Obama outlines new direction for Afghanistan and Iraq Wars
By Joel McDonald • Dec 2nd, 2009 • Category: Blog, Related News & Events
First, the overall best part of President Obama’s speech:
“For unlike the great powers of old, we have not sought world domination. Our union was founded in resistance to oppression. We do not seek to occupy other nations. We will not claim another nation’s resources or target other peoples because their faith or ethnicity is different from ours. What we have fought for — what we continue to fight for — is a better future for our children and grandchildren. And we believe that their lives will be better if other peoples’ children and grandchildren can live in freedom and access opportunity.”
Amen, Mr. President. Amen.
I don’t think I’ve ever written about the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, at least not since launching Virginia Beach Progressives. It’s not that I don’t care about our troops; that would be furthest from the truth. It’s just that, besides seeing the names of those who lost their lives carrying out the mission given to them, I haven’t really connected with what’s actually happening, at least not enough to sit down and write about it.
The basics of what Obama presented during his speech on December 1st are these: 30,000 additional troops will be sent to Afghanistan, beginning early in 2010. Their mission, in general, is to quell the expansion of the Taliban within Afghanistan and into Pakistan; extremism is the overall target. Combat brigades will be removed from Iraq by the end of summer 2010, and all troops will be removed from Iraq by the end of 2011.
There was also some talk about a stronger partnership with Pakistan that has some concerned about the level and type of support given to Pakistan. Congressman Glenn Nye released a statement questioning the level of responsibility that will be placed on Pakistan in this partnership; whether Pakistan will make an equal commitment to fighting terrorists and militants on their side of the border.
Toward the end of the President’s speech, there was rhetoric that pointed to our past as a nation who, through the upholding of our ideals, has been able to accomplish much throughout the world on behalf of others. The quote above is from this part of the speech. President Obama was not apologetic for the actions of the United States throughout history, but did acknowledge that not every action was the right action. He closed his speech with a call to all Americans to remember what unites us rather than concentrate on the things that will divide and expressed his faith that America will endure and overcome its current trials, militarily and economically.
Barack Obama was elected on a message of change. While this isn’t anything near unique for a politician, what I feel was unique was how his supported felt that he was sincere and honest about his beliefs and plans for the nation. I do feel as though President Obama has been more honest with the people of the United States than any president has been for a long, long, time. Many have attacked him for his honesty, but I applaud him for it. Many have accused him of only spouting empty rhetoric, but I argue that there is more depth behind every word spoken than by any recent president, Democrat or Republican. I remain confident in President Obama’s leadership. Though every attempt he makes may not be successful, I know that we elected a man last year who will do everything in his power to make the best decisions he can make in setting a course for our nation. For me, I continue to believe in the change I, and the majority of Americans, voted for last year.
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Joel McDonald has been following Virginia politics since February 2008, starting with the Democratic Presidential Primary. Since then, he has been the primary new media contact for progressive district and statewide campaigns.
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It is true that President Obama is a great speaker when compared to the previous occupant of the White House. Nobody disputes that America has never sought an empire in the classical sense. We have not used our power to subjugate but to liberate. All very nice and makes great theater, but this has been said again and again by better men than him.
The basic problem is that we now have a President who has no practical experience to deal with any of the issues presently confronting our country. Platitudes and superior diction are not substitutes for experience, objective thought or knowledge. “Hope” and “Change” are great buzz words, but they are not substitutes for “competence” and “experience”. He has demonstrated neither to any significant degree or by any objective reckoning. Not a single major bill other than the budget busting TARP II have gone the distance and that hasn’t done what it was designed to do. Detroit still looks like London after the Blitz, unemployment is increasing and now he wants to obligate this country to TRILLIONS of deflated dollars of additional spending in an horrific attempt to tax our energy and to nationalize the health care delivery system.
Now he has, after several months of dithering, decided to send in more troops to Afghanistan, the only theater of operations that he, himself approved of. It took him longer to make this decision to deploy 30,000 troops than it took to decide on the planning, training and deployment of over 125,000 troops to invade North Africa during World War II. and that operation was done in a multi-theater world war with very limited capabilities. He also elected to send 25% fewer troops than was requested and has asked reluctant European governments to make up the shortfall. He also made the fatally unwise mistake of giving timetables on withdrawal from Afghanistan. Can you imagine Roosevelt saying to Eisenhower, “Look Ike….This Normandy Invasion thing has to be done and Germany defeated in 18 months… so we can begin our with withdrawal from Europe…even if we don’t completely defeat the Nazis… Oh, and by the way, me and Winston issued a joint press statement about the 18 month withdrawal schedule…” I’m sure the Germans would have been delighted by this sort of thing. I am sure the bad guys in Afghanistan and Pakistan are delighted too… Hold out and hunker down and wait out Obama. Nice strategy Generalissimo Obama.
I am not very confident of Obama and his decision making capabilities when I view his record to date.
On economic issues, he has been patently dishonest with the American people and his ideology, his knowledge of basic business philosophy and economics is not at a level necessary to get the country going again. He simply has no depth in these areas and has surrounded himself with people who are as inept as himself. None of the closest advisers in the West Wing have ever had to run a business that has had to make a profit or make a payroll year after year…not one. How can they possibly have a clue?? How can they possibly relate?? They can’t.
As for his military acumen, he is clearly out of his depth and is not committed to a victory over the terrorist elements in Afghanistan and Pakistan.
Benjamin,
Thanks for your comments. I find your comparison to WWII to be ill founded, as well as your understanding of what Obama actually did.