Posted on 06/24/2011 6:29:58 AM PDT by Lakeshark
The press is reporting that the top military leaders have “endorsed” President Obama’s Afghan troop withdrawal decision. With all due respect to the fine reporters, that is not the news. Under our Constitution, military leaders have no choice but to endorse the president’s decision after giving him their best advice. They could resign, of course, but to have the entire senior military leadership resign over a president’s decision contrary to their advice would be a disaster, and not least for the troops on the ground.
Make no mistake, however. The entire military leadership believes the president’s decision is a mistake, and especially the decision to withdraw the remainder of the surge forces by September 2012. They will soldier on and do their best, but as the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Adm. Mike Mullen, put it, in characteristic understatement, they believe the decision will increase the risk to the troops and increase the chancethat the mission will not succeed. It bears repeating that the deadline imposed by the president has nothing to do with military or strategic calculation. It has everything to do with an electoral calculation. President Obama wants those troops out two months before Americans go to the voting booth.
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
“If a few-no just one!—decent general officer had the guts to do the right thing, things might just start to turn around, as unlikely, as unlikely as a decent general officer resigning might be—the george Pattons, Louie Pullers, etc, have long since been weeded outta the ranks long ag.”
I spoke with a low level Army grunt yesterday and he typified the military attitude. He managed not to roll his eyes as he said, “He’s my commander and chief. What can I say? I can’t say anything negative. Ask me again when he’s gone. Now, Bush, I loved Bush. I got two pay raises and the beneifits were generous. Now, they’re cutting pay and benefits.” Point is, Obama’s their boss and they can’t say anything bad about him.
If we’re there to win, then fight to win. If we’re there for a political statement, then get out. What’s wrong with having the joint chiefs resign? If all of them left, the cumulative IQ of the joint chiefs would only go down three points.
(pp)" . . . I shall side with Islam should the political winds blow in an ugly direction"
Sounds pretty clear to me.
Here’s a prayer for the full, quick and complete recovery of your son. We’ll win nothing but more trouble, blood and harm as long as this fraud Obama is allowed to continue in office.
God bless your son...and you for raising such a great Patriot...
As in Korea and following “wars”, the message learned is, if you aren’t ready to do EVERYTHING it takes to win...don’t bother.
These “wars” have been fought with one arm tied and we still cratch our heads over why and head for the door...
(Just finished the first DVD of two on Bob Hope’s Christmas USO shows in Nam...talk about how the military, country and culture have changed! Yes, there are some “sexy” double entendres, girls in go-go boots shaking their stuff and all, but every show ended with singing “Silent Night” and every kid in the crowd knew the words...highly recommend it to all who care abt our military and what has happened to it.)
If we were looking for a place to fit the tube and give the world an enema. Afghanistan would be the perfect spot.
These people have lived like they do now for a Thousand years,,Leave them alone and let them continue on.
Thay don’t want us there, and we don’t want to be there , what is the problem? Bring them home.
God Bless your son and all like him who do their duty to God and country in spite of the idiot in the WH.
If you think we can “win” in that pesthole, you don’t know much about history. I agree that Obama plays games with the troops (as do almost all politicians). For this reason, bring them home NOW!
But what is “actually winning”?
Is it the destruction of the Taleban? That will not happen, as they move freely between Afghanistan & Pakistan. At the rate we are “winning” this war, the USA will be broke before the Taleban are eradicated, if ever.
Is it the establishment of a free & democratic society in Afghanistan? Yeah, with the corrupt Karzai & Co. leading the way. This is laughable if it were not so serious. Ignorant, immoral people are incapable of maintaining a democratic society. That's why they didn't have one before, & wont 100 years from now.
Is it to keep al-Queda from reestablishing bases in Afghanistan? They seem quite comfortable in Pakistan, Yemen, & many other places. Keeping al-Queda out of Afghanistan is like keeping the rats out of the landfill, while vermin take over the rest of the town.
Is it to beat the holy crap out of anyone who opposes US forces, until the population overwhelmingly surrenders? It can't be, because the ROEs are geared to “Hearts & Minds”, & the Taleban & most Afghanis will never succumb to this as they have no hearts or minds.
What we have here is your basic Vietnam style quagmire.
We support a corrupt gov’t. The people resent us rather that welcome us. Ridiculous ROEs & “Hearst” & Minds” nonsense. Our enemy can rest & rearm in a nearby country & there is not much our pols are willing to do about it. The generals fear being called losers, so they cannot support a withdrawal, yet they are so hampered by the pols that winning can't even be defined w/o a snicker. The pols use the war for political advantage, ignoring lives lost & billions wasted.
Exactly the same as Vietnam.
There are so many other places our troops & treasure could be put to better use. Iran, Syria, & Pakistan come to mind. Even deployed along our southern border with Mexico would be a better use of resources. Afghanistan is a pig that no amount of makeup, however forcefully applied, is gonna change.
“another terror attack against our homeland occurs would this benefit Obama politically?”
. . . well, no; unless Obama is able to hold out and continue weakening the military and this country in any way he can, as Clinton did. Then, BAM!, when he’s out, it’ll be time (nod, nod, wink, wink) for an attack under a Republican President’s watch. - Simple, but elegant in a macabre sort of way.
bttt
If we had real military leaders on the Joint Chiefs of Staff, they would all resign in protest! Their primary job is to take care of the men and women in the armed forces and by going along with Obama, they are derelect in their duties.
What is the Mission?
///
great post.
(ClearCase_guy also makes excellent points in #18!)
fighting Al-Queda, i understand.
but even before bin Laden was killed,
the U.S. estimated there were only 50,
in ALL of Afghanistan.
...we need 100,000 troops for that?
and fighting taliban tribesmen, is pointless.
(especially with our INSANE R.O.E.).
...all we do is kill a few of the stupider ones,
and give combat experience to thousands more.
(we are already doing “catch and release” there!)
if we could make a permanent change, great!
but in 10 years, we can’t even fully control the country?
and kevslisababy shows “winning hearts” is a failure in a Muslim country. We have made no permanent change in the culture, that will prevent the Taliban from taking over when we leave, whether next year, or 10 years from now.
(and it’s worse, since last year when they officially changed the “strategy” to “protecting civilian centers”, instead of search and destroy the enemy.)
...we should bring our troops home now.
the whole country isn’t worth the life of ONE of them!
You wrote:
“Note also that during the war in Vietnam, the hawks in America said “We have to stay. We have to win. If we leave, there will be a bloodbath.”
Well, we left.
They called the aftermath “The Killing Fields””
So?
Might I ask why not move out, let the TaliWhacko kill all they want, then exterminate all still living in those areas.
They are all Moslims.
All hate us because we are American.
Kill ‘em all.
ISLAM DELENDA EST - because of what Islam is, and because of what Moslims do.
Amen. They are deadly vermin to be exterminated.
Mac, the liar, daddy does not care about the military, America or anyone but himself.
Well at least the military is in good company with the American people that mac, the liar, daddy has also thrown under the bus to make HIMSELF look good to all his raghead friends.
As you know, officers do not take the same oath as enlisted Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, and Marines....
Accordingly they (general officers especially) should be held to the higher standard.
The entire military leadership believes the president’s decision is a mistake................................ Ja, zo? The Fuhrer is always knows how to conduct war better than the Generals.
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