Obama and his commitment to the war in Afghanistan

I was impressed when newly elected Barack Obama ordered 17000 new troops to fight in the Afghanistan theater, however my enthusiasm has since been displaced. I think it began when President Obama was quoted as saying, “I’m always worried about using the word ‘victory,’ because you know that invokes this notion of Emperor Hirohito coming down and signing a surrender to MacArthur,” when asked about victory in Afghanistan. Yes, you read that right. Obama is uncomfortable about using the word "victory."

With the prospect that U.S. Army Gen. Stanley McChrystal may ask for as many as 45,000 additional American troops in Afghanistan is fueling growing tension within President Barack Obama's administration over the U.S. commitment to the war there. Obama administration officials have acknowledged that with increasing war causalities and health care and budget debates, Vice President Biden and other officials "are increasingly anxious about how the American public would respond to sending additional troops." Mr. Biden, the American people want us to win in Afghanistan and they expect you and Mr. Obama to do what is necessary to win that war. If General McChrystal and General Petraeus request more troops, then I think it may be a good idea to send more troops.

Spending your time reading polls and trying to placate your base is not leadership. All of the Bush-Derangement-Syndrome fanatics always accused President Bush of not heading the publics will and to surrender in Iraq. Mr. Bush was not swayed by polls when it came to national security and I respect him for that. Pentagon officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they weren't authorized to talk to the media, said Biden has argued that without sustained support from the American people, the U.S. can't make the long-term commitment that would be needed to stabilize Afghanistan and dismantle al Qaida and Biden's office declined to comment.

"I think they (the Obama administration) thought this would be more popular and easier," a senior Pentagon official said. "We are not getting a Bush-like commitment to this war." This is crazy people! According to Newsmax, Monday's Afghanistan assessment initially was to include troop recommendations, but political concerns prompted White House and Pentagon officials to agree that those recommendations would come later. Obama is letting politics get in the way of winning the war. There are more indications that this Administration is not fully committed to the Global War on Terror and victory in that war. Obama has banned the use of Global War on Terror, but has began The Holder/Obama Global War on the CIA. This Administration is more committed to prosecuting the men and women of the CIA than they are at defeating the true enemy.

According to Newsmax, Senior Military officals believe Obama now feels that McChrystal and his superior, Army Gen. David Petraeus , the head of the Central Command, are pressuring Obama to commit still more troops to Afghanistan and Obama's national security adviser told McChrystal last month not to ask for more troops. What the hell kind of leadership is that? President Obama, please get your head out of your poll driven ass and win this war. Get out of campaign mode and get into leadership mode because those American soldiers are not Republicans or Democrats, they are America's warriors.

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