Obama sets new approach to Afghanistan
“President Obama this morning announced a new Afghanistan-Pakistan strategy that will require significantly higher levels of U.S. funding and thousands more military and civilian personnel to reverse what he called an “increasingly perilous” situation….
Among the resources required, he said, are an additional 4,000 troops, beyond the 17,000 he authorized last month, that will bring total U.S. deployments to more than 60,000. U.S. military expenses for Afghan operations this year, White House aides said, will increase about 60 percent from the current toll of $2 billion a month. The newly announced forces, from the Army’s 82nd Airborne Division, will serve as trainers and advisers to an Afghan army expected to double to 134,000 by 2011….
“In going forward,” he said, “we will not blindly stay the course,” but will monitor progress with a series of benchmarks and metrics imposed on Pakistan, Afghanistan and U.S. efforts. “And after years of mixed results, we will not provide a blank check. Pakistan must demonstrate its commitment to rooting out al-Qaeda and the violent extremists within its borders,” Obama said.
In an indication that U.S. covert and overt operations against insurgent hideouts in Pakistan will continue — including missile attacks launched by Predator drones, Obama said that “we will insist that action be taken — one way or another — when we have intelligence about high-level terrorist targets.”
…. Lawmakers and the administration itself have questioned the ability and will of the Afghan government to fight corruption and the narcotics trade and have criticized the Pakistani military’s performance against al-Qaeda and other insurgent groups. U.S. intelligence officials believe that elements of Pakistan’s intelligence service continue to actively collaborate with the Taliban.”
I’m on deadline for a Monday column and can’t give this the time it deserves right now. But I’ll make one quick point: Obama’s correct to stress the responsibility of other parties to step up. We Americans can’t fix Afghanistan by ourselves, no matter how much money, time and manpower we put into it. If others don’t do their part, Afghanistan will fail no matter how smart or committed we are.
Sometimes that’s a hard thing for Americans to accept. We have this crazy idea that everything that happens anywhere around the world is a result of something we did or didn’t do. It’s not. Despite our immense relative power, events in other parts of the world have an historic and cultural momentum that we are sometimes helpless to alter.
When Mao and the Communists took over China in 1949, it set off howls here in America of “who lost China?,” as if we somehow had more power over China’s fate than the Chinese themselves. Likewise, there was little we could do to stop North Korea and Pakistan from going nuclear and we may not be able to stop Iran either.
That doesn’t mean we shouldn’t try every reasonable means at our disposal. But the idea that events in the rest of the world can be molded to our liking by sufficient application of U.S. willpower and muscle just ain’t true, and our refusal to accept that reality has sometimes caused us problems.
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134 comments Add your comment
Corporal
March 27th, 2009
1:19 pm
Jay:
I support the President in these efforts (as I did his decision on marijuana yesterday).
That said, it is so AMUSING to have to see Democrats put on their “war paint” !!
What say ye libs out there ???
Corporal
March 27th, 2009
1:23 pm
P.S.
We also both know if McCain had won and was initiating the same reponse, we would be seeing threads about the Republicans bogging us down in this futile attempt ……….
THAT’s the truly sad thing ………..
ESR
March 27th, 2009
1:26 pm
This will make his whacky way left freako’s that totally want to ban the military all together go nuts. The libs do know that this isn’t a cat fight where democratic males hit each other with their purses, they’re fighting a real war over there with guns that kill? You libs know this, right?
I Report/ You Whine
March 27th, 2009
1:33 pm
Yeah, the Euroweenies couldn’t hold up their end of the deal either.
After years and years of failed socialist policies, free health care, government meddling in private industry, they have become soft, stupid and cowards, hairy armpitted freaks.
We’ll be joining them shortly, I suspect.
“In going forward,” he said, “we will not blindly stay the course,” but will monitor progress with a series of benchmarks and metrics imposed on Pakistan, Afghanistan and U.S. efforts. “And after years of mixed results, we will not provide a blank check.
What a small puny little man, little third grader playing the part of an adult, it’s always someone else’s fault, ain’t it?
I Report/ You Whine
March 27th, 2009
1:36 pm
If you want to know the latest Moonbat Fever Swamp diaper wearing talking points just press your ear up to Obambi’s TelePrompter, it’s sure to spew them for you.
manchild
Corporal
March 27th, 2009
1:44 pm
The silence from you libs is deafening.
I know it’s hard and you’re stunned, but President Obama has put on his war paint. Are you not going to support him?
Marines – standby to repel boarders !
Corporal
March 27th, 2009
1:53 pm
To ESR:
Isn’t this amusing to watch them squirm ? I mean, for President Obama to actually want our troops to KILL terrorists …. with no interview, no advice of rights, no attorney, no trial, no appeal. This is serious.
Bosch
March 27th, 2009
1:54 pm
Well Geez Corporal, give us a minute.
No, I do not support Obama doing this. This should have been done years ago, but I think this is a mistake. After 911, I was all for what Bush did, but years later, the situation has changed due to his incompetence and the Iraq distraction.
mm
March 27th, 2009
1:56 pm
Corporal Warmonger and Friends,
I fully support the effort in Afghanistan and Pakistan. After all, Afganistan is where Al Qeada was at when 9/11 occurred. I hope we do snuff out Al Qeada. I don’t think anybody is upset about.
Now if Obama wants to invade an innocent country, then I’ll treat him the same way I treated Bush.
Sorry to burst your bubble.
Bosch
March 27th, 2009
1:58 pm
Let me rephrase, I was all for Bush going into Afghanistan, but he let that ball drop with really bad consequences – the Taliban was allowed to reform, AQ and bin Laden are now in Pakistan – and we are facing dealing with a nation who has nuclear weapons at their disposal.
No, this situation is not good, and there is no one to blame but Bush.
