Lieberman: Afghanistan Could Turn Into Post-WWII Germany Being Overrun By Nazis

One of the chief proponents for increasing U.S. force levels in Afghanistan argued on Thursday that to pursue any lesser strategy would be the equivalent of appeasing a theoretical rebirth of Nazism in the aftermath of World War II.

Senator Joseph Lieberman (I-CT), one of Congress' most hawkish members, made the odd historical analogy during an interview with Fox News' Neil Cavuto. Urging President Barack Obama to follow the advice of his military commanders on the ground - who have called for an additional 40,000 U.S. troops -- the Independent-Democrat dismissed the notion that there was any parallel between the Afghan war (now in its eight year) and Vietnam.

"Unlike Vietnam," said Lieberman. "Afghanistan is a place from which America was attacked on 9/11. And if we pull out or try a strategy that doesn't work, those who attacked us will regain that country. That is unthinkable."

"It's more like, and I hate to use the analogy, it is like the Second World War," he went on. "Shortly after it was over, if the Nazis began to form again and tried to take back Germany from a new democratic government, what would we have done? We would not have stood by and let it happen!"

In politics, the general rule is to stay away from Nazi analogies, even those based on a dark historical hypothetical. But this isn't the first time that the neoconservative crowd has raised the specter of appeasement to pressure Obama. In the months before the election, then-President Bush appeared before the Israeli Parliament and subtly accused the then-candidate of embracing the "false comfort of appeasement" when it came to terrorism or rogue regimes.

Get HuffPost Politics On Facebook and Twitter!

Comments

[Alabama John]

Why doesn’t he just say that our multinationals want an oil pipeline through the heart of Afghanistan. Need to get all that black gold down south and out of the hands of Russia and China, and about ten military bases should do it.

Seems to me they could get the job done without all that bomb blasting and baby harming. Guess General Patten was right, for looking over the aftermath of his greatest battle he exclaimed,

“G__! War is the ultimate highest and
most colossal achievement of civilized man.”

[leduck]

what?
am i black balled???

[unstuffedshirt]

Every time you think Joe's gone as low as he could go, he finds a new basement.

Truly one of the most unethical members of the Senate.

[Maezeppa]

He looks like a muppet.

[Alabama John]

More like a lap dog, remember how lap dog Gordon Brown would respond when Bush gave his marching orders, “How much and what color, Sir.”

[retromega]

Joe LIEberman now is prattling on about the resurection of Nazi's in Germany after WWII? Did all these non-factual situations come to him in a dream? As long as Joe is what ifing - What if the land of all that is good wholesome and true is attack by the evil Senator zorck from planet kloiulkm and the only way to save the chosenpeople is for Joe to risk Autrkl and tryto swallow the oiyt of zdftr. This is of course very dangerous Will Joe suckceed or not? He'll let us all know tomorrow when he figures out how to praise himself and look good doing it!

Joe Lieberman - a joke for the ages! Does Conneticut think that he's the only person available there who only thinks about himself? Surely there is another Ct resident with that kind of Narciscism!

[JessWonderin]

Joe is a sorry excuse for a human . . . seem first to toss other peoples children and money into lost causes . . . and last to expose HIMSELF or family.

How can he assume that a nation NOT supporting it's "elected government", be controlled by foreign invaders when the "might" of 130,000 Soviet troops supported by the full support of modern Soviet weapons . . . within a truck convoy drive of the Soviet Union . . . . failed?

[rocketdog56]

fanned.

[mew-too]

This dude is the male answer to Sarah Palin and Michelle Bachman. I am all for an exit from Afghanistan and Iraq.

[Alabama John]

Reflect for a moment on our ultra conservative, fascist and anti socialist Empire USA.

Now could it be that we have the most Nazism orientated ruling class the world has ever known?

[Clearing-Brush]

I ain't going there. A bit much pal.

[Alabama John]

Well, Empire USA started out by two A-bombs into the heart of Japan, after the war was already won and as President DDH did say, “We didn’t have to drop that awful thing."

And add it all up, included the 1.3 million in Iraq bombed into body parts, surely terrorism is the lubricant that gets things done in Nazism, as in Empire USA.

[Alabama John]

If our government can be reformed from the top down, then you capitalist politicians go for it and we back you all the way.

But if all your going to do is bomb away in Afghanistan, give 13 trillion so far and more to high finance, leave us so broke healthcare become a luxury only for the rich, surely then from the bottom up we need to waste government, like their now doing in Honduras a mass rally to replace capitalist tyranny with a democratic government.

[hallowellboy]

Lieberman is only happy when American kids are fighting to protect Israel and their unsaitable appetite for land.

[Alabama John]

If what they say is true, that Israel since it invaded Palestine in 1949 it has always been ruled by atheists, then our biggest danger today is their selling A-bomb secrets to the highest bidder.

[mew-too]

I am fanning you. You knocked it out of the ball park with this post.

[Clearing-Brush]

He'll have to move to a red state and run as a repug. He couldn't get elected to dog catcher in Connecticut.

[ColoradoCool]

Mr FlapJowls is at it again. The military-industrial complex bought this old crone when g.o.d was young. I hope this is his last term.

[JohnHKennedy]

Will someone vote him out of office. His scare mongerinig is getting old.

Keep asking ALL politicians at ALL public events "Why do they support Torture?"
If they aren't actively calling for enforcement of our Federal Torture Laws They Support Torture.

SIGN THE PETITIONS
Demanding both a Commission of Inquiry
and Prosecution for All the Bush-Cheney Crimes at ANGRYVOTERS.ORG

http://ANGRYVOTERS.ORG

Only Prosecution Stops Torture!
Only Prosecution Stops Violations of Our Constitution and Rule Of Law.

[HLL]

Thank you. He's a sleaze bucket.

[Clearing-Brush]

This dude makes my skin crawl. What a sleeze.

[OnMySoapbox]

How is it possible that this loser still has a job representing the people?

[winningticket]

You can thank the people of Connecticut who voted for this piece of work.

[raven119]

Joe didn't make "an odd historical analogy"; he was talking to Fox News' base when he referenced Nazis. Whether Fox commentators are reporting on socialists, liberals, the Congress, the president or just someone who is in desperate need of health care, on Fox News it is all-Nazi all the time. So, I'm sure that Fox viewers understood Joe; he was speaking their language -- Nazi nonsense or, as we like to call it, Nazense.