people who supported Obama have felt all along that his Afghanistan policy was wrong-headed, and the fact that they're still saying so now doesn't mean they're fickle.

[Durango]

Why do i think most of the posters critical of the Pesident are:

A. Republicans.

B. Haven't a clue about Afghanistan or the challenges of the Middle East and Asia

C. Haven't got a clue how government works.

Just get out? And ignore the Aghan people like we did in 1989?

If it were ony that simple, we would be living in Shanga La.

[YewNeekId]

From a videotaped interview, October 27, 2007

OBAMA: I will promise you this, that if we have not gotten our troops out by the time I am president, it is the first thing I will do. I will get our troops home, we will bring an end to this war. You can take that to the bank.

[Nobodyownsme]

His check sure bounced, didn't it?

[WorkingClass]

Notice the brilliant use of the word "promise". Obama is a chess player!

[Squeglen]

He said that he would get the troops out in 14 month's, heck he has only been in office for a little more then 6 month's.

Where was your anger at bushy when he invaded where there was no need to invade in Iraq? You people never cease to amaze me, you act like he is suppose to do eveything he promised in one day. He does have 4 years to get the things he talked about done, give him a chance.

[TimDanMick]

The corrupt wisdom is that by fighting over there we are protected here at home. This patent nonsense. The US is invading other countries and creating enemies.

Now that the Iraq that the US is leaving can be seen as a violent cesspool there is no mindless, arrogant talk of nation building. The Afghan people know a crusade when they see one and they know that when the US leaves, like Iraq, the thieves will be in charge. Barak better hope that God is looking the other way.

[Durango]

Do you honestly think the vast majority of Afghans, including Uzbeks, Tajiks and Hazara want to be turned over to the tender mercies of the Taliban?

That was tried remember?

And I seem to remember most Afghans happy to see the backs of them.

[tbone99]

they may destroy each other if the Taliban is not available to

[MisterHands]

Afghans, like many other people, just don't like to be occupied-- only Afghans are used to doing something efficiently about it.

Soviets: 500,000 troops in Afghanistan from 1979 until 1986 = war lost.
NATO : 68,000 troops in Afghanistan from 2001 until today. = war lost.

[Mogamboguru]

Hey, Mister hands -

in this point, we agree.

[tbone99]

We could save trillions by leaving Afghanistan and just let them destroy each other.