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My Anger at Obama
David Furst, AFP / Getty Images
With her brother home from deployment, Meghan McCain on the horrors soldiers face there and her frustration at the president should he—as expected—send fewer than the 40,000 troops General Stanley McChrystal has requested.
The first time I watched my brother Jimmy deploy to Iraq, it was in a parking lot at Camp Pendleton. The whole experience was a lot quieter and more low-key than I had expected. It was literally a bunch of families waiting around, beginning at around five in the morning, for Greyhound buses to arrive. During most of that time, all anyone did was watch more soldiers filter in and then offer emotional goodbyes. I remember trying to remain calm and make small talk while I watched other families interact to see if I was doing anything wrong.
This country needs to send a message to both our own military and the rest of the world that we will complete the mission we originally started.
What was most surprising about the soldiers for me—and in this case, these were enlisted Marine platoons—was how young they all looked and how many of them already had families of their own. They were all fresh-faced and looked straight off the farm, seemingly way too young to be sent off overseas into combat. As the morning wore on, I remember having more and more anxiety, not knowing what to say to my mother or my brother. All I could muster up was that I loved him and to take care of himself.
As we were all standing around awkwardly with bagpipes playing—which, frankly, made the situation even more morose—a few of my brother's friends and fellow soldiers came over and started talking with our family. They were all very polite and nice and some even had smiles on their faces. I can remember meeting them and feeling better about my brother’s safety and that they would all protect one another.
They all, including my brother, looked too young to be holding M-4 assault rifles and giant packs, but their presence made me feel better. Seeing his fellow soldiers made me feel just a little more secure about my then-19-year-old brother’s safety overseas. This experience showed me what the faces of soldiers really look like, not just what we sometimes see on the news.
But over this Thanksgiving weekend, with my brother home safely, I heard him tell stories of the horrors of fellow soldiers getting injured overseas. When my brother told me these stories, I was more upset than I expected. Something about hearing it straight from my brother’s mouth made it all more real.
• Peter Beinart: Stop Talking About Leaving
• Leslie H. Gelb: Secret Details of Obama’s Afghan Plan
• Bruce Riedel: Taliban Leader Threatens ObamaLet me be frank—I am angry. I am angry and frustrated, in a way I haven’t been in a long time. During the election, I remember the biggest fear I had about an Obama presidency was his lack of experience in foreign policy and specifically with the military. (Even as recently as two weeks ago, he showed astonishing insensitivity and naïveté when he joked with soldiers in Korea, “you guys make a pretty good photo-op”).
As the fighting in Afghanistan continues to escalate, I can’t help but believe that soldiers are being left behind both by this administration and the media. The media has seemingly lost interest in these wars and doesn’t give them the proper coverage they deserve. On the same day CNN was producing news breaks about my cleavage in a Twitter picture, 14 soldiers had just died in Afghanistan. As Obama stalls and hesitates to make decisions, these soldiers in Afghanistan are not being given the support they need. General Stanley McChrystal and other military leaders have asked for an additional 40,000 troops to expand the fighting in Afghanistan. And this Tuesday, President Obama will lay out his plans for the region.
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Meghan McCain is a columnist for The Daily Beast. Originally from Phoenix, she graduated from Columbia University in 2007. She is a New York Times bestselling children's author, previously wrote for Newsweek magazine, and created the Web site mccainblogette.com.
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Meghan McCain is a columnist for The Daily Beast. Originally from Phoenix, she graduated from Columbia University in 2007. She is a New York Times bestselling children's author, previously wrote for Newsweek magazine, and created the Web site mccainblogette.com.
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Meghan McCain is a columnist for The Daily Beast. Originally from Phoenix, she graduated from Columbia University in 2007. She is a New York Times bestselling children's author, previously wrote for Newsweek magazine, and created the Web site mccainblogette.com.
leftistmenace
Let them win? How are we supposed to win this thing exactly? Is the Taliban simply going to lay down their arms? Are their leaders going to surrender to our military leaders on a battleship? I'm serious. I want an answer. How would you define a victory in this war?
