Obama's Afghanistan Decision

[liveonearth]

This is what General David Petraeus said to Joe Scarborough (on MSNBC 12/2/09) when he asked if Obama had been "dithering" about our course of action:

This process was actually quite good, Joe. It was a very substantive discussion. Everybody's assumptions and views were tested. I think out of this have come sharpened objectives, a very good

Comments

[neptunia67]

This is what I've been hearing, too, from other analysts and people involved. Well thought-out, with clear objectives. That's what I want to hear.

[liveonearth]

Yeah, I am heartened by Obama's way to educating himself on an issue before taking action, in spite of pressure from Republican blowhards to do anything else. I find it interesting that many people of the dove inclination are as set against Obama's efforts via the military as they were against Shrub's. Is it not obvious that there can be many different ways of applying one's military? Is it not possible that we could actually do good, if we use military with good intention, sound understanding and reasonable expectation? I have hopes that our new approach under Obama will yield reward, but it is a slow thing, and no amount of shouting will change the pace of change.

[liveonearth]

Note to self:
Pepe Lopez calls it "Vietnam Lite"
Accuses Obama of not thinking of things because they were not in the West Point speech. What if the president thinks about a helluva lot more than he puts in speeches? What if he has a master plan that will secure the pipeline that we need to access the oil of the region without having to deal with Russia or Iran? Of course that's why we're sending military there. Everything else is secondary to that. America's desire for abundant fuel and world domination is not PC. And whatever he tells the West Point kids or the public at large is likely to be at least 50% pretty and vague, because most of us aren't going to understand anyway. Who needs an entire population of couch potatoes backseat driving in Afghanistan?

[liveonearth]

http://www.atimes.com/atimes/South_Asia/KL03Df04.html