G
March 27th, 2009
1:59 pm
I’m thankful that President Obama and his team have crafted a plan that acknowledges there is no good course to take. Only bad or worse choices.
This and everything else he has done or has chosen to do show a cool head and calm hand.
In other words, he is the total opposite of what we’ve had for 8 years.
Corporal
March 27th, 2009
2:01 pm
O.K. Everyone:
Here’s the score so far:
Bosch: For
mm: Against
Corporal
March 27th, 2009
2:02 pm
Sorry:
In my excitement of seeing the libs forcing themselves to bitterly reply I got it reversed:
Bosch: Against
mm: For
Bosch
March 27th, 2009
2:02 pm
Corporal,
Your score is wrong.
Bosch
March 27th, 2009
2:04 pm
Corporal,
Bitterly reply? Nope. I know you like to stereotype folks, but in this case, it just ain’t so.
G
March 27th, 2009
2:04 pm
Soviets tried to occupy and rule Afghanistan (through a puppet). Since President Obama’s goal is not to occupy, but to fight al Qaeda, there is no comparison.
Corporal
March 27th, 2009
2:05 pm
ON TO PARADISE !
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QnhvAAboKSA&feature=related
Bosch
March 27th, 2009
2:07 pm
I think sending more U.S. troops to Afghanistan is a huge mistake. It will only get more young men and women killed fighting a pretend war that we can not win. You can not fight ideology with guns and ammunition, you fight it with money.
Corporal
March 27th, 2009
2:10 pm
Bosch:
I fixed the score. See my 2:02.
“Bitterly”? Sure but lighten up………..I’m just can’t help pulling your guys legs because I know, I JUST KNOW, this is not making you a happy camper.
But hey, live and learn. That’s how politicians are. They tell you one thing during the campaign (we will sit down and talk to these nice people) and then when they get in office they do something else.
Your worst nightmare (and mine on different issues) is that this is just the tip of his ideological iceberg.
Fact it, he is such an unknown, we could all be in for some BIG SURPRISES !
As we used to say in the USSS “You elect ‘um, we protect ‘um” !
@@
March 27th, 2009
2:10 pm
jay, based on everything I’ve been reading the help may not be forthcoming. Obama’s pressure on Europe to jump on board his economic policies is causing resentment, not to mention his eagerness to engage Russia and Iran.
Europe is a continent separate from the U.S. and in closer proximity to The Russian Impaler.
G
March 27th, 2009
2:11 pm
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/14/opinion/14obama.html
July 14, 2008…Candidate Obama announces his plan to reduce war in Iraq and concentrate on Afghanistan:
“Ending the [IRAQ] war is essential to meeting our broader strategic goals, starting in Afghanistan and Pakistan, where the Taliban is resurgent and Al Qaeda has a safe haven. Iraq is not the central front in the war on terrorism, and it never has been.”
ByteMe
March 27th, 2009
2:13 pm
I’m on the “maybe” side. If the strategy is to be the biggest bully on the block for a while to get the different sides to come to the table with the goal of throwing out those who want to export their radicalism, then I’m all for it. If the goal is to somehow “win” Afghanistan, well that’s a fool’s errand and we the people would be right to scream loudly about it.
What I’m missing in all this is a discussion of the underlying strategy and how additional troops fit into that strategy.
@@
March 27th, 2009
2:15 pm
When Bush was sending money to Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan, liberals shrieked about the fact that it was going to corrupt governments and finding its way into the hands of terrorists. And now?
It’s the right thing to do….it’s “cool”.
Corporal
March 27th, 2009
2:15 pm
Bosch:
Re: your 2:07. I hear you but you have to fight it on all fronts.
Money, education, diplomacy, economics, blockades, and then in the case of these types (Islamic fanatics) you must hunt their leaders down and hit them wherever and whenever you can (no rest – ever). When they sleep, play, pray, train, relieve themselves or pick their nose …. they never know when it’s coming. They only understand power. And if we don’t use it they will hit us here (they may get a lucky shot in anyway).
Once we have a new generation of “unbrainwashed” people over there we might be able to back of a little. Maybe. It’s always their choice.
HSR0601
March 27th, 2009
2:16 pm
I think the most dangerous thing is depression and poverty world-wide, instead of oil competition, and to repeat and extend past mistake is going to rush the U.S. into an incurable condition. Needless to say, without democracy, everything involving health care and economic growth will go wrong.
Bosch
March 27th, 2009
2:19 pm
Corporal,
I can not help you with your Obama paranoia – that is an issue you have to work out for yourself.
ByteMe,
Good post.
Later folks – gotta go run some errands.
Corporal
March 27th, 2009
2:19 pm
To @@:
You are forgetting the libs are democrats. They never (except Bosch so far) criticize their own ………..
)
To G:
Translation?: So you hold you nose and support Obama in killing terrorists? Is that correct?
DB, Gwinnettian
March 27th, 2009
2:21 pm
Corporal, what part of “I like to know what I’m talking about before I speak” do you not get? The WaPo piece is 2,000 words, and it’s a topic of deadly importance.
And your presumption that you know what the “libs” think about any particular topic when your only exposure to such thought is via a crummy comments thread is noxious at best.
Anyway, nothing I’ve seen from skimming Jay’s column and the WaPo piece comes as a surprise at all–had you been paying attention, Obama campaigned on being willing to take a very tough approach with Afghanistan. Or did you not notice when he taunted McCain as being unwilling to “go to the cave where [Bin Laden] lives”?
WhoCares
March 27th, 2009
2:22 pm
I can’t WAIT to see what Jimmy Carter has to say about THIS!
Question is will Obama let the Military do their jobs or will he TOO keep their hands tied.
