Obama Can't Downsize to Success in Afghanistan

The president appears to be dragging his feet on more troops for the struggle, but that's what an effective counterinsurgency strategy requires.

During last year's campaign, Barack Obama stressed that while he wanted to withdraw from Iraq, he was no pacifist. "As president," he said on July 15, 2008, "I will make the fight against Al Qaeda and the Taliban the top priority that it should be. This is a war that we have to win."

He began to make good on his word on March 27 when he announced a "comprehensive new strategy for Afghanistan and Pakistan" that included 21,000 additional troops. The goal, he said, was to "reverse the Taliban's gains" and "prevent Afghanistan from becoming the Al Qaeda safe haven that it was before 9/11."

On Aug. 30, the president's handpicked commander in Afghanistan delivered a plan to do just that. Implementing his counterinsurgency strategy, Gen. Stanley McChrystal wrote, "requires more forces." If extra troops are not sent, and soon, the "likely result" would be "failure."

One would expect, based on his past statements, that Obama would rush to give McChrystal the forces needed to win what the president described in August as a "war of necessity." Yet that's not the case. The White House has been sitting on the general's report for a month, refusing to allow him to submit his resource request or testify to Congress and leaking to the news media that the president may decide to downsize the entire war effort.

Why this sudden hesitation after so many months of resolute rhetoric? Surely the president cannot be getting cold feet simply because of rising American casualties. Losses are tragic but expected in a tough fight.

” The White House has been sitting on the general’s report for a month, refusing to allow him to submit his resource request or testify to Congress and leaking to the news media that the president may decide to downsize the entire war effort.”

And what was Barry doing during this time ?
Kicking back in Yellowstone , the Grand Canyon and Martha’s Vineyard.
Playing golf, eating ice cream and giggling with Letterman.

While their Commander in Chief engaged in Dereliction of Duty and forgot them , we lost the real heroes actually fighting the WOT:

Spc. Kevin J. Graham, 27, of Benton, Ky., died Sept. 26 in Kandahar,

Sgt. Titus R. Reynolds, 23, of Columbus, Ohio

Sgt. Edward B. Smith, 30, of Homestead, Fla.; and

Spc. Joseph V. White, 21, of Bellevue, Wash. were killed in Omar Zai, Afghanistan,

Lance Cpl. John J. Malone, 24, of Yonkers, N.Y., died Sept. 24 while supporting combat operations in Farah province, Afghanistan.

Pfc. William L. Meredith, 26, of Virginia Beach, Va., died Sept. 21 in Kandahar, Afghanistan,

Sgt. David A. Davis, 28, of Dalhart, Texas, died Sept. 19 at Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan,

Spc. Corey J. Kowall, 20, of Murfreesboro, Tenn

Spc. Damon G. Winkleman, 23, of Lakeville, Ohio. were killed in Zabul Province, Afghanistan

Pfc. Jeremiah J. Monroe, 31, of Niskayuna, N.Y., died Sept. 17 in Kandahar, Afghanistan

Sgt. 1st Class Bradley S. Bohle, 29, of Glen Burnie, Md.;

Sgt. 1st Class Shawn P. McCloskey, 33, of Peachtree City, Ga.;

Staff Sgt. Joshua M. Mills, 24, of El Paso, Texas. were killed in Helmond Province, Afghanistan

1st Lt. David T. Wright II, 26, of Moore, Okla.;

Sgt. Andrew H. McConnell, 24, of Carlisle, Pa. were killed in southern Afghanistan

Staff Sgt. Bryan D. Berky, 25, of Melrose, Fla., died Sept. 12 near Bala Baluk, Afghanistan,

Staff Sgt. Nekl B. Allen, 29, of Rochester N.Y.

Spc. Daniel L. Cox, 23, of Parsons, Kan. died in Wardak Province, Afghanistan

Pfc. Matthew M. Martinek, 20, of DeKalb, Ill., died of wounds suffered in Paktika province, Afghanistan,

Sgt. Tyler A. Juden, 23, of Winfield, Kan., died Sept. 12 in Turan, Afghanistan

1st Lt. Tyler E. Parten, 24, of Arkansas, died Sept. 10 in Konar province, Afghanistan,

Lance Cpl. Christopher S. Fowlkes, 20, of Gaffney, S.C., died in Helmand province, Afghanistan.

Sgt. Youvert Loney, 28, of Pohnpei, Micronesia, died Sept. 5 in Abad, Afghanistan,

Gunnery Sgt. Edwin W. Johnson Jr., 31, of Columbus, Ga.

1st Lt. Michael E. Johnson, 25, of Virginia Beach, Va.

Staff Sgt. Aaron M. Kenefick, 30, of Roswell, Ga. were killed in Kunar Province, Afghanistan

Capt. Joshua S. Meadows, 30, of Bastrop, Texas, died Sept. 5 in Farah province, Afghanistan.

taff Sgt. Michael C. Murphrey, 25, of Snyder, Texas, died Sept. 6 in Paktika province, Afghanistan,

Sgt. Randy M. Haney, 27, of Orlando, Fla., died Sept. 6 in Nangarhar, Afghanistan,

2nd Lt. Darryn D. Andrews, 34, of Dallas, Texas, died Sept. 4 in Paktika Province, Afghanistan,

Lance Cpl. Christopher S. Baltazar Jr., 19, of San Antonio, Texas, died in Helmond Province, Afghanistan

Petty Officer 3rd Class Benjamin P. Castiglione, 21, of Howell, Mich., died Sept. 3 in Helmand province, Afghanistan.

Spc. Tyler R. Walshe, 21, of Shasta Calif., died Aug. 31 in southern Afghanistan

Spc. Jonathan D. Welch, 19, of Yorba Linda, Calif.

Pfc. Jordan M. Brochu, 20, of Cumberland, Maine were killed in Shuyene Sufia, Afghanistan.

Spc. Abraham S. Wheeler III, 22, of Columbia, S.C., died Aug. 28 in Logar province, Afghanistan,

This does not include those who died in Iraq and from non combat injuries .
God Bless Them All.

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