Will Republicans now have to support Obama on something, or do a 180 on their war?

[Atman]

Could be a shrewd political calculation. I am not suggesting Obama is sending troops for political reasons. However, realizing he is backed into a corner, he gives the GOP just what it wants. Now what will they do? Do some of them have to start supporting him, and then explain to their constituents why they oppose health care but support an unpopular war?

It may turn out that Obama did what he genuinely felt he had to do, strategically, while forcing Republicans to but our money where their mouths are. Now, when the Democrats go looking for that war tax, the Republicans who wanted this expansion will have to explain why they aren't willing to pay for it.

Hey, forgive me for looking for a ray of sunshine.

.

[VMI Dem]

1. Their war?

LOL.

[Atman]

7. They're probably THRILLED that so many Dems are willing to pass it off to Obama.

Really. Keep up the good work. You make the Republican's job of selling this bullshit so much easier.

.

[VMI Dem]

10. They're thrilled alright.

[DJ13]

2. No, now they simply say it should have been 60,000

They would NEVER be against a war.

[babylonsister]

3. Damned good question. nt

[malaise]

4. MCGramps already presented their

talking points - they wanted an open-ended commitment so they'll support the escalation and attack him for giving them a deadline.

[havocmom]

17. Meghan is whining that Obama didn't give the general everything.

If he had done that, the GOP would accuse him of being brass whipped.

The GOP just wants to piss and moan. Now they will have to bend themselves into pretzels to do it, but they will still grumble.

[gateley]

5. I just can't fathom them supporting Obama on ANYTHING. Even if he endorsed a

Republican candidate! NOTHING. This'll be interesting.

Come to think of it, we haven't seen any statements except from McCain. They must be coming up with a plausible (in their minds) reaction.

[RKP5637]

16. I'm surprised they didn't do/want an immediate rebuttal as Obama left to podium. n/t

[shadowknows69]

6. That may be a silver lining, but at what cost is gained political coin?

Soldier's lives says the bill of sale.

[Atman]

9. Sadly, that is the ultimate point. More sadly still, it is not being viewed that way.

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[cbdo2007]

8. I think you just hit the political nail on the head.

While I agree with obama that it's going to take this surge to be able to pull out in 3 years, this is just freakin brilliant politically!!

Their biggest hit against him in 2008 was his lack of defense stuff and now he's doing exactly the right thing to end the war and they'll look stupid to not support him. The 50 Repubes then that jump ship and back him in 2012 will make up for the 50 DU'ers who claim they aren't going to vote for him now in 2012.

[Jack Rabbit]

11. They can't just do a 180 on their war

They have to do a 180 on their war and pretend Obama got us into Afghanistan just last week.

[TheCowsCameHome]

12. He's taken the oxygen out of their whining and moaning.

Even the OxyPig will be stammering and stuttering more than usual tomorrow.

[Warpy]

13. I've been cruising around

and it seems what the smarter ones will do is try to manipulate war haters into being Obama haters and Democrat haters.

Sadly, they'll succeed with some of them.

One thing to remember is that unlike Stupid's wars, this one is not to be open ended.

Another is how bare bones this speech was, depleted of all sort of jingoistic boosterism about truth, justice and supoeriority of the American way and peace through waging war. He also mentioned what it will really take to reduce the threat of international terror from these loons: intelligence, police work, and international cooperation.

I don't like this buildup and think the objectives might be attained without throwing more of our children at the effort. However, I don't have access to the kind of information he does, whether or not it's biased by generals whose business is to keep a war going in a vain hope an unwinnable one can be won.

However, the only reason we're there at all right now is because STUPID/CHENEY FUCKED UP, and that is the one thing we need to keep in the forefront of any discussion. Had they seen the mission there through instead of pulling back, letting them go to destabilize Pakistan, and ignore the whole thing while they chased rainbows in Iraq, we'd likely have done the job, done some rebuilding, and been the hell out of there years ago.

That's really the bottom line here. We're not there because Obama likes the idea of sending soldiers to their deaths. We're there because the last administration were a bunch of FUCKUPS.

[Atman]

15. I wish I could rec replies.

Well said.

The reminder everyone needs to hear over and over again.

.

[cbdo2007]

18. Everyone here on DU needs to read your response. Very well said.

Obama is just cleaning up someone else's mess and none of us sitting in front of our computers could do a better job of it than he can.

The last administration was literally a nightmare and I support Obama with whatever he thinks we need to do to begin taking us back in the right direction.

[dhpgetsit]

14. Niether. They will bash him for not sending more troops and

not comitting our sons and daughters to an open-ended deployment.

I say we need to re-enact the draft, and anyone who supports the conflict should be immediately drafted. Put your money where your mouth is, so to speak.

[laughingliberal]

19. Look for a drumbeat which started with McCain tonight

They'll bitch cause he set a timeline for withdrawal which (OMG) is giving our plan away to the ENEMY!!!!