Posted on 03/08/2009 9:41:42 AM PDT by Schnucki
President Obama conceded today that the US was not winning the war in Afghanistan and opened the way for negotiations with moderate elements of the Taleban, much as America did with Sunni tribes in Iraq.
The new strategy, which comes as Mr Obama prepares to send an additional 17,000 US troops into Afghanistan, emerged after a frenetic 48 hours of American diplomacy in the region involving new overtures to Iran, Russia and the Muslim world.
The fresh approach to Tehran is causing significant concern in Israel and the Arab world over fears that Mr Obama is making too many concessions to Iran at a time when his own officials say it now has enough enriched uranium to make one nuclear weapon.
Mr Obama’s admission of the dire situation in Afghanistan followed an invitation to Iran by Hillary Clinton, the US Secretary of State, to participate in a US-headed regional conference on Afghanistan later this month.
The offer was part of a broad arc of diplomacy in recent days that marks a decisive shift away from the Bush administration’s more hardline approach to the region.
Asked during an interview with The New York Times if the US was winning in Afghanistan, Mr Obama replied “no”. He pointed to the success of peeling away Iraqi insurgents from al-Qaeda in Iraq, and said there may be “comparable opportunities” with the Taleban, although he warned that the situation there was “more complex” than in Iraq.
The British government has made it clear to Washington that it also supports contacts with the Taleban, and that moves have already been made by Western officials to talk to lower-ranking Taleban fighters.
It is part of a new strategy to try and unblock the stalemate that military commanders believe is undermining the whole campaign.
The invitation to Iran
(Excerpt) Read more at timesonline.co.uk ...
I thought we were going to invade Pakistan.
Does Al Qaeda have a cell at the Whitehouse?
One Big-Ass Mistake, America.
He intends to pay tribute to the terrorists in an effort to buy them off.
Cut and run.
Not content with talking down the economy, President Hope cast doubt on our mission in Afghanistan today...
Since the Military asked for troops, and he refuesed them we are not loosing the war with some rebels, HE is loosing the war with some rebels.
What a cowardly looser this Marxist, Muslim puke is.
You know, I prefered things when we were a Christian Nation. This new way sucks and is bearing some real bad fruit.
Great negotiating strategy! Announce we are losing the War and then offer to talk to the opponent.
Would love to sit across the Poker Table from these guys for a little while.
OMG, we're losing...let's surrender?;-)
loosing=LOSING
To our Commander in Chief: Thank You Sir, may we have another?
When do those extra 17,00 men report to duty in your “losing” war?
Mullen said it was winnable. Bam doesnt want to.
http://www.militarytimes.com/news/2008/09/military_iraqafghanistan_plans_091008w/
Oh, Iraq was only the strongest Arabic army in the strongest Muslim country, it was simple compared to a rag-tag army of backwoods rebels like the Taliban. Obama is a total whiner as well as a looser.
Oh, He inherited the mess he is making, Oh, the remains of the taliban is kicking his arse where a fully prepared and stocked army in Iraq was easy for Bush...
What a wannabee looser we have for a president now.
What a crock. There are NO moderate Taliban members. Period.
Ibn ‘al 0bama is giving them back the country. Millions will be stoned to death, especially women who have made even one single little stride out of slavery.
Send them Michelle, Zer0.
If you remember Rule #1, everything else becomes very easy to understand:
Obama wants us to lose.
It’s that simple.
It was awful to hear the nonstop bleating from the Dems in Congress that we were losing in Iraq. Now we have to put up with the CIC bleating that we are “losing in Afghanistan”? There’s nothing like steely resolve and optimism to bolster the troops. For the CIC to do the exact opposite is sickening and disgraceful.
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