You just gotta love this, Obama is a blood thirsty war mongerer just like Bush, the libs have GOT to be wetting their pants over this.
Corporal
March 27th, 2009
2:23 pm
Bosch:
Re: your 2:19. You dodge. I support him when I think he is right (in this case) and I do not support him when I think he is wrong. That doesn’t fit the definition of paranoia (he’s always wrong) but nice try.
Mrs. Godzilla
March 27th, 2009
2:23 pm
I’m with Bosch.
I don’t like it.
The only bright spot for me is “Obama will also send hundreds more civilian and development workers into Afghanistan, three administration officials said on the eve of his announcement.” From Agence France-Presse.
Course, being the commie pinko liberal 200 ton socialist facist with a
wretched loney life I am, I still support the President.
I can barely two step…but I never lock step.
mm
March 27th, 2009
2:27 pm
Corporal,
You are truly deranged. I’m sorry you’re not getting the “screw Obama” response you so wanted to hear.
You wingnuts woudn’t recognize reality if it hit you in the face.
Corporal
March 27th, 2009
2:27 pm
Jay:
Thank you, thank you, thank you. I haven’t had this much fun on one of your threads in a long time.
DEMOCRATS AGAINST OBAMA’S WAR UNITE !!
All is fair in love and war …..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cDvg7n0jST8
Corporal
March 27th, 2009
2:27 pm
mm:
Why thank you.
Corporal
March 27th, 2009
2:31 pm
DB/G:
Why thank you for your input @ 2:21. Now go clean your rifle.
WhoCares:
Oh, you are right. I didn’t think about that. Jimmy will go through the roof ….. but will he criticize the Messiah publicly?
STAY TUNED !
@@
March 27th, 2009
2:38 pm
Corporal:
Again, you have more appreciation for Bosch than I’ve been able to muster.
He’s mooshy. He says whatever serves his purpose at any given moment just like so many of the liberals. They’re definitely not the kind of people you can rely on in a pinch.
Mooshy!!!!!
ConservativeAnchor
March 27th, 2009
2:40 pm
It is good that he did not stay true to his campaign promise of surging in Afghanistan. It is a different battle and if you surge … bring lots of body bags and American flags for draped coffins.
Keep Afghanistan small, maintain a legitimate government, enable the citizenry (schools and training), and take your time sorting out the bad guys.
When you find the bad guys. Kill em as fast and brutally as possible.
Oh … btw … G … that is what we have been doing.
G
March 27th, 2009
2:41 pm
I find it odd that so-called Christians refer to President Obama as “Messiah”.
G
March 27th, 2009
2:44 pm
CA @ 2:40, I never said we haven’t.
Corporal
March 27th, 2009
2:44 pm
To @@:
I got your back.
To Conservative Anchor:
Precisely.
“Combat at the level of small units is not a grand, strategic ballet. It’s the swift and violent theatre of death.” Col. Jack Jacobs (Medal of Honor – Vietnam)
Corporal
March 27th, 2009
2:45 pm
To G:
I told you yesterday (you don’t pay attention in class) that Messiah is Hebrew for “Christ” and the Bible says there will be many false Christs.
Comprendo?
Corporal
March 27th, 2009
2:50 pm
P.S. To mm:
Regarding your 2:27 …
“There are only two kinds of people that understand Marines: Marines and the enemy. Everyone else has a second-hand opinion.”
Gen. William Thornson, U.S. Army
getalife
March 27th, 2009
2:55 pm
Good luck and get obl.
Jim Webb: Pot Legalization Could Be Part Of Criminal Justice Overhaul
Lets elect Webb after 8 years of President Obama.
jon
March 27th, 2009
2:57 pm
Innocent country? Bosch couldn’t have been talking about Iraq, invader of Kuwait and ignorer of the resulting UN sanctions. Did Bush invade an innocent country and I missed it?
getalife
March 27th, 2009
2:58 pm
Give it a rest private.
You want him to fail.
I Report/ You Whine
March 27th, 2009
3:02 pm
A little spark of courage and pride rises up from the ashes-
The Freedom Tower is out. The agency that owns ground zero confirmed Thursday that the signature skyscraper replacing the towers destroyed on Sept. 11 will be more commonly known as One World Trade Center.
Bravo!
Corporal
March 27th, 2009
3:05 pm
jon:
You know you are dealing with those who believe in “revisionist history”. There’s no use ………
DB, Gwinnettian
March 27th, 2009
3:05 pm
Lets elect Webb after 8 years of President Obama.
Just FYI, were that to happen, he’d be about a month away from turning 71 after his inauguration. Don’t really see that happening, but you never know.
Corporal
March 27th, 2009
3:10 pm
To My Conservative Friends:
Someone sent this to me. Check it out. It’s about Democrats fighting in Iraq ……… not long …… stay with it ……. it gets better.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gr4QBZfjtqs&feature=related
Corporal
March 27th, 2009
3:13 pm
To getadeath:
You want him to fail in Afghanistan. I want him to win.
Taxpayer
March 27th, 2009
3:14 pm
This is Crazy!. It’s just NUTS! It’s just TeRrIbLe. What IS he DoIng!!!! The horrors.
There. That should make Corporal and some other rightwingnuts feel better. Well? Did that help.
Corporal
March 27th, 2009
3:19 pm
Taxpayer:
Thanks for calling me by my proper “handle”.
………. and, yes it did.
Taxpayer
March 27th, 2009
3:20 pm
Does anyone think that this case will lead to an increase in people seeing the light or just plain getting religion.
G
March 27th, 2009
3:21 pm
C @ 2:45,
You.Are.Not.My.Teacher.
You’re another one who fancies himself/herself a teacher on here.
You just make an @ss out of yourself by doing so.
I stand by my 2:41.
