Joe Galloway: Mr. President, Take Your Time

[unhappycamper]

Mr. President, Take Your Time
Joe Galloway | November 16, 2009

President Barack Obama has yet to decide where we're going and what we're doing in Afghanistan, but if the flood of leaks this week is any indicator, he at least has decided what he isn't going to do.

He isn't going to be rushed into making such an important decision.

He seemingly is unwilling to buy a pig in a poke from any of the players -- not from Gen. Stanley McChrystal, the top U.S. military commander in Afghanistan, who wants another 40,000 to 80,000 American troops; not from his own national security wizards who've proffered four different pigs in four different pokes; not from Vice President Joe Biden, who wants to leave the fight to Special Forces and unmanned Predators.

The word is that none of the options contains what the president wants to see -- an estimate of how many more years beyond the eight already invested would be needed and an exit strategy.

~snip~

Simple question and a vital requirement: How much longer will it take, and how do we get out when that time is up?


Rest of article at: http://www.military.com/opinion/0,15202,205931,00.html?wh=news

[izquierdista]

1. Advising this President to take his time

Is like advising the Titanic captain that more speed is possible.

[ixion]

2. getting out is simple: you leave.

end of discussion.

The problem is, there are powerful vested interests who want to make sure we never really leave.