Comments on: Thoughts on Afghanistan, redux http://www.drumsnwhistles.com/2009/12/01/thoughts-on-afghanistan-redux/ ...politics, pictures, pugs and all that jazz Fri, 03 Feb 2012 08:24:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Karoli http://www.drumsnwhistles.com/2009/12/01/thoughts-on-afghanistan-redux/comment-page-1/#comment-51571 Karoli Fri, 04 Dec 2009 13:40:46 +0000 http://www.drumsnwhistles.com/2009/12/01/thoughts-on-afghanistan-redux/#comment-51571 President Obama walked into a minefield, carefully laid for him by the previous administration. I'm amazed he's navigated it this carefully. 11 months into Clinton's first term we were dealing with Whitewater and all sorts of completely unrelated but still derailing scandals. This time we have a President who is keeping all the balls in the air, none of them perfect, all of them moving the bar bit by bit to the next level. This will be no different. President Obama walked into a minefield, carefully laid for him by the previous administration. I'm amazed he's navigated it this carefully. 11 months into Clinton's first term we were dealing with Whitewater and all sorts of completely unrelated but still derailing scandals. This time we have a President who is keeping all the balls in the air, none of them perfect, all of them moving the bar bit by bit to the next level. This will be no different.

]]> By: Karoli http://www.drumsnwhistles.com/2009/12/01/thoughts-on-afghanistan-redux/comment-page-1/#comment-51273 Karoli Fri, 04 Dec 2009 06:40:46 +0000 http://www.drumsnwhistles.com/2009/12/01/thoughts-on-afghanistan-redux/#comment-51273 President Obama walked into a minefield, carefully laid for him by the previous administration. I'm amazed he's navigated it this carefully. 11 months into Clinton's first term we were dealing with Whitewater and all sorts of completely unrelated but still derailing scandals. This time we have a President who is keeping all the balls in the air, none of them perfect, all of them moving the bar bit by bit to the next level. This will be no different. President Obama walked into a minefield, carefully laid for him by the previous administration. I'm amazed he's navigated it this carefully. 11 months into Clinton's first term we were dealing with Whitewater and all sorts of completely unrelated but still derailing scandals. This time we have a President who is keeping all the balls in the air, none of them perfect, all of them moving the bar bit by bit to the next level. This will be no different.

]]> By: Karoli http://www.drumsnwhistles.com/2009/12/01/thoughts-on-afghanistan-redux/comment-page-1/#comment-51215 Karoli Fri, 04 Dec 2009 05:40:46 +0000 http://www.drumsnwhistles.com/2009/12/01/thoughts-on-afghanistan-redux/#comment-51215 President Obama walked into a minefield, carefully laid for him by the previous administration. I'm amazed he's navigated it this carefully. 11 months into Clinton's first term we were dealing with Whitewater and all sorts of completely unrelated but still derailing scandals. This time we have a President who is keeping all the balls in the air, none of them perfect, all of them moving the bar bit by bit to the next level. This will be no different. President Obama walked into a minefield, carefully laid for him by the previous administration. I'm amazed he's navigated it this carefully. 11 months into Clinton's first term we were dealing with Whitewater and all sorts of completely unrelated but still derailing scandals. This time we have a President who is keeping all the balls in the air, none of them perfect, all of them moving the bar bit by bit to the next level. This will be no different.

]]> By: capecodgurl http://www.drumsnwhistles.com/2009/12/01/thoughts-on-afghanistan-redux/comment-page-1/#comment-51214 capecodgurl Thu, 03 Dec 2009 19:45:45 +0000 http://www.drumsnwhistles.com/2009/12/01/thoughts-on-afghanistan-redux/#comment-51214 I'm still kinda shocked at quickly many are ready to chew #potus up and spit him out. I think ppl of all ilks and agendas saw in him what they wanted to see. They didn't get the pragmatic person and the world and Govt he inherited. I too have faith that if we hold support for him together he will move this country to a better place. I'm still kinda shocked at quickly many are ready to chew #potus up and spit him out. I think ppl of all ilks and agendas saw in him what they wanted to see. They didn't get the pragmatic person and the world and Govt he inherited. I too have faith that if we hold support for him together he will move this country to a better place.

