You might be 'dithering' if the Europeans show more guts

Like Jeff Foxworthy's signs that you might be a redneck, you might be "dithering" while Afghanistan burns if even the Europeans are more committed to that war than Obama is. Jamie Fly at The Weekly Standard blog points out this absurdity in NATO Defense Ministers and UN Official Back McChrystal Before Obama

Now, just as the president is publicly agonizing over what the U.S. strategy in Afghanistan should be, some European leaders seem willing to consider making increased commitments to Afghanistan. In Germany, Chancellor Angela Merkel’s government is considering increasing the size of the German contingent in the country when the deployment’s mandate is renewed later this year, something that is nothing short of amazing given how publicly unpopular the German presence in Afghanistan is. British Prime Minister Gordon Brown announced last week that he was sending an additional 500 troops to the country.

These increased commitments appear to be based on a recognition that a properly resourced counterinsurgency effort is the only way to achieve success in Afghanistan. The New York Times reported yesterday that “NATO defense ministers gave their broad endorsement Friday to the counterinsurgency strategy for Afghanistan laid out by Gen. Stanley A. McChrystal.” Kai Eide, the UN special representative for Afghanistan attended the meeting and said “additional troops are required,” also telling the defense ministers that “this cannot be a U.S.-only enterprise.”

...The White House took offense at Vice President Cheney’s statement this week that the president was “dithering” on Afghanistan. Friday’s NATO defense ministerial should put this issue to rest -- even the Europeans have acted with more fortitude than our president.

Thank God for Dick Cheney and Fox News. They keep pointing out the obvious truths about our "dithering" President. Sooner or later, the voters will realize the emperor has no clothes. I'm just praying a miracle will happen and Obama will finally do the right thing and not leave our troops in Afghanistan twisting slowly in the winds of defeat.

Obama's 'Cut and walk' military strategy for Afghanistan war

The first presidential administration in the history of our republic with neither standard bearer having served a day in military service is living up to its billing. Military "expert" VP Joe Biden offers a "new strategy" for the war in Aghanistan as the Obama administration turns on its nasty political attack machine Chicago-style politics to slime General McChrystal.

Michael Goodwin at The New York Post (the only real paper left standing in Noo Yawk) writes White House declares war on this honest hero.

ANOTHER day, another double standard from the Obama White House. This one involves the nasty ef fort to discredit and muz zle Gen. Stanley McChrystal, whose sin was to present his commander in chief with an inconvenient answer about Afghanistan.

The president appointed McChrystal and ordered him to assess the war and develop a plan to rescue the mission. The result -- a call for an increase of 40,000 troops or face defeat -- apparently was not what Obama wanted to hear.

Bingo. In a flash, McChrystal found himself on the business end of a political attack machine. The president's liberal allies struck first, and then White House officials, hiding behind anonymous quotes, heaped scorn on the commander's judgment in The Washington Post.

The heavy hitters followed with their whacks at the piñata, with National Security Adviser Jim Jones and Defense Secretary Robert Gates both telling McChrystal to button his lip. They gave this advice on television, even as they demanded that he give his advice in private.

Tony Blankley at The Washington Times (the only real paper left standing in D.C.) outlines the options the Obama administration is facing on the war in Afghanistan and sums up thusly:

The president has three choices: (1) Cut and run, (2) cut and walk or (3) stay and fight with enough troops. Either Option No. 1 or No. 3 may be justifiable based on hard-headed thinking. No. 2 is an evasion of reality and would sinfully sacrifice American troops for no good purpose.

Since Obama has already publicly ruled out cut and run, saying he will not abandon the fight, it's down to "cut and walk" or "stay and fight." I hate to say it, but option two will soon be chosen. Our rookie president has already shown he ain't got enough guts to string a fiddle when it comes to doing anything that will alienate the lunatic leftwingnuts, which is his one solid constituency.

So that rules out "stay and fight," meaning he'll do some halfway measure that will start the decline into a slow defeat as our troops in Afghanistan are left slowly twisting in the wind.

