President Obama will address the nation on Tuesday night about his plans in Afghanistan. This war has become his. He disavowed the Iraq war long ago (Iraq is not his) but Afghanistan is his war. In his campaign speeches and after he has claimed Afghanistan a necessity and he said he would win it. I hope he is right.
In making what is a very tough decision - no President wants to send men and women to war - he must be practical. Not only must he decide how we win (Soviet Union could not and we have not in 8 years) but also how do we pay for it. We can't run from this issue. I know it sounds awful to be mixing decisions about war with the price tag of war - we should be willing to fight any just war at any cost. War means sacrifice. But that does not mean that we ignore the issue in making the smartest plans under the circumstances.
We must arm our troops adequately - it is indecent to send them to war without the best arms and protection available. And yes, that costs money....lots of it.
We must also not bankrupt our country in fighting this war -- if we bankrupt our nation, our troops will leave the hell of war to return to the hell at home of a failed economy. That would likewise be catastrophic.
So when the President addresses the nation on Tuesday about his war plans he must discuss the uncomfortable issue: how do we pay for this? I hope he has thought about how to pay for it because if he hasn't, he is making a decision with blinders on. That would be unfair to our troops and our nation.
He must look at the whole picture and also must tell us his plans...I am not envious of him as this is a very tough decision...but he wanted the job.
By the way, over the holiday I posted a poll here on GretaWire about paying for increased troops in Afghanistan. I posted it after hearing the discussion about a possible war surtax. I wondered how GretaWire bloggers felt about a surtax. (And yes, I know, taxes are probably getting raised to deal with health care reform.) You can see from below that GretaWire bloggers are overwhelmingly in favor of cutting spending.
I want to add my two cents -- when I read that we spent $18,000,000 to simply redesign the Federal Government website Recovery.gov, it seems to me that there probably are a lot of places in our Federal Government where we can get some cash. Of course it would be wildly optimistic (delusional?) to think we could get remotely near the amount of money we need for war by just cleaning up the inefficiency and absurd spending in our Federal government....but it would be a good start.
Greta you are pitifully stupid. Who appointed you to apportion ownership. This war is no more Obama's war than it is your war. This war is not Obama's War. This War is our War you big dummy. Nothing but sleaze would try to pin a Bush/Cheney Disaster on the new President. White man make the damn mess blame the black man if he does not clean it up. Greta you are bordering on being mentally retarded. Barak Obama walked into this mess that white men got this nation in. Do not blame the black Pres
You want to win this war? The PC gloves must come off No more Miranda rights being read to the enemy
Any tribal area in Afganistan or Pakistan that shelters, harbors, feeds and aids the Taliban & Al-Qaeda should be blanketed by neutron bombs, then troops sent in to demolish every building, poison every well & spray dixoin over every field. Make the entire area toxic to humans. The tribsmen will either drive the jihadists out or cease to be. After a few actions like that they wont dare help them
WHAT A JOKE! How many of you wingnuts protested to Bush about the TRILLION dollars of BORROWED money spent in Iraq? How many of you protested to Bush about the DOUBLING of the national debt? The purpose of our going into Afghanistan was to kill Bid Laden and members of his al qaida thuggery. Well McCrystal says there are fewer than 100 al qaida left in Afghanistan. They are now in Pakistan, Somalia, Saudi Arabia, and many other countries. Do you really want world war? THIS IS NUTS....
Obama wanted this job, but he has continously shown us he is too in-experienced to handle the job. He is also too radical to make sound judgements on our military or our government. All he has shown us so far is he knows how to spend money, if it comes to governing, he has to appoint someone else to find the answeres.
BUSH\CHENEY...TWO DISASTERS: I have never denied, nor justified GWB'S mistakes or blunders. But, you can only blame him for so long. When are you going to STOP? Obama has been "POTUS", for 11 months, the decisions, being made, are his and his alone. I am sure if he does something right, you are the first one to praise him, and The Dems are the first ones to brag. Why, then can't you also except his mistakes and blunders? One thing I have learned, YOU CAN NOT CHANGE THE PAST. MOVE ON,GET OVER IT!