You may not like like the fact that our President actually sits back and thinks before sending more Americans into harm's way but I sure as hell do. Especially a decision that will cost more American lives. You can call it stalling but I call it not playing fast and loose with the lives of American soldiers. We had plenty of that under President Bush II.
AlanD2
I agree. Winning is impossible. The only question (as it was in Vietnam) is how many more American soldiers will die before we pull out of Afghanistan and Iraq.
I hope we bring them home soon...
YogiBarrister
MY ANGER AT MCCAIN and all the other incompetent rightwing assholes who started two unwinnable wars is boundless.
It's easy to see how despicable these policies are when practiced by Muslims, communists, and fascists, but if it's corporatists doing the pooch screwing, Meghan puts the blinders on.
Thank God we have a president who is at least thinking about an exit strategy. Mr. "Bomb Bomb, Bomb, Iran" has no f#@king clue how to conduct foreign policy or practice diplomacy. We're still doomed though, because, in the end, Obama only seems to listen to the rightwing jerks who got us into this mess to begin with.
YogiBarrister
The only way to support the troops is to not put them in harm's way running a fool's errand. McCain is a little too late with her criticism. If she's angry with Obama, was she absolutely livid at Bush when he fired a general making the same request?
Meghan McCain's fuzzy rightwing thinking is rather peculiar. She supports the troops by lying them into an unwinnable war, then advocates for a policy that will put 40,000 more of them in harm's way, at a cost of one million per troop, per year. She moans about her taxes and doesn't want to spend money on health care for Americans. WTF?
cbinrush
Think yes, but not having a f***ing clue, no. Obama hasn't the leadership skills necessary to make a decision, because he can't use a teleprompter. And which war were you two geniuses victorious in? If you second guess the commander on the ground, you're a complete moron, which explains my feeling about our "president." He may have won the election, but he's FAR from presidential.
byersl
My Gd, she gives the term 'dumb blonde' a bad name.....Between her and Sister Sarah, it's just astounding. All of you have made better comments than I could have about troop deployment timing etc., but I just had to add my two cents to this woman's nonsensical rant.
gameon
So liberals,you think we should just pull out of Afgh.?Then what happens when the taliban reconstitutes itself and becomes stronger than before on the back of our cowardice retreat?Do we launch another war and halfway destroy the taliban again?You may be saying that we should never have gone in the first place.But what would the repercussions have been by failing to retaliate after 9/11?No doubt it would have encouraged other attacks.
This isn't difficult people.The only answer is to kill our enemies and reward those who fight with us.Only through the overwhelming use of force will we be able to eliminate our enemy and at the same time discourage others from taking up there fight.Halfmeasures send the wrong signal.
There's a job to be done and whining about how hard it is won't make it go any faster or make it any less necessary to accomplish.
MaliciousDisorder
AlanD2, If you weren't in Vietnam shut your mouth. You voted for the Obama now live with it.
joltinjoe
Read my reply to leftistmenace. It applies to your statement too. Now you know.
FarLeftFist
Why does Meghan and the RW freakshow keep saying Obama was hesitating to make a decision about our troops, when it is publicly known that none of the options by McChrystal for Obama even had troops deploying before 2010.
Instead Obama actually sent them in early, in late 2009. These new republicans have very selective hearing. Every once in a while they emerge from their dungeons to spew some easily debunkable lie then disappear.....The bad part? Some idiots believe them, thanks to FOX "news" these idiots get that same lie drilled into their useless heads 24/7 until people actually believe. Repetition works.
case1234
40k what if he asked for 50k or 60k. Do you really think these number are scientific? All are educated guesses even what ever number Obama settled on. The argument that if he sends 35k instead of 40k than that will cause failure is ridiculous.
Also, did I miss something....didn't Obama already send 20k more troops shortly after taking office. Why didn't Bush send more? Not like commanders weren't asking him to?
Also, where the heck have you been for the last 8 years? Do you believe Afgan was going great until JAN 20th? This selective outrage is disheartening for our national dialog.
Obama is about to send 30k more troops into an 8 year war only to be called dovish, weak by a rhetorically out of control right wing.
juliebee
The one you should be angry at is your Dad for picking Silly Sarah. Yet you are dead silent on her after she has virtually ruined your father's legacy. I like your work, but by not addressing Palin, you lose credibility when criticizing anyone/everyone else. Come on Megha, blow the lid off Palin's LIES!
