This is why I will vote for this man in 2012..

[HipChick]

What part of this did you not understand? If you feel betrayed, you have only yourself to blame...I don't care for the policy,but he has my support ....

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/14/opinion/14obama.html

As president, I would pursue a new strategy, and begin by providing at least two additional combat brigades to support our effort in Afghanistan. We need more troops, more helicopters, better intelligence-gathering and more nonmilitary assistance to accomplish the mission there. I would not hold our military, our resources and our foreign policy hostage to a misguided desire to maintain permanent bases in Iraq.

[Diane R]

1. Absolutely recommended.

[mike_c]

2. "If you feel betrayed, you have only yourself to blame"

Not sure I follow. Why am I to blame for Obama's betrayal of our hopes for ending an immoral and unjust war? Forgive me if that's not what you were talking about-- it's the context for so many discussions today that I thought it was the context for yours, too.

[iamjoy]

11. Well, Obama is Doing What He Said

I guess that's the point the OP is making - some people seem to act as if President Obama was supposed to get us out of Afghanistan quickly and now feel betrayed that he is escalating our involvement.

Me, I don't like the "blame" phrasing. I think there's a much gentler way to remind people of the reality of Obama's "promises" on the campaign trail. What gave you the hope that Obama would end it? I recall him saying Afghanistan was the war we needed to win. Was the war so bad and Obama so "not Bush" in your mind that you assumed he would bring our troops home? Did he make some contradictory quotes and you remember the ones about getting out of Afghanistan whereas some of us remember the more hawkish ones?

[lib2DaBone]

15. So you don't want or expect anything better?

By your words.. we knew Obama was a failure when we voted for him... so now we have to live with his bad decisions and it is our fault? Huh?

I voted for Obama because I am a Liberal and a Proressive. I had hoped Obama would be better. I voted for a chance.. a lotto ticket if you will.. a hope that we could see some change.

Little did I know there is NO DIFFERENCE between the two parties.. they are both controlled by big corporations and Wall Street.

[iamjoy]

27. I Hope, But Don't Expect

I guess I'm pragmatic. I also think of things as relative. Obama is not perfect, but he is better than any other candidate who was running in the general election. I try not to see things as black or white, either. President Obama is far from a failure. Of course I wish he weren't buying this broken item that is the Afghan war - but I can't say that he deceived us on it. As for seeing change, maybe it's time to be an optimist and see the candy bag as half full rather than blaming the giver because it's half empty.

I can be disappointed without claiming to have been deceived.

[left is right]

20. I remember that he campaigned on Iraq as bad war/Afghanistan good

I had hoped that it was just rhetoric to keep the Repukes from going nuclear. I thought it was throwing the dogs of war a small bone before we could put them safely asleep. I was wrong he meant it.

[roguevalley]

30. I hated it then. Given the choice, I voted for the dem. Doesn't mean

i have to like it totally or bear 'blame'.

[YOY]

3. We're so glad your dreams have come true, poster-I-have-never-heard-of!

You've finally gotten that pony!

Now if you will...let's bet some cold hard cash on just how successful it will be at the end of 3 years. 6 years. 9 years. 100 years.

[SoxFan]

5. Nice response, Mr. Non-Paying-Member

[YOY]

7. What is this? The church of latter day saints?

Gotta tithe 10% even when you can't afford it?

[SoxFan]

13. As we say in court, you opened the door, counselor

It costs a whopping 5 bucks. Less than a six pack of bad beer. And remember, you were the one slamming another poster for not being sufficiently visible, even though he or she had around 800 posts.

[leftstreet]

6. ...

:spray:

Next time DU lets us change screen names, that one is totally mine:

PosterIHaveNeverHeardOf

[tblue]

10. Bwaaaahahahah! Lol! Thanks for the chuckle.

[Bluebear]

22. :)

[silverweb]

4. K&R

:kick:

[QC]

8. The best thing about this post is that it's so highly original!

Why hasn't someone said these things before?

[Neecy]

39. Isn't it though?

I really enjoy the fresh perspective and the clever insights that have eluded me up until now. Thank GOD I read DU. It's never, ever repetitious when the PP squad comes bounding out of GD/P.