Obama voted and is in the know so why the delay???Politics...as he lack of recognition of the soldier murder in cold blood by a muslim convert...and now ft hood, gitmo tried in NY...unbelievble and we are in big trouble because the nomedia are focused on the past...we need solutions ...he wanted the job..had time and voted and still no answer.our troops deserve repsect not partying at the taxpayer penny and sorry obama you are not royalty even though you think you are and act the way...goodnight
WHERE IS THE CONCERN FOR OUR TROOPS WHO KEEP US FREE?
Obama will spin this issue and probably have most believing as the nomedia dominates but those who investigate know different...why does he continue to blame...now the osama visual..please..don't think after 9/11 he wouldn't go after full force..
MOVE ON...REGARDLESS OF PRESIDENT WE HAVE AN ENEMY..IT IS CALLED RADICAL ISLAM AND AS FT HOOD TELLS US...IT IS HERE AND NOW..WHO CARES ABOUT OSAM..THIS IS ANOTHER OBAMA DISTRACTION...GOODNIGHT.
“Or perhaps, he’s having to try to figure out how to keep people from finding out that the terrorist who attack our Soldiers at Ft. Hood was a member of Obama’s transition team. Hassan was a member of the Homeland Security Policy Institute. It’s on page 32 of the Obama Transition Team documents. ***************************** Totally untrue. This is another false e-rumor. Army Major Nidal Malik Hasan was merely an audience member at some public events of a university-sponsored group that offered unsolicited advice to the new administration. The document that this message refers to fails to back up its claims. The document is about Homeland Security Policy Institute’s (HSPI) "Presidential Transition Task Force"…a project separate and apart from Obama’s transition team. It’s a project that aimed to bring together experts in several fields and make recommendations to the incoming administration. It was formed in April 2008…before it was clear which party would win the White House or even who the Democratic nominee would be. Hasan is listed as one of several hundred professors, reporters, government officials and members of Congress, who attended several public meetings that were organized by HSPI. Despite the name, HSPI’s presidential task force has no connection to Obama or the White House. HSPI, November 18 statement: HSPI’s Presidential Transition Task Force is not and was not affiliated at all with the White House. The Task Force was created prior to the election; and was not formed at the request of any administration.
November 29, 2009 at 9:34 pm
Major Hasan was a member of obama's transition team?/see last paragraph ?
Former President George W. Bush and his wife Laura Bush quietly visited
the wounded from the Ft. Hood massacre on Friday. Barack Obama mentioned
the attack at the end of some comments he made at a conference and on
Saturday, Obama headed out to Camp David for a little R&R. Bush visits
Ft. Hood, Obama goes to Camp David. What is wrong with this picture?
Even more troubling, is there an Obama, Hassan connection?
It is disconcerting that the President of the United States has seemed
so terribly disengaged from a terrorist attack on a military base in the
heartland of the United States! On American soil. He gave some lip
service to the horrific outburst of violence at the end of some
comments he made at the end of the Tribal Nation Conference on the day
of the attack. He warned people to not jump to conclusions - you know,
like he did when a white police officer was doing his job and got cussed
out by one of Obamas friends and they all ended up having to have a
beer summit with the President to improve race relations. Yeah, dont
jump to conclusions like he does.
Of course, the reason he warned about jumping to conclusions is that it
turns out that the Army Major is a muslim with a muslim name. Major
Nidal Malik Hasan. Hes the alleged perpetrator, traitor and enemy
combatant who cornered a large crowd of unarmed Soldiers in the Soldier
Readiness Center at Ft. Hood in Killeen, Texas.
Okay, so we wont jump to conclusions, Mr. President. But the questions
remain, why has the president shown so little interest in an attack
being perpetrated by an enemy combatant on a military base on American
soil? Why the downplaying? Rationalizing it away? Giving his family in
Palestine a voice via American media outlets to decry the Global War on
Terrorism? The spin seems to be that hes disgruntled, mistreated by his
peers for being muslim, scared of being deployed. Yada-yada.
