CBS poll on Afghanistan shows the president has his work cut out for him

[bigtree]

. . . in convincing Americans on his strategy for the future of the U.S. there.

a summary:

"Assessments of how President Obama is handling the war in Afghanistan have become more negative since early October. Thirty-eight percent now approve of how President Obama is handling the war - but even more, 43 percent, disapprove. Disapproval has risen nine points, from 34 percent last month."

article: http://cbs2.com/national/obama.approval.rating.2.1317507.html

[Mari333]

1. hope he listens to the people and not the MIC

and gets us the hell out of there for good.

[dana_b]

2. +1

get out asap. A waste of life, $$ and for what??

[bigtree]

4. you know . . .

I think there's a very good chance that the bulk of the president's presentation on Afghanistan will stress leaving . . . sometime in the near future. I'd look to what UK's Brown outlined in his Afghanistan address. In many ways, the British prime minister contradicted himself in his emphasis on an 'exit' and the priorities he's committing to before that's to occur. That's what I expect from our president. He'll definitely be looking to signal that he intends to end the occupation, but he's apt to continue to load the slate with 'goals' and objectives which make it clear that he's not completely finished with our military there. That, to me, is just staying longer (which I oppose) and more deaths on all sides. With the faltering coalition we have now, and the U.S. looking to assume more of the burden in the future - and NATO clamoring for more troops - I fear we'll not be seeing that exit in this term.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

3. Good. The handwriting on the wall may catch his eye.

[tjwash]

5. I don't think 38 percent polled know what the fuck is going on out there.

Hell, I don't think 38 percent polled would know what the fuck their own kids were doing today, much less what is going on in a different hemisphere. And media whores like CBS are the biggest blame and cause of the ignorance present in Americans. I hate stupid polls that outlets like these run, with one sentence questions, on something as complicated as U.S. involvement in the middle east. Quite frankly, it's insulting and borders on being nothing more than an irritating "push-poll."

Why doesn't CBS talk about, for example:

How on December 22nd 2001, Hamid Karzai-a former Unocal Corporation consultant, got installed by the Bush Administration as the head of the US-backed interim government in Afghanistan. On Dec. 31st, Zalmay Khalilzad, got the nod as Special Envoy to Afghanistan. Zhalilzad, like Karzai had earlier functioned as a Unocal consultant, participating in 1997 talks between Unocal and Taliban officials.

Then of course, they could bring up how there was the diversion of U.S. troop strength out of the Afghani region and into Iraq that had devastating consequences. How early in 2002, the Taliban warlords had already started to re-consolidate power. How about how The Taliban has evolved beyond its guerrilla struggles of their past, and have enjoyed a resurgent, second coming, given strength through the martyring of their leaders, and the failure to capture Osama Bin Laden by the Bush Administration?

How about they just bring up how come the Bush Administration literally squandered and pissed away an entire free-worlds backing and goodwill, opting instead, to use the U.S. military to carve up the resources of the whole region and hand them over to oil company executives?

Fuck no, that would mean that they would be acting like actual journalists or something. it's easier for them to act like they just come out of an 8 year hibernation and that it's all Obama's war and Obama's fault now.

At least he's making some sort of progress in the region:

June 30th, 2009: "Obama administration removes all soldiers from Iraq's towns and cities, having formally handed over security duties to new Iraqi forces. A public holiday - National Sovereignty Day - is declared, and the capital, Baghdad, threw a giant party to mark the changeover. US-led combat operations are due to end by September 2010, with all troops gone from Iraq by the end of 2011."

October 17, 2009: "Obama administration cancels pre-scheduled deployment of 3,500 U.S. troops to Iraq as the military tries to draw down troop levels in the war-torn country."

October 29th, 2009: "President Barack Obama signs legislation that affirms the U.S. obligation to withdraw all military forces from Iraq and that requires the Pentagon to report to Congress every three months on progress to withdraw all U.S. troops, withdraw or transfer to Iraqi authorities all military equipment, close down or transfer to Iraqi authorities military bases, and release or transfer to Iraqi authorities all Iraqi detainees before the December 31, 2011 deadline."

The point is...it's a little more complicated than something that can be put on a bumper sticker or a t-shirt.