Today President Obama exercised Trumanesque leadership

[bluestateguy]

This will be remembered alongside the latter's dismissal of General MacArthur.

Keeping McChrystal (whose name is very hard to spell) would have greatly weakened this president's authority and weakened the institutional authority of the Commander-in-Chief.

[hlthe2b]

1. That is my impression as well... "inoculated himself " from all the

RW bullshit attacks, that you know were coming...

[zipplewrath]

2. Not if the war doesn't go well

No one remembers that you made good powerpoint charts when the project tanks.

[sandnsea]

3. Petraeus headed the Iraq surge

He's probably a better choice to manage Afghanistan than McChrystal anyway.

[doc03]

4. So what makes you think he won't call for another surge in

Afghanistan?

[sandnsea]

7. We're in the midst of a surge in Afghanistan

That's what the increase of soldiers was about last year. Hopefully they'll continue with the calmer approach that has been discussed. Just a moving in and setting up shop, block by block, and encouraging neighborhood alliances in support of a democratic government.

[zipplewrath]

6. Only if there is an Anbar Awakening

Which there won't be. Iraq didn't improve because we sent in troops.

[sandnsea]

8. That's what they're trying for

Along with a more gradual increase of securing neighborhoods in the cities instead of another Fallujah. That's undoubtedly what the pay offs are about.

[zipplewrath]

10. The drugs and warlords

Iraq didn't have the drugs and warlords. It was political from the outset. They made a political choice. In Afghanistan it's war, and it's drugs. There's not going to be any "awakening". There was war when we got there. There will be war after we're gone.

[maxsolomon]

5. the war was never going to go well

and obama knows it. his challenge is how to end TWO wars and still be re-elected. lives are being lost & billions are being wasted, but America's fragile ego makes re-election of a 'quitter' (and you know that's the mildest of the aspersions the GOP will cast) too risky.

[Oregone]

9. You mean he is withdrawing from Afghanistan?!?

Holy shit!?!? This is awesome!!!