I'll make the OP feel at home:

[Avalux]

9. Obama is certainly true to his word. Anyone who voted for him shouldn't be surprised. n/t

[Art_from_Ark]

41. Absolutely

They shouldn't have had the AUDACITY to HOPE for CHANGE they could BELIEVE IN.

[treestar]

43. This just doesn't make sense

You knew there would be no "change" in Afghanistan.

[Art_from_Ark]

45. Personally speaking, Obama was very last on my list

of all Democratic candidates, because he was just a political neophyte with little more than mom-and-apple-pie legislation to show for his three whole years in the Senate. I held my nose and voted for him, the first time I had ever had to do that since my first presidential vote back in 1980. I never had any delusions about him. I'm just referring somewhat cynically to the slick campaign he ran based on false optimism.

[midnight]

12. Since there are permanent bases in Iraq. This strategy for the next three

years will be maintaining them will it not? And further more, why do we need more troops, more helicopters, and better intelligence gathering. First of all there are few al Qaeda in Afghanistan, and the 100 or so dangerous folks left there don't warrant such military might. Secondly,the intelligence gathering has told us ever thing we need to know. Most of the prisoners are innocent and need to be freed.

As he justified sending 30,000 more troops to Afghanistan at a cost of $30 billion a year, President Barack Obama's description Tuesday of the al Qaeda "cancer" in that country left out one key fact: U.S. intelligence officials have concluded there are only about 100 al Qaeda fighters in the entire country.President Obama made only a vague reference to the size of the al Qaeda presence in his speech at West Point, when he said, "al Qaeda has not reemerged in Afghanistan in the same number as before 9/11, but they retain their safe havens along the border."http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/president-obamas-secret-100-al-qaeda-now-afghanistan/story?id=9227861

[HipChick]

18. Your link assumes that al Qaeda is a centralized entity

[Ozymanithrax]

14. Clearly, a lot of us on the left heard the word "hope" and stopped listening...

there after.

We shoveled our own hopes into that word, and decided Obama was what they are; progressive, liberal, pacifist, fringe left, gays for equal rights, or any other constituency. The reality didn't matter.

But governing is a whole different game. In governing, he must work with the legislative branch, he must answer the needs of national security and foreign policy. Hope doesn't govern worth a damn. It takes a pragmatic politician to do that. He has my support, and unless the Republicans return to the progressive Republican policies of Teddy Roosevelt, he will have my vote in 2012. It is not in my best interests to see another Republican President elected.

[Starry Messenger]

16. Did Obama promise to turn us all into dittoheads too?

I don't remember that promise. Who said they felt betrayed? Obama isn't Bush, he doesn't need the fanatical devotion to prop him up. I'm sure he knows there are anti-war activists among his constituents and isn't going to be shocked when we start protesting. He's not a brat like Little Boots.

[aquart]

17. Yes, that was nicely said. Can't believe you bought it.

He HAD to support Afghanistan because the right would have attacked him as a wuss for wanting out of Iraq. By saying one war was good but the other was bad, he still looked strong enough for the American voter.

What is absolutely frightening is that it now looks like he believed it himself.

[Bluebear]

34. -

[O is 44]

46. I'm sorry, I have to disagree with you here...

Why did you think he would change his mind? I never picked up on the impression that he was saying this to please the right. They already were killing him on foreign policy regarding time frames in Iraq. Yeah, I hate the decision too. On another note, how awkward will it be to see him pick up that Nobel peace prize now?

[madokie]

19. I voted for the man twice now and plan to continue to do the same

I figure he has a lot better grasp on the situation there than even the best minds here have no clue of.

[Bluebear]

21. 'you have only yourself to blame' - well done, you have the talking point down pat!

[Skittles]

35. can you believe these folk, PT?

sometimes I have to double-check to make sure I'm really on a Democratic board

[Bluebear]

37. Funny she didn't meantion all these friends she has leaving for Afghanistan last night

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x7149567

[girl gone mad]

23. Forgive me, but that's an odd reason to vote for someone.

[StarfarerBill]

24. And if and when the surge goes bad, will we be to blame for that, too?

Bad as in a strengthened insurgency caused by our escalated counterinsurgency; many more dead Afghans and soldiers, refugees, destroyed villages, more IEDs, no end in sight.

