An "Amen" Moment With T-Paw Concerning U.S. War Policy

...I recently returned from my fourth trip to Iraq and my second trip to Afghanistan.... the rule needs to be 'When the United States goes to war, the United States wins'.

Source: http://www.gop12.com/2009/09/pawlenty-when-us-goes-to-war-us-wins.html

Robert Gates Sums Up The AP's "Appaling" Photo Choice

Gates wrote to Thomas Curley, AP’s president and chief executive officer. “Out of respect for his family’s wishes, I ask you in the strongest of terms to reconsider your decision. I do not make this request lightly. In one of my first public statements as Secretary of Defense, I stated that the media should not be treated as the enemy, and made it a point to thank journalists for revealing problems that need to be fixed – as was the case with Walter Reed." “I cannot imagine the pain and suffering Lance Corporal Bernard’s death has caused his family. Why your organization would purposefully defy the family’s wishes knowing full well that it will lead to yet more anguish is beyond me. Your lack of compassion and common sense in choosing to put this image of their maimed and stricken child on the front page of multiple American newspapers is appalling. The issue here is not law, policy or constitutional right – but judgment and common decency.”

This blog will not print the photo.

Read more: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0909/26759.html#ixzz0QGWCzRiq

Majority Believe War In Afghanistan Wasn't Worth It

Scary numbers from ABC News/Washington Post Poll. For the first time ever, a majority of Americans believe the War in Afghanistan was not worth fighting. Not only that, but a 45% plurality believe we should begin reducing troop levels immediately (the opposite of what is needed according to virtually every foreign policy/military expert)!

We've said this before and we'll say it again: Mr. President, this is where you need to be spending political capital. You have always been a strong supporter of this very necessary war, and with all the domestic problems, you are risking the possibility that there will be no support from the left remaining to do what needs to be done in Southwest Asia.

Afghanis Take To The Polls

Keep the Afghani people in your prayers as they prove those in America who think that they can never be a working democracy wrong by turning out in the midst of violence to cast their votes in a hotly contested presidential electon.

Read More: http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/asiapcf/08/20/afghanistan.election/index.html

CNN Headline Makes Pro-Taliban Militant Seem Like Friend

CNN has a headline that reads: "Maverick pro-Taliban militant offers to help U.S. forces"

Of course, it doesn't mention the fine print:

An Afghan militant group is willing to "help" U.S. and coalition forces, if they prepare to leave Afghanistan, the group's leader said in a statement given to CNN on Monday.

Hekmatyar did not define what he meant by "help," but is typically understood to mean that the group would stop attacks against coalition forces, stop recruiting members and stop the intimidation of local citizens.

The whole article is written to make it sound as if we should accept his offer or be doomed to the fate of the Soviets in the 80s.

Read the whole article here.

Lindsey Graham Turns Donald Rumsfeld Into A (Very Negative) Verb

Absolutely correct, Mr. Graham. Absolutely correct.



Source: The Politico

Scary Numbers Concerning Afghanistan

From the neew AP-GFK poll:

"Do you favor or oppose the war in Afghanistan?"

Favor Oppose Unsure Refused
44 53 3 1

President Obama needs to get on the bully pulpit on this, because we are not fighting a war of choice here. If Afghanistan falls, Pakistan falls, and that is as close to a worst case scenario there is.

Source: Polling Report

Dems Want To Pull Military Information Funding

The Defense Department wants nearly $1 billion next year for its greatly-expanded Information Operations programs. But lawmakers are putting on the brakes, saying the end product is often ineffective “propaganda” and a costly distraction from the military’s core mission.

The House Appropriations Committee fired the first shot Tuesday, ordering deep cuts from the 2010 budget and the termination of many IO activities now underway. Altogether the Pentagon’s $998 million request would be cut in half, and the remaining funds frozen until the Defense Department submits a fuller accounting of its plans and where the money has been going since 2005.

Iran has "propaganda" in Iraq, Afghanistan, Palestine, and Lebanon. Syria has "propaganda" in Iraq, Palestine, and Lebanon. Russia has "propaganda" in Eastern Europe. China has growing "propaganda" all over the world. Meanwhile, the Pentagon tries to counter it with a program to show people that we are not the charicatures they think we are, and the Democrats want us to fight a war one-handed.

And people wonder why Hobbes prefered the sole sovereign.

Read more: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0709/25327.html#ixzz0M76hV9UR