Friday February 17, 2012

JAPAN NEWS AND DISCUSSION

Obama widens war against al-Qaida in Afghanistan, ordering in 4,000 more troops

World Mar. 28, 2009 - 03:24AM JST ( 20 )

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20 Comments

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USAFdudeMar. 28, 2009 - 07:59AM JST

“I want the American people to understand that we have a clear and focused goal: to disrupt, dismantle and defeat al-Qaida in Pakistan and Afghanistan, and to prevent their return to either country in the future,” Obama said. “That’s the goal that must be achieved. That is a cause that could not be more just.”

Inarguably true words spoken by a great man. Wow, after eight years of the other guy, I've almost forgotten what it's like to have a CinC; we're damn glad to have this one!
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skipthesongMar. 28, 2009 - 09:20AM JST

I welcome this.
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buddha4brainsMar. 28, 2009 - 09:53AM JST

This is what the world got behind in 2001/2002. When those goals got murky and Bush ventured into Iraq that support evaporated along with America's prestige and moral standing.
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skipthesongMar. 28, 2009 - 11:28AM JST

This is what the world got behind in 2001/2002. When those goals got murky and Bush ventured into Iraq that support evaporated along with America's prestige and moral standing." That is correct, but let's hope that is not the only reason why we are going there. Afghanistan has always been a good political tool. That I worry about.
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buddha4brainsMar. 28, 2009 - 12:31PM JST

That is correct, but let's hope that is not the only reason why we are going there. Afghanistan has always been a good political tool. That I worry about.

Agreed. David Brooks wrote and interesting opinion piece in the NY Times which points to some optimism. But, still Afghanistan is no Granada or Panama where a prez can flex faux muscles and call that foreign policy. Obama has to be serious and apolitical as much as possible.
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TexasAggieMar. 28, 2009 - 12:37PM JST

NBC News reported tonight that Obama's administration admitted that the American people will only stand for roughly a year of losses and that we need to accomplish our mission in that time period.

Obama is sending 4,000 more targets to Afghanistan. We will soon suffer great losses there, thereby giving Obama the impetus to withdraw. Which is what he really wants. Win or lose.
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teleprompterMar. 28, 2009 - 12:43PM JST

They could send 4,000,000 troops, still won't cut the demand for the heroin that the Taliban sells to its vast European market.
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ClassWarUKMar. 28, 2009 - 02:36PM JST

Another US president bring death and destruction to the world. Won't they ever learn diplomacay and peacefull means?

FIGHT WAR NOT WARS.
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telecasterplayerMar. 28, 2009 - 02:50PM JST

I hope the president has a good plan, because 4,000 troops is not a major difference. The soviets couldn't handle it with 250,000, we'd better have some radically different thinking to make 60,000 effective in any way.
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teleprompterMar. 28, 2009 - 03:06PM JST

Obama has tried the namby-pamby peace overtures the Left still believes in after all these years and from the wrong side of history.

The Taliban told him to put it where the sun don't shine.

Al Qaeda insults him after his November victory with the 'house negro' epithet they saw the Left throwing at black Americans like Colin Powell. AQ have repeatedly stated their totalitarian goals, and their suicide bombers leave little doubt as to what sort of threat we still face.

I reckon Obama should let the Marines do all the talking from here on out.
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Blue_TigerMar. 28, 2009 - 03:15PM JST

So much for Obama breaking away form Bush's militarism! Didn't Prez O. say he was going to end the war and bring troops home?
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SpiderMar. 28, 2009 - 03:50PM JST

**

I hope the president has a good plan, because 4,000 troops is not a major difference. The soviets couldn't handle it with 250,000, we'd better have some radically different thinking to make 60,000 effective in any way.

Outwardly he's talking tough; back at the White House he's talking to al-Qaida.
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TexasAggieMar. 28, 2009 - 05:01PM JST

Obama, too, warned of tough days ahead. He said al-Qaida, its allies and probably its leader, Osama bin Laden, were plotting in the Pakistani frontier.

Where have we heard this before?

Reminds me of criticisms that Obama, U.S. democrats and the leftists around the world used against Bush every time he used the same language. Something along the lines of "Bush using the name bin Laden to play the fear card" type stuff. Now, Obama is using the same language.

This means that either Obama is a hypocrit, or he has discovered that some of Bush's foreign policy decisions were the correct ones, and that all the statements by Bush using the name bin Laden to instill fear to get his way were indeed on target.
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sailwindMar. 28, 2009 - 05:57PM JST

“I want the American people to understand that we have a clear and focused goal: to disrupt, dismantle and defeat al-Qaida in Pakistan and Afghanistan, and to prevent their return to either country in the future,” Obama said. “That’s the goal that must be achieved. That is a cause that could not be more just.”

Mr. President,

Just give your Commanders on the ground the manpower, tools and the freedom to execute the mission and that goal will be achieved. It took GWB to long to figure that out in Iraq, until he finally listened and went with the surge. I hope your plan for Afghanistan is not going to repeat that mistake.

Give em what they need Mr. President and your Military will do the rest.

One good thing about having a baised media in his favor though. When this ramps up and the fight is taken straight to these guys, I can bet the ranch the media reports will be a heck of lot more objective when describing the enemy. No more 'Innocent Wedding Parties' being targeted now. I noticed that already in the past two months when the news is about the war in Afghanistan. They now include that the enemy is known to hide amongn'st civilians as a tactic. An admission you never saw when Bush was CNC.

At least that is one good thing as he presses forward with this. President Obama has my full support and the troops on the ground, may they carry this new mission out now without having to endure the ridicule that was hurled at them by the fringe left during Bush's tenure and when GWB tasked them to carry out his orders.
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WolfpackMar. 28, 2009 - 10:02PM JST

What is President Obama's exit strategy in Afghanistan? Where is the timeline for withdrawal? What are the benchmarks for success and what if Karzai can't meet them? How many billions will be spent on this war and how many civilian and military lives is he willing to sacrifice? BO's surge in Afghanistan prompts more questions than answers.
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USAFdudeMar. 28, 2009 - 11:21PM JST

sailwind -

without having to endure the ridicule that was hurled at them by the fringe left during Bush's tenure and when GWB tasked them to carry out his orders.

We carried out bush's orders to the letter. Ask any general.

wolfpack - BO's surge in Afghanistan prompts more questions than answers.

And it prompts more hope and inspiration in us troops than bush's "plan". Ask any troop.
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WilliBMar. 29, 2009 - 01:33AM JST

This is supposed to be the "change we can believe in"? Sending more Western troops as canon fodder to the Jihadists in Afghanistan? Insane.