The other side to that story comes from virtually everyone else who
tells us that Hassan initiated arguments with peers at work, couldnt
relate to the Soldiers he was treating at Walter Reed Hospital and
apparently told everyone within listening distance that he was muslim
first, American second. He also made statements to many people that he
viewed an attack on an Army recruitment center as justified and that
muslims should take up arms against American troops.
This is NOT a disgruntled, mistreated guy who was picked on because hes
muslim. This is an enemy combatant and a traitor to the United States!
Meanwhile, former President George W. Bush and his wife Laura Bush
quietly visited the wounded from the Ft. Hood massacre on Friday. They
didnt allow photo ops, rather, they quietly visited the wounded. They
are said to have spent hours there and were very concerned and
comforting to the wounded and grieving.
Obama, on the other hand, the President of the United States, hasnt
gotten around to getting down to Texas yet. Hes just been so busy,
dont ya' know. Here is Obamas schedule for Saturday. 11:25AM THE
PRESIDENT addresses the House Democratic Caucus - Cannon House Office
Building 2:30PM THE PRESIDENT makes a statement to the press on Health
Care - Rose Garden 2:45PM THE PRESIDENT and THE FIRST LADY depart The
White House South Lawn en route to Camp David.
Perhaps he simply doesnt care. Or perhaps, hes having to try to figure
out how to keep people from finding out that the terrorist who attack
our Soldiers at Ft. Hood was a member of Obamas transition team. Hassan
was a member of the Homeland Security Policy Institute. Its on page 32
of the Obama Transition Team documents.
Is that Obama-Hassan connection the reason that Hassan has been under
investigation for six months and yet was free to go about a military
base undeterred? Obama IS the commander-in-chief after all. Food for
thought and something that makes you more than a little sick to your
stomach.
One has to wonder how deep this rabbit hole goes. Barack Hussein Obama,
hmmm, hmmm, hmmm.
You can see the odd comments Obama made, seemingly as an afterthought,
about the Ft. Hood Army base massacre at the end of his comments at the
Tribal Nation Conference on November 5, 2009. That conference is a whole
other story.
BUSH\CHENEY...TWO DISASTERS: You keep on saying "We were Stuck with GWB, for eight years." Well you were always Free to move somewhere else if you didn't like what was going on! I mean after all that is what Obama Supporters, have been telling others "Move away if your not Happy with Obama." And, just because GWB screwed things up for eight years, as you say, doesn't mean people want to give Obama and The Dems, the right to screw things up more.TWO WRONGS, DON'T MAKE A RIGHT."
Comment by HARRY-O "SO THE INEPT AMATEUR HAS A NEW PLAN! (remember Custer had a plan too)" *********************** Remember, Bush SUPPOSEDLY had a plan too! LOL A plan that wasn't worth SHYT!!!
"THESE ARE OUR MEN! Our American soldiers out there fighting and dying on the field ~they need our help! He has to send more troops so that we can end this war and less will die. HE has dragged his feet long enough on this issue and spent money on ridiculous things (Stimulus)" *********** THESE men didn't JUST become OUR MEN. They've been OUR MEN for eight years. OUR MEN have been out there fighting and dying for eight years. All of a sudden, YOU are concerned? Bush dragged his feet for eight F**KING YEARS!!! As for the stimulus, OUR economy isn’t ridiculous.
SO THE INEPT AMATEUR HAS A NEW PLAN! (remember Custer had a plan too)
What could it be? So far his ideas for fighting this war are so absurd it makes me believe he's insane!! (imagine if at Normandy & Iwo Jima the troops had to read Miranda rights to the enemy!!!)
Why can't educated, intelligent people see through this incompetent bozo??
The 21st century is indeed "The Century Of The Morons"
Comment by k2 "therein lies the problem. he only knows how to win a campaign. he has no clue on how to win a war or lead a country. but we, the people - and troops - are stuck with him. all i hope is that he makes the decision to WIN." ***************** Barack Obama’s presidency is still very “young”. In the minds of rational and reasonable people, the “jury is still out” as far as his capabilities to lead are concerned. WE, the people, were STUCK with George W. Bush for EIGHT LONG YEARS. Bush PROVED that he didn’t know how to win a war. Bush also PROVED that he didn’t know how to lead a country in the right direction. Bush led the U.S. off a cliff…into economic disaster and two unfinished wars that were NOT WON.
