Military Breaking Away From White House?

[Oldandtired]

___

Indeed! So now some in here would state this guy is not "military" because he was most recently a top official in the Zabul Province - an individual who was a Marine Captain, a Pentagon official, and top official in Iraq?

Even the news report makes clear this individual's strong military link...

When Matthew Hoh joined the Foreign Service early this year, he was exactly the kind of smart civil-military hybrid the administration was looking for to help expand its development efforts in Afghanistan.

A former Marine Corps captain with combat experience in Iraq, Hoh had also served in uniform at the Pentagon, and as a civilian in Iraq and at the State Department. By July, he was the senior U.S. civilian in Zabul province, a Taliban hotbed.

washingtonpost.com


This resignation is significant - and further evidence of a White House in turmoil over what to do with Afghanistan. Casualties have not just increased - they have greatly increased since Obama became Commander in Chief...

Everyone keeps glossing over the meat of the story which is, "I have doubts and reservations about our current strategy and planned future strategy, but my resignation is based not upon how we are pursuing this war, but why and to what end."

That has been the question of many of us since Bush decided that bin Laden wasn't a priority as far back as 2002.

"I don't know where bin Laden is. I have no idea and really don't care. It's not that important. It's not our priority." - G.W. Bush, 3/13/02

Has the Afghan policy changed at all yet from the Bush policy? If the answer is no, this guy is actually resigning over the continuation of the Bush/Cheney game plan.

Cedrtainly one way one can take it.......of course, if that one is not aware of what is going on in the world.

Perhaps you should first get up to date on the news...and then post?

 

[Oldandtired]

Hey Bodecea,

A military strategy can only work if it is employed.

Enough said.

 

[kwc57]

I would suggest that everyone actually read the article including his 4 page letter of resignation. This has nothing to do with Obama and everything to do with a guy who has been in the thick of it for years stepping back and asking why because he can't make sense of it in totality.

 

[Sinatra]

This is the first such high-level resignation relating to Afghanistan - no such resignation in the eight years prior.

Troop casualties have risen greatly since Obama became Commander in Chief.

Obama has yet to make a public determination as to future policy/strategy regarding Afghanistan.


Frustration is clearly growing among the commanders, troops, and civilian representatives in Afghanistan - due at least in part to the Obama administration's inability to forge decisive policy in a timely manner.

 

[Diuretic]

Policy choices.

Stay. Why?

Leave. Why?

What's your choice and why?

 

[Terry]

inaction and delay in which our Military men and woman are dying is no excuse! It is dereliction of duty. He is commander in chief and playing politics with the lives our our men and woman in the military is a despicable act. I didn't agree with Bush tying our Military hands at the time and now not only is Obama tying their hands but refuse to give the military what they need to win. The sooner we get the job done the faster they come home. If the president is too weak to make that decision or trust his Top (APPOINTED) military officer then BRING THE FUCKING TROOPS HOME.

I have my suspicions as to what Obama is up to but will keep them to myself for now but will give you a clue as where my train of thought is on it. Remember Obama's speech in where he wanted a "Civilian Military, funded and highly trained as our Military".

Nobody likes war, especially our Military members but if our Politicians send them to war then they better damn well give them all the need to win. To blatantly do otherwise is treasonous in my opinion.

 

[Diuretic]

People like war. If we didn't like it we wouldn't do it. What we don't like is losing.

 

[Sinatra]

inaction and delay in which our Military men and woman are dying is no excuse! It is dereliction of duty. He is commander in chief and playing politics with the lives our our men and woman in the military is a despicable act. I didn't agree with Bush tying our Military hands at the time and now not only is Obama tying their hands but refuse to give the military what they need to win. The sooner we get the job done the faster they come home. If the president is too weak to make that decision or trust his Top (APPOINTED) military officer then BRING THE FUCKING TROOPS HOME.

