Posted on 07/20/2008 12:44:11 PM PDT by Candor7
Barack Obama, the US presidential candidate, has called the situation in Afghanistan "precarious and urgent".
Obama, who visited US troops in Afghanistan and met Hamid Karzai, the Afghan president, said on Sunday the US should start planning immediately for a shift of soldiers from Iraq to Afghanistan.
"I think the situation is getting urgent enough that we have to start doing something now," he told the US TV network CBS.
Television pictures showed a relaxed Obama at the heavily guarded presidential palace in Kabul, talking to Karzai and flanked by Afghan ministers and fellow senators Chuck Hagel and Jack Reed.
The two sides talked about the problems facing Afghanistan and the region, Humayun Hamidzada, Karzai's spokesman said.
"We discussed things at the broad level, we did not discuss in detail. Senator Obama conveyed his commitment to ... supporting Afghanistan and to continue the war against terrorism with vigour," he said.
Obama will also visit Iraq, Jordan, Israel, Germany, France and Britain on a foreign tour he hopes will enhance his foreign policy credentials and stem Republican criticism that he does not have the experience to be commander in chief of the armed forces, one of the responsibilities carried out by the US president.
Rise in violence
This year - more than six years after US forces ousted Afghanistan's Taliban government - there has been a sharp rise in violence in the country.
The US has about four times as many troops in Iraq as the 36,000 it has in Afghanistan, yet more US soldiers were killed in Afghanistan than in Iraq in both May and June.
Obama wants to send two more brigades, or some 7,000 US troops, to Afghanistan and shift the emphasis from what he calls the Bush administration's "single-minded" focus on Iraq.
The US presidential hopeful said the purpose of his meeting with Karzai, who has led Afghanistan since 2001, was to listen rather than deliver strong messages.
But Obama has criticised Karzai in the past.
"I think the Karzai government has not gotten out of the bunker and helped to organise Afghanistan, and the government, the judiciary, police forces, in ways that would give people confidence. So there are a lot of problems there," he said in an interview with CNN earlier in the month.
James Bays, Al Jazeera's correspondent in Kabul, said: "Obama has been critical in the past of Karzai and the Afghan government. This is a government that many in the international community see as having too many corrupt elements to it."
Karzai has come under increasing criticism for not taking tough action to clamp down on rampant corruption, tackle former warlords and stamp out Afghanistan's drug production.
Call for action
On Saturday, military leaders at the Bagram base north of Kabul told Obama and the other senators travelling with him about their efforts to combat Taliban forces and other fighters opposed to the US-backed Afghan government.
Obama's foreign policy plan
• Opposes the war in Iraq and will seek to end it as quickly as possible
• Prefers a non-military response to Iran, but does not rule out military reactions and economic sanctions
• Supports a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and will strengthen US ties with Israel
• Will increase US involvement in Africa to combat poverty and famine
• Seeks stronger action to end genocide in Darfur
• Desires peace agreement in DR Congo
• Seeks stronger relationships with Asian countries such as Japan and South Korea
• Will co-operate with East Asian countries to reach stable and prosperous governments.
• Envisions a "nuclear free world"
The congressional delegation then met more US soldiers at Jalalabad airfield, as well as the governor of Nangahar province.
Obama has said that Afghanistan is the central front in the so-called "war on terror", and he is expected to call for more US action to rout the Taliban and al-Qaeda.
Obama has said that if he wins the US presidency in November he will commit at least two more combat brigades - up to 10,000 extra troops - to Afghanistan, while reducing the number of US forces in Iraq.
But the pledge to commit more US troops to Afghanistan is already proving divisive, Bays said.
"Nato commanders and US military commanders have said they would welcome extra troops. Nato commanders know that American troops are useful to them because they can send them anywhere in the country – many other Nato troops will not send their troops to more volatile areas of Afghanistan.
"But Afghan citizens and Afghan politicians may not want more troops ... Many Afghan politicians will tell you that they do not think more troops is necessarily the answer."
