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.
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.
I would prefer to stay the course, expecting it to take 20+ years of some level of commitment.
If America isn’t willing to do that - and I doubt we are - then pulling the troops may be a good idea. Like our betrayal of Vietnam, it will have long-lasting and bad impacts on our nation, but I don’t know why we should continue for a little while if we are not willing to finish the job.
FWIW - I did 6 months in Afghanistan in 2007, and my son leaves for there this spring.