Obama looking for Afganistan Exit Strategy

[rightwinger]

Obama Looking for 'Off-Ramps' Out of Afghanistan - George's Bottom Line

Obama Looking for 'Off-Ramps' Out of Afghanistan
November 11, 2009 7:33 AM

That’s what he wants to “drill down” on in what is likely to be the President’s final meeting with his war counsel today.

One close aide explained that Obama “wants to see more intellectual energy” focused on how this mission ends, saying that the President has insisted that “we’re not going to be in Afghanistan for another 8 years.”

Another said that Obama wants a clear picture of the “American bridge” out of Afghanistan. He doesn’t have it yet. He’s not satisfied with what he’s heard so far. The President will press for answers today.

Angry at Monday’s CBS report (and the military sources who seem to be pushing it) that the President has already settled on an option that would send almost all the troops Gen. McChrystal has requested for Afghanistan, aides insist that Obama has not told anyone what he wants to do – and that he’s likely to continue to mull his options as he travels across Asia over the next 8 days.

All four options the President will consider at today’s war counsel contemplate phasing in more troops over the next year – from a low of 10-20,000 to the high option of about 40,000 troops recommended by General McChrystal. But an official says that the “key question is not how many troops we send. But how many Afghan forces can get ready.” And how quickly they can get ready.

 

[The Rabbi]

Ithought this was supposed to be "the good war" the one worth fighting all along. Eyeing the exits is no way to win it.

 

[nodoginnafight]

I think that's a good thing. Especially considering the blow Al Qaeda has taking from within the "jihadist" community as of late.

We can consider our job in Afghanistan to have been delivering a crippling blow to those resonsible for the 9/11 attacks. I consider that a legitimate goal.

Considering that while OBL's fate is uncertain BUT that the AQ leadership has been dealt a severe blow with the vast majority having been killed or captured and the swiftly disappearing role AQ has even within the radical muslim community - that we have accomplished our legitimate goals.

 

[CrusaderFrank]

Wow. Just fucking wow. Staggering at what a fucking liar Obama is. I knew he was full of shit about almost everything but wow! This is against everything he campaigned on, against the March Obama Witch Doctor-in and what McChrystal recommended.

Obama needs to free up time to appear on Letterman and campaign for Democrats

 

[Missourian]

So we just "declare victory", pack up and leave the Afghans in the lurch...again?

Those who ignore history are doomed to repeat it.

 

[rightwinger]

Interesting posts guys..

More examples of right wing morons wanting to commit our troops without any strategy of how we will eventually get them out.

 

[nodoginnafight]

we've achieved what we set out to achieve - why stay?

 

[nodoginnafight]

New jihad code threatens al Qaeda - CNN.com

Al Qaeda has been reduced to a non-entity. Mission REALLY accomplished.

No reason to wage war on anyone else unless THEY attack us.

Staying there only weakens our position.

 

[Missourian]

we've achieved what we set out to achieve - why stay?

We also achieved our objective when the Soviets withdrew.

We declared victory, packed up and moved out.

Look at how well that turned out.

 

[rightwinger]

we've achieved what we set out to achieve - why stay?

We also achieved our objective when the Soviets withdrew.

We declared victory, packed up and moved out.

Look at how well that turned out.

Did I miss something?

Have the Soviets recaptured Eastern Europe?

 

[Missourian]

Interesting posts guys..

More examples of right wing morons wanting to commit our troops without any strategy of how we will eventually get them out.

You just don't get it do you RW.

If we don't leave these places in far better condition than they were when we found them, twenty years down the road, we'll just have to go back and do it again. And next time our credibility with the indigenous population will be less than zero.

It happened in Iraq. Had we ousted Saddam the first time around, we would have been the heroes of the Iraqi people.

Had we helped the Afghans in the 80's after there overthrow of the soviet puppet government, we would have had a staunch ally instead of an enemy that helped launch the 9/11 tragedy.

We should learn from these mistakes, not repeat them.

 

[Dr.Traveler]

So we just "declare victory", pack up and leave the Afghans in the lurch...again?

Those who ignore history are doomed to repeat it.

I personally am not happy with this either. However, we lost Afghanistan as soon as we invaded Iraq. Afghanistan fought correctly should have taken up nearly all of our attention and energy. That split in resources, attention, and manpower really screwed us in the long run.

 

[Missourian]

we've achieved what we set out to achieve - why stay?

We also achieved our objective when the Soviets withdrew.

We declared victory, packed up and moved out.

Look at how well that turned out.

Did I miss something?

Have the Soviets recaptured Eastern Europe?

Afghanistan isn't in Eastern Europe.

Afghan Soviet War history 101

Soviet war in Afghanistan - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia​

 

[nodoginnafight]

Interesting posts guys..

More examples of right wing morons wanting to commit our troops without any strategy of how we will eventually get them out.

You just don't get it do you RW.

If we don't leave these places in far better condition than they were when we found them, twenty years down the road, we'll just have to go back and do it again. And next time our credibility with the indigenous population will be less than zero.

It happened in Iraq. Had we ousted Saddam the first time around, we would have been the heroes of the Iraqi people.

Had we helped the Afghans in the 80's after there overthrow of the soviet puppet government, we would have had a staunch ally instead of an enemy that helped launch the 9/11 tragedy.

We should learn from these mistakes, not repeat them.

Many false assuptions here - firstly - we did not "have to go back to Iraq" We had no business going back - period. Going back simply weakened our position.

