However I am curious about strategy. What IS the strategy? We don’t know. Democrats are already threatening to squeeze funds. There are lot of things that should have been debated besides the counter insurgency strategy.

1>Destroy the poppy fields and wean off Afghans from that. For instance buy off the crop and provide incentives for alternate crops. Kill the marijuana production. Drugs is a major source of terrorism funding.
2>Seal the Afghanistan-Pakistan border. The goal should be to block escape routes for terrorists on the run. That will take time due to massive requirement of troops. To accomplish that training of Afghan troops/police forces should be done at rapid pace.
3>Incentivize Pakistan to dismantle terrorist Infrastructure. Pakistan is the hotbed of terrorism.
4>Engage India for Infrastructure assistance in Afghanistan. India should be happy to help because of the fact that majority of terrorism activity in the region is directed towards India. This will impact strategic depth for Pakistan but that can be managed.

I hope these measures were discussed.

I can’t believe The President can be so confused. He managed to alienate both left and right. It takes skill to bungle so thoroughly.

they seem to be looking real hard to find a “good” message where one may not exist. They forget that McChrystal asked for alot more troops, approximately 40,000-80,000. They also asked for more equipment, which, if I am not mistaken was not addressed in his speech.

Gen? Scales, tonight on Fox said that he talked to all the uppers, and, they told him that when an assessment is taken, in a year from now, will be looking at the troops that are on the ground now, and, not the surge troops. What the heck does that mean? The troops on the ground now are not getting anywhere. If the surge troops make a big difference, are they, and their mission going to be ignored. That of course would be because come hell or high water, the troops will be out before the next presidential campaign season. He has to get his anti-war people back on the track to vote for him. He is committing political assasination on himself.

they seem to be looking real hard to find a “good” message where one may not exist. They forget that McChrystal asked for alot more troops, approximately 40,000-80,000. They also asked for more equipment, which, if I am not mistaken was not addressed in his speech.

Gen? Scales, tonight on Fox said that he talked to all the uppers, and, they told him that when an assessment is taken, in a year from now, will be looking at the troops that are on the ground now, and, not the surge troops. What the heck does that mean? The troops on the ground now are not getting anywhere. If the surge troops make a big difference, are they, and their mission going to be ignored. That of course would be because come hell or high water, the troops will be out before the next presidential campaign season. He has to get his anti-war people back on the track to vote for him. He is committing political assasination on himself.

Reminds me of the Nixonian – effective politically and has the added benefit of being true. Nothing The O Man says is based on truth or principal. It’s all calculated to make a political point.

During the 2008 elections, Barry talked a good game about cleaning up someone else’s mess…get out of the way so I can clean it up. We must succeed in Afghanistan, to put he kabosh on this terrorist haven. So here was your big chance Big “O” to do just that. But to do it right, you have to piss off the far left, and by doing nothing here and pulling out then pisses off the rest. You did neither by not giving your own General what he actually asked for. And when will this “surge” ever happen? Who knows? You dawdled since August to come up with THIS plan?? You wasted many American lives since August by doing NOTHING!!!! You promised when you were elected to get the job done, so why aren’t you?? Viet Nam should of taught you that. The Iraqui “surge” provided some semblance of success, so why not here?? Get into this thing with everything the USA can muster, get the job done and go home. Secure the AfPak border and get binLanden, which is what you also promised to do. Patton and Eisenhower are probably rolling over in their graves right now!!! This is America??? I don’t think so, any more.

.. leader of the “Old Taliban” who said, days before Obama’s West Point speech:

“The expression of war on terror is a faudulent and false tool .. If they want a solution to the problem, they should first end their occupation of Afghanistan…”

Oy.