Now watch President Obama's poll numbers go up like a rocket ship

[NNN0LHI]

They will and you know they will. They already have. Everyone has already taken their snap polls and they will reflect what I am saying. Americans love war. Not so much participating in them. Just war in general. Its in their DNA. It crosses the entire ethnic and financial spectrum. Rich, poor, black, white it doesn't make any difference. They just love war.

I don't understand the infatuation with it? We are going to need to do something about this. But its going to take time. And during war, time means lives. And money. Lots of money.

I don't know what the answer is.

Any suggestions to get around this problem?

Don

[TwilightGardener]

1. Draft would help end the problem, but I don't think it's a good idea.

[NNN0LHI]

4. If I thought it would help I would be all for it myself

I know too many parents who have a kid who they would like nothing better than to see get drafted. They can't talk them into enlisting right now. Kids too smart for them. That way the parents can sit in the tavern without have their unemployed kid bothering them for money and other stuff. And they would be very patriotic about the entire thing too. I have seen this before during times of a draft.

And the kids of the wealthy and connected would never go.

Its a horror show. I don't know how else to describe it?

Don

[Richardo]

2. I think America likes to know that someone is willing to make difficult decisions

...has articulated a way out, and isn't afraid to take the heat for it.

[jonnyblitz]

9. oh please, he took the easy and cowardly way out, by staying

and escalating. he would take MORE heat if he did the correct and noble thing by getting the fuck out yesterday like the afghani's want.

[RaleighNCDUer]

11. And announcing a withdrawal planned for immediately before the next

election. If the withdrawal is not happening he will NOT be re-elected, and he knows it.

Easy and cowardly. Right.

:eyes:

[Salviati]

3. Make people pay for it.

a tax increase that steps up progressively from 5 to 20% across the tax brackets that kicks in automatically whenever our troops are deployed. Let's see how gung-ho the average american is when we can't put the war on the credit card.

[TornadoTN]

5. The problem with that is, the rich will find a way to pass the burden on

And they'll make sure that there are loopholes that they can exploit to keep their money safe and sound. While the middle class and poor will shoulder the burden in terms of money and lives.

[tridim]

6. Americans are sick of Bush's wars and they like that we're finally ending them. nt

[onehandle]

7. I think there will be a slight bump, but not significant. 'It's the economy, stupid.' nt

[HughMoran]

8. I think they like decision making based on careful consideration

...& not on political calculation. He pissed off the left (escalation) and the right (withdrawal date) all at the same time. If this makes his numbers go up with those in the "middle", then so be it. It's not an infatuation with war - that's a bullshit argument.

[HopeHoops]

10. Rockets have been known to explode on the way up.

I hope that doesn't happen here.

[Echo In Light]

12. And if they actually don't, they still will

;)

[bvar22]

13. I don't think so.

The majority of Americans oppose the escalation.
He won't gain approval from The Right because he didn't give "The Generals" what they asked for.

Main Street is already pissed about the No strings attached Banker Bailout, and now they are going to be forced to pay for More War and send their kids?

The Left, which so far has given Obama plenty of slack, will become more vocal.
MoveOn which so far has kept quiet on The WAR , broke with the White House "Message Discipline Program" and publicly came out as OPPOSED to this escalation.



Obama has spent a lot of political capital to get his War On.
There will be a price to pay.
Ask Hillary.
If she had opposed Bush's war, she would be President Clinton today.