Obama's Wrong Yet Again; Not Bringing Home Troops as Promised

When Obama discusses tax increases, cap-and-trade, and immigration "reform," think about how wrong he has been is on major policy proposals.

Remember, less than a year ago, after months of "contemplation," which some called stalling, President Obama assured us that he would withdraw troops from Afghanistan in July 2011?

The troop surge, he said, will "allow us to begin the transfer of our forces out of Afghanistan in July of 2011."

“After 18 months, our troops will begin to come home,” he said flatly.

An assertion that he echoed as recently as last May.

Well, not so fast:

The Obama administration has decided to begin publicly walking away from what it once touted as key deadlines in the war in Afghanistan in an effort to de-emphasize President Barack Obama's pledge that he'd begin withdrawing U.S. forces in July 2011, administration and military officials have told McClatchy Newspapers. ...the administration hopes to introduce a timeline that calls for the withdrawal of U.S. and NATO forces from Afghanistan by 2014,

What possibly could have happened in the last few months to make such a significant policy change? It seems they underestimated the gravity of the situtation on the ground.

The shift already has begun privately and came in part because U.S. officials realized that conditions in Afghanistan were unlikely to allow a speedy withdrawal.

"During our assessments, we looked at if we continue to move forward at this pace, how long before we can fully transition to the Afghans? Of course, we are not going to fully transition to the Afghans by July 2011," said one senior administration official. "Right now, we think we can start in 2011 and fully transition sometime in 2014."

That sounds eerily familiar.

Or, maybe there are other, more obvious reasons:

"In some ways, we think right now it is probably giving our enemy sustenance," (retiring General James Conway), the Marine Corps' commandant, said of the July 2011 deadline. "In fact we've intercepted communications that say, 'Hey, you know, we only need to hold out for so long.'"

Who could have seen that coming?

Whatever the reason for the sudden turn, the timetable for Afghanistan is yet another in a growing list of major policy positions that Obama simply screwed up.

• Remember when he told us that the "stimulus" package would keep unemployment below 8%? Missed it by that much.
• Then he promised that the health care "reform" would lower costs and not increase the deficit? Well, not exactly.
• Nor, it seems, will we get to keep our doctor.
  
• And, that Cash for Clunkers rebate was going to stimulate the economy and help the environment. Only if you think spending $3 billion to to reduce gasoline consumption by 0.2% (less than a single day's gasoline use) and "make the nation as a whole $1.4 billion poorer" is a good thing.
• Then the realization that he can't close the Guantanamo Bay prison because there might actually be some bad guys there.
  

Hey, we all make mistakes. I am just asking that you keep in mind Obama's track record of accurate assessment when you hear him glorify cap-and-trade, immigration reform, tax increases not hurting the economy, and so on.

Now aren't you glad you elected someone for president with no experience, based on a bumper sticker slogan?

Obama: Will He Say We "Won" the Iraq War or "I" Ended It?

When President Obama addresses the nation from the Oval Office tonight, he will be declaring a "formal" end to a war he stridently opposed and called a "foreign policy disaster" as a Senator and presidential candidate.

Driving home his point, the president said, "The bottom line is this: The war is ending. Like any sovereign, independent nation, Iraq is free to chart its own course. And by the end of next year, all of our troops will be home."

Interesting words from someone who vehemently opposed the troop surge that apparently has allowed Iraq to become a "sovereign, independent nation." Vice President Biden also opposed the surge and introduced a non-binding resolution opposing the surge.

Not to belabor this point; but, as a wordsmith, I am curious to see how he addresses the Iraq war and his role in the war. It seems, as he has in the past, he will take credit for all the good:

"As a candidate for this office, I pledged I would end this war. As president, that is what I am doing," Obama said.

And he will take credit for what President Bush negotiated:

"In the months ahead, our troops will continue to support and train Iraqi forces, partner with Iraqis in counterterrorism missions and protect our civilian and military efforts," Obama said, a day before ending his 10-day Martha's Vineyard vacation...

And he will certainly not remind us that he introduced legislation to bring the troops home from Iraq in March 2008. (Even before he became president, he seemed to have a disdain for the US Constitution).

But, will he say that the United States was victorious in Iraq, or just that combat missions are over. Will Obama say we "won" the war; or, simply that it is over?

What about the families of the service men and women who died in Iraq. What does Obama say to them? You lost your loved ones in the war, but their sacrifice helped us end the war sooner? What about the soldiers in Afghanistan; will the Commander-in-Chief settling for "ending" the war be much of an inspiration to them?

For those of us with a love of language, it should be an interesting speech.