Secondly, Afghanistan did not "launch the 9/11 tragedy"

Thirdly, The organization that executed the 9/11 attack has been devastated. Mission accomplished. All that remains to be done is to pick up after ourselves and get out. Granted "picking up after ourselves" might include some contribution to the stability of the country since our presence helped destabalize it (for a very good reason mind you). But that's it - that's the exit strategy that must be employeed. Pick up after ourselves, support re-stabalizing the country (to a limited extent), and coming home.



You have to learn what the real mistakes were before you can avoid remaking them.

 

[Missourian]

Interesting posts guys..

More examples of right wing morons wanting to commit our troops without any strategy of how we will eventually get them out.

You just don't get it do you RW.

If we don't leave these places in far better condition than they were when we found them, twenty years down the road, we'll just have to go back and do it again. And next time our credibility with the indigenous population will be less than zero.

It happened in Iraq. Had we ousted Saddam the first time around, we would have been the heroes of the Iraqi people.

Had we helped the Afghans in the 80's after there overthrow of the soviet puppet government, we would have had a staunch ally instead of an enemy that helped launch the 9/11 tragedy.

We should learn from these mistakes, not repeat them.

Many false assuptions here - firstly - we did not "have to go back to Iraq" We had no business going back - period. Going back simply weakened our position.

Secondly, Afghanistan did not "launch the 9/11 tragedy"

Thirdly, The organization that executed the 9/11 attack has been devastated. Mission accomplished. All that remains to be done is to pick up after ourselves and get out. Granted "picking up after ourselves" might include some contribution to the stability of the country since our presence helped destabalize it (for a very good reason mind you). But that's it - that's the exit strategy that must be employeed. Pick up after ourselves, support re-stabalizing the country (to a limited extent), and coming home.



You have to learn what the real mistakes were before you can avoid remaking them.

Do we have to re-fight the reasons we went to Iraq for the gazillionth time?

The congress believed, based on Saddam's own repeated assertions, that Iraq had WMDs.

Then Saddam kicked out the weapon inspectors again.

And Congress voted to proceed with the war against Iraq.

Not based on faulty intel, not based on Bush...based on Saddam Hussein's own words and actions.

Why Saddam Hussein lied about Iraq’s weapons of mass destruction

The former dictator was afraid of looking weak to Iran, according to newly declassified interviews he had with an FBI agent.
By Christa Case Bryant | Middle East Editor 07.02.09

Saddam Hussein encouraged the perception that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction (WMD) because he was afraid of appearing weak in Iran’s eyes, according to nearly two dozen declassified transcripts of an FBI agent’s conversations with the former Iraqi dictator released Wednesday.

Why Saddam Hussein lied about Iraq’s weapons of mass destruction | csmonitor.com​

​

Secondly, you left out the word "helped" launch the 9/11 attacks.

Thirdly, if we declare victory and leave again, the Taliban will be back in power in no time, and we'll be right back where we started with Afghanistan as a base for Islamic Terrorism.

 

[namvet]

so the "good war" has gone politically bad ????? sure is looking more and more like nam

 

[rightwinger]

Interesting posts guys..

More examples of right wing morons wanting to commit our troops without any strategy of how we will eventually get them out.

You just don't get it do you RW.

If we don't leave these places in far better condition than they were when we found them, twenty years down the road, we'll just have to go back and do it again. And next time our credibility with the indigenous population will be less than zero.

It happened in Iraq. Had we ousted Saddam the first time around, we would have been the heroes of the Iraqi people.

Had we helped the Afghans in the 80's after there overthrow of the soviet puppet government, we would have had a staunch ally instead of an enemy that helped launch the 9/11 tragedy.

We should learn from these mistakes, not repeat them.

Isn't that what an exit strategy is?

We need a definite plan of what needs to be accomplished and when. Protecting the peace is not an exit strategy, neither is winning the hearts and minds of the people.

If we are going to send 40,000 additional troops we need a plan on wht we expect them to accomplish. Otherwise, send them all home

 

[saveliberty]

For those of you intent on bringing up history as a guide for Afghanistan, I submit it is a country broken into warlord tribal loyalties. One that is united only against outsiders like the US or Russia. One of the big problems has been establishing a central government in a region that doesn't want one. It also is extremely difficult to communicate and travel through the mountainous areas and winter conditions.

Goal for Obama: Find and eliminate the threat of Osama Bin Laden. Afghanistan or Pakistan I don't care. Get out ASAP.

 

[The Rabbi]

Interesting posts guys..

More examples of right wing morons wanting to commit our troops without any strategy of how we will eventually get them out.

You just don't get it do you RW.

If we don't leave these places in far better condition than they were when we found them, twenty years down the road, we'll just have to go back and do it again. And next time our credibility with the indigenous population will be less than zero.

It happened in Iraq. Had we ousted Saddam the first time around, we would have been the heroes of the Iraqi people.

Had we helped the Afghans in the 80's after there overthrow of the soviet puppet government, we would have had a staunch ally instead of an enemy that helped launch the 9/11 tragedy.

We should learn from these mistakes, not repeat them.

Isn't that what an exit strategy is?

We need a definite plan of what needs to be accomplished and when. Protecting the peace is not an exit strategy, neither is winning the hearts and minds of the people.

If we are going to send 40,000 additional troops we need a plan on wht we expect them to accomplish. Otherwise, send them all home

It would seem that what we need first is an entry strategy. Then we need a goal strategy. And after all that we need an exit strategy.
But why has it taken Obama 10 months as president and who knows how many as candidate to figure this one out?

 

[namvet]

but of course !!! an exit czar !!!!!