Military Thwarted President Seeking Choice, Exit Strategy In Afghanistan

[Project Grudge]

'He later told his staff, "I'm not going to leave this to my successor." The military's plan "compromises our ability to do anything else. We have things we want to do domestically. We have things we want to do internationally."

Obama turned to Gates. "You have essentially given me one option," he said."It's unacceptable."

Gates replied, "Well, Mr. President, I think we owe you" another option.

It never came. '

Military Thwarted President Seeking Choice, Exit Strategy In Afghanistan

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If you read the article, it basically shows the contempt the military has for civilian leadership.

[Pirate Smile]

1. The second article is out tonight. The one you cite was the first.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/09/27/AR2010092704850.html?sid=ST2010092706361

They really did everything they could to give him absolutely no other option. :grr:

[Project Grudge]

2. Thank You

I didn't know that had come out yet. I know it's Woodward, but I find the details to be so interesting. It puts right in the halls of power (and Biden comes out looking like a fighter.)

[vaberella]

3. But Obama doesn't come out looking like a fighter?! n/t

[vaberella]

4. We've got a military that has run amok because of Bush. n/t

[Name removed]

5. Deleted message

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[jeanpalmer]

6. He let himself get rolled by the military

And he didn't have the political balls to stand up to them. That's very clear.

Also what's clear is this was very much a political decision for him. When he says "in 18 to 24 months, we need to think about how we can begin thinning out our presence and reducing our troops," he's making a political calculation in terms of his reelection. There's no connection between the 18-24 months and anything happening on the ground.

Why weren't people other than the military involved in this decision? This piece makes it clear his bottom line was to placate the military. He didn't give a hoot about anyone else's feelings, especially the people who had supported him. He should have held a townhall meeting -- in Afghanistan, or here with his base -- to find out what people with different views might have wanted. Instead, he excluded everyone except the military and his top advisors. And this passes for a "thoughtful" open-minded decision proces?

[impik]

7. Townhall meeting in Afghanistan??

Ask his "base" what to do as CiC? Do you people even listen to yourselves? As for "didn't give a hoot about anyone else's feelings, especially the people who had supported him" - obviously you did not listen during the campaign. That was *his* choice and no one else's.

And yes, by all account this was the most serious, deep and thoughtful review of any military operation in decades.

But hey, just hang in there - it's only two more years. I'm sure the 2012 president will end this war in a week.

[jeanpalmer]

8. Once Obama restricted himself to the advice of the military

and gave them a veto over the options, he locked himself in to escalation. The military will never withdraw from a war because they would get blamed for "losing" it. And they'll never do that. Their advice in a war always is to continue it. They dictated Obama's decision.

Adopting an approach that was estimated to cost $898 billion over 10 years, when the country has a $trillion deficit, demonstrates recklessness and cluelessness.

[dionysus]

9. a town hall in afghanistan. jeeeeesus.

:rofl: