Posted on 10/11/2009 10:09:18 AM PDT by kristinn
Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) strongly criticized Barack Obama for dithering over accepting the recommendation for troops increases in Afghanistan by his handpicked Aghan commander, Gen. Stanley McChrystal, and blamed the delay for contributing to the deaths of eight U.S. soldiers at a small base in Nuristan that was nearly overrun by the Taliban last week.
Feinstein, who chairs the Senate Intelligence Committee, made her remarks on a panel discussion on ABC News' This Week with George Stephanopoulos this morning:
I don't know how you put somebody in who was as crackerjack as General McChrystal, who gives the president very solid recommendations, and not take those recommendations if you're not going to pull out.
If you don't want to take the recommendations, then you -- you -- you put your people in such jeopardy, just like the base in Nuristan. We lost eight of our men. We didn't have the ability to defend them, and now the base is closing, and effectively we're -- we're retreating away from it. And so I think the decision has to be made sooner, rather than later.
Feinstein participated in a meeting at the White House with Obama and other members of Congress earlier in the week. She told Stephanopoulos her take:
Well, what he revealed was his thinking up to this point, and that the fact that he wanted to hear from various members, and some of us spoke up. And I'll tell you what I said. I reviewed all of the intelligence and looked at the situation, and it was pretty clear to me that violence was up 100 percent, 950 attacks in August. The Taliban now controls 37 percent of the people in the areas where these people are. Attrition in police is running 67 percent, either killed or leaving the service.
And the mission is in serious jeopardy. I think General McChrystal, who is one of our very best, if not the best at this, has said a counterterrorism strategy will not work. The president said to us very clearly, just as you said, George, we will not pull out.
Now, if you're going to stay, you have to have a way of winning. The question is, what is that way? And I think the counterinsurgency strategy, which means protecting the people, not shooting from afar, but securing, taking, holding, and providing security for a period of time is really critical.
Feinstein also described her view of dealing with the Taliban:
I think it depends on what you mean by "Taliban." I think if you take the Haqqani network, which I gather was generally responsible for the bombing of the interior ministry in Kabul, I think they're hardcore fanatics.
If you look back, too, at Taliban control, when it had more in the earlier days, and I've got to tell you, I particularly worry about women in Afghanistan, acid in their face of children, girl children who go to school, women who can't work when they're widowed, huddled on the streets, begging, women beaten and shot in stadiums, you know, Sharia law with all of its violence, I mean, that's one element of the -- of the Taliban.
I think we need to look for those warlords that we can work with, those Pashtuns who want to work for stability, for good, solid governance. I don't think we can make the country into a Jeffersonian democracy, but I do think you -- you've got to stabilize this country.
You leave this country, and the Taliban are increasing all of the time. They're taking over more. It will have a dramatic impact on Pakistan one day. I really believe that.
She also stated she did not want U.S. forces to stay in Afghanistan for another decade or more. She thinks the American people would not support it.
However, Feinstein's sharp criticism of Obama is sure to inflame the debate at a time when both the right and left are questioning Obama's competency as president.
She’s not up for re-election... WTF?
Apparently, our military is being put in terrible situations in Afghanistan without proper equipment again....
How much did the new tariff on Chinese tires cost her husband? :)
Feinstein is as close as we have to an old-style Democrat...much more statist than Republicans (in theory), but not anti-American at heart. The old Dems didn’t necessarily hate their own country, the way Obama and the modern ones do.
I’m glad she’s speaking out.
Hard-core left-wingers like those who occupy the White House love to see our military take it on the chin. They delight in the sight of the coffins returning to Dover. The anguish of ordinary, traditional American families grieving over their fallen children gives them an erotic thrill. That they “died for their country” makes them snicker.
HOLY MOSES! You know the Mr Voted Present has hit a new low when DI-FI blasted him like this.
I disagree with most of Feinstein’s positions, but it has long been clear that she has more balls than most male California politicians, including the current governor.
Maybe she is worried about the gravy train coming to an end.
Senator Feinstein’s Iraq Conflict
http://www.bohemian.com/metro/01.24.07/dianne-feinstein-0704.html
She's spot on - which is a first for her...the bambolina must be furious with her - she's showing herself to be a 'typical white woman."
Obama is not a decision maker...period.
I truly believe that a big factor in his non-decision on sending more troops to Afghanistan was that he knew that this BS Nobel Peace Prize was coming. If so, IMO it would be the most despicable act a US President has ever committed!
Wow
She's an old-school leftist who'll hit it out of the park every now and then.
I’m shocked and think this is a good thing.
I figured most liberal Dems would stick with the Baraqqis to the bitter end.
Perhaps they sense Messiah is fading fast in the polls?
It's all about phony good-cop-bad-cop posturing. Axelrod & Emmanuel are attempting to bring up the jOker's approval numbers by showing how (don't laugh) 'tough' he is. DiFi couldn't care less; she's a surrendering dhimmi pacifist.
Major Mañana.
General Lee Indecisive.
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