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[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Our dangerous, distracted commander in chief By CHARLES KRAUTHAMMER

Posted: 9/8/2010 4:17:41 PM EDT

Our dangerous, distracted commander in chief

By CHARLES KRAUTHAMMER
• September 8, 2010

WASHINGTON
— Many have charged that President Obama's decision to begin
withdrawing from Afghanistan 10 months from now is hampering our war
effort. But now it's official.

In
a stunning statement the other day, Marine Corps Commandant Gen. James
Conway admitted that the July 2011 date is "probably giving our enemy
sustenance."

A
remarkably bold charge for an active military officer. It stops just
short of suggesting aiding and abetting the enemy. Yet the observation
is obvious: It is surely harder to prevail in a war that hinges on the
allegiance of the locals when they hear the U.S. president talk of
beginning a withdrawal that will ultimately leave them to the mercies of
the Taliban.

How
did Obama come to this decision? "Our Afghan policy was focused as much
as anything on domestic politics," an Obama adviser at the time told The
New York Times' Peter Baker. "He would not risk losing the moderate to
centrist Democrats in the middle of health insurance reform and he
viewed that legislation as the make-or-break legislation for his
administration."

If
this is true, then Obama's military leadership can only be called
scandalous. During a recent four-day period, 22 Americans were killed in
Afghanistan. This is not a place about which decisions should be made
in order to placate congressmen, pass health care and thereby maintain a
president's political standing. This is a place about which a president
should make decisions to best succeed in the military mission he
himself has set out.

But
Obama sees his wartime duties as a threat to his domestic agenda. These
wars are a distraction, unwanted interference with his true vocation —
transforming America.

Such
an impression could only have been reinforced when, given the
opportunity in his Oval Office address last week to dispel the
widespread perception in Afghanistan that America is leaving, Obama
doubled down on his ambivalence. After giving a nod to the pace of troop
reductions being conditions-based, he declared with his characteristic
"but make no mistake" that "this transition will begin — because
open-ended war serves neither our interests nor the Afghan people's."

These
are the words of a man who wants out. Most emphatically on Iraq, where
from the beginning Obama has made clear that his objective is simply
ending combat operations by an arbitrary deadline — despite the fact
that a new government has not been formed and all our hard-won success
hangs in the balance — in order to address the more paramount concern:
keeping a campaign promise. Time to "turn the page" and turn America
elsewhere.

At
first you'd think that turning is to Afghanistan. But Obama added
nothing to his previously stated Afghan policy while emphatically
reiterating July 2011 as the beginning of the end, or more
diplomatically, of the "transition."

Well
then, at least you'd then expect some vision of his larger foreign
policy. After all, this was his first Oval Office address on the
subject. What is the meaning, if any, of the Iraq and Afghan wars? And
what of the clouds that are forming beyond those theaters: the drone-war
escalation in Pakistan, the rise of al-Qaeda in Yemen, the danger of
Somalia falling to al-Shabab, and the threat of renewed civil war in
Islamist Sudan as a referendum on independence for southern Christians
and animists approaches?

This
was the stage for Obama to explain what follows the now-abolished
Global War on Terror. Where does America stand on the spreading threats
to stability, decency and U.S. interests from the Horn of Africa to the
Hindu Kush?

On
this, not a word. Instead, Obama made a strange and clumsy segue into a
pep talk on the economy. Rebuilding it, he declared, "must be our
central mission as a people, and my central responsibility as
president." This in a speech ostensibly about the two wars he is
directing. He could not have made more clear where his priorities lie,
and how much he sees foreign policy — war policy — as subordinate to his
domestic ambitions.

Unfortunately,
what for Obama is a distraction is life or death for U.S. troops now on
patrol in Kandahar province. Some presidents may not like being wartime
leaders. But they don't get to decide. History does. Obama needs to
accept the role. It's not just the U.S. military, as Baker reports, that
is "worried he is not fully invested in the cause." Our allies, too,
are experiencing doubt. And our enemies are drawing sustenance.