If he wants to make a speech, fine, but why does he have to fire up Air Force One and create a photo op in prime time at West Point? How many millions will that cost us? Let him do it from the White House during the day.
That plane is going to be worn out before his term of office is over at the rate he's going.
November 29, 2009 at 7:29 pm
Is it compulsory that the West Point cadets attend the speech?
Bush/Cheney...TWO DISASTERS: As for approval ratings, polls are simply a snapshot in time. ______You're right! They are just snapshots and, as his approval ratings have been being measured, they continue to fall. You can fool yourself all you like but it's reality that almost 70% of Independents who voted for him have already left the "approval arena".
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THIS IS NOT OBAMA'S WAR: THIS IS OUR WAR GRETA
Greta you are pitifully stupid. Who appointed you to apportion ownership. This war is no more Obama's war than it is your war. This war is not Obama's War. This War is our War you big dummy. Nothing but sleaze would try to pin a Bush/Cheney Disaster on the new President. White man make the damn mess blame the black man if he does not clean it up. Greta you are bordering on being mentally retarded. Barak Obama walked into this mess that white men got this nation in. Do not blame the black Pres
HARRY-O
You want to win this war? The PC gloves must come off No more Miranda rights being read to the enemy Any tribal area in Afganistan or Pakistan that shelters, harbors, feeds and aids the Taliban & Al-Qaeda should be blanketed by neutron bombs, then troops sent in to demolish every building, poison every well & spray dixoin over every field. Make the entire area toxic to humans. The tribsmen will either drive the jihadists out or cease to be. After a few actions like that they wont dare help them
catchy can
WHAT A JOKE! How many of you wingnuts protested to Bush about the TRILLION dollars of BORROWED money spent in Iraq? How many of you protested to Bush about the DOUBLING of the national debt? The purpose of our going into Afghanistan was to kill Bid Laden and members of his al qaida thuggery. Well McCrystal says there are fewer than 100 al qaida left in Afghanistan. They are now in Pakistan, Somalia, Saudi Arabia, and many other countries. Do you really want world war? THIS IS NUTS....
Edna_S
Obama wanted this job, but he has continously shown us he is too in-experienced to handle the job. He is also too radical to make sound judgements on our military or our government. All he has shown us so far is he knows how to spend money, if it comes to governing, he has to appoint someone else to find the answeres.
CICO
The fool is playing politics. That is the reason he is too ignorant to make the right decision
NO NAME
BUSH\CHENEY...TWO DISASTERS: I have never denied, nor justified GWB'S mistakes or blunders. But, you can only blame him for so long. When are you going to STOP? Obama has been "POTUS", for 11 months, the decisions, being made, are his and his alone. I am sure if he does something right, you are the first one to praise him, and The Dems are the first ones to brag. Why, then can't you also except his mistakes and blunders? One thing I have learned, YOU CAN NOT CHANGE THE PAST. MOVE ON,GET OVER IT!
Jane/Atlanta
Obama voted and is in the know so why the delay???Politics...as he lack of recognition of the soldier murder in cold blood by a muslim convert...and now ft hood, gitmo tried in NY...unbelievble and we are in big trouble because the nomedia are focused on the past...we need solutions ...he wanted the job..had time and voted and still no answer.our troops deserve repsect not partying at the taxpayer penny and sorry obama you are not royalty even though you think you are and act the way...goodnight
Jane/Atlanta
WHERE IS THE CONCERN FOR OUR TROOPS WHO KEEP US FREE? Obama will spin this issue and probably have most believing as the nomedia dominates but those who investigate know different...why does he continue to blame...now the osama visual..please..don't think after 9/11 he wouldn't go after full force.. MOVE ON...REGARDLESS OF PRESIDENT WE HAVE AN ENEMY..IT IS CALLED RADICAL ISLAM AND AS FT HOOD TELLS US...IT IS HERE AND NOW..WHO CARES ABOUT OSAM..THIS IS ANOTHER OBAMA DISTRACTION...GOODNIGHT.
