Posted on 11/30/2009 6:50:35 AM PST by MaestroLC
Saying it’s time for Republicans to do more than “take pot shots at ACORN,” freshman Utah Rep. Jason Chaffetz will call on President Barack Obama on Monday to bring U.S. troops home from Afghanistan.
Chaffetz’s push for a troop withdrawal — to be unveiled in a speech at the Hinckley Institute of Politics in Salt Lake City — runs counter to the position of House Minority Leader John Boehner of Ohio and other leading Republicans in Congress. But it also reflects the divisions within the conference about the question of Afghanistan. Chaffetz told POLITICO the issue “has been probably the most difficult one as a freshman in the minority.”
“So much of this is easy, black and white, but Afghanistan is very different and very difficult,” he said.
Chaffetz said he thinks he will “suffer” for the decision and that it would be safer for him politically to stay the course he’s been on.
“I can take pot shots at [Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now] all day long, and I’m good at it,” Chaffetz said. “But even though I am probably going against where the party is on this traditionally, I just think we need to stand up and support the notion that it is time to bring our soldiers home.”
(Excerpt) Read more at politico.com ...
This isn't courageous, it is defeatist. He damages our already low troop moral by being a defeatist. Cowards like this make me sick.
Appeasement to terrorists. Dishonor our troops and their sacrifices. Don't worry, Chaffetz, you and Obama are actually on the same page and will get your wish soon enough. The Obama/West Point speech is just a smokescreen to the inevitable policy to cut-and-run. Remember: Obama always lies.
Utah, throw this bum out in 2010.
Utah is a breeding ground for RINOism.
Just play the video of congressional candidate Lt. Col. Allen West. You’ll be glad you did. We must clean the sewer that is the US Congress.
http://www.lvrj.com/blogs/sherm/If_this_doesnt_get_you_charged_nothing_will.html
Please watch and pass to your address list.
Its not so simple.
While I am not happy that he is doing this vocally, I cant disagree with his concerns. Keep in mind that this guy is a solid solid conservative.
The bottom line is that conservatives are in a rough position with Afghanistan. On the one hand we can continue saying stay the course. Believe me, there is no doubt that if we had a true American President we can win in Afghanistan. It took just a few hundred green berets to do it the first time. During Bush’s second term we dropped the ball and lost ground. This is not just about sending more troops but about defining the mission as killing as many terrorists as possible with the ultimate goal of annihilating the Taliban and al-quieda.
This can be accomplished by changing the damn rules of engagement and fighting this like a real war. The problem is that Chaffetz knows with the Marxist, islamofacist thug Obama is charge that will never happen. Look at what is happening to the SEALs. There are dozens of other examples too. If we dont change the mission and the rules of engagement, it will be worthless to send more troops. It is like sending more guys into the meat grinder.
Don’t get me wrong. I don’t think that Chaffetz should do this publicly. Better yet, hes should articulate what I am saying instead of sounding like a moveon.org type. I’m just saying that as conservatives we are in a really tough spot when it comes to deploying troops during a rat administration.
All you need to know...
From Wikipedia...
Chaffetz is the half-brother of John Dukakis...
Chaffetz grew up as a Democrat. While a student at BYU, he was a Utah co-chairman for Michael Dukakis’s 1988 campaign for U.S. President. His father had previously been married to Dukakis’ wife, Kitty.[3]
If the Commander-in-Chief isn’t going to bother even trying to win or fight, I can see this guy’s point. Let’s see him make that point.
I fear that Obama's speech tomorrow will chart a course of defeat, including a defined exit strategy with a timeline. If he does that, it is really surrender on a timetable.
Remember what Kerry said before Congress in 1971, "How do you ask a man to be the last man to die for a mistake?"
I dont think that some of the posters here know who Chaffetz is. He was the ultimate RINO hunter. He defeated a veteran R with a 95% lifetime rating from the ACU just because he (Chris Cannon was weak on immigration). Utah is a great state in which we were able to elect the best conservative and knock out a guy for being liberal on one issue. This is Chaffez’s first “infraction” if you will. And if you read my last post I think you can understand where he is coming from.
I just think that instead of saying that the war is lost and we need to pull out, he should say lets change the damn rules of engagement and let our guys kick ass or get the hell out. There is a big difference.
He’s absolutely right. There is no reason to have any U.S. troops serving in combat under a “commander-in-chief” who has forfeited any presumption of confidence in his ability to lead.
I think conservatives need to keep the pressure up on the big Zero. Again, its not just about “give the commanders another 40,000 troops”. Its about letting us fight it to win instead of running it like a domestic law enforcement operation.
I disagree with this guy's defeatist reasons, but if Obama is willing to throw our troops to the wolves, then perhaps it would be better to keep the troops away from foreign judges. If Obama hands over our sovereignty, he should be impeached for treason.
For now, we need more troops.
Apparently, not as "solid" a conservative as you believe him to be.
Fact is he said categorically what he said, and said it loud and clear, and not what you think he should have said or done: cut-and-run.
Chaffetz undermines our troops in the middle of a war. I don't care if he is a RINO hunter, a "solid" conservative, or whatever, no one should tolerate what he said. He gives our enemies comfort. He is a disgrace.
Our mission is defined. McCrystal's plan is very clear. Obama doesn't want to hear it. He asked for new plans that more fits into his cut-and-run strategy of the future. That is why he has dithered for over three months with his so-called decision. Conservatives should be keeping up the pressure on Obama and Dems, not caving in. Our troops deserve better than a backbencher politician running scared.
We win or we lose. There is no middle ground. Cut-and-run means we lose and terrorists win. Simple as that.
If we do cut-and-run, than Afghanistan will indeed be Obama's Vietnam. It will be a bloody massacre and the terrorists will take over that country. And the cut-and-runner's will have the blood of many on their hands and a more dangerous world to live in.
If you want a counterinsurgency mission against the Taliban then you will have to accept those rules of engagement.
Otherwise, you need to support Joe Biden's counter-terrorism mission, which has a different set of rules of engagement.
How can you make any progress there when you have a muzzie in the white hut, the troops cannot fight back and Navy SEALS may go to jail for slapping around a terrorist on the battlefield.
The bigger enemy and danger are within our borders now and in control.
The young man should follow your advice. From all appearances he is a Real American conservative - the fact that his father was once married to an unfortunate lady who later married a nutcake who drove her to booze certainly doesn't reflect on him. Also, his public cut&run statement is particularly ill-timed, since the fortunes of the Tallie sand goblins in Helmand Province are about to be re-adjusted with severity, given the pending arrival of an additional 9000 Marines and who knows how many more SEALs, special operators and other bad dudes. The young man really needs to get out more.
It seems many are forgetting the real problem is not just radical Islam, but the fact that PAKISTAN HAS NUKES and we must defeat the enemy or face the consequences.
The real problem is you have a Saudi mole in the white hut and the real goal is dhiminitude in the West. The problem is idiots are tied to their TV watching ball games and reality TV and putting money into the TV networks who work for him. Cancel TV service and it will lessen their power. The serfs and dhiminis will not do it.
And Iran is in the process of acquiring them, which poses an even greater danger.
Gave a speech at the “Hinckley Institute”????....named after perhaps someone’s RICH daddy who almost killed Reagan.
I agree 100% about the cut and run defeat. There is no doubt that if we leave Afghanistan will become the mother of all terror rat holes. I’m just saying that it is not enough to pressure osama to send more troops. It is about fundamentally changing the way this jerk is prosecuting the war (as opposed to prosecuting the soldiers)
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