President Obama gave his speech yesterday at West Point, explaining his plans and policy for prosecuting the Afghanistan war. There wasn't much wrong with it, except the setting of an arbitrary timeline for withdrawal.
I am unconvinced of Obama's will to win. He has taken on an important task, but doesn't fully believe in it and isn't fully committed to it. A large part of his base is opposed to any avenue but withdrawal. A couple of days ago far-out leftist Michael Moore wrote a public letter to President Obama urging him to immediately withdraw all troops from Afghanistan and to abandon the war effort altogether.
Both General McChrystal and Sarah Palin are happy with Obama's new course, i.e. a troop surge in Afghanistan. Rush Limbaugh is highly skeptical of it. My feeling is one of mild skepticism and pessimism.
The most convincing argument I have heard against Obama's plan concerns the 18 month timeline for withdrawal. Local Afghanis will be reluctant to cooperate with us, knowing that they may soon be abandoned. Those who do cooperate will be killed by the victorious Taliban after we leave. Smart Afghanis will hedge their bets and stay neutral in order to stay alive.
See Fox News "Obama's Afghan Plan Fails to Satisfy Left or Right"
Wednesday, December 02, 2009
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