TELL*IT*LIKE*IT*IS!
“Or perhaps, he’s having to try to figure out how to keep people from finding out that the terrorist who attack our Soldiers at Ft. Hood was a member of Obama’s transition team. Hassan was a member of the Homeland Security Policy Institute. It’s on page 32 of the Obama Transition Team documents. ***************************** Totally untrue. This is another false e-rumor. Army Major Nidal Malik Hasan was merely an audience member at some public events of a university-sponsored group that offered unsolicited advice to the new administration. The document that this message refers to fails to back up its claims. The document is about Homeland Security Policy Institute’s (HSPI) "Presidential Transition Task Force"…a project separate and apart from Obama’s transition team. It’s a project that aimed to bring together experts in several fields and make recommendations to the incoming administration. It was formed in April 2008…before it was clear which party would win the White House or even who the Democratic nominee would be. Hasan is listed as one of several hundred professors, reporters, government officials and members of Congress, who attended several public meetings that were organized by HSPI. Despite the name, HSPI’s presidential task force has no connection to Obama or the White House. HSPI, November 18 statement: HSPI’s Presidential Transition Task Force is not and was not affiliated at all with the White House. The Task Force was created prior to the election; and was not formed at the request of any administration.
Major Hasan was a member of obama's transition team?/see last paragraph ?
Former President George W. Bush and his wife Laura Bush quietly visited the wounded from the Ft. Hood massacre on Friday. Barack Obama mentioned the attack at the end of some comments he made at a conference and on Saturday, Obama headed out to Camp David for a little R&R. Bush visits Ft. Hood, Obama goes to Camp David. What is wrong with this picture? Even more troubling, is there an Obama, Hassan connection? It is disconcerting that the President of the United States has seemed so terribly disengaged from a terrorist attack on a military base in the heartland of the United States! On American soil. He gave some lip service to the horrific outburst of violence at the end of some comments he made at the end of the Tribal Nation Conference on the day of the attack. He warned people to not jump to conclusions - you know, like he did when a white police officer was doing his job and got cussed out by one of Obamas friends and they all ended up having to have a beer summit with the President to improve race relations. Yeah, dont jump to conclusions like he does. Of course, the reason he warned about jumping to conclusions is that it turns out that the Army Major is a muslim with a muslim name. Major Nidal Malik Hasan. Hes the alleged perpetrator, traitor and enemy combatant who cornered a large crowd of unarmed Soldiers in the Soldier Readiness Center at Ft. Hood in Killeen, Texas. Okay, so we wont jump to conclusions, Mr. President. But the questions remain, why has the president shown so little interest in an attack being perpetrated by an enemy combatant on a military base on American soil? Why the downplaying? Rationalizing it away? Giving his family in Palestine a voice via American media outlets to decry the Global War on Terrorism? The spin seems to be that hes disgruntled, mistreated by his peers for being muslim, scared of being deployed. Yada-yada. The other side to that story comes from virtually everyone else who tells us that Hassan initiated arguments with peers at work, couldnt relate to the Soldiers he was treating at Walter Reed Hospital and apparently told everyone within listening distance that he was muslim first, American second. He also made statements to many people that he viewed an attack on an Army recruitment center as justified and that muslims should take up arms against American troops. This is NOT a disgruntled, mistreated guy who was picked on because hes muslim. This is an enemy combatant and a traitor to the United States! Meanwhile, former President George W. Bush and his wife Laura Bush quietly visited the wounded from the Ft. Hood massacre on Friday. They didnt allow photo ops, rather, they quietly visited the wounded. They are said to have spent hours there and were very concerned and comforting to the wounded and grieving. Obama, on the other hand, the President of the United States, hasnt gotten around to getting down to Texas yet. Hes just been so busy, dont ya' know. Here is Obamas schedule for Saturday. 11:25AM THE PRESIDENT addresses the House Democratic Caucus - Cannon House Office Building 2:30PM THE PRESIDENT makes a statement to the press on Health Care - Rose Garden 2:45PM THE PRESIDENT and THE FIRST LADY depart The White House South Lawn en route to Camp David. Perhaps he simply doesnt care. Or perhaps, hes having to try to figure out how to keep people from finding out that the terrorist who attack our Soldiers at Ft. Hood was a member of Obamas transition team. Hassan was a member of the Homeland Security Policy Institute. Its on page 32 of the Obama Transition Team documents. Is that Obama-Hassan connection the reason that Hassan has been under investigation for six months and yet was free to go about a military base undeterred? Obama IS the commander-in-chief after all. Food for thought and something that makes you more than a little sick to your stomach. One has to wonder how deep this rabbit hole goes. Barack Hussein Obama, hmmm, hmmm, hmmm. You can see the odd comments Obama made, seemingly as an afterthought, about the Ft. Hood Army base massacre at the end of his comments at the Tribal Nation Conference on November 5, 2009. That conference is a whole other story.