RW-(the original)
March 27th, 2009
3:21 pm
In Obama’s address he read to us that the focus of the increased troop levels would be for training the Afghan military and police so that when they were able we could leave.
Sounds awfully familiar.
Taxpayer
March 27th, 2009
3:23 pm
Just remember your responsibility to fork over those taxes to fund all those wars, you war-mongering Republicans. Especially you, Corporal.
Cardinal Red
March 27th, 2009
3:26 pm
That doesn’t mean we shouldn’t try every reasonable means at our disposal.
The hell you say Bookman?
There was just reason why the Russkies pulled out of Afghanistan and there was just reason why Bush didn’t send massive troops into that hellhole.
O-blah-blah-man’s plan is Bush’s plan in Iraq. IT WON’T WORK IN AFGHANISTAN!!!!!
PJ
March 27th, 2009
3:32 pm
To: Corporal @2:45 pm
“I told you yesterday (you don’t pay attention in class) that Messiah is Hebrew for “Christ” and the Bible says there will be many false Christs.”
I didn’t know you were Jewish. If you are a Christian this is blasphemy.
To: jon @2:57 pm
“Innocent country? Bosch couldn’t have been talking about Iraq, invader of Kuwait and ignorer of the resulting UN sanctions. Did Bush invade an innocent country and I missed it?”
The reasons for Bush’s invasion of Iraq made it an innocent country and his administration’s preemptive invasion was a crime against everything America stand for.
And for the record I appluad out President for keeping his word and going after Bin Laden (you know the one who really attacked the US).
Corporal
March 27th, 2009
3:33 pm
Taxpayer:
re: your 3:20
“…. even Satan can disguise himself as an angel of light”
“…. not everyone who calls me Lord, Lord shall enter the Kingdom of Heaven.”
re: your 3:23 …. as we used to say in the old days “GET SOME” !!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KT3YtP3qPLk&feature=related
Shawny
March 27th, 2009
3:36 pm
Shhhhhhh.. listen for Murtha’s opposition to sending more troops. Can’t hear it? Neither can I. Amazing.
Corporal
March 27th, 2009
3:36 pm
To G:
Don’t be so touchy. A teacher is only a teacher if the student learns. So yes, obviously, I am NOT your teacher.
Your argument is not with me. I’m just the messenger. Take it up with the Author.
Matthew 24:24
“For false christs (political) and false prophets (religious) will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect (true Christians).”
Taxpayer
March 27th, 2009
3:38 pm
Writer’s block, Jay?
Bud Wiser
March 27th, 2009
3:39 pm
(refrains from liberal land)
Lying warmongering pig!!
GET US OUT OF AFGHANISTAN NOW!
NO MORE WAR!!
MAKE PEACE!!
MAKE LOVE, NOT WAR!!
I HATE BUSH!!
I HATE BUSH!!
I HATE BUSH!!
Wait a minute; the warmongering mongrel bur dog president i thought was doing all of this is no longer in office. Old habits are so very hard to break.
Forget it, and listen to this, in honor of our military, being called on again to fight for us all.
Corporal
March 27th, 2009
3:40 pm
Shawny:
He is not one to stand up for principle. He doesn’t want any of “his” pork cut.
Remember, he accused those eight Marines of “murder in cold blood”?
Six had their cases dismissed, one was found not guilty and the remaining prosecution has been suspended and is under review.
Corporal
March 27th, 2009
3:41 pm
Taxpayer:
That wasn’t called for. Like many of you he is depressed and really struggling with this issue of should he speak out against the chosen one. This is not easy for you liberals.
G
March 27th, 2009
3:46 pm
C @ 3:36,
I don’t know what your problem is, but I’ll bet it’s hard to pronounce.
PJ
March 27th, 2009
3:46 pm
To: Corporal @3:36 pm – Bush was the bible thump-er not Obama. He has never claimed to have a direct line to God other than the one we all have which is through prayer. Bush was the on who acted like he was Moses and was getting his directions straight from above.
Corporal
March 27th, 2009
3:46 pm
To Bud Wiser:
Excellent choice. He was one of my favorites.
Here’s a classic you will like in honor of those who serve:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9AqESKOaeGk
Corporal
March 27th, 2009
3:47 pm
To G:
It’s easy to pronounce: F O R G I V E N S I N N E R .
Corporal
March 27th, 2009
3:49 pm
To P.J.:
I hear you but you miss the point:
There are false messiahs, true messiahs and then of course “The” Messiah.
Taxpayer
March 27th, 2009
3:51 pm
I
hatelove to burst your bubble, Corporal. I have no objections to going after the terrorists that attacked us. After all, there’s nothing preemptive/preventive about it since they attacked us first. No crystal balls or religious fervor or other such things required.RealityKing
March 27th, 2009
3:54 pm
Such a narrow view Jay…
The idea is not to make events in the rest of the world mold to our liking…, But to use sufficient application of U.S. willpower and muscle in keeping events in the rest of the world from being molded after something not beneficial for all.., like Saddam, the Taliban and Iranian nuclear warheads.
Corporal
March 27th, 2009
3:54 pm
Taxpayer:
Excellent. Welcome on board. Up to the rigging and standby to repel boarders!
G
March 27th, 2009
3:54 pm
C @ 3:47,
And that’s a problem? You’re quite the strange one.
ByteMe
March 27th, 2009
3:55 pm
Corporal @ 2:45: Messiah is not “Christ” in Hebrew. Jeez. Quit making up things that can be easily refuted.
From Wikipedia:
Messiah (Hebrew: משיח; mashiah, moshiah, mashiach, or moshiach, (”anointed [one]“) is a term used in the Hebrew Bible to describe priests and kings, who were traditionally anointed with the holy anointing oil as described in Exodus 30:22-25. For example, Cyrus the Great, the king of Persia, though not a Hebrew, is referred to as “God’s anointed” (Messiah) in the Bible.
