Afghanistan

Lingering Debate About Obama Being A Muslim, And Yet US Is Fighting Al Qaeda and Taliban In Six Muslim Nations!!

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There remains even now an underlying belief of some Americans that Barack Obama is a secret Muslim, out to undermine Christian values and American democracy and freedom.

This comes despite the killing of Osama Bin Laden and the addition of troops to Afghanistan by President Obama in December 2009.

This comes despite his constant sending of drones and CIA operatives into SIX Muslim nations, and his cooperation with NATO in fighting Al Qaeda and the Taliban.

This comes despite the killing of more high level Al Qaeda and Taliban leadership than under George W. Bush.

Realize that we are involved in some form militarily in Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya, Yemen, Pakistan, and now, as revealed this morning, in Somalia with armed drones!

How in the world can critics still claim that Barack Obama is a secret Muslim, when he is condemned by Al Qaeda, as well as many Muslim leaders? If anything, he has engaged the United States against Muslim nations and radicals MORE than George W. Bush, Bill Clinton, George H.W. Bush, and Ronald Reagan combined!

And yet the poison and lies continue, and it is not just by right wing extremists, but by so called “responsible” and “sensible” Americans who should hang their heads in shame!

The Impending Crisis Among Young Veterans Of The Iraq And Afghanistan Wars

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America has sent our young men and women to war in Iraq and Afghanistan in the past decade, but now that many are returning home from their service, we are sadly not addressing the issues affecting them and their war service!

Not only are we NOT taking adequate care of them when they have physical and mental issues arising out of their war service, but also, and particularly among young veterans 18 to 24, we are NOT facing the reality that in the midst of the aftermath of the economic collapse of 2008, that an astounding THIRTY percent of them are unemployed, and some are homeless as well, and feel no connection to the society they have returned to after doing their duty to this country!

This is tragic, unforgivable, and dangerous for the long term, as these veterans, at least in theory, could be hurting emotionally and without assistance, they could some day strike out against the society that was very quick to send them to war, and yet looked the other way when they returned and expected proper respect and consideration!

It is time for politics to stop, and for job creation and assistance for veterans, younger and older, to commence on a large scale, as it is the right thing and the smart thing to do, at the same time!

The House GOP, Barack Obama, And Libya

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The House of Representatives, led by Speaker John Boehner, slapped President Obama in the face symbolically on Thursday by refusing to back the President’s intervention in Libya. Interesting, since we did not see the Republican House of Representatives refuse to back George W. Bush constantly in his interventions in Iraq and Afghanistan.

But then when one realizes that the Republican House failed to back Bill Clinton in his intervention in Kosovo in 1999, for the same reason to prevent a total massacre of civilians, one understands this is all about politics.

But it also divides the party nationally, as John McCain and Lindsey Graham see it as a sign of isolationism in the party, in their mind a dangerous trend.

Also, the House acted as a “paper tiger” when they went ahead and refused to cut funding for the war effort against Moammar Gaddafi, but then again, NEVER has the House refused to support a President’s intervention in financial terms.

So it comes down to the reality that the War Powers Act is an ineffective way to deal with foreign policy, and the President of the United States, whoever he is, remains the Commander in Chief, with final control over decisions on committing troops overseas!

Barack Obama And Afghanistan Withdrawal: Promising, But Not Enough!

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President Obama gave a 13 minute speech last evening, outlining his strategy in Afghanistan.

Pointing out that Al Qaeda had been weakened with Osama Bin Laden’s death, plus the death of other terrorists by air strikes and drones, Obama announced the withdrawal of 10,000 soldiers by the end of 2011, and another 23,000 by September of 2012.

This would mean the removal of the “surge” troops put in after his speech in December 2009.

This is an important development, but it would leave 68,000 troops in Afghanistan to the target date of sometime in 2014, but Obama did not say that all troops would be removed even then.

The Afghanistan War is costing $10 billion a month at a time when we are in such dire economic straits, and therefore, although he called for a focus on domestic needs and infrastructure and nation building at home, how are we supposed to do this if there is no end to the involvement in Afghanistan?

