What Do You Think Of President Obama's 6 Hour Afghanistan Visit?

[No DUplicitous DUpe]

What Do You Think Of President Obama's 6 Hour Afghanistan Visit?
(note: This OP is from a friend of mine who would like your thoughts on the presidents trip)

Nearly nine years and many deaths, many severe injuries, many orphans and billions of dollars into the Afghan War, Mr. Obama sneaked into that nation last weekend for six hours. There was no great Afghan welcome for Mr. Obama who got out ASAP.

In Afghanistan, what is the difference between Mr. Obama and Mr. Bush? In Iraq, there is no difference. Despite his promises to end the Iraq War in 16 months, he instead adopted Mr. Bush's Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) and the War goes on.

In Afghanistan, Mr. Obama escalated the War, much as Mr. Bush likely would have done and he told the U.S. troops, they were there because the U.S. was "viciously attacked" by people who "operate within the confines of Afghanistan." In other words, like Mr. Bush, he used the horror of 9/11 to justify a military invasion and occupation of a sovereign nation, despite it violating international and U.S. law.

What do you think? If you think Mr. Obama's brutal actions will bring peace, please explain how, something Mr. Obama does not do. What would you do different? What would you say to our Afghan and Iraqi brethren? How would you bring them peace?

Dear Reader, New York Times reporter Stephen Crowley describes what he saw while on this secret assignment, using the title, "To Afghanistan, in Darkness and Secrecy," http://lens.blogs.nytimes.com:80/2010/03/30/assignment-31/

[polichick]

1. imo the terrorist threat is being used the same way as the communist threat...

...as a way to perpetuate endless wars for profit by U.S. gov't partners at the expense of taxpayers and the world.

President Obama is just the last in a long line of complicit or enabling players.

[No DUplicitous DUpe]

8. Sadly, I must agree with your comment.

"perpetuate endless wars" it's the American way!

[mcollins]

2. He should have taken a big plane.

And brought all our people home.

[Gruenemann]

3. He should've listened to this first.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uXnJVkEX8O4

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

4. About the same as I thought about LBJ's photo ops in that other lost war. K&R

An attempt to sell FUBAR by calling it "peace making".

[el_bryanto]

5. Well he's committed to it

Obviously a lot of people here disagree with us being there and in Iraq - fair enough.

I will say arguing that Obama somehow won't defend his Iraq or Afghanistan policies is a bit disingenuous - obviously he has and he will. You might disagree with his explanations - but he does have reasons. http://www.whitehouse.gov/the_press_office/Whats-New-in-the-Strategy-for-Afghanistan-and-Pakistan/ for example.

Again, I take it as read that most here will disagree with his assessment - but he does have an assessment.

Bryant

[zipplewrath]

6. Okay, you asked

Nearly nine years and many deaths, many severe injuries, many orphans and billions of dollars into the Afghan War, Mr. Obama sneaked into that nation last weekend for six hours. There was no great Afghan welcome for Mr. Obama who got out ASAP.

He inherited this mess. I don't agree with his approach, and I think in the long run he will regret it. This won't end well no matter how he gets us out, IF he gets out.

In Afghanistan, what is the difference between Mr. Obama and Mr. Bush? In Iraq, there is no difference. Despite his promises to end the Iraq War in 16 months, he instead adopted Mr. Bush's Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) and the War goes on.

Well, I'm as oppose to anyone to what he's chosen to do, but the difference between the SOFA and the 16 months was like 2 months. I'm not going to quibble quite that much. My concern has always been that it isn't clear what purpose we remain. Our people are still dying. THEIR people are still dying. When we're done we'll have created a strong ally for Iran, a moderate threat for Saudi Arabia, and another nation that objects to the existence of the state of Israel. And that's the good news. The bad news is that the Kurds may decide they'll go their own way. Turkey will love that.

In Afghanistan, Mr. Obama escalated the War, much as Mr. Bush likely would have done and he told the U.S. troops, they were there because the U.S. was "viciously attacked" by people who "operate within the confines of Afghanistan." In other words, like Mr. Bush, he used the horror of 9/11 to justify a military invasion and occupation of a sovereign nation, despite it violating international and U.S. law.

The original attack did not seriously violate international law. NATO invaded Afghanistan, not just the US. I do object to the continued use of 9/11 to justify continued military action in Afghanistan. The original combatants aren't there, they are in Pakistan. The current government is corrupt and hardly worthy of our support. The forces fighting there are lightly armed and do not demand the heavy military capacity of the US. If the Afghan people were united in any meaningful way, they could defend their own country. Huge numbers of the combatants are Afghans who object to the current government. "The" Taliban is an oxymoron in that it is a general title about a disparate group of people, some indigenous and some not. Obama ran on a policy of engaging Afghanistan diplomatically and economically. His use of military force was expressed in terms of the Afghan/Pakistan border pursing those elements of Al Queada that still threaten us. At this point is is predominately a military effort and it is being reported to be going "too slow" and will result in large number of American AND Afghan casualties, many of which will be innocents caught in OUR crossfire.

What do you think? If you think Mr. Obama's brutal actions will bring peace, please explain how, something Mr. Obama does not do. What would you do different? What would you say to our Afghan and Iraqi brethren? How would you bring them peace?

Define Peace? Afghan has not been at peace for some time. It has not been unified for some time. It has little in the way of an economy, other than opium and little prospects for the future. At the very best one can hope for a future along the line of Yemen, Somalia or several other African countries. A pure fantasy would be for it to achieve the level of Columbia or Mexico. We did not create these problems, although we stood by and watched them be created. The US is not the sole market for the opium by any stretch of the imagination. The ONLY hope I have for Afghanistan is that it becomes internally sufficient enough to prevent spilling into neighboring countries. The neighboring country of concern is Pakistan. That is the region that should be our focus.

[No DUplicitous DUpe]

11. Thank you. What jumped out at me, reading your comments...

was...
Our people are still dying. THEIR people are still dying. When we're done we'll have created a strong ally for Iran, a moderate threat for Saudi Arabia, and another nation that objects to the existence of the state of Israel. And that's the good news. The bad news is that the Kurds may decide they'll go their own way. Turkey will love that.

Great post, BTW.

[dkofos]

7. About the same as bush's midnight visits.

[jaxx]

9. The article is like day and night to the questions here.

I don't see the comparison at all.

[Hubert Flottz]

10. Where's the Rubber Turkey and the Soldier suit?

Maybe he hid the easter eggs?

[earth mom]

12. Empty actions, empty promises, empty suit. nt

[spanone]

13. bring the boys & girls home.

[No DUplicitous DUpe]

14. Now that's a great idea...

I wish it would catch on.

[upi402]

15. good thing n/t