Posts Tagged ‘War on Terror’

Some memories from Jan 20th on Afghanistan

Posted: September 29, 2009 by datechguy in opinion/news, war
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From a post on Jan 20th:

I remember Glenn Reynolds saying that the best part of the Democrats taking power is they will suddenly be willing to support the war on terror. Lets hope he is right.

I guess this was wrong as we see the cut and run left of the Bush administration suddenly deciding that Afghanistan is no longer the “good war”.

We are seeing posts like this:

No problem! The policy makers will find some way to get them there. Why at all send them to Afghanistan to die, why not recreate some ops. in mid-Manhattan and send them to their grave Mr. McChrystal? Or would that not be considered as dying for honor?

The title of that post was Wanted 40,000 more to die in Afghanistan is itself dishonest, but I don’t expect better.

It’s is just a bunch of Neo-cons:

Ignoring the overwhelming Democratic-voter opposition to the Afghanistan war threatens to cost Barack Obama the support of young people and anti-war voters who helped make him president. It could destroy any possibility of achieving his robust domestic agenda as well. President Obama needs an exit strategy instead of an escalation strategy.

It’s a graveyard I tell you:

From the time of Alexander the Great and Genghis Khan to the British, Soviets and now the US and NATO, Afghanistan’s poppy fields, barren plains and rugged mountains are filled with the ghosts and treasuries of would-be conquerors. Sooner or later, America, Canada and NATO will meet the same dismal fate as everyone who went before them.

On Morning Joe they are united in calling it Vietnam.

And of course there is Newsweek:

One of history’s enduring lessons is that Afghans don’t appreciate it when outsiders tell them how to govern their affairs—just ask the British or the Soviets. U.S. success in overthrowing the Taliban seemed to suggest this lesson no longer applied, at least to Americans. That quickly proved an illusion.

I remember when liberal blogs were even insulted by the suggestion that they advocated withdrawal:

Yesterday on The O’Reilly Factor, former administration official Dan Senor told guest host John Kasich that “many leftist centered activists, political activists” — such as MoveOn.org — believe “we would be better off” if the United States withdrew from Afghanistan.

But when pressed by Kasich, Senor couldn’t name any progressives who have advocated pulling out from Afghanistan and admitted that MoveOn.org has called for withdrawal from Iraq, not Afghanistan.

Doesn’t anyone remember what democrats were saying just one year ago?

Al Qaeda in Afghanistan:

Obama on Afghanistan

During the Debates:

Ya think we (as in the country) might have bought a candidate and a party that might not have meant what they said?

We always get the government we deserve

Well that solves the overflight problem

Posted: September 28, 2009 by datechguy in opinion/news
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So Ziggy can sleep soundly no US airspace to violate:

INTELLIGENCE chief Sir John Scarlett has been told that Saudi Arabia is ready to allow Israel to bomb Iran’s new nuclear site.

The head of MI6 discussed the issue in London with Mossad chief Meir Dagan and Saudi officials after British intelligence officers helped to uncover the plant, in the side of a mountain near the ancient city of Qom.

I guess the powerline folks were right:

After the painful spectacle of Obama’s U.N. address, however, no amount of wishful thinking can obscure Israel’s situation. Israel is in this alone. Not only can Obama not be expected to partner with Israel when it comes to dealing with Iran, he cannot be counted on to provide — indeed he is not capable of providing — sound counsel on the matter. And perhaps most importantly, Netanyahu has less to fear from ignoring Obama’s counsel then he would from a formidable, or even just competent, American president.

Thus, Netanyahu must feel less constrained from acting alone, even as he fully realizes that acting along represents the only option for acting.

Just a reminder of Principle #12

12. Israel should not be expected to risk another Shoah for the sake of the national interest of any other country.

You know it’s only when we have a Carter in office that Israel sees the need to ask alone. And we’ve got the closest thing to Carter that we ever are going to get.

You know I like Morning Joe, really I do…

Posted: September 28, 2009 by datechguy in opinion/news
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…and I agree with Ron Radosh’s article from Pajamas Media that said:

So is there any media source one can listen to on TV that is not part of the either-or mindset? Fortunately, if you get up early, there is Joe Scarborough on Morning Joe each day 6-9 am East Coast Time. He and his guests of different persuasions discuss things rationally, without screaming at each other, and in a mature and serious way. They have the kind of conversations you would have yourself with friends, probing those you disagree with and trying to reach them with arguments.

but c’mon guys! I just watched Andrea Mitchel (shudder) paint the Iran stuff as if the Administration is just getting this information and is now acting on it. Please:

One might also conclude that, since Obama says he has known about the Iranian deception at least since inauguration and possibly even during the campaign, therefore the One Himself was also lying to the American people and playing us for saps; he knew the Iranians were cheats and liars, but he told us we could trust them to honor agreements and tell the truth.

But one would be wrong… for the Obama administration (and its liberal allies) instead see the entire incident as adding to the luster of the president’s foreign-policy acumen.

Even worse Andrea sounds like Alexander Cockburn:

In reality the public disclosure of something the US knew about years ago ­ knowledge it shared with its prime Nato allies and Israel ­ changes nothing. The consensus of US intelligence remains that there is no hard evidence that Iran is actively seeking to manufacture nuclear weapons. Iran has agreed to an inspection of the plant at some appropriate point.

At least unlike Cockburn (the $10,000 man) they don’t blame Israel and even Mika is in favor of dropping the word allegedly from the building nukes.

But please, you guys are too smart to subscribe to Andrew Sullivan’s cunning plan theory.

And lets put the poll here too:

Apparently Andrea will be the first vote in favor.

Update: And don’t even get me started on the Polanski stuff, they are not covering themselves with glory over there today and the Washington post is covering themselves with even less.

Even if you give him every benefit of the doubt on the actual initial crime. He RAN.

Update 2: That’s gotta hurt.

Baldrick Hussein Obama

Posted: September 27, 2009 by datechguy in opinion/news
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Andrew Sullivan is convinced that the events of this week involving Iran are all part of a cunning plan:

Is this weakness or is it a different avenue to strength? Politics is always about timing and context. Seeing Obama’s moves without taking into account the Bush-Cheney inheritance is to wear ideological blinkers. Obama’s promise was and is a rebranding of America (which was the primary reason I supported him). If you are an unchastened neocon you see no need to rebrand after Guantanamo, Iraq, Bagram and Abu Ghraib. But if you are capable of absorbing complicated reality, you realise that such a rebranding is essential if America is to dig itself out of the Bush-Cheney ditch and advance its interests by defter means than raw violence and occupation.

It takes a special kind of faith to actually believe this stuff, he clearly has more faith in president Obama than in well his actual faith.

But is Andrew actually smarter than the rest of us? He sure thinks so. But I leave it to you:

Update: Villainous Company reminds us that Andrew had to be persuaded that General McChrystal’s plans were cunning at all.

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