"But Sen. John F. Kerry, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, is among a growing number of congressional leaders urging Obama to take full advantage of progress achieved over the past 18 months by narrowing the mission’s focus.
These lawmakers argue that, at a time of fiscal stress at home, the administration should concentrate on targeting al-Qaeda and protecting other U.S. security interests in the region, rather than on maintaining the broad military deployments across much of southern and eastern Afghanistan and the costly nation-building elements of the counter-insurgency strategy." Washpost
http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/lawmakers-push-for-afghan-strategy-rethink/2011/06/10/AGtahoQH_story.html?hpid=z1
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"In sum, the quick exiters get the big 30,000 or so number, and the die-harders get one last year-plus at near full strength to weaken the Taliban. Ain’t democracy grand? Officials caution that since no announcement will be made for almost a month, and since Obama is still being battered from all sides, the projected withdrawal total and end dates could change somewhat. No one, not even Obama’s most intimate national-security aides—Tom Donilon, Denis McDonough, and Ben Rhodes—can be certain of their boss’ final calculations, but key officials feel confident that the president’s secret thinking will generally hold." Gelb in the Beast
http://www.thedailybeast.com/blogs-and-stories/2011-06-11/obamas-secret-afghan-exit-formula-leslie-h-gelb-with-exclusive-details
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Well, boys and girls. Well.
Obama (still a sucker for those guys in "star suits") will evidently continue to follow them down the primrose path in Afghanistan, and, just about anywhere else they want to lead him. (irony alert) The NEW AFGHANISTAN will rise from the ashes of donkey dung fires to shine its light on the world, a third "shining city on the hill" (after Baghdad of course). Following on the smashing success of our revolutionary efforts in Iraq, the COINistas are now well on their way to achieving the "critical mass" of transformed Muslim countries needed to change the world. it will only take a few more decades in Afghanistan.
Leslie Gelb (usually well informed) appears to claim that Obama is deliberately deceiving ordinary Americans in this matter. Could that be? He also implies that Hillary Clinton is doing much the same. Can that be?
Representative Dana Rohrbacher (?/CA?) (does it matter?) said recently that Iraq should reimburse the US for expenses incurred in the intervention, subsequent insurgency, CT operations and re-construction (of the damage we did). The Iraqis seem unwilling to pay. "A humiliation!" Ah, well everything is a humiliation to them. "The US should pay us!" Buena suerte, amigo!, mumkin f'il mishmish. Where do they find candidates for Congress like this man Rohrbacher?
Ah, well, I am actually more interested in the "Waterfront Re-Development Plan" here in Alexandria.
BTW, for the interest of the gun people here, I bought the Henry .17 HMR. Also, BTW. This is a range gun for me. i haven't hunted for a long time.
Oh, yes, once again, there are good, worthwhile and sensible wars and then, there are the other kind. pl
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