Obama Afghanistan War Speech Bombs: Withdrawal Timetable Mocked
As President Obama delivered his incongruous address, the audience of college-aged West Point cadets were noticeably wary of their Commander-in-Chief, presaging post-speech commentary.
Senator John McCain, who reportedly warned Obama privately against declaring a withdrawal timetable, promulgated his admonition: "Success is what dictates dates for withdrawal and if we don't have that success and we only set an arbitrary date, it emboldens our enemies and dispirits our friends."
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell echoed Senator McCain's concerns: "As this surge of forces produces results in security, governance and in capabilities of the Afghanistan Security Forces, we must ensure that the transition of responsibilities is based on conditions, not timetables."
Criticism of the president's Afghanistan policy was not limited to Republican lawmakers. Afghanistan parliamentarian Shukriya Barakzai stated that she was frustrated with President Obama's speech: "It seems to me that President Obama is very far away from reality ....," she said. Past U.S. ambassador to Afghanistan, Ronald Neumann, agreed that it is a "real risk" to establish a withdrawal timetable that could encourage resoluteness by the Taliban and other insurgents. Speaking of Obama's overall strategy, Bruce Riedel of The Brookings Institution, a former CIA and White House adviser, stated: "This is ... a bold gamble...."
Some thought to be among President Obama's most fawning supporters offered particularly derisive comments about the withdrawal timetable. For instance, left-wing extremist Michael Moore mocked Obama: "I can understand why Republicans and some of the people on the right are like, 'what are you doing setting a deadline?' It's ... crazy-if they're truly the enemy you don't say 'we're going to fight you until 2:00 on July 2, 2011.' If they're the enemy you fight them 'til they're done-until you win and they lose," he told CNN's Larry King.
MSNBC leftist chinwagger, Chris Matthews, who once said that Obama sends a thrill up his leg, also ridiculed the withdrawal timetable as he pretended to speak for Islamic terrorists: "I'd put a little Post-it up that says, 'This is when we'll do our surge'," he said. Radical leftist, John Heilemann of New York Magazine, added that President Obama's withdrawal timetable "raises the Sword of Damocles over his head."
Criticism and derision of President Obama's withdrawal timetable comes at a particularly inauspicious time for the White House. A new survey by Gallup, Inc. shows that only 35 percent of Americans approve of Obama's handling of the Afghanistan War.
To read more from this author CLICK HERE.
Source(s):
Bohan, Caren. "Obama to send more troops seek Afghanistan exit," Reuters
Hardball with Chris Matthews, MSNBC
Jones, Jeffrey M. "Obama Approval on Afghanistan, at 35%, Trails Other Issues," Gallup, Inc.
Landay, Jonathan S. "Obama's focus on withdrawal could jeopardize Afghan mission," McClatchy Newspapers
Larry King Live, CNN
Montopoli, Brian. "Obama Afghanistan Speech: Early Reaction," CBS NEWS
Published by J.C. Grant
A writer interested in education, finance, health, history, law, music, polemics, politics, satire, sports, statistics, travel, and trivia. View profile
- U.S. Withdrawal from Iraq The ongoing violence in Iraq has pushed the issue of when and how America can begin to withdraw its troops. The issue of withdrawal turns out to be important for more than just Americans.
- McCain and Romney: Which GOP Candidate is Most Out of Touch with Voters on Iraq? John McCain attacks Mitt Romney for wanting to establish a timetable for withdrawal of troops from Iraq. Romney responds by declaring he has no such desire. And meanwhile, a landslide-level of voters continue to exp...
- Pres. Bush: Give Me Five Things that Must Be Accomplished in Iraq Before US Troops... Pres. Bush refuses to discuss a timetable for withdrawal. That means either he has no plans to for US troops to withdraw or there are goals that must be met. If he cannot provide those goals, then US troops should st...
- Dear President Obama: I Have the Health Care Reform Answer Dear President Obama; I just wanted to reach you, one more time and share just one little thought with you again, sir. I'd like that thought to be: I love you President Obama. I'm glad you made it to the Preside...
-
Saying and Doing: President Obama and the Peace Prize
President Obama gets caught yet again between a rock and a strange place
- The Bush Administration's Re-Branding of "The War on Terror"
- Bush Vetoes the Withdrawal Timetable Proposition
- What Should Obama Do in Afghanistan?
- If George W. Bush Demanded a Timetable for Withdrawal from Kosovo, Why Won't He Of...
- Reality Dictates Conditions-Based Iraq Timetable
- President Bush Vetoes Bill with Timetable of Withdrawal from Iraq
- Iraqi Prime Minister Demands Timetable for U.S. Withdrawal
|
|
- Can cats make their owners schizophrenic? (The Week)
- 10 things you need to know today: February 12, 2012 (The Week)
- 10 things you need to know today: February 11, 2012 (The Week)
- Grammy Awards preview: Top 5 reasons to watch (The Week)
- No Fun Allowed: L.A. Beaches Ban Footballs, Frisbees, and Sand Digging (ContributorNetwork)
13 Comments
Post a Commentgreat report, I have to say this line summed it all up for me and even caused a giggle:
"if they're truly the enemy you don't say 'we're going to fight you until 2:00 on July 2, 2011.'
Fantastic report JC, will share this one on Fb
Let's see..we have a 'commander in chief' (a term now used loosely) that saves his passion for speeches to ACORN, SEIU & Planned Parenthood NOT when addressing the nation to rally support for the troops & the war effort..why because his heart is not in National Security or being a CIC. It is the same POTUS that rushed to judgment toward an American arresting a man for dis-con, but orders us not to rush to judgment in regards to another American waging jihad upon other Americans...and the same POTUS that gives inside information via a national stage to foreign jihadists killing Americans that he will no longer stand in their way on July 11. If this is not bad enough we STILL have Americans supporting & defending this man...what does that say about the citizenry....
The timetable is great info... for the Taliban.
Great and important story. When Michael Moore and John McCain are on the same page, it's a page we'd better read. My take on the Pres was that he was so dispassionate and unemotional. These are people's lives we're talking about. God bless our military! Thanks for this.
Personally, I find it very alarming to think that Michael Moore is the voice of reason.
I will side with Sherry here! Ugh! Good report!
All I'll say is that I like what 'seriously screwed'wrote.
Great report. Dear God please watch over our military and this country..'cause the powers that be are a little shaky at it.
Maybe my head's in the sand, but I've turned off the TV so that I don't see these presidential speeches. That doesn't account for the President's head being in the sand too.