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To: babyfreep
I didn’t get quite that from the article on FB. I don’t think she’s threatening them for complaining about civilian deaths, nor do I get that she’s saying “civilian deaths are ok” if we take out terrorists.

It's difficult to say, either way, from what she wrote: if you actually read her statement and try to pin down exactly what she's saying, you'll find that it is actually pretty incoherent.

She calls civilian deaths "devastating" (or at least, hearing about them is devastating); but she's still apparently trying to justify NATO airstrikes that take out "terrorists and terrorist positions." The obvious conclusion is that Palin is defending the strikes even if they do (contrary to Karzai's warning) kill civilians as well.

It's the old "collateral damage" excuse, and it breeds serious ill-will if it happens too much. If you read what Karzai actually said, in part he's telling NATO that such incidents are being and will be used by the bad guys to paint us as occupiers -- much as the Iraqi insurgents so successfully made the same claims in 2006.

Look at it from his perspective: there comes a point where enough "collateral damage" is enough, and beyond which NATO's actions would be seen as those of an occupier, rather than a strategic partner. We should not forget Afghanistan's last experience with an occupying power -- they're very sensitive, over there, to what foreigners do to them.

And her call for "immediate withdrawal" is definitely a threat, stated in response to Karzai's comments about taking unilateral action. That gets to the heart of the fundamental questions about NATO's role and goals in Afghanistan. Palin says, "I still firmly support our mission in Afghanistan, but we must have the support of the host government." But, apparently, she cannot be bothered to address what the host government is complaining about.

The bottom line is that this is not an issue that can be disposed of in fewer than 300 words, as Ms. Palin has tried to do. Well, no, pundits and talking heads can get away with it ... but not somebody who apparently wishes to have control of actual foreign policy.

235 posted on 06/01/2011 12:04:26 PM PDT by r9etb
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To: r9etb

You know, perhaps you should remember that great president FDR, the one that bombed factories full of slave labor, you know those pesky Jews and Poles, I mean they were hardly being missed anyway.

This is pretty smarmy, even for you.


311 posted on 06/01/2011 3:43:14 PM PDT by itsahoot (We make jokes, they make progress. Dimmitude, get used to it.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 235 | View Replies ]

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