YogiBarrister
John McCain and Sarah Palin are both ridiculous liars, but they aren't in power, thank God!. The liar we must be aware of is Gen. McChrystal. This is the man who hatched the plan to cover up the Tillman homocide. He's a very sick and evil man. Our troops are doomed, God help them, God help us all.
joltinjoe
Which lies are you talking about? Give me a "for instance".
AuntBarb
Well said, leftistmenace. This McCain hack should stick to writing about her hair extensions. Now she's using her brother being in the military as an excuse to criticize President Obama. I find it pathetic.
Thank god Meghan McCain's father isn't in the White House now, feeding American lives into a meat grinder without thinking things out beforehand. We've had enough of that kind of mindless 'leadership' under Bush and Cheney. They are at fault for the mess that's over there today.
AuntBarb
PS: This phony hack McCain didn't get angry at Barack Obama when her brother came home from the war...she hated Barack Obama from the time she first heard he was running for President. What a transparent schill she is.
seakiev
We should not make the same mistake in Afghanistan that we made in Iraq, i.e. go in half-way at a high cost to lives and time. We should not leave our men and women in a country with half the resources they need to get the job done and to be safe.
There is no 'win' in Afghanistan. There is however a means to exit the country in better shape (especially for women and children) than when it was overrun by the Taliban. A half-assed, lukewarm strategy, at this point, will be more harmful than doing nothing at all.
altlic
Half-assed, lukewarm strategy? Because Obama had prolonged discussions with a roomful of highly qualified advisers, including Gates, Jones, McChrystal and Eikenberry, about how to proceed in a no-win situation?
Vietnam already proved that going in hot and heavy is no solution.
oscarmike
Not make the same mistake? We were there first, eight years ago.
This comment has been removed by The Daily Beast's editors.
sauce21
"if the intelligence is denied, the consequences will be insurmountable"
What the hell does this blanket generalization mean? Who's intelligence? What will the consequences be, aside from insurmountable?
Stop paying this woman to write articles. I promise my artciles will be 10x more intellectually stimulating with actual substance to boot. And I'm sure TDB could get away with half the salary.
Am I taking crazy pills, or does this woman have no ability to write a piece without inserting herself/her family/her father's failed presidential campaign into the story/article. Give me a break.
LauraNo
The whole thing reads as if a grade-schooler wrote it. If the intelligence is denied? What intelligence? Who is denying it? WTH is she talking about? Does she think that we elect presidents so they will do whatever the military tells them to do? Let's just cancel elections then.
Dreamer4Ever
When has a general ever said "Give me fewer troops?" When has a general ever said "ya know what, we have nothing to gain from this conflict, let's scale back our goals and get ready to withdraw?"
McChrystal and his ilk are supposed to think that more troops on the ground will help their cause. All that's needed is a bigger gun. That's what they're SUPPOSED to think.
It's also why the army answers to the civilians in government, not the other way around. McChrystal may want those troops. McArthur wanted to invade China. Someone needs to know when to say "no."
mfkpadrefan
Great comment, especially the 1st paragraph. Thanx
Roflopagus
I agree with the "Obama people" (aka smart people) on pretty much all fronts. Here's my two cents. 1) Wars are never won. 2) For "gameon" and similar ignoramuses, I think 8yrs is ample time to "give our troops what they need to win this war." Jesus Christ, we're trillions of dollars in debt, and you don't think Bush didn't give them enough? 3) If the Taliban is a bunch of wild men without any structure to their organization, WHY are they a threat to my life way over here again? Why haven't we "killed them all" yet, even? 4) I'm sorry, but I'm so sick of these stupid slogans and backwards thinking where anyone who doesn't support death (of US troops or otherwise) is now somehow a terrorist. Any douchebag can don fatigues. Most of the younger troops seem to be douchebags too, from the news. No respect for life until their buddies' are splattered on their faces. The USA's behavior throughout this whole thing (and most of history) is much more characteristic of a "terrorist" than a suicide bomber. At the least, there's enough similarities to reveal the hypocrisy of that same backwards thinking. Our troops, and apparently a huge portion of American citizens, are brainwashed much in the same way as these terrorists are. Start early, be consistent. I sincerely hope that when God has had enough of us, that He nukes America first.