Posted: 9/8/2010 4:22:37 PM EDT

[#1]

F OBAMA

Posted: 9/8/2010 4:23:21 PM EDT

[#2]

Obama; 5th columnist commander-in-chief.

Posted: 9/8/2010 5:43:38 PM EDT

[#3]

Obama is an incompetent reflection of the idiotic lemmings who voted for his unqualified Muslim ass

I wouldn't let him play a game of Risk with 5 year olds let alone trust his judgment as POTUS. He's a disgrace to our brave troops and nation.

Posted: 9/8/2010 5:48:00 PM EDT

[#4]

Obama does not have the credentials to run a McDonalds.

FBHO!

Posted: 9/8/2010 5:48:59 PM EDT

[#5]

This clown and his cronies are in so far over their heads it's not even funny.

Remember the Hilary 0300 wakeup call ads?

Posted: 9/8/2010 5:52:12 PM EDT

[#6]

I'm watching 'Gladiator' tonight.

Obama reminds me of Commodus.

Posted: 9/8/2010 5:55:17 PM EDT

[#7]

FBHO

Posted: 9/8/2010 5:58:45 PM EDT

[#8]

Posted: 9/8/2010 6:10:51 PM EDT

[#9]

I think every single one of our warfighters needs to be snatched out of harms way..

IF you are not going to support them and give them everything they need to win...BRING THEM ALL THE FUCK HOME!..Preferably alive..

Either give our guys the tools and personnel to annihilate those, which have sworn to die if it brings shame and defeat to the Americans, or bring our guys

home where they can at least can have a life,get a job,vote,drink beer and go to church in their own home town.

Who knows..There might be a Ronald Reagan in A-stan or Iraq waiting to come home and join in on the conservative side of politics..

Posted: 9/8/2010 6:14:20 PM EDT

[#10]

Quoted:
I'm watching 'Gladiator' tonight.

Obama reminds me of Commodus.

If only we had a General Maximus. He was a hell of a leader and his men loved him. I went to some training on leadership one time that used the movie and specifically Russell Crowe's character to highlight leadership qualities.

Posted: 9/8/2010 6:15:03 PM EDT

[#11]

Quoted:
Obama; 5th columnist commander-in-chief.

Naw, he's Quisling.

Posted: 9/8/2010 6:16:03 PM EDT

[#12]

Quoted:

I'm watching 'Gladiator' tonight.

Obama reminds me of Commodus.

Well yes, he is full of shit.

rimshot

Posted: 9/8/2010 6:16:17 PM EDT

[#13]

Quoted:
I'm watching 'Gladiator' tonight.

Obama reminds me of Commodus.

Hell, even Commodus had more leadership qualities. He's closer to Nero, in leadership qualities, background, intelligence, and character.

Posted: 9/8/2010 6:18:11 PM EDT

[#14]

FBHO.

Posted: 9/8/2010 6:21:31 PM EDT

[#15]

The Kenyan is a bad fucking joke.

He wanted the job, but now, it's "too hard".

He wants to make a few speeches, play golf, and just have the US become a socialist paradise.

Really, all this "work" is below him. Somebody else should just do it for him.

Posted: 9/8/2010 6:25:57 PM EDT

[#16]

...I'm struggling to see how it is humanly possible for Sarah Palin to have done any worse.

Posted: 9/8/2010 6:30:42 PM EDT

[#17]

Quoted:
I'm watching 'Gladiator' tonight.

Obama reminds me of Commodus.

This. Good one

Posted: 9/8/2010 6:31:46 PM EDT

[#18]

Quoted:

Quoted:
I'm watching 'Gladiator' tonight.

Obama reminds me of Commodus.

Well yes, he is full of shit.

rimshotjob

fixed it for you....

Posted: 9/8/2010 6:32:20 PM EDT

[#19]

Quoted:

...I'm struggling to see how it is humanly possible for Sarah Palin to have done any worse.

