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It’s so funny to hear all the Republicans like McCain and their fellow travelers like Lieberman complain about Obama’s having an exit strategy instead of an unending commitment to quagmire. As not-so-ancient history shows, Republicans hate exit strategies only when they’re applied by Democrats to wars Republicans started, such as Iraq and Afghanistan.
When Democrats start wars, Republicans are all about the exit strategy — as they showed when opposing President Clinton’s Kosovo actions back in the late ’90s. Crooks and Liars back in 2005 put together a whole list of juicy exit-strategy-praising quotes from prominent Republicans, including my personal favorite from George W. Bush — who within three years after this statement would be starting his own exit-strategy-free wars of choice:
"Victory means exit strategy, and it’s important for the President to explain to us what the exit strategy is."
Preach it, Georgie!
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That’s when Republicans liked smaller budgets. And tax cuts for the middle class, not the rich. And…well, we could go on all day.
A-yep.
There is a difference between exit strategy and exit time certain or even timeline.
A strategy to accomplish your purpose and leave is a good idea. Setting a date when you are going to leave–independent of what is happening–is a bad idea.
This applies to anything. Saying you are going to reform health care until all have coverage is a good idea. Saying you are going to reform health care until June of 2010 is a bad idea. The opponents will just stall you until then–leaving you exiting with nothing.
But, you all got the political one-two. Obama, when speaking, stressed the timetable and “can’t stay forever” for you. Today, his advisors are up on the Hill stressing the “dictated by conditions on the ground” side of the equation. You got to hear what you wanted to hear, but the military got the policy and meat of it.
Maybe someone can find a quote to the contrary, but I don’t think any Republican advocated that Bill Clinton give a date for getting out of Kosovo when Clinton begin the action.
Exit strategy, different than exit date.
Think like the other side. If you were the Taliban, and knew a date for pullout, what would you do?
You wouldn’t be stupid. You’d be smart. You’re going to be there a long time. So, you get quiet, lay low, wait for Obama to say, “Well, things are good now, so we’re going.” And then you come out of the bushes.
When you are convinced the other side is going to stay until you are defeated, you can’t lay low.
Everyone knows the Afghan army is not going to ready to fight anytime soon. 18 months or 30 months. In fact, knowing the US is leaving is 18 months, what would you do? Would you throw in your lot with someone who is going to leave you at the mercy of the Taliban and find yourself swinging from a goal post at a stadium one day?
No, you don’t say, “Oh, I better shape up cause in 18 months they are leaving, and we’ll have to fend for ourselves.” You say, “I better get to the door quick and appear like I am on the Taliban side.” You would hedge your bet.
There are people who still listen to the Republicans, believe what they say, and trust and defend them. That’s why there is no hope for this country, because a country of stupid people acts stupidly.
The few who are not in that crowd, will be upset things didn’t go their way, and again go back and vote for them again wanting change, and getting back the shit they just got rid of.
We don’t have a much better look for the future than Afghanistan, because they and the Military Industrial Complex will have all our money, what’s left will be given to all the big Corpoations, and China will own us.
Oh what a wonderful Country we have.
It’s something I would like to more about. Americans at one time wanted nothing to do with foreign wars, and not that long ago. I found this our of a book review.
small town america opposed to entering the war against nazi germany.
WWI we got nothing out of except WWII.
WWII we won after spending ourselfs in to oblivion, and ended up with two countries to rebuild.
Korea we ended it in an armistis, and got Korea today with nukes.
Vietnam we left with our tails between our legs after losing all those good men, and the cost of the war.
The Balkins ?
Ist Gulf war we got Sadam out of Kuait, after he torched all the oil wells, and left him so we had a reason for the Iraq war.
Iraq war we think we did some kind of winning but the day after we leave may tell the real tale.
Afghanistan What The Fuck are we doing there.
Throw in what happened in Somalia, Baruit, Saudi tower, and our great wins in Grenada, and the getting Noreaga we have a great run of success.
The worlds greatest military and world power, and it fucks up almost everything it touches.
Then if you consider it’s job is to protect us. the two times we needed them as in Pearl Harbor and 911, they failed us miserably.
Right this minute if an enemy army was to surprize invade our shores they could atke us in a flash, because all our armed forces and equipment are overseas. What’s left here is far from ready to jump into action.
We are the biggest fools the world has ever known when it comes to our Military. As we are seeing in Iraq and Afghanistan, it can’t even handle two little countries, what the hell would we do if a major power was the problem. Nuke um, that the only thing we have to fall back on.
P. S. Weren’t the Repubicans in charge for much of this? The DEMs have actually had a better record as to wars than the Repubs.
We started the cold war, and only lost to the Russians because we out spent them. If you doubt this? Ask yourself who had the bomb fist and was a threat to the other guy. They were just trying to defend themselves against us and who could blame them for that.