I have my suspicions as to what Obama is up to but will keep them to myself for now but will give you a clue as where my train of thought is on it. Remember Obama's speech in where he wanted a "Civilian Military, funded and highly trained as our Military".

Nobody likes war, especially our Military members but if our Politicians send them to war then they better damn well give them all the need to win. To blatantly do otherwise is treasonous in my opinion.

Agreed - there were times I felt much the same about Bush.

Now even more so with Obama...

 

[HUGGY]

It appears agitation over increasing confusion and lack of direction is underway, with a top Afghanistan official and former Marine resigning in protest over the Afghan war - "I have doubts and reservations about our current strategy and planned future strategy..."

This resignation is no small matter folks - especially if followed by more...


washingtonpost.com

"When Matthew Hoh joined the Foreign Service early this year,..."

psst. foreign service officers aren't the military.

are you this stupid in real life?

PSSST - he is described as "a top Afghanistan official and former Marine".


Don't worry - I won't try and demean you with your obvious inability to read...

Maybe dude got his cut of the heroin money and he's getting out while the getting is good.

 

[Soggy in NOLA]

Obama sure has been quite the uniter huh?

 

[Sinatra]

Obama sure has been quite the uniter huh?

I'm sure he will give another speech in front of a bunch of flags announcing his new and mighty effective Afghanistan policy...

 

[Colin]

People like war. If we didn't like it we wouldn't do it. What we don't like is losing.

The troops don't like it too much, Diuretic, but they HAVE to do it. And they make a damned fine job of doing it too. Which is more than you can say for politicians. Whether they be US or British.

 

[kwc57]

inaction and delay in which our Military men and woman are dying is no excuse! It is dereliction of duty. He is commander in chief and playing politics with the lives our our men and woman in the military is a despicable act. I didn't agree with Bush tying our Military hands at the time and now not only is Obama tying their hands but refuse to give the military what they need to win. The sooner we get the job done the faster they come home. If the president is too weak to make that decision or trust his Top (APPOINTED) military officer then BRING THE FUCKING TROOPS HOME.

I have my suspicions as to what Obama is up to but will keep them to myself for now but will give you a clue as where my train of thought is on it. Remember Obama's speech in where he wanted a "Civilian Military, funded and highly trained as our Military".

Nobody likes war, especially our Military members but if our Politicians send them to war then they better damn well give them all the need to win. To blatantly do otherwise is treasonous in my opinion.

This isn't a defense of Obama. I keep seeing people saying things like you did and accusing Obama. In fairness, what was Bush up to? Extending a war and Using fear to win an election? Why didn't he go balls to the wall and get it done and bring the troops home? Why did he concentrate on Iraq and leave Afghaistan hanging? If he had done his job, there would be no soldiers there for Obama to hang out to dry would there?

 

[Sinatra]

inaction and delay in which our Military men and woman are dying is no excuse! It is dereliction of duty. He is commander in chief and playing politics with the lives our our men and woman in the military is a despicable act. I didn't agree with Bush tying our Military hands at the time and now not only is Obama tying their hands but refuse to give the military what they need to win. The sooner we get the job done the faster they come home. If the president is too weak to make that decision or trust his Top (APPOINTED) military officer then BRING THE FUCKING TROOPS HOME.

I have my suspicions as to what Obama is up to but will keep them to myself for now but will give you a clue as where my train of thought is on it. Remember Obama's speech in where he wanted a "Civilian Military, funded and highly trained as our Military".

Nobody likes war, especially our Military members but if our Politicians send them to war then they better damn well give them all the need to win. To blatantly do otherwise is treasonous in my opinion.

This isn't a defense of Obama. I keep seeing people saying things like you did and accusing Obama. In fairness, what was Bush up to? Extending a war and Using fear to win an election? Why didn't he go balls to the wall and get it done and bring the troops home? Why did he concentrate on Iraq and leave Afghaistan hanging? If he had done his job, there would be no soldiers there for Obama to hang out to dry would there?