In the meantime, Obama's adoring masses (AKA the mainstream media and other assorted leftwingnuts) carry on with the character assassination of General McChrystal, comparing him to McArthur in Korea. Townhall.com columnist Douglas MacKinnon gives us the dirty lowdown.

Simply because he spoke out in the best interests of his troops and our nation, the liberal intelligentsia, certain White House aides and some Democrat Members of Congress are trying to discredit and disparage General Stan McChrystal as fast as yellow journalism will allow.

What sin did this highly decorated patriot commit? As commander of U.S. and allied forces in Afghanistan, he dared to publicly speak his mind in the age of Obama. For that, those who worship at the feet of the Oracle of the Oval Office have told the General to “shut up,” have referred to him as “General MacArthur,” and have called for him to be drummed out of the military.

Meanwhile, over in the sandbox, our troops soldier on and the countdown continues since General McChrystal made his request for more boots on the ground, Meredith Jessup notes.

Today marks 39 days since U.S. and NATO General Stanley McChrystal delivered his request for more troops to President Obama. In his report, McChrystal warns the president of "mission failure" if current troop levels in Afghanistan remain unchanged.

While the slime attack on McChrystal carries on, President Obama is voting "present" on the war in Afghanistan. I guess I should be thankful he hasn't yet announced his "cut and walk" plan. God save our nation and protect our troops in harm's way. How many days to 2012?

Rookie President unsure about 'right strategy' to win the war

One "first" of the Obama administration may well turn out to be the most significant. This is the first administration in our history with neither the President or Vice President having served a single day in our nation's military service. And now the fat's in the fire for sure as the Washington Post has leaked a confidential report to Obama from the general in charge of the war in Afghanistan, wherein the general pleads for more troops and warns of failure without them.

Gen. Stanley McChrystal, the top U.S. and NATO commander in Afghanistan, said in a confidential report that without additional forces, the war against insurgents there will end in failure, The Washington Post reported Monday.

McChrystal's grim assessment of the war was published on the Post's Web site, with some portions withheld at the government's request.

"Although considerable effort and sacrifice have resulted in some progress, many indicators suggest the overall effort is deteriorating," McChrystal wrote in his summary.

The report was sent to Defense Secretary Robert Gates in August and is now under review by President Barack Obama, who is trying to decide whether to send more U.S. troops to Afghanistan.

While asking for more troops, McChrystal also pointed out "the urgent need for a significant change to our strategy." The U.S. needs to interact better with the Afghan people, McChrystal said, and better organize its efforts with NATO allies.

The Pentagon and the White House are awaiting a separate, more detailed request for additional troops and resources. Media reports Friday and Saturday said McChrystal has finished it but was told to pocket it, partly because of the charged politics surrounding the decision. McChrystal's senior spokesman, Rear Adm. Gregory Smith, told The Associated Press on Sunday that the report is not complete.

"The resource request is being finalized and will be sent forward to the chain of command at some point in the near future," Smith said from Afghanistan.

Obama denied asking McChrystal to sit on the request, but he gave no deadline for making a decision about whether to send more Americans into harm's way.

Obama said in a series of television interviews broadcast Sunday that he will not allow politics to govern his decision. He left little doubt he is re-evaluating whether more forces will do any good.

"The first question is, 'Are we doing the right thing?'" Obama said. "Are we pursuing the right strategy?"

Lemme see if I got this straight. The general in charge has sent the Prez a report outlining his strategy and calling for more troops. But the Prez, whose strategic expertise starts and ends with being a community organizer in Chicago, has no military experience at all and has never run nothing but his mouth, this idiot who is now our Commander-in-Chief isn't sure if trying to win the war in Aghanistan is "the right thing?" He's still trying to determine "the right strategy?"

God help us. Our troops are fighting and dying in Iraq and Afghanistan, the FBI is arresting terrorists in New York and Colorado and meanwhile what is Obama doing? Investigating the CIA because they poured some water up the noses of three terrorists responsible for 9/11.

Pardon the hell out of me if I'm not too optimistic about the future of our failing government.

And permit me to outline the winning strategy for all wars since the beginning of time, as outlined by a Confederate general. The winning strategy is to "git thar fustest with the mostest."