In Jewish eschatology, the term came to refer to a future Jewish King from the Davidic line, who will be “anointed” with holy anointing oil and rule the Jewish people during the Messianic Age. In Standard Hebrew, The Messiah is often referred to as מלך המשיח, Méleḫ ha-Mašíaḥ (in the Tiberian vocalization pronounced Méleḵ hamMāšîªḥ), literally meaning “the Anointed King.”
In other words, the word messiah pre-dates Christ by a few thousand years.
ByteMe
March 27th, 2009
3:55 pm
Pretty cool that the blog can display Hebrew!
Corporal
March 27th, 2009
3:57 pm
RealityKing:
Well said. Very astute. But you probably won’t hear from Jay because he is hunkered down in his new “fighting hole”.
Special note: The Army calls them “foxholes” but foxes hide in holes so we Marines call them “fighting holes”.
RealityKing
March 27th, 2009
3:58 pm
So much for Obama and his diplomatic approach to foriegn policy, you know…, that progressive lie the media glossed over last year.
Corporal
March 27th, 2009
4:05 pm
ByteMe:
And your point is?
Of course Messiah is Hebrew and “Christ” is the Greek word for Messiah ….
Just as Jesus is Greek for Joshua.
And, just for the sake of debate here, NOTHING predates Christ because He is God in the flesh, very God, who has no beginning and no end.
“In the beginning was the Word (Messiah/Christ) and the Word was with God and the Word WAS (emphasis added) God.”
“And the disciples said to Him, if you will just show us the Father, we will be satisfied. And He said to them, I have been with you so long already and you don’t know me?” “I and the Father are One.”
All of the Old Testament references to the Messiah are simply references to (as you described) the Eternal King from the line of David – Joshua the Messiah (Jesus the Christ) ………..
Midori
March 27th, 2009
4:06 pm
Thank you, thank you, thank you. I haven’t had this much fun on one of your threads in a long time.
you’re having fun making a fool of yourself?
ByteMe
March 27th, 2009
4:10 pm
Corporal, at 2:45, you said “I told you yesterday (you don’t pay attention in class) that Messiah is Hebrew for “Christ” …” and I refuted that. That’s my point.
And now you’re changing your words. Do I have to keep looking up this stuff to refute you?
Redneck Convert
March 27th, 2009
4:14 pm
Well, I see this woman died and was in her house 7 years before anybody found her. Seems to me somebody ought to know about it in all that time. The smell, you know.
Anyhow, I’m all for war if it don’t involve me and mine. So I say to this Obama, go for it. We might could get out of this recession that way. It worked in WW II.
Have a good p.m. everybody.
Bud Wiser
March 27th, 2009
4:18 pm
NO AFGHAN RUGS!!
NO MO POPPY!!
NO WMD’s!!
NO NUKES!!
NO CLUE!!
(Feel free to add your own liberal refrain.)
Wait a minute;
WE GOT OBAMA!!
WE GOT OBAMA!!
WE GOT OBAMA!!
Gentleman Jim Reeves was indeed a soothing voice this day, Corporal.
Thank you.
Rush Limbaugh for President
March 27th, 2009
4:20 pm
Corporal, You Whine and ESR….
Some edification for you megalomanics
Everyone that voted for Obama was not a democrat. Lots of independents and some recovering republicans…
ESR- all non right wingers are not gay regardless of what your daddy taught you. So relax and don’t be such a homophobe.
If you know your history you’ll remember that FDR ( a Democrat I believe) was president during WW2. Truman-Korea. Kennedy-Cuban Missile Crisis. So get off the “liberals are panisies” line. It just ain’t so.
Corporal, get back on the corner with your “THE END IS NEAR SIGN”
Whiner- crawl back in your hole.
ESR- see a doctor asap…
Bud Wiser
March 27th, 2009
4:21 pm
NO MORE GAS BILLS!!
NO MORE MORTGAGE PAYMENTS!!
NO MORE CREDIT CARD BILLS!!
NO MORE BAD CREDIT!!
NO MORE PAWN SHOPS!!
WE GOTS OBAMA!!
WE GOTS OBAMA!!
WE GOTS OBAMA!!
There.
I think I’m finished.
Everyone have a nice weekend.
PJ
March 27th, 2009
4:21 pm
To: Corporal @3:49 pm
“I hear you but you miss the point:”
But you miss my point entirely. The President has been called many names on this blog, some are mean and some are juvenile, but when you guys take the Lord’s name in vain that is a sin. You can try to define it or excuse it anyway you want but you and I both know it’s wrong. At least I hope you do. Please refrain.
Corporal
March 27th, 2009
4:22 pm
ByteMe:
Amarillo is Spanish for Yellow.
Yellow is English for Amarillo.
It makes no differnce which language came first.
Now ………
Here is a site with every Old Testament prophecy regarding the Messiah. There are hundreds. You can read it or not. If you do, then you can ignore it or search for more truth.
Here is just one verse from Psalms:
Psalms 22:16 “Dogs (Gentiles) have surrounded me; a band of evil men has encircled me, they have pierced my hands and my feet.”
Does that remind you of anyone?
Here is the site. As I said, there are hundreds more …………
http://www.cynet.com/Jesus/PROPHECY/ntquoted.htm
ByteMe
March 27th, 2009
4:28 pm
Corporal: The Hebrew word משיח has more connotations than just the one you choose it to mean and the Greeks obviously had their own connotations. You can’t just translate from one language into another and assume you’re getting all the rich flavor of the original language’s intent.
As for your statement that NOTHING predates Christ, well that’s just your interpretation of random tea leaves.
jt
March 27th, 2009
4:30 pm
the war on drugs kill more americans in a week than Al Qaeda has in its entire history.
