"What Is Obama Getting Us into in Afghanistan?" by Jim Hightower

[StarfarerBill]

"Hi-ho, hi-ho, it's off to war we go! Pound the drums loudly, stand with your country proudly!

"Wait, wait, wait — hold it right there. Cut the music, slow the rush, and let's all ponder what Barack Obama, Roberts Gates, Stanley McChrystal and Co. are getting us into ... and whether we really want to go there. After all, just because the White House and the Pentagon brass are waving the flag and insisting that a major escalation of America's military mission in Afghanistan is a "necessity" doesn't mean it is ... or that We the People must accept it.

Remember the wisdom of Mark Twain about war-whooping generals and politicians: 'Loyalty to the country, always. Loyalty to the government when it deserves it.'"

http://www.alternet.org/world/144319/hightower%3A_what_is_obama_getting_us_into_in_afghanistan

[Orsino]

1. Um, I'm as ant-war as Hightower could wish...

...but the president isn't getting us into anything new. This isn't the start of a war--it's a further delay in its ending.

[StarfarerBill]

2. I think an escalation could be considered new, and whether it's a delay or a perpetuation...

...remains to be seen; given Afghanistan's history vis a vis invaders, I think the latter will be more likely...until we've had enough, and leave to cut our losses.

[Orsino]

3. If only.

I'm unlikely ever to support an escalation of war, but if I thought that some new strategy were in the works, I could credit the president with brains, at least.

Delay in withdrawal only makes our national failure more his fault.

[StarfarerBill]

5. I agree, which is another reason I want to see withdrawal now rather than later.

[berni_mccoy]

4. That's laughable. Bush created a disaster and Obama must clean it up.

[StarfarerBill]

6. And if it isn't "cleaned up", only drawn out and made more disastrous?

[spanone]

7. if?

[StarfarerBill]

8. Anything is possible, but I'm not willing to support that as a justification for escalation.

[bvar22]

9. Thats IT. Clean it up with more bullets and bombs and killing of civilians!

Thats sure to work.
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