Democrats in Revolt Over Obama’s Troop Surge

[IndianaGreen]

Published on Sunday, November 29, 2009 by The Times Online/UK

Democrats in Revolt Over Obama’s Troop Surge

by Christina Lamb in Washington

Barack Obama's much-vaunted eloquence faces the biggest test of his presidential career this week when he takes to the stage at West Point military academy to explain to a nation that thought it had elected an anti-war president why he is escalating the conflict in Afghanistan.

After almost three months of agonizing, nine war councils and endless leaks, the president will finally make his views known on Tuesday when he is expected to announce that he is sending about 30,000 more troops. This will push up American forces to 100,000 and the total number of allied forces to almost 140,000, as many troops as the Soviet Union had in Afghanistan.

<snip>

"I think the operative question is why we're there," said Anna Eshoo, a Democratic congresswoman who sits on the House intelligence committee. "That's what I'll be wanting to hear from the president."

Eshoo, who represents a seat in California where unemployment is at a post-war high of 12.5%, is one of a growing number of voices in the party questioning whether the nation can afford the war.

The annual bill for the extra troops is estimated at $30 billion (£18.2 billion), on top of the $10 billion-a-month the war is costing. "We're still not out of Iraq and we're getting deeper into Afghanistan, both of which are hugely expensive," she said.

She has joined David Obey, a Democratic congressman from Wisconsin, to introduce legislation that would impose a surtax on all taxpayers to fund the war. "It doesn't seem fair that the sacrifice is being made only by military and their families," she said.

http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2009/11/29-2

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

1. Cost of additional troops= 40% of health care bill

[avalonofmists]

2. Get Ready for the Obama/GOP Alliance...

This is more likely.



http://www.commondreams.org/view/2009/11/25-0

[RedRubberBall]

3. Nobel Peace Prize recipient

:eyes:

[IndianaGreen]

6. Obama joins other disputed awardees such as Yasser Arafat and Menachem Begin

[Union Yes]

4. DEFUND.. DEFUND.. DEFUND.. DEFUND.. DEFUND.. DEFUND.. DEFUND.... n/t

[IndianaGreen]

5. A previous Democratic Congress refused to defund the Vietnam War

There is a history there of letting the Executive get away with murder when it comes to war.

[zalinda]

7. Wait, didn't his cheer leaders tell us

that EVERYONE knew or should have known that he was going to increase troops in Afghanistan? Whoa, apparently Christina Lamb didn't know that, and she is a reporter. And, she thinks that Americans elected an anti-war President, amazing......

zalinda

[Tutankhamun]

8. Obama is a very smart person. What does he think we will accomplish in Afghanistan?

Bush was dumb enough, corrupt enough and clearly hated Americans enough that it was easy to see why he wanted to fight foolish, destructive wars. With Obama, it's much more difficult to understand his motives for escalating an unwinnable war that will damage our economy, cost American lives and make us less secure. Is it more than just the TAPI oil pipeline Obama's after?

[ShortnFiery]

9. Congress either should "declare war" and go all out OR "DEFUND"

The Congress is abdicating it's RESPONSIBILITIES! :grr:

[bvar22]

10. THIS Democrat is in revolt.

Time to begin withdrawal.
No "WIN" possible.

bvar22

[Dragonfli]

11. Also in revolt, however "the win" is possible (for the contractors)...

... and for the corporate war profiteers.
The real constituency of the new DLC party (the Democratic party no longer exists) always wins my friend.

[bvar22]

12. !

The DLC New Team
Republican Lite ONLY!
Pro-Working Class Democrats Need NOT Apply

(Screen Capped from the DLC Website)


"I am a New Democrat"---Barack Obama
http://www.dlc.org/ndol_ci.cfm?contentid=254931&kaid=85&subid=900184