Corporal
March 27th, 2009
4:32 pm
To P.J.:
Yes, Presidents (Republican and Democrat) are referred to in many ways – mostly in the form of political humor (which so far in this country is protected free speech).
You are wrong sir theologically on what it means to take the Lord’s name if vain …. but you and I will just have to agree to disagree on that.
That said, I will simply give you the quote again for you to ponder:
Matthew 24:24 (New Living Translation)
“For false messiahs and false prophets will rise up and perform great signs and wonders so as to deceive, if possible, even God’s chosen ones.”
P.S. For your additional edification, this is what Jesus called the political ruler over His province ……….
Luke 13:32
“He replied, “Go tell that fox (Herod), ‘I will drive out demons and heal people today and tomorrow, and on the third day I will reach my goal.’”
Again, a little political humor ………………
Corporal
March 27th, 2009
4:34 pm
ByteMe:
I hear you and thank you for your input.
One more thing. All of those hundreds of Old Testament prophesies are not “tea leaves”. At least check out that site. It couldn’t hurt.
God bless ………..
Bosch
March 27th, 2009
4:41 pm
Corporal,
I thought yellow was English for yellow. Sorry, couldn’t resist.
Jay’s last paragraph hits the nail on the head with me. I read alot of people here who equate not using the “shock and awe” approach as being appeasers, and that just simply isn’t true. Rushing into a situation with guns ablazing is not the smart thing to do – especially in the situation in Afghanistan. That doesn’t mean for a minute that we should just sit back and do nothing, or just talk to them (diplomacy) – as with most things you have to do a both, and back yourself up.
But I have alot more confidence that Obama will be better at learning from mistakes in a situation and re-arranging his plans according to situations as needed.
Bosch
March 27th, 2009
4:43 pm
jt,
The war on drugs is another false war that can never be “won.”
jon
March 27th, 2009
4:44 pm
PJ at 3:32 – The reasons for Bush’s invasion of Iraq made it an innocent country and his administration’s preemptive invasion was a crime against everything America stand for.
——————
That’s just plain absurd. The way that you have to twist history to support your dogma is amusing to say the least.
Bosch
March 27th, 2009
4:46 pm
ByteMe,
It seems you’ve taken over my traditional role of religion talk guy. It’s fun isn’t it?
Dusty
March 27th, 2009
4:47 pm
Well, it is hard not to get a little pleasure out of seeing libs so busy with their explanations “excusing” a war-like Obama. They hardly have time to even mention Bush. They are a bit “shocky” as the moment.
I don’t find any joy in sending more of our military as “trainers and advisers” because I know they will be more than that. Always I support them as the necessity of fighting terrorism still prevails upon us. Also the danger of drug cartels threatens Afghanistan as it does in Mexico.
So, I see that Obama might be able to face some realities new to him. He is getting the intelligence reports and they are probably tell him plenty. Bush got them and did what he thought was right for our country. For that, he was insulted over and over by Democrats. He had the character to overcome Democratic hostility. We will see how Obama reacts.
Corporal
March 27th, 2009
4:51 pm
Bosch:
I hear you.
I believe it depends on one thing ……… will he listen to his generals?
Bush unfortunately listened to Rumsfield instead on several occasions ……… and that brought severe problems.
Regarding the war on drugs, it’s just like the wars on terrorism or organized crime or murderers and rapists or whatever …… they will never be “won” but we must strive to keep knocking them down ….
Corporal
March 27th, 2009
4:52 pm
P.S. to Bosch:
What do you think of Jesus’ claim to be the Messiah/Christ?
I’ll give you my brief (I promise) thoughts when I get back from patrol.
Mrs. Godzilla
March 27th, 2009
4:54 pm
It is being reported that….
UNITED PARCEL SERVICE PULLS ADVERTISING FROM BILL O’REILLY
ByteMe
March 27th, 2009
4:56 pm
Bosch: I think we need a war on terriers. stupid little yappy…..
As for the Corporal: he takes himself too seriously on religion. Amusing to sometimes yank the chain. It’s Friday, I’m winding down.
I think the whole “guns blazing” is what happens when you have a whole generation or three of males who have never really had to fight in a war and poop in their pants as the bombs land closer, closer…. So they want to talk a good game, but having never been there, they really have no idea outside of movies what it’s like.
@@
March 27th, 2009
4:57 pm
Oh great! Obama is sending a U.S. diplomat to an SCO (Shanghai Cooperation Organization) Conference hosted by Russia. That’s like saying “Bye Bye NATO!”
So why is an American attending the SCO now you might ask? Word has it that it could be due to a mix-up amid the general confusion occurring within the State Department — an organization that, along with the rest of Washington, is going through upheaval related to the presidential transition. As jobs are filled within the department, those in the Eurasian section are being filled last and it is not clear who is in charge of anything relating to Russia. This has made it possible for an official from the South and Central Asia section to accept the SCO invitation without understanding the ramifications that would carry over into other foreign relations.
This is so sad…
I wonder if China will attend?
In the past, the Chinese put up with the Russians’ spin on the SCO because they knew such things were not taken seriously. Now Obama has given the organization credibility.
Obama has no inkling as to what he’s doing, does he? He really is clueless…
NRB
March 27th, 2009
4:57 pm
Loser Oblahma is sending 20,000+ trooops to Afghanistan to “die for oil”, but the front page of the AJC online discusses T.I.’s one year sentence, like we care. Sure no mystery why you guys are bleeding out a million per week, Jay.
Sharpen those pencils, AJC staff, you’ll be selling them on the street corner in no time.
