President Obama has made a trip to Dover Air Force Base to greet caskets of returning soldiers

[bigtree]

DOVER AIR FORCE BASE, Del. - U.S. President Barack Obama saw first hand the human cost of the Afghanistan war Thursday as he saluted the flag-draped caskets of 18 soldiers and Drug Enforcement Administration agents killed in Afghanistan this week.

After a midnight flight in his Marine One presidential helicopter, Obama landed in Dover Air Force Base in Delaware, home of the largest U.S. military mortuary and main point of entry for service members killed abroad.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/33526742/ns/politics-white_house/

[Barack_America]

1. Unfortunately, DU is by and large not impressed.

I, however, am very touched. I've been crying all morning about these soldiers, their families and our President's touching gesture.

[goclark]

2. I am impressed

Don't remember this happening with our last President. :patriot:

[bigtree]

3. as far as credit to the president goes

I think he should do this, often, and I'm pleased to see him there. I hope the experience has a transforming impact on his decision-making.

[malaise]

4. That is not true

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x6880473

[Barack_America]

7. Yes it is.

I was happy to rec your thread. But it has received precious little attention in the hours since it was posted.

This has been noted in LBN as well, but keeps sinking. Same for the video JeffersonDem posted.

DU is by and large not interested in this story.

[malaise]

34. There are several threads on the subject

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x6881561

I disagree with you that DUers are not interested in this story.

[Barack_America]

36. That thread was posted after my post to you.

Just as an FYI.

[AllentownJake]

5. This is more of a Chris Rock moment for me

"I take care of my kids" You are supposed to take care of your kids.

If you are the leader and you are sending people to die this is the way you are supposed to act. I'm not impressed, I'm not un-impressed.

He's the commander in chief and he should be doing this type of stuff when his policies result in people's deaths.

[Barack_America]

6. When is the last time you saw this happen?

How many caskets have returned without a US President to greet them?

That is what makes this notable.

[AllentownJake]

8. I'd rather there be no caskets returning home

The gestures that are done as the result of an idiotic war don't impress me much.

[SammyWinstonJack]

12. Agree nt

[Barack_America]

14. That's a weak argument.

There are military deaths even during peacetime. Accidents happen on carriers and bases around the world. Should we shut down all overseas bases and disband our Navy and Air Force?

You and I both have our differences with Obama, but it's not right to deny him credit when he does the right thing. He was there for 5 hours meeting the families and watching every casket come off that plane. That was a decent thing he did and it deserves recognition.

[AllentownJake]

17. I can't get excited about greeting caskets

When he's about to make a decision to send 40,000 more Americans to the countries the caskets came from.

If that is a weak argument fine.

[Barack_America]

20. Do you then advocate more military contractor presence in Afghanistan?

What if the extra soldiers are being sent so the military contractors (who currently outnumber soldiers) can be fired?

DU makes the mind boggle sometimes. It will be up in arms over military contractors running the show in Afghanistan, but then the next day be up in arms over sending more American troops? In reality, the worst case scenario for Afghanistan would be a rapid troop withdrawal, leaving much of the country and its population at the mercy of the contractors. I want the contractors to go first. They shouldn't be there in the first place. War is a tragedy and cannot be outsourced to the highest bidder. If downsizing the contractor presence requires sending more American troops for a stable withdrawal of all forces, then I am for it.

[datasuspect]

21. i advocate a government that doesn't continue and expand bush regime-era policies

[Barack_America]

24. So you're for the reduction of military contractors fighting wars?

Even if that means more US troops having to be deployed?

I'm asking honestly, that's not snark.

[datasuspect]

26. let's fight terror here first

like the jihad against the middle class and the poor in this country.

[Barack_America]

27. I agree, but how does that translate into Afghanistan policy?

Do we pull out our troops before the contractors?

Pull out the contractors before our troops?

Or just pull everybody out at once?

Those seem to be our options, which do you prefer?

[AllentownJake]

22. I'm for getting the fuck out with our tales between our legs

Than again, I read history and put it in context with my own nation.

Large spending deficits, falling currency, large military that the economy can no longer support, and two foriegn adventures costing 180 million a day.

I can think of quite a few super powers in world history that learned a valuable lesson about trying to rule the world while their own bed was burning.

[Barack_America]

25. Do you feel we have any obligation to Afghanistan?

Just curious.

I don't know for certain what would happen if we were to rapidly withdraw, I'm just wondering if that is something that factors into your opinion. Should Obama be considering this or just the price that our country is paying?

[AllentownJake]

29. Last time I checked

He was elected President of the United States so his first duty and only duty is to the American people. Afghanistan was a mess when we got there. We have more of a moral obligation to Iraq than Afghanistan.

At least in Afghanistan we haven't destroyed that much infrastructure.

[datasuspect]

31. what infrastructure?

[Barack_America]

32. I think that's his point.

[datasuspect]

30. our only obligation to afghanistan is bomb the hell out of the place

what has our country done to promote literacy or build infrastructure in afghanistan?

actually, a Marshall Plan for the middle east and afghanistan might do more to turn the tide of islamic fundamentalism in these regions.

it might take two or three generations, but a committed effort on the part of the western world toward helping these people rather than killing them might benefit the US in the long run.

[Barack_America]

33. You might consider checking this out.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x6874054

These clinics and training programs were not possible under the Taliban and will not be possible if NGO's lose their military cover. There is good that has come out of this operation. It is, however, fair to argue that things like this are, in the end, not worth our investment.

[Mari333]

23. +10000

[datasuspect]

13. i will be more impressed when his daughters enlist.

[SIMPLYB1980]

16. LOL!

:popcorn:

[Barack_America]

18. You advocate 10 year olds enlisting in the military?

Or are you just planning on withholding your praise for the next 8-12 years?

That's just sad.

[datasuspect]

19. nah, we'll still be in the war business for the next 50 years

they'll have plenty of time to get some skin in the game.

[2Design]

15. Myself - I am annoyed, annoyed they are there and dying so young

annoyed that more are signing up because it is the only job with benefits to be had to protect their families, annoyed we use bribes to foreigners to fight in our wars with the promise of citizenship, annoyed we ever went into these useless wars, annoyed Dean did not get into the Presidency since he was AGAINST war - annoyed that these old men have not found a way to solve problems without killing people.

[lpbk2713]

9. Something BushCo would never do.

They didn't want to be associated with the consequences of their evil plundering.
I hope Obama can reverse the course of BushCo's actions soon.

[FarCenter]

10. Eric Holder was there -- Trip was probably because of the 3 DEA agents

Wonder if they were really DEA or just operating under that cover.

[lunatica]

11. This brings it home to me

As it should

[Mrs. Overall]

28. Obama is fucked if he does_____(fill in blank) and fucked if he doesn't_____(fill in blank).

[peacetalksforall]

35. I deeply resent that they say it is for our country, when we know that it is

for corporations. If anyone wants to solve things, start there.

Earth resources, submission, and control to that it is safer to extract, ship, manufacture products and wealth for corporations.

Expose them. Follow the money.

We go after the radical in one country and celebrate the radical in this country - the radicals run the show - especially tv and radio and all the lies in this country - and they do it for the corporations.

It's all about who gives the corporations more - Republicans, Democrats, or Independents.

The radicals make up about 30% of this country between their lying, militant followers and those at the top and those who facilitate.

The rest of us want America and we want other countries to own their own resources and live their own culture.

We are too unaware and gullible so we believe it it for our country.

Follow the money, not the lying words.