John McCain, Obama's Republican rival, has criticised the Democratic nominee's lack of experience in the region and on Saturday mocked his current trip.
"Senator Obama announced his strategy for Afghanistan and Iraq before departing on a fact-finding mission that will include visits to both those countries," he said in a radio address.
"Apparently, he is confident enough that he will not find any facts that might change his opinion or alter his strategy. Remarkable."
Barry Hussein Obama, man who would be King? ( Buahahahahah!) ( these troops DO NOT look too thrilled, notice there are no white troops in the immediate vicinity, such will be the bully pulpit of Obama should he be elected, a black nationalist thru and thru.)
Pingbada Bing!
Al Jeezera backs Jimmuh Carter 2 ( Obama found a peanut!).
Do we assume that only black troops volunteered to dine with him? Or perhaps only black troops were chosen to dine with him? What kind of message does this send to all troops?
The US Armed Forces has been a great equal opportunity employer. Does Obama seek to destroy the equality that exists in the Armed Forces?
I saw this kind of thing happen with the Canadian Armed forces in 1970-1980, under Trudeau. The French Canadians in the CAF became "more equal" and the British traditions of the regiments were abandoned.
A similar thing would happen in the USA under an Obama presidency. Minorities would become "more equal" in the US Armed Forces ( faster promotion tracks). The regimental traditions of both the US MArines and the US Aremy would be abandoned as "too costly" to maintain, and they would be amalgamated with Obama's own new creations of regiments dedicated to "peace"( our forces become a peace corps).
Obama is showing us his true colors now, and we need to scream them to the world.
But he did stay in a Holiday Inn Express last night! That's all the experience he needs. Wait, he ate at an IHOP once as well.
Pray for our brave troops and this nation if he is elected.
Hey NObama, I don't know how to break this to you, you highness, but you're not elected yet.
So sitdown and STFU and quit pretending you are the CIC.
Asswipe! Arrogant,narcissistic SOB!!
He knows some troops that were scheduled for Iraq are now being trained for Afghanistan. There he is spouting more troops for Afghanistan as if it is all his idea.
I can't stand this hypocrite.
BTW, my information came from the Pentagon web site.
News flash——Obama discovers the Old World
When He left he did not know where he was going.
When He got there He did not know where he was.
When He gets back he will not know where has been.
[• Envisions a “nuclear free world”]
Every bit as likely as a gun free society!
Juniors field trip!!
Just WhoTH does he think he IS?
(purely rhetorical)
Did you notice the troops Obama was having breakfast with were mostly black? I wonder if there is any message to that like the soldier with Hillary who had his fingers crossed?
What could possibly put the U.S. in a position that war for oil was our only choice?
Either the Democrats have a plan or this all one huge coincidence.
When did Obama ever have any dealings with the military? Any courses in military science? Any military basic training? Perhaps ROTC? Anybody know?
Prefers a non-military response to Iran, but does not rule out military reactions
Who believes that after all the Democrat crying about how President Bush better not start another war?
His campaign said last week that the purpose of his trip was not to make policy.
Obama’s New Campaign Slogan:
“We don’t know where we’re going, but we are halfway there!”
There are many theories about Obama's planned NEW national civilian security force which he plans to be "powerful, strong and well-funded."
Here's my theory: Let us not ignore the possibility that if Obama's Senate Bill 2433 passes, the U.S. will be committed to helping the United Nations achieve and complete their Millennium Goals.
The Millennium Goals will place a worldwide freeze on militaries (including ours), will prohibit any weaponry technology, will monitor our 2nd Amendment rights, will place a tax on land and fossil fuels - and more.
A national civilian security force can be used to enforce all of the above, on behalf of the U.N., and against the U.S. military. Ridiculous? Maybe, but maybe not. Read the U.N. Millennium Goals and the wording in Obama's s.2433. It's terrifying to think about. Read it here and follow the links to documentation.
So, how does Obama see our National Guard? I think I know the answer: The Guard is a part of the military he has long despised. The man wants his own Army!
Transcription of Obama's exact words below the video.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.