mfkpadrefan
Your statements about our young military are disgusting, of course unpatriotic (and I never make that charge, but your vitriolic rant deserves it) and totally incorrect. You should spend some time volunteering at any base where our folk are shipped out and returning. You might develop a thing you obviously don't have,,,empathy!
kendetroit
Nice rant. Do you have any comments to offer on the story as written? Or is this the only place that you can feel that you have any type of real social interaction?
joltinjoe
Hey Roflopagus,
If you really want to get nuked, continue to believe in the "smart" people in the Obama Administration. Remember, the "best and the brightest" brought us the Viet Nam debacle. Deja Vu. Gates will be crying on 60 minutes in a few years just as Robert McNamara did. He knows he's wrong but needs a job. He doesn't want to join the 22 million other unemployed folks in this country. Obama's appointees are the worst and the dumbest. He coopted Hillary to keep Bill quiet. He chose Holder to give aid and comfort to the enemy. Wimpy Generals were promoted to keep the party line. Now you know.
Veronicaxy
She describes a lack luster send off as the main charge, as if this is Obama's work. She doesn't study much, has she even talked to anybody who has gone to this war since the beginning?
DeaconDrJones
what are her credentials? Child of famous person? Sister of soldier? I like many things about this site, but this woman is not one of them. I don't think you are doing her any favors posting this stuff.
MaliciousDisorder
You misunderstood the plan leftistmenace. Obama just ordered 30,000 troops to full deployment just in time to hang the Mission Accomplished sign in 18 months. He's got it covered. The Taliban say thanks for the heads up..
joltinjoe
The way you win wars is to kill lots of people. We have to kill all the Taliban in the world. Kill all the Al Quaida in the world. It will not be easy because they don't wear name tags so we will have to kill lots of other people who happen to be nearby. That's how you win wars. Are you up to it? Is Obama up to it? Is America up to it? Now you know. Exactly.
DruggyBear
First of all, there is no "winning" a war in a country that isn't really a country, Afghanistan is simply a collection of tribes w/ no functional central govt. Secondly, the founding fathers made the Commander-in-Chief a civilian for a reason, so military men can't bleed us dry in unwinnable wars with limitless amounts of troops. Thirdly, stick to taking pics of yourself, you have no idea what you are talking about.
turbowei
Do you get paid writing these???
kendetroit
I'm kinda jealous of her, too! I'd love to land a writing job.
shemuses
Megan,
Thanks for sharing your story about your brother. I hope you had a wonderful holiday. Many blessings that your brothers stay safe.
I am concerned about the message that increased troops are the way to keep soldiers safe, best support them and secure a win.
The situation in Afghanistan and Pakistan requires careful consideration both for the sake of the soldiers who are sacrificing for their country and for the billions of dollars in investment. It's important that a win is clearly defined, that the assumptions around civilian cooperation and government are grounded in reality, and that we clarify the position on Taliban rule vs Al Qaeda operations.
I agree with you that the priority is ensuring that the troops are supported and that their operation should be given the greatest opportunity for success.
I worry that jumping to the conclusion that more troops will guarantee a win and greater safety is too simple a solution and will not produce the expected results.
All the best to you and yours.
Monk66
im glad somebody with more foreign policy experience than our president wrote this article that Obama will surely read and do exactly what it says. It was what he was waiting.. er stalling for.
Curiouser
Demanding an exit strategy was the least the Commander in Chief could do. I blame the advisers for taking so long to get with the program. Get out a.s.a.p.
dooreen
I always wonder what are supposed to be finishing. What is the actual objective. We are not even able to organize an efficient supply chain to distribute the h1n1 vaccine, no wonder this war appears to be controlling us, instead of us controlling the war.
I see all kinds of young soldiers here too, and partly they are able to start raising families so young, because they have a job in the military. I see the support the troops stickers and bumpers stickers, as if a person questions the war, they are not supporting the troops.