The military, led by David Petraeus, new head of the CIA; and Mike Mullen, retiring head of the Joint Chiefs of Staff; Leon Panetta, new head of the Defense Department; and former Defense Secretary Robert Gates, wanted a slower approach, as did John McCain and Lindsey Graham.

At the same time, the left is disgusted with the slow pace of the Afghanistan withdrawal, and even some Republicans seem disgusted with the feeling that there is no end to war involvement, and the reality that it is bleeding this nation dry!

So Obama is not pleasing the left or the right, is instead following the advice of Vice President Joe Biden, and is seemingly in the middle on an issue that a majority of Americans feel should not be a priority for the future, particularly with the domestic crises we now face, an imminent threat!

The Republican Division On Afghanistan Policy: Could It Affect 2012?

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The Republican Party is bitterly divided over foreign policy as the Presidential campaign develops.

Mitt Romney and Jon Huntsman have both called for cutting back US involvement in Afghanistan, and may be, theoretically, to the left of President Obama in this regard.

At the same time, Tim Pawlenty came out today for a hard line view on that war, joining the camp of John McCain and Lindsey Graham in calling such a viewpoint of Romney and Huntsman “isolationist”!

Ron Paul and Michele Bachmann have also sounded “isolationist”, with Paul for sure, and Bachmann speaking in that fashion at the recent Presidential debate in New Hampshire.

Who would have thought that foreign policy would divide the GOP, when many believed it was domestic policy, the budget, taxes, and spending that would dominate?

But, actually, it is the spending for the war in Afghanistan, and the involvement in Libya, which is causing the rift in the party, as House Republicans, led by Speaker John Boehner, are pushing a resolution challenging our involvement in Libya under the War Powers Act, something that McCain and Graham have bitterly denounced, and want modified, which may happen!

So this just complicates the battle for the Republican Presidential nomination, and for the Presidential Election of 2012!

Obama And The War In Afghanistan: Nearing An End?

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Barack Obama will make an announcement two days from now on a major troop withdrawal from Afghanistan.

Back in December, 2009, after careful reflection, Obama announced a 30,000 troop increase to Afghanistan, and made it clear that he would reconsider troop levels after 18 months, but with the goal also of overcoming the threat of Al Qaeda.

Well, with Osama Bin Laden dead, and many Al Qaeda operatives killed, it seems as if this terror network is far less of a threat, and just as Defense Secretary Robert Gates is about to leave at the end of this month, and as Mitt Romney, Jon Huntsman and others in the Republican Party are starting to advocate getting out of Afghanistan, Obama will be making a profound, significant speech on Wednesday, setting the future of a war which cannot be won, and is bleeding us dry!

It is hoped that the troop withdrawal will be a major one, particularly with some Republicans advocating the same, and with the NATO nations involved in the war rapidly de-escalating their own involvement in the war, including Canada and Great Britain.

With the budget crisis this nation faces, it is essential to bring troops home and stop adding to the national debt in a conflict that cannot be won in a classic way. It is time to declare victory over Al Qaeda, while keeping ourselves on guard, and get out of Afghanistan as soon as possible!

The Assault On Mitt Romney In His Own Party

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Former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney may be ahead in all of the polls for the Republican Presidential nomination, but that is not necessarily good news.

By being the front runner so early, Romney becomes the target for all the discontented groups in the party, who would prefer someone else.

All elements of the party are assaulting him, which may have the effect of weakening a person who could be the strongest nominee for the party.

Social conservatives are suspicious of him because he was once pro choice and for gay rights.

The Tea Party conservatives don’t like the “RomneyCare” health care plan put into law in Massachusetts under his Governorship.

The religious conservatives don’t like that he is a Mormon, which evangelical Christians feel is not truly Christian.

The foreign policy conservatives, led by John McCain and Lindsey Graham, are angry that Romney has suggested a path out of Afghanistan, which they regard as reckless and dangerous to the national security. And McCain has NEVER like Romney on a personal level, and this weekend, accused him of being an “isolationist” in his views on foreign policy and troop commitment.