We can only deal with the now - and the now shows us that half of the overall deaths in Afghanistan have taken place in the last year.

This is the war Obama said was the war he wanted to concentrate on - he ran on that promise and that platform.

And so - we have more soldiers killed in one year under Obama than any year prior, and more killed in any month than any month prior to Obama - and it appears to be getting worse by the day.

This president needs to lead - and to this point, he simply has not done so.

 

[Charles Stucker]

Afghanistan has always been a tough prospect. To my knowledge only the Mongols ever pacified the region, and they considered genocide a useful tool for the job of pacification. Obama faces a tough choice - Send Reinforcements or Pack Up and Go. Reinforcements cost money the US can ill afford to spend. That leaves Pack Up and Go as the only viable option.

Had Bush managed to find bin Laden in the battles against the Taliban things might be different, but he did not. Remaining now serves no purpose save to deny our unpalatable situation.

 

[Terry]

I will not get involved in Bush v Obama when it comes to this. If Bush is President I have no problem debating about him. Obama is the President, his wife took on the Military Family as her little pet project. They need to answer to the Military mother's fathers, sisters, brothers, and most of all active duty. How can anyone win a war or even hope to sustain an edge when the commander in chief cannot decide on what to do.

He is playing politics of the worse kind here! It is being done blatantly too!

 

[MaggieMae]

It appears agitation over increasing confusion and lack of direction is underway, with a top Afghanistan official and former Marine resigning in protest over the Afghan war - "I have doubts and reservations about our current strategy and planned future strategy..."

This resignation is no small matter folks - especially if followed by more...


washingtonpost.com

Odd, though, that the good Captain thought the US presence and involvement in Iraq's civil war was justifiable because he got to whack a few bad guys. Since he turned down an offer to join the current strategy team because Holbrook et al. thought he had some valid input, this story has legs. There's much more to it, imo.

 

[MaggieMae]

You know things are screwed when your S.O.D. and top ground commander have to go to the media to argue their case.

God help us if we are attacked again with this sham president and administration in place.

If they strategized behind closed doors, you assholes would be the first to start screaming about LACK OF TRANSPARENCY!!! HE PROMISED!!!! Waaaahhhhhhhhh, whine whine whine.

At least if we're attacked again, we'll retaliate against the right country.

 

[Sinatra]

It appears agitation over increasing confusion and lack of direction is underway, with a top Afghanistan official and former Marine resigning in protest over the Afghan war - "I have doubts and reservations about our current strategy and planned future strategy..."

This resignation is no small matter folks - especially if followed by more...


washingtonpost.com

Odd, though, that the good Captain thought the US presence and involvement in Iraq's civil war was justifiable because he got to whack a few bad guys. Since he turned down an offer to join the current strategy team because Holbrook et al. thought he had some valid input, this story has legs. There's much more to it, imo.

I agree - it remains to be seen if that "more to it" is ever made public though...

 

[MaggieMae]

PSSST - he is described as "a top Afghanistan official and former Marine".


Don't worry - I won't try and demean you with your obvious inability to read...

what part of *former* baffles you, einstein?

What part of top afghanistan official does not stand out as concerning?

Furthermore.....as you continue with the diversion, letys address the issue...

please explain to me what takes 7 weeks+ to come up with a decision?

He was wiling to draft up and sign a healthcare bill that will affect 17% of our entire economy in 2 weeks.

He had drafted and signed a trillion dollar stimulus in a matter of weeks.

Face it...it is easy for him to decide on things that he believes will make him popular....but he is afrasid to pull thwe trigger on a decision that will make him unpopular...regardless of the decision he makes....a large roup of people will disapprove...and it scares him.

Whimp in Chief is more appropriate for this "America as it were designed to be" hater

You need a healthy dose of the geography of Afghanistan, the tribal governments, the Taliban, and just for laughs, a brief history of failed incursions into that country by other governments. Afraid to pull the trigger? Goddamned straight. We're either going to get it right or get out.