Posted on 01/25/2009 9:07:51 AM PST by chuck_the_tv_out
WASHINGTON, Jan. 23 (UPI) -- U.S. President Barack Obama faced down his three top military officials in a policy confrontation during his very first day in office, U.S. military sources have told UPI.
On Wednesday, the president met with Secretary of Defense Robert Gates, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Adm. Michael Mullen and Central Command commander four-star Gen. David Petraeus. Gates, supported by Mullen and Petraeus, vigorously argued that the president should back away from his campaign pledge to withdraw all U.S. combat forces from Iraq within the next 16 months and space out the withdrawal over a longer period of time. However, the president instructed the three officials to prepare a plan that would still implement the 16-month withdrawal period, Pentagon sources said.
The discussion between the president and the three officials was friendly and respectful. However, the president's determination to implement his stated policy took the officials by surprise, one of the sources told UPI.
(Excerpt) Read more at upi.com ...
Thats because they have puppetmasters in Iran
You must mean "Lap Dogs", because until they actually oppose Pelosi, that's what they are.
Defeat from the jaws of victory and then blame the results of their actions on Bush.
Somewhere in the back of my mind i recall hearing obama say that he wanted 16 months but would talk to his advisors and genrals when he became president and refine this.
It seems that’s not the case. And even the general was suprised at Obama’s attitude. I really think the country at large has no idea who it just elected. And for the first time in my life i am fearful of my Government and the guy we call President.
Yeah... Bambi and company warned GWB that Iraq was an unjust war.
The very idea that there could be freedom in the heart of the ME is just plain offensive and was bound to fail.
We could have saved a lot of heartache by just listening to Obama and just not trying to liberate mankind from dictators and purveyors of hate.
Its all Bush’s fault
Mine bleeds for Our Country.
You might think Onan's sin was "onanism," an eponymous English term for masturbation. But such is not exactly the case. True, Onan "spills his seed on the ground," but he doesn't do it all by himself. Jacob has put him on the spot, by means of a peculiar tribal law: though Er is dead, if Er's brother impregnates Er's widow (Tamar), then any resulting son will be taken as Er's. It's bizarre enough that Onan could father Er's son if he wanted to. What's more, since primogeniture (succession through the first-born son) was of supreme importance at this stage of Israelite society, he's compelled by duty to do so.
But Onan, rebelling at the idea that his own child will be credited to Er, tries to pull a fast one. He does begin to perform his duty with Tamar -- several times, in fact. But, each time, he withdraws at the crucial moment. It is this outrageous shirking of duty that so displeases Yahweh, not the method Onan uses to spill his seed -- which is technically coitus interruptus
Democraticus Interruptus!
“However, the president instructed the three officials to prepare a plan that would still implement the 16-month withdrawal period, Pentagon sources said.”
Possibly Obama is that dumb. Or possibly he is just making gestures to his peacenik base. So the Pentagon spends a month or two “making a plan.” And the plan says that this is a bad idea. And Obama regretfully stretches it out longer.
Who knows? He’d be a moron to pull out too quickly and see the region blow up. The last thing he needs is trouble with war and terrorism. His first priority is to screw the country with his domestic plans: Destroy the economy, kill the babies, and takee all the money.
So why would he want to be distracted by violent trouble in the Middle East, or even terrorist attacks on U.S. cities? He’s got more important work to do first.
Nam redux: losing a war as Democratic political strategy.
This time, since we are no longer dependent on the MSM, let’s make it clear to the public that that’s what this is.
Nam redux: losing a war as Democratic political strategy.
This time, since we are no longer dependent on the MSM, let’s make it clear to the public that that’s what this is.
Ignored not faced down.
LBJ II = Zero;
Zero = LBJ;
That should pass.
Well said, and sadly true.
If Gates, Mullen and Petraeus truly oppose this timetable because it would do great harm and turn victory into defeat, they need to resign immediately. Otherwise they will be complicit in the failed policies that follows.
Vietnam became a mess and eventually a loss because too many generals were unwilling to face up to Johnson and McNamara (may eternal damnation be in his head) and send a message by their resignation. They were more interested in their careers.
Let Obama find his Wesley Clarks and Admiral Fallons and lose the war with them. Gates, Mullen, and Petraeus should not give him cover. Their resignations will send a strong message as to what is at stake. If they hang around, they will share the defeat.
I don’t support him because his policies are out right dangerous and immature
Here’s my guess: Obama is posturing. He is throwing a bone to his base by “standing up” to the war-mongerers, and showing them who is in charge now.
After all the bluster, though, I believe that he will let them do it the way they want. Six months from now, when the newness wears off, he will quietly allow the policy to shift.
Iraq is a won war - that cannot be debated. He doesn’t want to be the one that handed Iran or AQ a victory after they faced certain defeat. Ideology means nothing to him - political expediency is everything. If giving back Iraq means political heat, he simply won’t do it.
We need to beat the MSM and Obama into the cold light of truth
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.