Michael Steele: Afghanistan "is a War of Obama's Choosing"

Steele a surrender monkey?! basso will be so disappointed in his guy... though I'm sure he will enjoy the historic revisionism of which he is always so fond.

 

Steele has gone too far this time. He is done as RNC chairman.

 

GOP really needs to clean up it's act here. What happened to this party?

 

So Michael Steele...

advocates cutting and running from Afghanistan
is bringing aid and comfort to the enemy
isn't supporting the troops
is ignoring the generals on the battlefield
etc... etc...

I'm sure I missed some.

 

he's an appeaser.

 

Steele's an idiot. I'm amazed he's lasted this long, but hey, the runner-up for his job was an overt racist, so what's the GOP to do?

He'll definitely be out after the elections... however, don't cry for Michael... 2 years of livin' large will set him up to appear on talk radio and an occasional spot on Maher.

 

Great, get Romney or Palin in there. Now Steele can go be a Libertarian or something.

 

Who-wha...?

 

Well, those wacky Republicans. They get their boys at the office or in public restrooms and their girls at the bondage club.

 

his comments are unbecoming of an american citizen. steele should go. period.

 

I am so freaking tired of this war. I said in 2008 either try to win or GTFO. I was against sending more troops but if you are going to send more send enough to do the job. This middle of the road BS is killing people.

 

So you agree with Michael Steele? 30,000+ more troops isn't enough? What "middle of the road BS" are you talking about? Petraeus and McChrystal put the strategy together and nobody has held them back at all the last 12 months. Throwing more troops in the mix probably won't do any good.

I think you will be getting your wish. The momentum for leaving Afghanistan will accelerate significantly if results over the summer are dismal. Pelosi and liberal Dems will start putting the big squeeze on Obama to change strategy. A few GOPers might chime in too.

 

On a positive note, despite Steele's craziness I think it bodes well for the troops in that they will be coming home soon. Steele is just reflecting the American public in a wierd way. The American public is soured on the war and the Afghans don't all like the Taliban, but they prefer them to who we might like. If nothing else, they prefer to settle it themselves.

The politicians are the last to know and like Obama are afraid to support the troops by bringing them home and risk losing some votes.


We will have the neo-cons and their fellow travellers claiming for years that it was the liberal press and perhaps even Jane Fonda that caused us to lose the glorious Afghan War.

The GOP and the conservatives will be scared ****less of a peace dividend that might lead for money to rebuild the infrastructure, invest in solar and public schools and will search frantically for a new enemy big enough to keep the military industrial complex busy.

 

If the results in Afghanistan continue to be dismal, the debate will change significantly after the November elections. Politically, Obama can't afford to announce major changes now because the timing isn't right. One exception: If Petraeus comes out in public to give him cover against right-wing hawks in the GOP.

Petraeus is the key to the whole war. He is THE man and it will be hard for Obama to contradict him in any way.

 

Obama has left the July 2011 option purposely vaugue. We are commited to some kind of a Summer offensive. He will navigate this crapfest to the best result we can acheive, which is probably an elected, Taliban sympathetic compromise that won't allow plots to attack America on Afghan soil, and sells out to Chinese mining interest.

For Afghanistan, thats a win.

 

It's a miracle Steele can walk. He's had his foot in his mouth so often that there has to be missing parts by now.

 

If that is the case, Obama should fire Petraeus right away. The idea of military leadership dictating events to the duly elected civilian C-in-C of the country is offensive to everything this country stands for. It is only one small step away from treason, and it is a far step beyond what got McChrystal fired.

I personally think that Petraeus has shown a much better understanding of the subordinate nature of his position. For instance, when congress has tried to question Petraeus about his personal differences with Obama thus far, Petraeus has deferred absolutely to Obama and even refused to talk to congress about where his personal opinions diverge from Obama's plans. And apparently, as a pretty right-wing guy, Petraeus has disagreed quite a bit with Obama behind closed doors.

In short, as a pretty political guy himself, Petraeus understands and respects the chain of command and the separation of military and civilian politics better than to try something like that.

 

Petreus is only key in that he can give the poll watching Obama a chance to hide behind Petreus's ribbons and bring the troops home.

 

This is exactly what I meant. On the other side, if Petraeus does not advocate bringing the troops home, Obama will have a very hard time doing so because of the general's stature.