Sunday Talk Shows: Clinton and Gates forced to twist and define Obama’s Afghanistan “deadline”
I am just going to include a couple bites from the Sunday morning shows because anymore than that would have Justice and Eric Holder all over me for torture.
It’s one of those moments when I actually feel sorry for Secretary Clinton … and poor Robert Gates, who’s up first trying to explain Obama’s date certain as … well … not really a date certain. It even makes him choke on the words.
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MMicxlSKvhs
That’s some fine twisting, but nothing compared to Secretary Clinton’s response to the same question on Meet The Press. It’s not an exit date … it’s an assessment. Oh brother.
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q22to89PWe0
Just as a refresher … here is what the president actually said. I don’t hear much wiggle room.
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XQGDuzDAk3c
It’s torture really, for them and us. Even the left is beginning to notice the vacuous nature of this President’s speeches. Tina Brown offers clarity herself, and it makes this administration look either comical or inept or both. Via: Instapundit
It’s a strange paradox for a great wordsmith, but whenever Obama makes an important policy speech these days he leaves everyone totally confused. His first health-care press conference back in July triggered a season of raucous political Rorschach and left his hopeful followers utterly baffled about what they were being asked to support. Now White House envoys are being dispatched all over the globe to explain what the president really meant about the date when troops will or won’t be pulled out of Afghanistan. Hillary, you go to the Hill! Take Gates and Adm. Mullen with you. Holbrooke, off to Brussels! And you, Gen. Petraeus, you go on 360 and hit Anderson Cooper with jargony dog whistle caveats like “the pace of the drawdown is conditions-based.” Does Obama create confusion on purpose?
This is what comes from a President whose heart is not in a war he told America he would win and a President whose heart is with the left, forcing him to hold his nose as he orders troops into Afghanistan hoping the strategy works before he is forced to withdraw. In my view, it doesn’t make for good leadership or instill confidence in either the American or Afghan people.
Announcing a deadline is nuts. Tom Friedman had some excellent comments on the Afghan situation today (Dec 6th). Briefly, he states that the Afghan people have to “own” their country. This means having an Afghan government that inspires the loyalty of its people – instead of the corrupt, power-hungry, money-grabbing group that has been in charge since 2001. He’s right. Unless the Afghan people can support their government because it is improving their situation, then the troops may as well come home tomorrow. This means the US HAS to do the nation-building that Obama denies they're going to do. But, before that they have to clear out the Pakistan/Afghan border. JUST DO IT or go home!!!!
Reply
Nation building is an enormous threat to our national security. All any failed state has to do is get a gang of domestic criminals to set off a bomb in our country and we will come over with a hundred billion dollars to build up your poor nation. Iraq and Afganistan are providing economic incentive for other desparate starving nations to attack us. 911 is the best thing that ever happened to Afganistan, what with all the new roads, bridges, and schools we have built for them. Nation building corrupts our national security and our ability to win wars. Just clear the Afgan border so when the taliban run away from a Pakistan operation they step right into a mine field. No corruption of billion dollar construction contracts, and the war won't be so expensive . We can then afford to stay there as long as it takes to defeat terror warlords.
So this is how this plays out….
Obama Administration: We understand there is an issue in Afganistan and we will be making a decision on what to do shortly
Months go by, no decision, people are dieing.
Obama Administration: We have a plan and we will announce it soon
couple weeks go by
Obama: We will pull out July 2011
Obama Administration: That is not a good idea and conditions permitting we will pull out in July 2011.
Erik: Well isn't that a given? I sure that hell hope that conditions permitting you would pull out at the time that the conditions permit. Why would you need to announce a date for that? Makes no sense. We lost, cut your losses and leave like you said you would.