President Obama on Afghanistan
I’ll be frank, as I am short for time until Dec. 7th, so I riffed this straight from SWJ Blog which also posted a critique by Robert Haddick here.
My reader’s digest take – the president split the difference between the myriad factions in the national security community in a way that ultimately leaves his options open. A cautious, calculating, choice unless he gave General McChrystal carte blanche on new black ops inside Pakistan. That would not be unimportant – al Qaida safe houses in Quetta and rural Baluchistan blowing up would not be insignificant.
For what it is worth, in terms of domestic politics, President Obama is well to the right of the Democratic Party on Afghanistan, at least in terms of the activist base. The self-described “progressives” are not happy tonight.
That was my two cents. Fire at will in comments section….
ADDENDUM:
Will there be a “Revolt of the Progressives?” Here is one reaction to the speech from an important leftwing blog.
December 2nd, 2009 at 6:45 am
unless he gave General McChrystal carte blanche on new black ops inside Pakistan
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As you say, and I don’t think it should go unremarked that McCrystal’s previous command was JSOC.
December 2nd, 2009 at 3:05 pm
That’s a good point, regarding the black ops. Now that would be a big gamble, politically. But it’s one that I support. It will seal his fate in 2012 if things are exposed and do not go very, very well. But it might help to achieve our objectives. What a catch 22 for the Prez.
December 2nd, 2009 at 6:42 pm
A revolt of the "progressives" against Obama was inevitable. America is still trapped fighting the battles of the ’60s. The cultural conservatives see the loss of their old America (white, male, Christian, Anglo). The left sees America as the evil tool of the military industrial complex that must be fought at every turn. We either find a new form of political discourse, or we cease to be very relevant in the world of the 21st Century. I’m still optimistic.
December 3rd, 2009 at 2:09 pm
I must note that Schmedlap has a lengthy and interesting post worth reading: