The Forgotten War
By Thomas JeffreyArticle Posted: Tuesday September 23, 2008
Bush Administration officials are in the midst of conducting a top-down review of its Afghanistan policy, with a mandate by the president to produce a set of comprehensive recommendations within two weeks that he can begin to implement before his term his up. However, two warring sides have emerged within the West Wing; one has its eye on ensuring a positive Bush legacy with regards to Afghanistan at all costs and the other advocating the unpopular view that additional troops need be committed to the conflict and for a much longer period of time than the president has publicly advocated.
The chickens are coming home to roost for this president, as Afghanistan, the much maligned red-haired step child in his “War on Terror,” continues to fester in what can only be described as a quagmire, with violence up 30 percent over the past year and US military deaths outpacing those in Iraq for the first time in years.
And with General David McKeirnan, the top American commander in Afghanistan, calling for nearly twice the amount of troops to be deployed there next year than has been previously approved by the president, the Smirking POTUS won’t be able to get around the fact that US forces have effectively fought the Taliban in that country to a standstill. In addition,many consider the NATO effort in that country to foundering, with several nations who have troops in the field under the NATO umbrella opening questioning the usefulness of their presence in Afghanistan.
Still, there are those within the Pentagon and the White House who are hoping that the compressed timetable, combined with the vanity of attempting to preserve something of a legacy for this president, may help produce a focused mindset within the Administration about “getting it right” with regards to Afghanistan, even if it is at the 11th hour.
This Leftwing Nutjob isn’t holding his breath.
Source:
U.S. starts major review of Afghanistan policies — International Herald Tribune
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Podcast #117
By Thomas JeffreyArticle Posted: Tuesday April 15, 2008
Leftwing Nutjob Podcast, Episode 117, for Sunday, April 13, 2008
Penn hits the bricks, Iran in the spotlight again, the Obama money machine, al Qaeda’s rising star and more!