It is possible the country can't afford to win the war, or even maintain the war, or even control the war. The war appears to be controlling us.
gregm91436
Gosh, it's amazing. It's as if George W. Bush, and the SEVEN YEARS WORTH of poor strategic decisions that got us into this mess--including the massive diversion of resources into the pointless Iraq invasion--never existed. (Maybe you should blame your father, who voted for the Iraq War. And Bush, Cheney, and Rumsfeld--who all knowingly lied about it.)
I expect better from you, Ms. McCain--you are, for better or worse, one of the more intelligent voices in the Republican party, and your absurd attempt to blame Obama for Bush's mess is disappointingly typical of Republicans--and, for that matter, the media.
Mindimension
isnt she the daughter of a loser? what can u expect from a child who would support a ticket that had a guy who jokes about bombing innocent people from air or a vp pick who thinks millions of jews are goin to migrate to israel in the coming months and years...? She is just like any other republican, not to be paid attention to
winterparkmom
It says alot about the republicans if you think this ignorant little girl is one of the more intelligent voices in the republican party.
mattsutte
That's true WP mom. However, I thought she might be growing up until reading this post. The idea that the only way to support our troops and stop the "killing and maiming" is to send 40k more of our soldiers into harms way is absolutely ridiculous. I wish Obama could actually do the reverse and REMOVE 40k troops, truly supporting them and putting them where they belong, guarding our country. Maybe one day Meghan McCain will stop reading Repub talking points and think for herself. I won't hold my breath.
Until then, give my best to my 'rents, Rollins and the Sidewalk art show..
Cheers..
sickofobamabots
You aren't a very good example of the intelligence of the Dimmirats.
bigman9099
Greg,
You are right on, and lets not forget the care and support our troops got under Bush/Cheney/Rumsfeld! Many troops were sent into battle with no body armour, no armour for the vehicles. Remember, the LT from W VA that was wounded in Iraq and got a bill in the mail for his flack jacket??? Or the horrid conditions that wounded soldiers were exposed to at W. Reed? Paint peeling in rooms with mold growing in the walls? Or how about Haliburton, overcharging the US for services never rendered, or soldiers getting sick using tainted water Cheney's former firm provided. The list is long and shameful, Ms. McCain, and just so you know, all wars are fought by young men, its the old draft doging ones like Cheney and Rummy that can't wait to go fight, because they don't actually have to do the fighting. Sen McCain is a great American, his silence as the right wing nuts attack Obama daily , will go down as a very dark chapter in his life, almost as dark as the shameful campaign he ran with the Gov a few months ago.
WorldKindestMan
I AGREED WITH MEGHAN MCCAIN !
helloricko
WELL, THAT CHANGES EVERYTHING, DOESN'T IT?!
SensiStar
Did anyone notice there is not one mention of the name BUSH anywhere in her article.
It's as if Obama started the two wars and never finished them.
SensiStar
Her Republican Gene of projecting Bush errors on Obama is showing again.
Curiouser
Bush who? I don't remember any Bush starting the wars. This is entirely the fault of Bill Clinton and Barack Obama. Or so that's what I hear on the TV and squawk box.....
socialwrkr247
Well said Meghan!! If I hear one more person say that they "support the troops" while continuing to sit back and allow decisions to be made that ENDAGER our soldiers, I may scream. My brother is currently serving his second tour in Iraq. It is atrocious the lack of concern that the public (not to mention our Presiden) is showing to the men and women risking their lives overseas.
Monk66
because we dont agree with what you want to happen doesn't mean we dont support our troops.
I support our troops. My family members. My friends. My fellow citizens who risk their life for the safety of mine.
I agree that Obama shouldn't rush into a decision because all of a sudden we need some number of soldiers to "win" a war. I agree that he should step back, let the information flow in from all sides, and make an informed decision that can provide the best SUPPORT for our soldiers.
Scream away.
socialwrkr247
It is not about not agreeing with ME - it is about continuing to vote for politicians and policies that continue to limit resources and further endanger our soldiers. Ask just about any soldier if they feel "supported" by those who continue to vote this way... I can assure you, they don't. You can't support the troops with just your words - you have to sacrifice too.