And the “Establishment” Republicans, led by the Bush family and its followers, and particularly President George H. W. Bush, are favoring former Utah Governor Jon Huntsman, who is about to enter the Presidential battle, and is a major threat to Romney’s support.

So Romney must, right now, be feeling battle scarred, as it becomes evident that IF he is to win the nomination of the party and have a chance at the Presidency itself, it will only be through much “blood, sweat, and tears”!

Any chance that the GOP could win the Presidency and make major gains in Congress could go down the tubes because of the internal struggle for the heart and soul of the Republican Party!

Chinks In Mitt Romney’s Armor

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Mitt Romney, the frontrunner for the Republican Presidential nomination, has some chinks in his armor, that are starting to be noticed.

Romney is applauded as a great businessman, but most of his economic accomplishments in business came from cutting employees and saving money to make more profit.

Also, as Governor of Massachusetts, his state was dead last in employment growth coming out of the 2001-2002 recession, and the growth in his four years was only one percent, as compared to five percent nationally.

Also, Romney made a mistake in his debate remarks this past week, in referring to the people of Afghanistan as “Afghanis”, which is the name of their currency. The people of Afghanistan are known as “Afghans”!

This reminds one of John McCain constantly talking about Czechoslovakia in 2007-2008, when that nation broke up amicably in 1993 into the Czech Republic and Slovakia!

Of course, anyone can make mistakes, or have negative developments in his record, but the point is that Romney has a long list of shortcomings, all of which will certainly be exploited by his opponents for the nomination, and by Barack Obama, if Romney indeed is the nominee of his party for the White House!

Barack Obama, Libya, And The War Powers Act

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A bitter debate has developed over President Obama’s decision to intervene in Libya, in unison with NATO, to protect the lives of Libyan citizens and remove Moammar Gaddafi from power.

Unfortunately, it is now three months since that intervention, and Gaddafi is still in power.

But no Americans are on the ground in Libya, and to call what we are doing a real military intervention, is false!

The reality is that Libya will soon be liberated, and the War Powers Act, which is basically a “paper tiger” anyway, does not come into play, since there are no combat troops in Libya.

Ironic that the Republican opposition is making such a stink about Libya, and yet most want us to stay in Afghanistan, and some want us bombing and intervening in many other Muslim lands!

In the long run, intervention in Libya will be seen as a good move, even though right now, there is great impatience that the overthrow of Gaddafi is taking longer than expected.

Obama is correct that the War Powers Act does not apply in this intervention, since it is NOT a war engagement in the pure sense! It is more like the intervention in Kosovo against the Serbians in 1999 by President Bill Clinton!

Split In The Republican Party On Foreign Interventions! Mitt Romney And Jon Huntsman Open A Debate!

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The Republican Party has been a warlike, hawkish party for the past two decades since the Gulf War, with Congressman Ron Paul of Texas being a rare critic.

When Paul was competing for the GOP Presidential nomination in 2008, he was ridiculed in debates by Rudy Guiliani and other GOP candidates as loony and unrealistic about America’s role in the world.

But as we near ten years in Afghanistan and soon withdraw our forces from Iraq and wonder about the Libyan intervention, nearing three months with no resolution, we are starting to see chinks in the armor of the war wing of the Republican Party.

Senators John McCain of Arizona and Lindsey Graham of South Carolina are always looking to bomb and intervene in another Muslim country, and most Republicans in Congress have refused up to now to realize the heavy financial cost of constant military intervention, particularly at a time of record deficits and the growing dispute over raising the debt limit.

But now, at least two Presidential candidates, the two most likely to go all the way to the nomination, are expressing doubts about continuation of the war in Afghanistan, and the need to reconsider military spending in some form. Mitt Romney and Jon Huntsman have taken a courageous stand in this regard, but this has led at least Lindsey Graham to call Mitt Romney another Jimmy Carter, of all things!

IF either Romney or Huntsman become the GOP nominee against Barack Obama next year, there could be an opening for Obama to start moving to end the involvement in Afghanistan.

And if real discussion of defense and military cuts could move forward, it would change the economic outlook dramatically, and allow some relief on such issues as education, health care, and the environment taking all the hits in spending cuts!