@@
March 27th, 2009
5:04 pm
For the Corporal:
This is the song my Dad left us little ones with when he was going overseas
It would be before the sun came up. Mom would be standing in the doorway and he lean over and give us all a goodbye kiss. We were awake but played the role of sleeping soldiers. The tears would come after he was gone so he didn’t have to see them.
Bosch
March 27th, 2009
5:04 pm
Corporal,
Well I can only hope he’ll listen to the people on the ground (his generals). I think that’s been a criticism all along – that wasn’t being done enough.
Last paragraph – I agree. This business in Mexico is completely out of hand but until the demand for drugs from our side is under control it will only escalate. I watched a report on this last night, and they said that 90 percent (or something like that) of the guns used by the cartel were from the U.S. That was pretty alarming to think about. I think that is more dangerous than AQ is right now.
It’s interesting that people are starting to talk about legalizing drugs again.
About Jesus? As with most things religious, I think it’s metaphorical. I’m not sure if Jesus actually thought himself to be the son of God, or if he meant for us to take it as metaphor for all of us are worthy of God’s salvation, grace, and forgiveness. I’ve always had the belief that Jesus’ message was that we are all worthy in the eyes of God.
Be careful on patrol.
Kamchak
March 27th, 2009
5:07 pm
Using the words “he”[Bush] and “character” in the same sentence, hmmmm….
ByteMe
March 27th, 2009
5:09 pm
If you’re into technical analysis of the market, this is a must-see:
http://www.ritholtz.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/evil-kniev-quad-form.png
Pogo
March 27th, 2009
5:10 pm
Let me understand Redneck Convert; as you see it your daily satirical contribution to this blog is based upon the idea that only an ignorant person would believe in the “tongue in cheek” ideas of your “humour” (which is giving it a lot more credit than is due, because you are not funny). And these people must be Southern and they must be uneducated “rednecks”. I was born in the South, have lived all my life in the South and was educated in the South and I will die in the South. Judging from your pathetic condescending dribble, you are some bitter fool who knows nothing of Southern culture and surely don’t know anything about us. There are a lot of people that disagree with your thinly veiled liberal views that are not from the South. Does this make them a different type of “redneck”? If so, then what is the term for them? If you want to critisize conservatives, then critisize conservatives. Come out of your liberal closet but don’t make everyone on here endure your daily trashing of Southern Culture by inferring that Southern people are ignorant, trailer dwelling, beer loving morons. Besides, what is wrong with living in trailers and what is wrong loving beer? Neither of these things certainly are not specific to Southern people. Not everyone can live in a 300K home and drinking beer certainly is not more prevalent in the South than it is in the rest of the country.
Bosch
March 27th, 2009
5:10 pm
ByteMe,
War on terriers? LOL!!! Those yippy little b@stards.
About religion? I don’t have issues with what people believe, it’s just when they say I’m wrong that bothers me. I think that mentality crosses over to things like why we should fight AQ and how some view the poor, etc. I think it opens one up to having a too narrow of perspective and realizing that humans are not all the same, nor should be.
Bosch
March 27th, 2009
5:17 pm
Corporal,
Let me rephrase something – “in the eyes of God” – I don’t think God is a human kind of creature, so I don’t think God has “eyes” but I hope you get my drift.
Bosch
March 27th, 2009
5:18 pm
Pogo,
I personally miss Right Wing Nut Job in Full Glory.
@@
March 27th, 2009
5:25 pm
I know that Bosch won’t read this since it’s me posting it, but if you’re really concerned about the violence in Mexico, this may add to those concerns.
Hezbollah is strengthening its ties to Mexican drug cartels — and using the same routes they do to smuggle narcotics and people into the United States, the Washington Times reported March 27. The Shiite militant group long has been known to fund operations through drugs and other types of criminal activity, and to operate in the tri-border region of Paraguay, Argentina and Brazil. But a recently retired U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration operations chief, Michael Braun, has said Hezbollah is working with and relying on the same criminal facilitators as Mexican cartels. Six U.S. officials — including law enforcement, defense and counterterrorism specialists — who spoke on condition of anonymity confirmed his remarks.
jay has his traveling music upstairs. He blew the link though.
PJ
March 27th, 2009
5:26 pm
To: jon @4:44 pm – My object apologies if I got history wrong but I thought I read somewhere that we attacked Iraq because they were meeting with 9/11 operatives prior to the attack (false), that they had WMD’s (false), they they were an imminent threat to the US and there would be mushroom clouds (false). I know they invaded Kuwait in the 1980’s and that they were ignoring the UN sanctions but I don’t remember being told that is why were invaded a sovereign nation. We were told that Iraq oil would pay for the war (false), that we would be treated like heroes with flower thrown in the streets (false) and loss of live would be at a minimum (also false). We were told we did not and would not torture (false), we were told prisoners of war would be treated fairly (false), we were told that Blackwater could do a good job of security and infrastructure building (false). If I am incorrect in my estimations please advise me for I’d hate to think I misjudged the Bush Administration in any way. After all they have been straight with us on so many issues.
williewonka
March 27th, 2009
5:28 pm
Please, I beg all of you DO NOT get that religious lunatic started. You know the one .. the E-4 who at that lowly rank also fancies hisself as some sort of military tactician.
Wyld Byll Hyltnyr
March 27th, 2009
5:32 pm
President Obama never serfved in the military; he is just another “chickenhawk” compensating for his own sexual inadequacies.
President Obama just wants to double-down on Afghanistan because the Afghanis did not consider his father to be a real muslim.
President Obama is lying about the inteligence to justify this war he needs to compensate for his sexual inadequacies and avenge his father.
President Obama is taken this action solely to prepare to invade Iran.
President Obama shouldt be impeached.
Corporal
March 27th, 2009
5:34 pm
ByteMe:
1) Eternity is no amusement.