Monk66
well since you put it like that...
please explain to me which politicians i should vote for?
gotwoof
Sadly, the media and the public are more interested in Tiger and the Sahili's. We as a nation are complacent when it comes to fighting wars, because we don't have to sacrifice anything! There is one of 2 ways to get everyone engaged and probably end our occupations in Iraq and Afghanistan real quick - the draft and war taxes. Why should folks care that the kids fighting oversees are just a bunch of middle class losers or kids from poverty? They're indispensable aren't they? But, you hit the "fat cats" by drafting their precious brats and taxing them to pay for it, then I suspect there will be change we can believe in! Megan, darlin', you need to grow up. As for "Papa John", I think it's time he headed to the porch and gave someone who isn't stuck in a time gone by a chance at making a difference in a positive way. P.S. Sarah Palin sucks!
mfkpadrefan
to SW247...I know a lot of military folk...you assume, if i'm reading it right, that they are neary universal in their politics...not true...Officers lean Repub, enlisted lean Demo...there are numerous studies on this, google it up. As far as what Obama should do...they'll tell ya that the serve, he's the Commander in Chief. nuff said.
YogiBarrister
If I hear one more person say that they "support the troops" while continuing to sit back and allow corporatists to make decisions that ENDANGER our soldiers, I may scream.'
The best way for Meghan to support the troops would be to send them photos of her cleavage. I'm not being snide either, it's a stone cold fact that a boob shot might bring some soldier a modicum of pleasure, whereas rightwing foreign policies will ensure that he is miserable or dead for eternity.
rufustfirefly
Obama should use the Bush strategy on Afghanistan; invade some other country.
Monk66
giggidy
zan1960
word.
Mac11tx
While I share some of my disappointments with Obama (I am a Dem), it truly angers me, in a way I haven't been in a long time, to hear Republicans speak out NOW as if you'd just awoken from a sleep that lasted the last years. WHY didn't you speak out against Bush when he so quietly stopped caring about Afghanistan? It's frustrating to hear such hypocrisy. Though in all honesty, this is something to be expected from your party.
Let me be clear, I find it devastating that Obama will not send all the troops requested. But to only criticize one president and not another for not pursuing the war in a greater fashion is just wrong. I use to like you and think you were a good voice in your party, but now I see you're just like all the rest in your party of "no."
Samiil
Please tell me where all of these troops are suppose to come from.
Are the now being kept in frozen storage?
Why aren't people signing up for the military?
Time to bring back the draft.
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tomforcomm
I say send all the rednecks first like yourself, all the waste of space in the country
Monk66
yeah and then we can abolish the constitution, set up a dictatorship with rush as our king, and build a great big wall around our country to keep those god damn mongoleans out!!!
lightmoon
Megan, what is the goal there? What should we let them win? US soldiers are english speaking men with guns in a country that doesn't speak our language and don't even want us there. How are we supposed to win in a country that doesn't want us?
JalapenoBob
Ms. McCain,
Like many Americans, I wonder about how we can win this war. On the one hand, we have a government that is one of the most corrupt, if not the most corrupt, on the face of the Earth. On the other hand, we have a group who are using the trappings of a religion to enslave a whole people. No matter which side we choose, we will be hated for the choice we make.
On second thought, we were hated long before we got involved in this region. Why? Because, to them, our whole way of life is something they are told is sinful. Their leaders deprive them of the most basic human rights while those same leaders live in comparative luxury.It does not seem to matter whether the name of the country is Iraq, Iran or Afghanistan, the leaders all act the same, using the levers of power to advance the cause of their family, tribe, ethnic group or religious faction and to harshly suppress all other other groups within their country. I do not believe their leaders really care about the world outside of their area, except as a target to direct the hatred of those people they subjugate: a pressure relief valve to divert attention from themselves and their their actions.
Before we can win in this region, we need to educate millions of people, often in basic skills such as reading, writing and thinking for themselves. We need real national leaders to emerge by consensus from an educated populace, not to rise to power by force of arms. We need to make a basic education available to all and allow the people to chose to accept them. We cannot force people to take advantage, nor can we permit others to block people from taking advantage. At the same time, we cannot destroy their culture, or they will walk away from our aid. This is a difficult and expensive row to hoe. Then, in a generation or two, we may win, having stable partner nations we can consider as equals. Of course, the current leaders will hate us and villify us, because they will be bypassed.
