“It really doesn’t matter how President Obama divides the Afghan baby, how he splits the difference between McChrystal and Biden. Because the war has been lost,” Thompson said on his radio show today. “I say this because of one sad and simple fact. The president does not have the will and determination to do what’s necessary to win it. His heart’s not in it, and never has been. The Taliban knows it. Al Qaeda knows it. Our allies know it. And the American people know it.
He’s probably right
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In which case Obama’s talk about the importance of winning Afghanistan (that he used to attack the war in Iraq) is a lie. Not that that’s any great surprise. Just thought I’d mention it.
Who is this President?
It certainly appears that Obama has little resolve to fight in Afghanistan, however that doesnt mean that we have lost. As long as the American people feel that we need to fight and our troops continue to do the fantastic job that they do… we will still kick the Taliban’s ass up and down the mountains of Afghanistan.
The key is to keep the pressure on Obama to stay in the fight. He does everything for popularity and that is why he made those campaign promises to win in Afghanistan. As long as he realizes that the abandonment of Afghanistan will harm his popularity he will reluctantly stay there.
We cant afford to lose this war and we can still win in spite of our current America-hating President.
Were I the Taliban or Al Qaeda strategist, I would advise my leaders to lay low for six months or so. “…Don’t even fire off a firecracker. The infidels will leave. Their leftist leaders will run home. Once gone, they would not even think of coming back for decades and you can do what you will. How many South Vietnamese and Cambodians were murdered after the U.S. left Vietnam? What did the U.S. do? Nothing? Bingo! They left U.S. Army Rangers lying in the streets of Mogadishu and went home. Those people have no stomach for protracted conflict. You will win by default….”
The single most important factor in the successful prosecution of a war by the U.S. is the will of the American people. Desert Storm was a how to lesson. Go in heavy with a clear mission and public support, finish it quickly, and come home. We did not lose the war in Vietnam; we lost the Vietnam War in Washington. If we lose the war in Afghanistan, we will also have lost it in Washington.
The saddest thing is that my Marine son and his band of merry mud-puppy’s are beginning to feel the same way.
@Freedom Now: i wish that were true (not that our fine men and women can’t and don’t kick ass); like Temujin said, we didn’t lose vietnam in vietnam, we lost it in our capitol. You have a leader like Washington: frozen, half-dead, starving, ill-equipped, out numbered men will follow you wherever you go and fight with all they have, and win. You have a leader like Obama… ha, I can’t even finish; I wouldn’t follow him into a Pizza Hut.
Didn’t he call the Afghan war the only just war? And didn’t he say that winning was not his objective? I predicted a couple of months ago that the democrats would lose this war just like they lost Korea and Vietnam. Everytime a war is lost like this, America looks weaker to our enemies. Obama and the democrats in congress should be tried for treason. That would send a message that would be heard around the world!
@Patvann: I cannot imagine how livid you must be at Obama’s indecision, a cardinal sin in my book. Please tell your son there are many of us trying to force our government to win or come home, and praying for the safety of our armed forces.
This such a sad day to realize we have so many of our best young people in Harm’s Way and our CinC is still worried about his personal photo ops and making us dupes for Third World Marxist Dictators.
To Patvann: I will pray for your son and his compatriots. That is all I can do at this time. I am just so heart sick at this nonsense.
To Temujin and Liam: You are correct about Vietnam. My husband was in the Tet offensive. Those brave Americans won that. They did. But the media (crocodile teared Conkrite) told a different story and turned the populace against the war. And the war was ham-strung from the outset by the politicans in Washington.
So much like what is happening today. I am so sick of Obama. I only wish that he could be impeached. He should be. But they won’t do it
Patvann–my Marine son is in training to deploy there, but when we last talked he said something that when I think it over now, meant that the word is out among the guys that they may not be going. I cannot say I’m sorry if that is so since we now have a CIC that has no understanding or liking for our military and does not support them. Unfortunately, if we abandon Afghanistan, we must get ready to defend ourselves at home, since that is what it will come to. I have no confidence that Dr. Utopia would even do that.
What we need to realize it that this IS the plan…
Get those of us who support victory, and those fighting for that victory discouraged, then the withdrawal will be blamed by the media on us and our warriors, not the spinless sacks of crap like Obama.
Mr. Clinton had no respect for our soldiers either. I believe he “loathed” the military. I can assure you that the feeling was reciprocal.
I do not think Mr. Obama has that same feeling of loathing; I really believe he is simply ignorant of the sacrifices by our armed services today and throughout U.S. history. Others have always provided his safety and security, so he has no concept of the value or price paid. He was free to go to college and smoke his pot and become a community organizer while nameless and faceless others secured his well-being and paid his way.
Today’s fine young men and women are the best and brightest, much better trained and equipped than those of us were who participated in the Southeast Asian war games. One cannot easily pull the wool over their eyes. They will do what is required of them under any circumstance. It would not hurt the President to treat them better than just another photo op.
My grandson just deployed to Iraq. Too many young men and women are in harms way because our pretender-in-chief will not make a decision. I hope there are no more casualties due to his “dithering”. My heart, prayers, and gratitude go out to all our brave men and women serving and their loved ones.
Madalyn
Thompson, whom I have always liked, has stepped in it, I’m afraid. It’s one thing to think this for yourself, but it’s another when a public figure like Thompson throws it out in public. This is no different than when Harry Ried said the same thing about Iraq. Reid was very rightly criticized for that comment.
#14 — rethink please — Reid was and is a senator — Fred is a private citizen who can tell the truth when he wants too
@savage24:
I get your basic point but I do beg to differ in the opinion that the Korean War was lost. There is the simple fact that it is not over, technically, but the more important fact is that millions of Koreans thrive in a democratic nation of their own south of the DMZ.
I’m not saying that to nit pick but to help make the point that even in the most desperate conditions and in a land completely foreign to American principles of democracy, there is still ample opportunity to achieve tremendous success.
@Dreadnought:
I didn’t hear the Thompson comment myself but until I get a chance to do so, I’m also of the same opinion as you. Fortunately he is not an office holder at this time as that would only make matters that much worse.
@budvarakbar:
Nobody is saying that he can’t speak his mind but to suggest that a loss is a foregone conclusion is just nonsense. People were saying that about Iraq because their politics motivated them to do so but that was not accurate as has been demonstrated.
Thompson’s comments, as shown above, suggest that his point was that Obama was going to lose the war for lack of will. That is something very different than saying that Afghanistan cannot be won.
There is a huge difference between what Fred said, and what Harry said. I will paraphrase:
Harry said the war is unwinnable no matter what. Surge or not. Presidential and military leadership, or not.
Fred said the war is unwinnable because the CiC does not want to fight it, nor does he support his his own hand-chosen military leadership.
Big difference, and it matters not what position the two men are currently holding.
I have gone past being pissed off. I am now in a state I am unfamiliar with, and have yet to label.
Can’t wait until we start seeing the DemocRat commercials with Fred’s comments.
Heckuva job, Fred!
Patvann– I belive the unknown state you are experiencing is called rage. I’m also enraged that our modern Nero is prancing and fiddling while the whole country goes down the toilet. He plays the tease like a schoolgirl while our guys and gals over in that hellhole are dying. I agree with Fred that O’Bummer lacks the will and determination and would even add he lacks the spine.
You have to understand Obama before you jump to conclusions. He is a populist. All he wants is to be popular. That means he either goes with popular opinion or tries to manipulate popular opinion.
If we become defeatist then Obama wins and we all lose.
Dont give Obama an out. Keep the pressure on!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
@Davey
Oh I’m familiar with rage. This is new, and while there is certainly a component of rage, it’s part sadness from knowing what this sort of bad leadership leads to for our warriors, or country, and the poor locals who have risked so much to trust us.
It’s also got some disbelief, and some pity.
It needs a new adjective.
Another lie??? Say it isn’t so!!! LOL! I’m SHOCKED!! NOT!!
Tfhr…You said..””Thompson’s comments, as shown above, suggest that his point was that Obama was going to lose the war for lack of will. That is something very different than saying that Afghanistan cannot be won.””
I see where you are coming from, BUT, since we’re stuck with this bunch of idiots for 4 years, in this time period it CAN’T be won…. the CIC doesn’t want to. and 4 years from now, who knows what the field conditions will be…….. what a waste of human life and effort…..
The outcome of Iraq and Afghanistan have already been determined. See their constitutions. Each constitution explicitly states that Islam and Sharia law takes precedence over any article or law. Therefore, after we leave, each country will devolve into a Taliban state, guaranteed!
@Hankster58:
Agreed.
I do believe that Obama’s poltical fortunes are now in such a steep decline that he will have to step up and make the necessary decisions that he has evaded with Afghanistan. He may have a few more “reprieves” left but his continued dithering will cost him internationally and domestically, whether he realizes the full extent or not. 2013’s Inauguration Day cannot come soon enough for me but to return to my earlier theme cautioning against impeachment fervor, do we really want to have Joe Biden take Obama’s place? (shudder)
tfhr said…
“”do we really want to have Joe Biden take Obama’s place? (shudder)””
I’d rather eat, well, you get the idea!! What a choice!! A Chitown CREEP or an East Coast DOPE!!
OHHHHHHH MYYYYYYYY !!!! 😉
@Hankster58:
Given those options, how can the Dems call themselves the “party of choice”?
Was DOPE meant to be dope with emphasis or Delaware’s Own Plagiarizing Egotist, in acronym form? Twenty years in the Army turns anything into an acronym. Just wondering.
Was DOPE meant to be………….
Ah Grasshopper…. you are wise beyond your years!!! LOL!!