Yet there are many on this board who say she would be the worst president evarrrr!!!!

Posted: 9/8/2010 6:33:14 PM EDT

[#20]

Quoted:

The Kenyan is a bad fucking joke.

He wanted the job, but now, it's "too hard".

He wants to make a few speeches, play golf, and just have the US become a socialist paradise.

Really, all this "work" is below him. Somebody else should just do it for him.

Like Rahm and Soros?

Posted: 9/8/2010 6:34:24 PM EDT

[#21]

I wish Krauthammer was president.

Posted: 9/8/2010 6:44:42 PM EDT

[#22]

Obama is one of two things. He's either stupid and doesn't realize that assigning a wait out date is bad policy. Or, he is just pandering to his stupid base and doesn't care that he's endangering american lives.

Which is it, hard-headed or stupid?

Posted: 9/8/2010 6:59:15 PM EDT

[#23]

John Wanye Bizzack of Kentucky should run for potus google his name. A more modest, polite good dude like him can not be found ,he is with the Kentucky State police. but tours other departments nation wide giving seminars. He also has interests in music ( the pistol river band) .

Posted: 9/8/2010 7:04:32 PM EDT

[#24]

Wait.....did I miss something? Did Obama finally catch Osama bin Laden like he promised? I haven't heard OBL's name mentioned since inauguration day.

Posted: 9/8/2010 7:47:40 PM EDT

[#25]

Quoted:
Wait.....did I miss something? Did Obama finally catch Osama bin Laden like he promised? I haven't heard OBL's name mentioned since inauguration day.

Why would he want to capture/kill his brother in arms?

Posted: 9/8/2010 8:09:51 PM EDT

[#26]

i wouldn't let obama run my lawn mower let alone a fucking war.

Posted: 9/8/2010 8:10:43 PM EDT

[#27]

President Fuck Stain.

Made it by one, maybe two strokes.

Posted: 9/8/2010 8:29:09 PM EDT

[#28]

The Terrorist in Chief sure is a fucking moron. Geez, we have 2 more years of him apologizing and surrendering?

Posted: 9/8/2010 8:59:38 PM EDT

[#29]

Quoted:
The Terrorist in Chief sure is a fucking moron. Geez, we have 2 more years of him apologizing and surrendering?

Obama is NOT a fucking moron. A moron who's guessing would have at least gotten SOMETHING right in the last 18+ months.

Obama is a fucking TRAITOR.

FUCK OBAMA

Posted: 9/8/2010 9:12:57 PM EDT

[#30]

Quoted:

Quoted:
I'm watching 'Gladiator' tonight.

Obama reminds me of Commodus.

If only we had a General Maximus. He was a hell of a leader and his men loved him. I went to some training on leadership one time that used the movie and specifically Russell Crowe's character to highlight leadership qualities.

Allen West.

Posted: 9/8/2010 9:24:17 PM EDT

[#31]

Quoted:
I wish Krauthammer was president.

I wish Krauthammer had been paying attention when Bush was in office, but he wasn't. Very studiously, in fact.

Posted: 9/8/2010 11:33:57 PM EDT

[#32]

Quoted:
I'm watching 'Gladiator' tonight.

Obama reminds me of Commodus.

Commodus was a lot more likable.

BTW, I walked around on Commodus' villa grounds, outside Rome, in the summer of 09, it wasn't open to the public but nobody stopped us. It was a huge complex with it's own charriot racing track.

Posted: 9/8/2010 11:35:40 PM EDT

[#33]

Quoted:
...I'm struggling to see how it is humanly possible for Sarah Palin to have done any worse.

She had far, far superior qualifications and she is a far, far superior person.

Posted: 9/8/2010 11:48:07 PM EDT

[#34]

Quoted:

Quoted:
I'm watching 'Gladiator' tonight.

Obama reminds me of Commodus.

Hell, even Commodus had more leadership qualities. He's closer to Nero, in leadership qualities, background, intelligence, and character.