NO NAME
BUSH\CHENEY...TWO DISASTERS: You keep on saying "We were Stuck with GWB, for eight years." Well you were always Free to move somewhere else if you didn't like what was going on! I mean after all that is what Obama Supporters, have been telling others "Move away if your not Happy with Obama." And, just because GWB screwed things up for eight years, as you say, doesn't mean people want to give Obama and The Dems, the right to screw things up more.TWO WRONGS, DON'T MAKE A RIGHT."
A PLAN...
Comment by HARRY-O "SO THE INEPT AMATEUR HAS A NEW PLAN! (remember Custer had a plan too)" *********************** Remember, Bush SUPPOSEDLY had a plan too! LOL A plan that wasn't worth SHYT!!!
THESE MEN have ALWAYS been OUR MEN
"THESE ARE OUR MEN! Our American soldiers out there fighting and dying on the field ~they need our help! He has to send more troops so that we can end this war and less will die. HE has dragged his feet long enough on this issue and spent money on ridiculous things (Stimulus)" *********** THESE men didn't JUST become OUR MEN. They've been OUR MEN for eight years. OUR MEN have been out there fighting and dying for eight years. All of a sudden, YOU are concerned? Bush dragged his feet for eight F**KING YEARS!!! As for the stimulus, OUR economy isn’t ridiculous.
HARRY-O
SO THE INEPT AMATEUR HAS A NEW PLAN! (remember Custer had a plan too) What could it be? So far his ideas for fighting this war are so absurd it makes me believe he's insane!! (imagine if at Normandy & Iwo Jima the troops had to read Miranda rights to the enemy!!!) Why can't educated, intelligent people see through this incompetent bozo?? The 21st century is indeed "The Century Of The Morons"
Bush/Cheney...TWO DISASTERS
Comment by k2 "therein lies the problem. he only knows how to win a campaign. he has no clue on how to win a war or lead a country. but we, the people - and troops - are stuck with him. all i hope is that he makes the decision to WIN." ***************** Barack Obama’s presidency is still very “young”. In the minds of rational and reasonable people, the “jury is still out” as far as his capabilities to lead are concerned. WE, the people, were STUCK with George W. Bush for EIGHT LONG YEARS. Bush PROVED that he didn’t know how to win a war. Bush also PROVED that he didn’t know how to lead a country in the right direction. Bush led the U.S. off a cliff…into economic disaster and two unfinished wars that were NOT WON.
I think it's well past due
that obama bow to the American military! And to the American citizen!
Why is there such
cynicism? Mmmmmmmm...Mmmmmmmm...Mmmmmmmm.
Petchy
If he wants to make a speech, fine, but why does he have to fire up Air Force One and create a photo op in prime time at West Point? How many millions will that cost us? Let him do it from the White House during the day. That plane is going to be worn out before his term of office is over at the rate he's going.
Is it compulsory that the West Point cadets attend the speech?
Just wondering!
.
Bush/Cheney...TWO DISASTERS: As for approval ratings, polls are simply a snapshot in time. ______You're right! They are just snapshots and, as his approval ratings have been being measured, they continue to fall. You can fool yourself all you like but it's reality that almost 70% of Independents who voted for him have already left the "approval arena".