The Afghan Speech President Obama Should Give (But Won't)

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from Tom Engelhardt at The Nation: http://www.thenation.com/doc/20091214/engelhardt

{snip}

Undoubtedly, the president's speechwriters are already preparing the text for his address. In the nearly three months since he began his strategic review of the Afghan War--with leaks pouring out almost every day--the rest of us have had all the disadvantages of essentially being in on the president's councils, and none of the advantages of offering our own advice. But I don't see why we shouldn't weigh in.

What follows, then, is my version of the president's Afghan announcement. Here's my President Obama--in, I hope, something like his voice--doing what no American president has yet done and what, unfortunately, he's not going to do. So sit down, turn on your TV, and see what you think.


My fellow Americans,

ON March 28th, I outlined what I called a "comprehensive, new strategy for Afghanistan and Pakistan." It was ambitious. It was also an attempt to fulfill a campaign promise that was heartfelt. I believed--and still believe--that, in invading Iraq, a war this administration is now ending, we took our eye off Afghanistan. Our well-being and safety, as well as that of the Afghan people, suffered for it.

I suggested then that the situation in Afghanistan was already "perilous." I announced that we would be sending 17,000 more American soldiers into that war zone, as well as 4,000 trainers and advisers whose job would be to increase the size of the Afghan security forces so that they could someday take the lead in securing their own country. There could be no more serious decision for an American president.

Eight months have passed since that day. This evening, after a comprehensive policy review of our options in that region that has involved commanders in the field, the Joint Chiefs of Staff, National Security Advisor James Jones, Secretary of Defense Robert Gates, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Vice President Joe Biden, top intelligence and State Department officials and key ambassadors, special representative on Afghanistan and Pakistan Richard Holbrooke, and experts from inside and outside this administration, I have a very different kind of announcement to make . . .


read more: http://www.thenation.com/doc/20091214/engelhardt

[Johonny]

1. on the other hand

if next Tuesday he states that China, India, Pakistan, Russia and our NATO allies are 100 % behind rebuilding the Afghanistan nation and their support goes beyond words to actual commitment in $ and troops (something NATO is doing already), it's going to be really hard to then rattle off those 7 things and say good bye Afghanistan and good night America. Particularly if his rebuilding plan is a total reevaluation of the current Afghanistan political structure. It's hard to judge a speech a week before he's actually going to give it.

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2. I see Russia complaining as recently as yesterday

that they wanted to be more informed of NATO actions there. I haven't seen any sign or signal from the administration at all that they intend what you anticipate. Individually, the president may have made progress with these nations, but I haven't seen any summit or even bi or tri-lateral meetings which would suggest such an agreement.

[Overseas]

3. K&R.

I wish he'd give this speech too.