[cbdo2007]

28. I can honestly say as one of the biggest proponents of Obama and the "surge" here

the past few days....that I'm sure we all will hold him responsible if we don't see some major progress in Afghanistan by the next election.

You know the Repubes would have made a 2013 pull out date so that if the surge didn't work by then it wouldn't effect them in the election....Obama did just the opposite. He is waging his entire second term on this, that's how sure he is that this is going to make a difference and if there isn't some major progress it is very, very likely that he won't be re-elected.

Personally, I will absolutely "blame" Obama and hold him responsible if this doesn't work. He's taking a big risk here that is taking over health care and will define his First Term. I think he's brave for sticking his neck out like this and putting all his cards on the table.

[AllentownJake]

25. I voted for him despite of this

:shrug:

[Skittles]

36. GET WITH THE PROGRAM, JAKE

IF YOU VOTED FOR HIM YOU MUST HAVE AGREED THAT ALL WAR ALL THE TIME IN AFGHANISTAN IS A FUCKING GOOD IDEA

[99 Percent Sure]

26. I still support and trust him although I wish he wasn't

escalating the Afghanistan war and borrowing dough from China to do so, wish he didn't have certain folk in his cabinet and as econ advisors, wish he hadn't re-upped the Patriot Act, wish he'd taken a different stance re land mines, wish he'd included a massive jobs creation provision in the ARRA, blah blah blah.

In his election speech at Grant Park, he said we wouldn't always agree; he was right. But still. . . .

I'm disappointed in his Afghanistan policy, but then I was disappointed with his stance on this during the campaign. Having considered this thing from all angles, I don't know that it would be the best thing were we to do the Russia and hat up posthaste, but then I'm also not totally believing that this is only about al-Queda.

Yeah, we've been there, done that before in Afghanistan, but he's obviously not going to unring the bell now.

We should let him know how we feel via the WH comment line-202.456.1111 or via email at whitehouse.gov. That's what I suggest. Maybe it won't change anything, but a massive electronic and telephonic outpouring from the people is more proactive than merely posting our outrage and denigrating him on message boards.

That is all.

[NYC_SKP]

29. Thanks, HipChick, but I warn you- many here will try to beat you down. But don't worry...

There are so many more of us than there are of them.

We just aren't quite as noisy about it.

:toast:

[Bluebear]

32. Actually every DU poll favors de-escalation of Afghanistan, so what do you mean?

[NYC_SKP]

47. She wrote "I don't care for the policy, but he has my support..." and, you know...

Supporting the president has been deemed, by some here, to be tantamount to supporting murder and war.

That's pretty apparent.

Emphasis on the phrase, "by SOME here".

EDITED to add: Just read some of the replies in this thread...

:patriot:

[gleaner]

31. Maybe I do not understand what you mean ....

when you write: "If you feel betrayed, you have only yourself to blame..." If you take this logic to its final conclusion, why not blame all victims of attacks of any kind whether they are verbal or physical for their own violation?

I accept responsibility for my own actions, but I am not going to do it for anyone else's actions. If someone betrays my trust it is their problem, not mine. It is not shameful to trust, but it is shameful to betray. No matter how that is parsed or worded, that is how I feel. Unfortunately, there is not much I can do about it except not to make the same mistake twice. I won't trust Obama again. And when he runs for office again that will be his problem.

So you vote for whomever you like. You admire whomever you want to admire and for whatever reasons you have for doing it. But please refrain from impinging the rest of us because we do not agree with your feelings or accept that we are all somehow to blame for decisions Obama freely makes and actions he chooses to take. Those are his responsibility, and he will live with the outcome of what he does or does not do in that context.

In the meantime, shall I go and tell my neighbor who was shot at in his car by strangers that he was really to blame because he was in the wrong place at the wrong time, or do I mistake your meaning.

Besides, it was not just the one thing was it? He hasn't kept many of his promises or been particularly proactive about anything he promised to do.

[HipChick]

33. wow..you certainly read a lot of meaning into things..maybe a magic wand would help

in just 1yr? for 8yrs of being Bushed?