Agreed. I was talking with a friend the other day about how much Bush and Obama, with the invasion and occupation of Iraq and Afghanistan, remind me very much of Claudius and Nero with the invasion and occupation of Britain.

Everybody liked to peg Claudius as a bumbling idiot, but the guy got the job done and had integrity, and he got the war going and on good footing. Nero... well, I think if I just say "Roman Obama" it'll cover everything, from the incompetence, to the narcissism, to the rampaging cronyism, to wanting to "fundamentally transform" his captive state in his own image...

Although even Nero had the wherewithal to unshackle the 14th and let them smash the Britons' faces in when the situation called for it. Obama?

Posted: 9/8/2010 11:58:04 PM EDT

[#35]

Quoted:

Quoted:

The Terrorist in Chief sure is a fucking moron. Geez, we have 2 more years of him apologizing and surrendering?

Obama is NOT a fucking moron. A moron who's guessing would have at least gotten SOMETHING right in the last 18+ months.

Obama is a fucking TRAITOR.

FUCK OBAMA

Excellent point.

Posted: 9/9/2010 12:23:46 AM EDT

[#36]

Quoted:

Quoted:
The Terrorist in Chief sure is a fucking moron. Geez, we have 2 more years of him apologizing and surrendering?

Obama is NOT a fucking moron. A moron who's guessing would have at least gotten SOMETHING right in the last 18+ months.

Obama is a fucking TRAITOR.

FUCK OBAMA

Excellent point.

+1

If you gave the reins of power to a random Joe Blow he'd at least get some things right by accident. Obama doesn't even do that... planned, not accident.

Posted: 9/9/2010 3:33:38 AM EDT

[#37]

Quoted:

Quoted:
...I'm struggling to see how it is humanly possible for Sarah Palin to have done any worse.

She had far, far superior qualifications and she is a far, far superior person.

All I can say is that if this is the result from electing a Harvard grad who all the establishment elites says is eminently qualified for the position due to his being brilliant and a professor and an author, it sort of makes one wonder about the accuracy of their doomsday predictions about Palin.

Posted: 9/9/2010 4:30:35 AM EDT

[#38]

Quoted:

Quoted:

...I'm struggling to see how it is humanly possible for Sarah Palin to have done any worse.

Yet there are many on this board who say she would be the worst president evarrrr!!!!

EVAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!

I seriously think my nine year old daughter could do a better job than current leadership.

Posted: 9/9/2010 4:41:34 AM EDT

[#39]

I never expected better from a street hustler.

Posted: 9/9/2010 4:51:06 AM EDT

[#40]

Quoted:

Quoted:
...I'm struggling to see how it is humanly possible for Sarah Palin to have done any worse.

She had far, far superior qualifications and she is a far, far superior person.

All I can say is that if this is the result from electing a Harvard grad who all the establishment elites says is eminently qualified for the position due to his being brilliant and a professor and an author, it sort of makes one wonder about the accuracy of their doomsday predictions about Palin.

Hence the reason why the elites of both political stripes HAD to shut down Palin. She was a threat to their entrenched, self-serving monopoly. They are fearful that someone in the unwashed mass will finally scream that the Emperor has no clothes, and that our elites have been engaging in policy decisions that are disasterous.

Posted: 9/9/2010 5:42:39 AM EDT

[#41]

Quoted:

Quoted:
...I'm struggling to see how it is humanly possible for Sarah Palin to have done any worse.

She had far, far superior qualifications and she is a far, far superior person.

All I can say is that if this is the result from electing a Harvard grad who all the establishment elites says is eminently qualified for the position due to his being brilliant and a professor and an author, it sort of makes one wonder about the accuracy of their doomsday predictions about Palin.

Hence the reason why the elites of both political stripes HAD to shut down Palin. She was a threat to their entrenched, self-serving monopoly. They are fearful that someone in the unwashed mass will finally scream that the Emperor has no clothes, and that our elites have been engaging in policy decisions that are disasterous.

