EURweb |
THE HUTCHINSON POLITICAL REPORT: It's Official: Afghanistan is now Obama's baby.
*There was never doubt the moment General Stanley McChrystal flatly told President Obama last summer that the US must deploy up to 45,000 more troops in Afghanistan that'd he heed his command.
The Pentagon had officially spoken through McChrystal. With the rare exception of JFK's pushback against the generals during the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962, when the Pentagon speaks presidents listen.
It's been a costly listen. Vietnam, Somalia, Lebanon, Iraq, and now Afghanistan has cost countless America lives, squandered billions, frayed relations with the European allies, and reinforced the US's global reputation as a swaggering, bombs and bullets first bully. Afghanistan is no exception.
The apparent tussle between Obama and the Pentagon over a massive new troop build-up was never anything more than a game of political timing and numbers. It was simply bad politics to dump nearly 50,000 more troops in the country at a time when polls showed the American public has overwhelmingly soured on the war, and the majority of his base, liberal Democrats and progressives, scream for a withdrawal. With the GOP counterinsurgency gathering a head of steam Obama also cast a nervous eye on the recent off year elections. There was too much uncertainty about how Democrats would fare in state elections. A double down on troops at a cost of billions more, and the almost certainty of bigger casualties demanded delay.
But there was no doubt that Obama would up the Afghan ante. This has as much to do with the Pentagon's relentless demand to escalate as with his unshakeable belief that the war can actually be won, no matter the cost.
Obama was willing to stake the credibility of his administration on that even before taking office. In his August 2009 speech to the Veterans of Foreign Wars at their convention, Obama sounded his it's the right time, right place and right war mantra line. "This is not a war of ... (READ MORE)
------------
Tune In To The Hutchinson Report
Weekly radio KTYM Radio 1460 AM
Fridays 9:30 to 10:00 AM PST
Saturdays 3:00 to 3:30 PST PM
Streamed Nationally on www.ktym.com
and on KPFK Radio Los Angeles 90.7 FM
Saturdays Noon to 1:00 PM - Streamed
Nationally on http://www.kpfk.org
Click for the latest Obama - Political headlines
Share and Bookmark |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
