Obama Makes Afghanistan His War -- Go Barack!

There's a pretty good chance Barack Obama has no idea what he's doing in Afghanistan. There's a pretty good chance that, not knowing what he's doing, the anti-Iraq-war-but-pro-Afghanistan-war-war president will get us into a sorry situation. But almost nobody is saying boo.

Even George Bush's Iraq adventure, greeted with so much patriotic awe, was given more scrutiny than the Obama Afghanistan build up.

"The top American commander in Afghanistan, Gen. David D. McKiernan, was forced out Monday in an abrupt shake-up intended to bring a more aggressive and innovative approach to a worsening seven-year war," writes the Times, in a story accompanied by a ROFL picture of a soldier in his boxer shorts shooting at the Taliban.

The Times, which famously failed to question the assumptions that got us into Iraq, is being alarmingly affable here about the "worsening seven-year war." Indeed, what exactly is an "aggressive and innovative approach"? Or, as the Times has also described it, "a bolder and more creative" strategy.

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Comments

[Infostream]

I voted for Obama and all of us who voted for him need to stop cheering him and hold him to his promises. Why are we still on Bush's timetable to withdraw? Why are we still hearing the same Cheney fantasies that occupying foreign counties, and suspending Habeus Corpus are good ideas? Why are we still pretending that our past corrupt foreign policy plus our troops on Muslim soil plus the "collateral damages" to innocent civilians isn't the number one reason that anti-American terrorism exists?

[BrainDart]

Mr. President,

General McClellan is competent and liked by his troops, but he seems to be the wrong fit for this war. There is, however, somebody else, a General Grant, who seems to understand what we need to do. You will be criticized, however, he doesn't stay in the lines and has history many will find fault with.

[CentralVA]

Here's a good article on the ramifications of the firing of Gen McKiernan for the conflict in Afghanistan:

http://www.popularmechanics.com/technology/military_law/4317151.html

[livingecology]

the real problem is it won't work
NOBODY has EVER been able to take over Afghanistan
Brits couldn't do it, Russia couldn't do it, and we won't be able to do it either
all we will do is kill innocents, kill more of our troops, and spend billions more that we don't have
but, 'that's change we can believe in!'
UGH

[BrainDart]

The goal is not to take over Afghanistan. It is to facilitate its stability.

[Cyberoptic]

No one wins in Afghanistan.

Everyone rushed in to support Obama for president, to get out of the Iraq war [which he hasn't done], and he took the momentum of public support and pulled the nation into Afghanistan, ... which if anyone will remember, Bush was already doing.

Obama just continued Bush's policy, but did it so surprisingly aggressively that the public went along with it. And beside, Obama was saying we should have been after Al Quaeda all along, and they're in Afghanistan.

And now, they're not in Afghanistan, they're in Pakistan. What does that mean? War now in Pakistan? With troops going on their third deployment, and starting to shoot each other and the economy tanking?

Maybe they will suggest the draft? But people already wanted out of Iraq. How likely is it that they will want a war in two more countries, and no future limits, because... who knows where Al Quaeda will move next?

[jhNY]

Yeah but the new boss views all the destruction he has elected to unleash on folks without phones or air raid sirens with somber regret and a sorrowful expression because internal policial considerations have forced his mighty hand. So it's real different, like coke and pepsi, from the old boss' doings. After all, with the old boss, there was a good chance he didn't even know what was going on. With the new boss, he knows the drones and the special ops will kill innocent people -- he's read all the reports-- and decides to increase both.

Democratic president or Republican, fear and death remain our most important exports to the region. Vote early and often for the candidate of your choice.

[Freesia2]

Why would a photo of a soldier even in his boxer shorts having to shoot at the Taliban (who want to kill him) make you laugh, Mr. Wolff?

[wonketteRAWKS]

Is 0 still looking for those "moderate taliban"?