The sudden interest of the Democrats in Afghanistan was never anything more than a campaign tactic, a reaction to the success of the surge in Iraq. It was a sort of sour-grapes backstep - "yeah, Bush may have won in Iraq but it was irrelevant - it was the wrong war." It was never intended to be an expression of grand strategy except in the sense that it helped the Dems attain the White House. It was packaging, fluff - no one was supposed to take it seriously.
Unfortunately the war is, in fact, a very serious matter. The one identifiable strategic objective, removing the Taliban from government there, was accomplished so long ago that not even the Democrat media can manage to give them credit for it. The Dems don't have another, have no plan, no intentions, and nowhere left to point fingers. Maneuvering for office is over, now it is time to run it. And it turns out they're more adept at attaining power than employing it.
It is clear that the Democratic party intentions were to advance a domestic program as quickly and hugely as possible, and they have done so. However, the combination of a President entirely unversed in foreign (and especially military) policy and a Secretary of State nearly as uninformed has produced a ship of state with no one at the helm. It has given us a President who apparently regards photo opportunities and apology tours as foreign policy and a lickspittle press that does its part to foster the illusion.
Meanwhile people are dying in Afghanistan. And other people are noticing. And that grandiose campaign posture that 0bama would put us back on the right track there rings more hollowly every day.
“It is clear that the Democratic party intentions were to advance a domestic program as quickly and hugely as possible, and they have done so. However, the combination of a President entirely unversed in foreign (and especially military) policy and a Secretary of State nearly as uninformed has produced a ship of state with no one at the helm. It has given us a President who apparently regards photo opportunities and apology tours as foreign policy and a lickspittle press that does its part to foster the illusion.”
Well said. So, who is left to mind the ship? Foggy Bottom professionals. They survived 8 years obstructing Bush policies with different rigor, but with less public visibility than CIA rogues, and now they are free to do what they please. And that is a typical Leftist view that all grievances against America are warranted. I don’t know if I can hope that they have enough people who see themselves as representing America to the world first and not the world to America.