Posted on 07/02/2010 12:57:13 PM PDT by NormsRevenge
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Republican Party leader Michael Steele faced heavy criticism and calls for his resignation on Friday after blaming President Barack Obama for the Afghanistan war and suggesting it could not be won.
At a Republican fundraiser in Connecticut on Thursday, Steele was videotaped while criticizing Obama's decision to bolster the Afghanistan war effort. The comments contradicted the stance of the party, which has consistently pushed for more troops and funding in Afghanistan.
"This was a war of Obama's choosing," said Steele, chairman of the Republican National Committee. "This is not something the United States had actively prosecuted or wanted to engage in."
Steele also called the recent resignation of Afghan war commander General Stanley McChrystal "comical" and made fun of Obama for deciding to increase the number of U.S. troops in Afghanistan.
...
The United States invaded Afghanistan under Republican President George W. Bush in retaliation for the September 11, 2001, attacks by al Qaeda, whose leaders had taken refuge there.
The comments sparked a wave of criticism from Democrats and calls for Steele's resignation, led by prominent Republican conservative columnist Bill Kristol.
"Needless to say, the war in Afghanistan was not 'a war of Obama's choosing,'" Kristol said in a blog on the Weekly Standard magazine site. "It has been prosecuted by the United States under Presidents Bush and Obama. Republicans have consistently supported the effort.
"There are, of course, those who think we should pull out of Afghanistan and they're certainly entitled to make their case. But one of them shouldn't be the chairman of the Republican Party."
Steele issued a statement trying to extricate himself from the controversy, saying Obama's shift in the U.S. military focus from Iraq to Afghanistan means "this is his strategy."
(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...
Bingo. Fight to win or pull out.
Last Straw Alert!
Steele is right. Obama’s nation building war is a hopeless quagmire and only undermines national defense. Bring the troops home and end Obama’s War!
Why is it that politics attracts the lowest and dumbest quadrant of society??
*******************
“For the idle, narcissistic egotist, what other path offers so much opportunity to showboat, abuse people, and live well and securely?
Dillinger robbed banks because he just wanted the money. If he had other character defects he might have run for office. “
Post of the Day!!
The Rats are looking like crap right now and the Republicans continue to screw up so bad it’s almost like it’s intentional.
Really happy to see there is independent thinking here still. Great points in your response...and I agree. There is no “winning”. We should simply leave with the message that if it happens again we will come back and bomb them until even the rocks have been turned to dust. Then leave again for them to wallow in the dust, leaving them again the same message. “Happens again, we will bomb you again.”
Go back to retaliation, not pre-emption and not nation building, culture changing, etc. Just the hard fist, which is all those rock heads will ever understand.
Uh oh! We have politically incorrect thinking going on in here???? LOL!
Measure the war in light of the current circumstances, not in yesterday’s terms. I know it is hard for some people to take in new information and realities, but it is something adults have to do in life. Espeically if they want to govern.
You are wrong. Bush was in Afghanistan, but he was not in it like he was in Iraq. FACT: Obama esclated the Afghan war. You don’t think the McCrystal wanted Bush to send the additional troops? They just all of a sudden made that up when the Kenyan entered office? Why did not Bush do that? Maybe he did not see it as a head on confrontation in tatics????? McCrystal turned out to be a real winner.
Facts are facts - get used to it. Dear Reader esclated the war and set terms of engagement that endanger our troops and protect our enemies - VIET NAM ALL OVER AGAIN! He’s putting the troops in there but he loves the enemy more than he is committed to winning the war. Just like the Marxists did with the Reds during the Cold War.
I think you are ignorant in what you said - so we’s even.:)
I bet you do know about illegals. ;)
Yep. Some people have a real hard time moving their minds along with the changing scenery of situations. They think it makes them wrong to begin with if they change their minds with unfolding circumstances. They would do anything not to be wrong.
But they are not wrong...the circumstances changed and adults are supposed to be able analyze current reality and change stragegy when indicated.
We should simply leave with the message that if it happens again we will come back and bomb them until even the rocks have been turned to dust.
*******************
IMO, there were three leaders who had a proper appreciation of Islam, and dealt with it as it should be. In ascending order of skill, diligence and effect:
Charles Martel
Vlad Tepes
Genghis Khan
Is this guy really this stupid? Or is it simply that there’s not that much difference in the two parties. I go with the latter. It all depends which one is in the majority. Once the majority changes so does the talking points.
That would not surprise me at all.
I just read your ‘about’ page.
I grok.
Michael,
Leave. Now.
I tolerate politics about the war with NO one and NO party. We (meaning America and her troops) win or We (meaning America lose. Don’t you dare try to make this a game the way the Democrat’s did for 8 years.
Please tell me Freepers do not honestly believe Michael Steele was engaged in thoughtful dissertation about the genesis and development of this war under both administration’s.
He’s a political hack who was trying to dump it on the Democrat’s and Obama the way they did to Bush and demoagogue it for partisan gain.
If people want to have a debate about the war go ahead. But let’s stop this “Steele was right” nonsense. Unless you think he’s right to use it as a political tool since that is about as deep as his thoughts go.
Former South Carolina GOP chairman Katon Dawson, who finished second to Michael Steele in the Republican National Committee chairman's race last year, is calling on the committee to oust their embattled chairman.
Steele is under fire for suggesting at a fundraiser Thursday that the war in Afghanistan cannot be won. After a salvo of criticism from Democrats and some Republicans Friday, Steele walked back his remarks and said he supports the mission.
"The RNC should do the responsible thing and show Steele the door," Dawson told CNN. "Enough is enough."
They won’t get rid of him, and 4 weeks before the November elections, Steele will quit, citing “racism” and take a job with a Democrat lobbying company.
It’s surreal to recall how much he used to be admired here, and was supported for the chairmanship, but could not be more of a disaster at this point.
I hate the way everyone here jumps on the "Dump Steele" bandwagon at the slightest misquote by the Left. MSNBC has been campaigning for the Republicans to chase away its most visible Black member since he was made head of the RNC.
Can't you malcontents ever see when you;re being played?
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.