President Obama: Afghan war will worsen before it improves...

[kjackson227]

Obama: Afghan war will worsen before it improves
ANNE GEARAN
AP National Security Writer
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Story Created: May 13, 2010 at 2:27 AM EDT

(Story Updated: May 13, 2010 at 2:27 AM EDT )

WASHINGTON (AP) — The war in Afghanistan will get worse before it gets better, President Barack Obama warned on Wednesday, but he declared his plan to begin withdrawing U.S. forces next year remains on track.

Standing alongside Afghan President Hamid Karzai, Obama said, "What I've tried to emphasize is the fact that there is going to be some hard fighting over the next several months."

The two leaders spoke at a White House news conference as U.S.-led forces in Afghanistan prepare to push hard into the Taliban's birthplace in Kandahar province in June. The campaign for Kandahar, already under way in districts outside the city, is expected to be among the bloodiest of the nearly 9-year-old war.


http://www.wsbt.com/news/national/93658084.html

Seems some have forgotten that President Obama warned us about this a month or so ago, so I think it warrants repeating

[marylanddem]

1. He's too young to remember Vietnam

and seems to be in the thrall of the military industrialists over this fucking situation...

[Enrique]

2. 'It's not overnight'

Addressing Americans, Obama said they should know "we are steadily making progress. It's not overnight."

Yes, we know it's not overnight. It's the longest war in our country's history.

Regarding "we are steadily making progress", I don't believe that. From what I've read lately, that is a false claim. False claims are not unusual in wars, but I think we should point them out when we see them.

[kjackson227]

4. Well, you can believe what you want. What are your facts...

that make you think otherwise?

[Enrique]

5. most recently, that the Kandahar offensive is postponed

just about every news report is very negative. I don't see progress, let alone steady progress.

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-afghan-doubts-20100624,0,4602576.story

[kjackson227]

9. There isn't any progress right now...

and there probably won't be any progress next month either. This campaign will be on-going until at the very least December of this year. There's always a back and forth aspect to a mission this severe.

I hate these f*cking wars with a passion, but there is no alternative. We've got to stay the course until 2011, and then we'll start seeing a slow but steady withdrawal.

[zipplewrath]

7. They are not following the schedule not that he spoke of then

The offensive was delayed, and that delay is actually one reason they felt they could dump Stan. It isn't going well over there. I had really hoped they'd use this fiasco to change their mind. They seem to have decided to "stay the course".

[kjackson227]

12. No, it's not going well, but why would you think they'd change their...

minds??? And, to change their minds and do what, leave? The President never alluded to such an idea, even though this was the wish of a few people (pundits).

[zipplewrath]

14. It hasn't been going well for a while

There were hints or indications that the White House knew this and was looking for an exit. This wasn't exactly Obama's plan per se to begin with, and Biden wanted to do something different. Apparently they haven't gotten there yet. I can hope for change though.

[Vinnie From Indy]

3. I guess if the warning was that he intends to continue pursuing this idiotic war

then I guess that is right.

In other words, the US intends to ramp up the violence and body counts on all sides for the next few months and accomplish a very temporary removal of the Taliban in Kandahar if they can even accomplish that. It is sheer madness to think that the US will be able to effect long term change by trying to subdue Kandahar. The Taliban will do what the tribal people of Afghanistan have done for centuries - melt away into the countryside or hide in plain sight and fight at a time and on ground of their choosing. It seems obvious that the right-wing has placed Obama in the same box that LBJ was placed in in regard to Vietnam.

It is heartening to hear Obama reiterate his commitment to withdrawl next year. We'll have to wait and see just how comitted he actually is to that policy.

[kjackson227]

18. That's a crude way of putting it, but yes, the fighting is going to continue...

"It is heartening to hear Obama reiterate his commitment to withdrawl next year. We'll have to wait and see just how comitted he actually is to that policy".

Needless to say, it's easier said than done, especially where the troops are concerned- but it does come down to a wait and see situation.

[amborin]

6. the military itself has doubts, thinks it's unwinnable....

[harun]

10. Not surprising since no one ever defined what a "win" would be.

[kjackson227]

11. He did state what the mission is...

It is to destabilize/neutralize AQ and the Taliban, hand over the countries to the Afghan and Iraqi armies help them take control of their government, and help with infrastructure.

[amborin]

21. Pure folly & not a feasible goal; al queda is all over: Pakistan, Germany, etc....

there is no credible central gov't in Afghanistan and the civilians don't trust our puppet, Karzai.

So the goals you mentioned are pure folly.

[VMI Dem]

8. Obama's War needs to end.

Looks like that won't happen any time soon.

[vaberella]

13. It will...check out the Petraeus thread---we're lowering the numbers of soldiers in 2011.

So far it's set in stone.

[zipplewrath]

15. How much?

How long? How fast? Until when?

[kjackson227]

16. Vaberella just answered your question- 2011...

But, I posted this with the intent to show that this president is being as truthful and up-front with us as he can be. You might not like what he has to say, or agree with him, but you do have to give him credit for this fact alone. Some of us have these lofty ideas and wishes that this war will end soon. It's not going to happen. Until we LISTEN to exactly what this president tells us, we'll always be setting ourselves up for disappointment, which then leads us to become more resentful at this president when he can't deliver. No one knows the exact day or time of this withdrawal, not even the President at this point.

[zipplewrath]

17. That's the start

That's no where near the end. He's being "truthful" in that he's not saying how much of a draw down, or how fast. That's not alot to "give him credit for". The president COULD know the day. He could say how fast. He isn't because he doesn't want to make a commitment (partially I suspect so he can push the argument off to another day).

[kjackson227]

19. Zipplewrath, the president has said that we will not leave...

until these countries are stabilized (paraphrasing), so how can he know the exact day, how fast, etc.??? It's not that he doesn't want to make a committment, he CAN'T make a committment. And, why would he have to push the argument off to another day, when there is no argument to begin with??? He's already said that xyz had to happen before there's a withdrawal, period.

[zipplewrath]

20. The argument will be about "stable"

There is no achieveable goal here. His draw down is dictated by politics, both inside Afghanistan and here. They will be "stable enough" when the politics dictate that he can, or must, leave. It was the Iraqis who told us when to be out of Iraq. That was an internal political decision. Bush resisted but ultimately had to accept (for the time being) the date.

Obama can choose that date now, but the current politics don't allow it. He is avoiding admitting the open ended nature of the current commitment by repeating that the withdrawl will "start" next July. But he WON'T say when it will be done. He won't because he doesn't want that argument now. And he wants the flexibility to respond to the politics. As many have suggested, he probably believes that he can have them out by 2016 in time for re-election. There are political forces gathering to try to push that date out. Patreaus is one of them. COIN would suggest we need to be there ANOTHER 10 years.

[kjackson227]

24. You believe politics will dictate the withdrawal, but I believe...

the stability of the countries will be the ultimate deciding factor. Not saying that politics won't play some part into it, but I don't believe it will be the main objective for this president to remain in these wars. I'm really sorry that you feel every decision Obama makes in regards to these wars are politically motivated. I think Obama is a better man than this, but I guess only time will tell.

Just heard yesterday that he will evaluate how this strategy is progressing in December, 2010, hopefully things will be better by this time.

[Kltpzyxm]

22. The situation will only improve

when we get the fuck out.

[moparlunatic]

23. I think they are testing the waters

I don't believe we will be pulling any troops out by 2011.  I
think we will be there way too long.

[kjackson227]

25. Welcome to DU, and I believe we'll pull some troops out...

but it all depends on how the strategies and policies are going.