This type of "win" will never happen. No modern nation can afford the cost or the commitment this will require. Thus, no matter when we leave, these local groups will resume killing each other and suppressing each other. They will continue to export terrorism, mostly to redirect hatred against them. It seems just so futile.... What are your thoughts?
SensiStar
"we were hated long before we got involved in this region. Why? Because, to them, our whole way of life is something they are told is sinful. Their leaders deprive them of the most basic human rights while those same leaders live in comparative luxury."
Are you talking about the Afghans or the Republican teabaggers who supported a tax cut for the rich but not for themselves.
"On the other hand, we have a group who are using the trappings of a religion to enslave a whole people. "
Are you talking about Muslims or the Christain Right.
You have to be more specific.
mfkpadrefan
Just to say I think it's a pretty good analysis...we can "win" if we take all of what you say into account. If we need to hit terrorists in the region, hit them and leave but leave a sign..."We'll be back if they come back."
As an aside, you can't defeat local native forces and you don't need to. We should have learned that in Vietnam. We didn't prevail there but the "enemy", international communism, eventually fell before our pressures and its own weight. Vietnam?...we're winning the war...ask Nike...we're providing jobs to the kids of the guys we fought...go figure, they were nationalists after all!
gostkhlm
When Meghan McCann shows me her photo on Twitter in a uniform, as one of the 40,000 soldiers she says that the TPOTUS should send to that black hole of death known as Afghanistan, is when I will feel that she truly believes in what she says.
It's so easy for the privileged to say the words "40,000 soldiers" like it's some abstract figure in a geo-political game. Yet to the people directly involved those words are life altering in many real ways. With the enlistment and sacrifice of people like McCann who constantly harp on the "need" to show the strength of American resolve, it will save the second, third or fourth deployment of some soldier, who can now stay home and try to rebuild a life.
There is one way to generate the needed troop levels and end the conflicts in the Middle East. That will be accomplished by activating the draft. The draft would replenish the troop levels and at the same time activate the American public's, up to now, silent opposition to these wars.
If TPOTUS announced a draft during his speech on Tuesday, the hue and cry against any further activity in Iraq or Afghanistan would be far louder than the shrill cries of the daughters of war mongers.
winterparkmom
You've got that right gost.
maspring
"When Meghan McCann shows me her photo on Twitter in a uniform... is when I will feel that she truly believes in what she says."
What is it with the Republican "chattering class" that's always pushing for an escalation of combat operations yet never seems to find their way into battle?
Cheney, Quayle, Bush, and now, amazingly the name McCain can be added to that list.
You want more war?
Enlist.
Yet they seem perfectly comfortable sending someone else's kids into harm's way.
reardongalt
maspring,
Nobody send's anyone's kids anywhere. These men and women enlist. What do you think they enlisted for? A Monopoly Tournament?
maspring
Wrong reardongalt.
Troops enlist. Our elected officials send them.
And Republicans love the tough talk. They love it from the comfort of their Laz-y-boy recliners. They love it when Bush says "Bring it on!" Even though Bush's service record is best represented by the pay stubs he got while in the armed forces.
They love to push the president to send more troops all the while finding some excuse for not going themselves.
And they love to stand around with yellow ribbons which read "Support our troops." And they love to murmur "Thank you for your service" to the survivors of multiple tours when they come back home.
Our enlisted soldiers are sent. They're sent by politicians who've never served themselves. Who talk the big game when someone else's life is on the line. Any they're sent by a public comprise of tough-talking armchair warriors like Meghan McCain.
Chicken-hawks.
Cowards.
Masturbators.
Republicans.
activeduty
maspring,
I am serving right now and I can tell you that almost everyone I have met within the last couple years has wanted to go. EVERY SINGLE one of us VOLUNTEERED. Why do you all forget this? We don't "suffer" as you all say when we go to fight. It's our job, it's why we joined.
Thank you.
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