But, but, she's stupid!

/ARFCOM sycophants

/MSM

/my sarcasm

Posted: 9/9/2010 5:48:54 AM EDT

[#42]

So, to get the thread back on track.

Why don't the taliban just hole up in a few cave complexes until next year and wait them out? Then when the idiot American president claims victory and brings the troops home. Unleash everything they have.

Posted: 9/9/2010 5:49:59 AM EDT

[#43]

If this is his attitude, why not leave tomorrow? Cease ops outside the wire, and start loading up the transport planes. What purpose will another 11 months serve, other than pit US troops against an emboldened enemy and a bitter and angry populace?

Posted: 9/9/2010 5:58:44 AM EDT

[#44]

If we can't go into Pakistan to take on the Taliban and AQ it's time to pack it up today and bring the troopes home.

There is no sense in our troops to continue to be killed for no reason. Bring them home.

Afgan is a shit hole, always has been a shit hole always will be a shit hole.

Posted: 9/9/2010 6:00:33 AM EDT

[#45]

Like Rush has said many times, the US Military is an inconvenience to the boy king...

Posted: 9/9/2010 6:02:21 AM EDT

[#46]

CHARLES KRAUTHAMMER is dead on when he states that the Zero is incompetent and a idealogical narcissist. It would also be foolish to sell Zero short. If the GOP does not come up with a more palatable candidate to run against Zero than the current crop of GOP POTUS wannabes you can expect another four years of the tool. Don't think for a minute think that "anyone but Zero" will cut it with the voters. Two years is a lifetime in politics. All I can say is choose wisely in your primaries.

Posted: 9/9/2010 6:02:32 AM EDT

[#47]

Quoted:

Quoted:

...I'm struggling to see how it is humanly possible for Sarah Palin to have done any worse.

She had far, far superior qualifications and she is a far, far superior person.

All I can say is that if this is the result from electing a Harvard grad who all the establishment elites says is eminently qualified for the position due to his being brilliant and a professor and an author, it sort of makes one wonder about the accuracy of their doomsday predictions about Palin.

Hence the reason why the elites of both political stripes HAD to shut down Palin. She was a threat to their entrenched, self-serving monopoly. They are fearful that someone in the unwashed mass will finally scream that the Emperor has no clothes, and that our elites have been engaging in policy decisions that are disasterous.

But, but, she's stupid!

/ARFCOM sycophants

/MSM

/my sarcasm

And a Quitter!!! /More GD boners

Posted: 9/9/2010 6:02:45 AM EDT

[#48]

Quoted:
...I'm struggling to see how it is humanly possible for Sarah Palin to have done any worse.

exactly...

Posted: 9/9/2010 6:21:26 AM EDT

[#49]

obozo has gotten EVERYTHING in life through "Affirmative Action" including the presidency, that's why he CHOSE to be "black" instead of white (he IS half white, remember?)

He has no time for "affairs of state", he's too busy with his vacations and Michelle's lobster lunches. He has no intentions of running this country. Bill Ayers and George Soros are supposed to be doing that for him.

The previous posters who have described him as "Commodus" have it right. obozo reminds me of the scene where Commodus is in the Senate chambers, spinning a sword on it's tip on a marble floor. He gets bored by real thinking. He was not even a "community organizer", that requires ORGANIZATION. He was a community AGITATOR. He likes to stir shit just because he likes the smell. He has no answers, only complaints ("Bush's Fault") and his complaints are two years lame.

Posted: 9/9/2010 6:22:29 AM EDT

[#50]

Quoted:

Quoted:
...I'm struggling to see how it is humanly possible for Sarah Palin to have done any worse.

exactly...

Sarah Palin ran for *Vice President* in 2008. She would have had as much effect on our military strategy as Joe biden.

Maybe the question should be, how much worse would John McCain have done?

-Gator

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Our dangerous, distracted commander in chief By CHARLES KRAUTHAMMER

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