[gleaner]

48. I read what I see .....

It means what I interpret it to mean. When I am not sure, I ask. Usually that is not a problem for people who want what they say to be understood. Usually analysis of material meant to inform is considered to be a good thing. Asking questions to better understand it constitutes a form of education. Since you did not write what I am questioning, I am wondering what the problem is for you when I ask for clarification?

As for the one year, it hasn't been that long. But for discussion's sake I'll use your timeline. It doesn't take that long to stand up and speak out for Health Care Reform, or to gather other Democrats around you and try to get them to come on board. I have seen no evidence of this, have you? Or is whatever comes out of Congress acceptable to you?

It doesn't take a year to try to alleviate unemployment by moving in the direction of creating jobs either by restricting the offshore movement of companies who take the jobs away, or by beginning a discussion with the members of your party about how to get government involved in a program to help create jobs. It doesn't take a year to begin a meaningful discussion about safety nets for the poor and how best to raise their standard of living. Can you link me to any information that this is occurring, because I surely have not seen any.

It doesn't take a year to address what you have promised to do and explain what obstacles you are facing to try to do it. I haven't seen any explanations from the President of why he hasn't done what he campaigned on. I have seen him recertify the Patriot Act which is probably still as unconditional as it always was. I have seen him continue the US presence in Afghanistan which is the one thing he did say he would do and then escalate it beyond reason. He managed to do that in a year. I see him spending a lot of time with Republicans even though he has enough of a majority without them to have begun reshaping national policy significantly without them. And who wanted their input anyway? As you point out we have already had eight long years of it.

I have seen people who admire the President make one excuse after another to try and rationalize his behavior and lack of impetus. But as I have pointed out in many posts, that is up to them. In my opinion which is all I am responsible for, other than trying to be a good citizen, you can't rationalize, or make excuses for or try to create something that isn't there. If I don't choose to do that it is no one's concern except my own.

What I am getting tired of though, is everyone telling me that I have no right to my concerns, that I must agree with everything the President does or does not do and that I better be quiet if I can't bring myself to do that. The newest wrinkle is that it is somehow my fault if the President fails to perform actions which are necessary and does perform actions which are untenable. In other words if I feel there is nothing to celebrate in the leadership of this country, then I am to blame for it. It is not that I am having a reaction to something that needs to be or should be done. Blame the victims, who are all of us who don't like what is happening? Apparently. That is what I was questioning and that is what I'm not going to buy or accept from anyone. If you have dreams and ideals, fine. Enjoy them, but leave my thoughts alone. I will tell you what they are. I do not need to have anyone interpret my thoughts for me. If you don't like what I write, don't read it or block me. That is your choice. You should keep your "magic wand." I don't think I'm going to be needing it. I'll get what I need the old fashioned way; I'll think about it and arrive at my own conclusions.

[blue_onyx]

38. I don't feel betrayed

On this issue, I disagreed with him then and I disagree with now. Just because people voted for Obama doesn't mean they approved of his position on every issue.

[ima_sinnic]

40. so what if he never "promised" to end the war in Af? I should have not voted?

he was wrong then, and he's even more wrong now. AFter seeing him in action for a year, I'm not "betrayed." That happened a long time ago, around the time he appointed Bernanke, Geithner, Summers--oh, and Judd Gregg, of all the bone-headed loser appointments. Oh, and again when he did nothing to promote real healthcare reform. He gave that job to the insurance co. whore himself, Max Baucus, after outright LYING that "hearings" would be open to all voices (as doctors and nurses were forced out of the hearing room for promoting single-payer).
So I was "betrayed" a long time ago, and expected nothing less from the corporate ass-kisser. Afghanistan is quite lucrative. How could he pass that up? There's too much money to be made there for the killing to end, too many corrupt people like Karzai to put in place, at the expense of our children's lives.
He can go to hell, and that's why I WON'T be voting for him again.

on edit: and btw, no, I don't have "only myself" to blame. I blame him for betraying the trust of the voters with the aforementioned bone-head appts of repukes and highway robbers and everything else along the way that made it so easy for him to keep his "promise" of endless war. But in a way, I do have "only myself" to blame for voting at all.

[Algorem]

42. "more nonmilitary assistance"

"send me more campaign cash,Blackwater"

[leeroysphitz]

44. Rah rah rah. n/t