http://warincontext.org/2009/11/15/high-costs-weigh-on-troop-debate-for-afghan-war/ ... with attention to the unseen Wed, 23 May 2012 19:49:31 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 http://warincontext.org/2009/11/15/high-costs-weigh-on-troop-debate-for-afghan-war/comment-page-1/#comment-6540 DE Tedodoru Mon, 16 Nov 2009 04:15:19 +0000 http://warincontext.org/?p=2417#comment-6540 Obama is victim of his campaign's cynical excuse: hold base by calling for Iraq withdrawal while calling for Afghan focus so Republicans can't call him "soft" on terrorism. Now he's screwed because we CANNOT afford either war. A political campaign gimmick becomes a presidential trap. But this can be moment when he revitalizes his heroic image announcing that pride of incompetent commanders is not worth blood of mom and dad soldiers nor of 15X as many vets dying annually from lack of healthcare (VA covers only 5 yrs) as soldiers dying in Iraq/Afghan wars. Only courage on war will revitalize prestige needed for domestic victories. Already the e-links with his base are going dark. Principled courage will light them up again, Mr. President, so be like Truman to McArthur with McChrystal the myth-maker. Obama is victim of his campaign’s cynical excuse: hold base by calling for Iraq withdrawal while calling for Afghan focus so Republicans can’t call him “soft” on terrorism. Now he’s screwed because we CANNOT afford either war. A political campaign gimmick becomes a presidential trap. But this can be moment when he revitalizes his heroic image announcing that pride of incompetent commanders is not worth blood of mom and dad soldiers nor of 15X as many vets dying annually from lack of healthcare (VA covers only 5 yrs) as soldiers dying in Iraq/Afghan wars. Only courage on war will revitalize prestige needed for domestic victories. Already the e-links with his base are going dark. Principled courage will light them up again, Mr. President, so be like Truman to McArthur with McChrystal the myth-maker.

]]> http://warincontext.org/2009/11/15/high-costs-weigh-on-troop-debate-for-afghan-war/comment-page-1/#comment-6536 Dieter Heymann, Houston, USA Sun, 15 Nov 2009 21:27:52 +0000 http://warincontext.org/?p=2417#comment-6536 It is telling that the Obama administration, according to "senior administration officials", worries more about the cost of expanding the war in Afghanistan than about the mood of the people of our country, most of whom, according to recent polls, seem to oppose sending more troops to Afghanistan. It is telling that the Obama administration, according to “senior administration officials”, worries more about the cost of expanding the war in Afghanistan than about the mood of the people of our country, most of whom, according to recent polls, seem to oppose sending more troops to Afghanistan.

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