]]> By: Karoli http://www.drumsnwhistles.com/2009/12/01/thoughts-on-afghanistan-redux/comment-page-1/#comment-51213 Karoli Thu, 03 Dec 2009 19:10:05 +0000 http://www.drumsnwhistles.com/2009/12/01/thoughts-on-afghanistan-redux/#comment-51213 thanks for the comment! I don't know how it all will turn out, but I can't help but remember all the times he was written off during the primaries, only to win and go on to win the election. He doesn't do things rashly and I don't believe self-destruction is on his agenda either. thanks for the comment! I don't know how it all will turn out, but I can't help but remember all the times he was written off during the primaries, only to win and go on to win the election. He doesn't do things rashly and I don't believe self-destruction is on his agenda either.

]]> By: chi910 http://www.drumsnwhistles.com/2009/12/01/thoughts-on-afghanistan-redux/comment-page-1/#comment-51208 chi910 Wed, 02 Dec 2009 19:51:23 +0000 http://www.drumsnwhistles.com/2009/12/01/thoughts-on-afghanistan-redux/#comment-51208 Karoli, Bravo..well said! I don't like war more than the next liberal but I know this president did what needed to be done. I don't question that he agonized over his decision. Knowing he would not jump into something without thought is one of the reasons I worked on his campaign and believed in him. I continue to feel the same way today. We need to stand up for this president and show the same support that we did the day we voted for change. I know I will.<br>BTW, I follow you on twitter as chi910 Karoli, Bravo..well said! I don't like war more than the next liberal but I know this president did what needed to be done. I don't question that he agonized over his decision. Knowing he would not jump into something without thought is one of the reasons I worked on his campaign and believed in him. I continue to feel the same way today. We need to stand up for this president and show the same support that we did the day we voted for change. I know I will.
BTW, I follow you on twitter as chi910

]]> By: snoopy4eva2 http://www.drumsnwhistles.com/2009/12/01/thoughts-on-afghanistan-redux/comment-page-1/#comment-51207 snoopy4eva2 Wed, 02 Dec 2009 14:37:55 +0000 http://www.drumsnwhistles.com/2009/12/01/thoughts-on-afghanistan-redux/#comment-51207 It was/is a beautiful, truth-filled, heart-wrenching piece...got me teary-eyed. He's doing the best he can Hopefully, the ones, who walked away, will rethink their move. We, all, need to stick together to help our President to "get the job(s) done"... It was/is a beautiful, truth-filled, heart-wrenching piece…got me teary-eyed. He's doing the best he can Hopefully, the ones, who walked away, will rethink their move. We, all, need to stick together to help our President to “get the job(s) done”…

]]> By: Karoli http://www.drumsnwhistles.com/2009/12/01/thoughts-on-afghanistan-redux/comment-page-1/#comment-51206 Karoli Wed, 02 Dec 2009 14:31:51 +0000 http://www.drumsnwhistles.com/2009/12/01/thoughts-on-afghanistan-redux/#comment-51206 Answer to your question re: stump speeches is yes, he did say that, and it mirrors what I've always believed, which is that if we had military in that region at all (and I think that was a huge mistake) they needed to be in Afghanistan. Pakistan is the real problem. That isn't simply a matter of opinion. It's fact, and has been fact for years. The other problem is our politically driven strategy in that region for over 30 years. We support insurgents until we don't. We arm insurgents until it turns against us. We paint the entire region in black and white, changing faces of the villains to suit situations. Presidents Clinton and Bush discounted reports of diplomats and spooks alike as to what the situation was until 9-11. Then suddenly they were the great Satan, as if there were no warnings. <br><br>There were plenty of warnings. Doing nothing isn't an option. Staying in Afghanistan for decades isn't an option. This strategy, surgical as it is, might offer us at least a dignified exit. Answer to your question re: stump speeches is yes, he did say that, and it mirrors what I've always believed, which is that if we had military in that region at all (and I think that was a huge mistake) they needed to be in Afghanistan. Pakistan is the real problem. That isn't simply a matter of opinion. It's fact, and has been fact for years. The other problem is our politically driven strategy in that region for over 30 years. We support insurgents until we don't. We arm insurgents until it turns against us. We paint the entire region in black and white, changing faces of the villains to suit situations. Presidents Clinton and Bush discounted reports of diplomats and spooks alike as to what the situation was until 9-11. Then suddenly they were the great Satan, as if there were no warnings.

There were plenty of warnings. Doing nothing isn't an option. Staying in Afghanistan for decades isn't an option. This strategy, surgical as it is, might offer us at least a dignified exit.

]]> By: Have To Ask... http://www.drumsnwhistles.com/2009/12/01/thoughts-on-afghanistan-redux/comment-page-1/#comment-51205 Have To Ask... Wed, 02 Dec 2009 11:53:17 +0000 http://www.drumsnwhistles.com/2009/12/01/thoughts-on-afghanistan-redux/#comment-51205 Have to ask.... <br>Didn't this President repeatedly state during his stump speeches that Afghanistan was the necessary war? Didn't he tell us he would take the war to Afghanistan? Didn't Pelosi jump on that band wagon and tell us that Afghanistan is the war to be fighting? <br>Why the surprise now that he's sending a token number of troops who's odds of survival are low? Why the surprise that he's already elevated the number of troops there already? <br>Prior Administrations understood Afghanistan is not the place to fight. Prior Administrations were students of history and knew the results of fighting in Afghanistan. <br>Is this President trying to save face and show a limp force to back up his stump speeches? Is he adding a soft withdrawal date to appease some libs?<br>Did you notice last night, he now tells us that it's Pakistan who's the "Real" problem? Is he using 'fear tactics' on the American people to suggest that we might be at risk due to Nuclear Power in rogue nations? No, no, I must be mistaken. This President would never use such low tactics as prior administrations to scare the American people to support his war efforts...would he? Imagine.... Have to ask….
Didn't this President repeatedly state during his stump speeches that Afghanistan was the necessary war? Didn't he tell us he would take the war to Afghanistan? Didn't Pelosi jump on that band wagon and tell us that Afghanistan is the war to be fighting?
Why the surprise now that he's sending a token number of troops who's odds of survival are low? Why the surprise that he's already elevated the number of troops there already?
Prior Administrations understood Afghanistan is not the place to fight. Prior Administrations were students of history and knew the results of fighting in Afghanistan.
Is this President trying to save face and show a limp force to back up his stump speeches? Is he adding a soft withdrawal date to appease some libs?
Did you notice last night, he now tells us that it's Pakistan who's the “Real” problem? Is he using 'fear tactics' on the American people to suggest that we might be at risk due to Nuclear Power in rogue nations? No, no, I must be mistaken. This President would never use such low tactics as prior administrations to scare the American people to support his war efforts…would he? Imagine….

]]> By: Karoli http://www.drumsnwhistles.com/2009/12/01/thoughts-on-afghanistan-redux/comment-page-1/#comment-51204 Karoli Wed, 02 Dec 2009 03:30:50 +0000 http://www.drumsnwhistles.com/2009/12/01/thoughts-on-afghanistan-redux/#comment-51204 I think there will be an outcry, but in the long run, they'll see his longer strategy. I need to watch his speech again, but my first impression was that he did the best he could with a difficult situation, and didn't try to appease any group. I think there will be an outcry, but in the long run, they'll see his longer strategy. I need to watch his speech again, but my first impression was that he did the best he could with a difficult situation, and didn't try to appease any group.

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