2) “Dulce Bellum Inexpertis”
Kamchak
March 27th, 2009
5:40 pm
@ Pogo
I was born on Peachtree Street in 195…something, and I find his wit to be very entertaining. Please do not presume to speak for all southerners.
PJ
March 27th, 2009
5:43 pm
To: Mrs. Godzilla @4:54 pm – Hooray for UPS. Lets see who follows suit.
To: Corporal – It’s still blasphemy no matter how many Bible quotes you post.
To:Wyld Byll Hyltnyr @5:32 pm – OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO-K!
Rush Limbaugh for President
March 27th, 2009
5:54 pm
Wild Bill….
You is funny Mr. Rhet.
Pogo, I am a Southerner and I take no offense to RedNeck Convert. I’d say his posts are pretty accurate. I don’t believe he has ever mentioned the South specifically nor has he used the word moron. Lighten up.
Dave R
March 27th, 2009
5:54 pm
Williewonka, I’ll take one U.S. Marine corporal over any million liberals any day and twice on Sunday. Especially on military tactics.
You aren’t even in his league.
@@
March 27th, 2009
5:56 pm
PJ:
Are those falsies you’re sporting, dude?
Corporal
March 27th, 2009
5:59 pm
To PJ:
I’ll take Bible quotes over your quotes any day but thanks for your input.
To Bosch:
I hear you but consider this. Jesus did claim to be God in the flesh. That was blasphemy under Jewish law at the time and He was put to death for that. That part is really not in dispute even historically.
Now that said, since He “claimed” to be God He was either:
1) A LIAR: He claimed to be God but KNEW he was not (aka: Jim Jones). He cost a lot of innocent, believing people their lives …. all through history. If this is who He was, He cannot even be a “good” man or a “great” prophet because He was a liar and we should pay no attention to Him.
2) A LUNATIC: He claimed to be God but He was in layman’s terms – crazy (aka: Charles Manson). Sometimes people in history will follow a deranged person (hard to believe but true) but if this is who He was we should pay no attention to Him.
LORD: He was Who He claimed to be …. and we had better pay attention to what He said.
williewonka
March 27th, 2009
6:11 pm
Dave R .. You wanna bet? You don’t know my military record, nor do you know I’m a liberal…In fact you know nothing of me!
Corporal
March 27th, 2009
6:13 pm
To Dave R:
Regarding General Williewonka and his viewpoint (it’s a free country) have you ever noticed that liberal/non-military people make “tactics” much bigger than it really is? It’s not that complicated ……
Let me explain (Williewonka are you listening):
1) At the squad level of say 12 men (three fireteams of 4 each) you are ordered to attack a position (a trenchline/bunker complex). Basically, two fire teams attack frontally/pin the enemy down while the other fire team envelops/outflanks them – thereby taking the position. This is what Corporal and Sergeants do.
2) Now – go back to the first Gulf War.
At the “Army level” (multi-divisions) you are ordered to attack a position (in this case Kuwait/Iraq). About two thirds of the divisions involved attacked frontally/pinned down the enemy while about one third of the divisions enveloped/outflanked the Iraqi Army from the west (along with a Marine “feint” from the ocean). This is what Generals do.
This is not brain surgery. Tactics are like football plays. There are only so many things you can do. The difference between a squad attack and an “Army” attack is the amount of troops and logistics involved.
And in the second Iraq war Bush/Rumsfield screwed it up initially simply because they didn’t have enough troops …. something most of us who have been in combat knew from day one.
Corporal
March 27th, 2009
6:21 pm
To @@:
That was a good one.
Dave R
March 27th, 2009
7:07 pm
Williewonka, I don’t know you or your military record. What does that have to do with my earlier statement?
The mere fact that you post nothing of substance and berates an E-4 as being lowly says that you aren’t in Corp’s league.
Copyleft
March 27th, 2009
8:00 pm
Corporal’s confusion stems from the fact that he HONESTLY BELIEVES liberals have no interest in fighting al-Qaeda or defending America. It’s funny, but he really believes that!
So when liberals are on board with taking _actual effective steps_ to fight terrorism, he gets all stymied and worked up. “But–but that don’t make SENSE! Liberals want to hold hands with terrorists and sing Kumbaya, I just KNOW it!”
Silly, silly man, that Corporal…..
Corporal
March 27th, 2009
8:32 pm
Copyleft:
Here is the problem I have with posts like the one you just did.
Most (but not all) of you liberals go after me personally instead of just the message. If you don’t agree with the message fine …. debate ….
Now, if you will go back and review my posts I do not believe you will find where I said “every” last liberal for anything. If I did it was in error.
There are always exceptions but “in general” liberals are usually not into a strong defense, etc. They may use that “verbage” but boiled down to its core …….. liberals and conservatives are as different on a strong defense, or fighting terrorism as they are the 2nd Amendment.
It is obvious that Obama was much softer on all of this until he got a few briefings. I would have loved to have been there.
Now, if you are into fighting terrorism “physically”, then as I told someone else earlier today:
Welcome aboard ! Standby to repel boarders !
Corporal
March 27th, 2009
8:34 pm
Mr. williewonka:
I am awaiting your response to my 6:13. I don’t think we have ever debated before so let’s be polite and have at it ………………
jon
March 27th, 2009
10:14 pm
PJ at 5:26 My object apologies if I got history wrong
You did.
The Professor
March 27th, 2009
10:57 pm
Was it not Mr.Obama who stated in 2007 the United States must be willing to strike al Qaeda targets inside Pakistan. I am pretty sure this was before he got to see any briefings.
jon
March 27th, 2009
11:03 pm
For more entertainment how this statement from Janet Napolitano, director of Homeland Security about flooding on the high plains. “You have a number of us who have been through different types of emergencies, but similar in the sense of having to make decisions about opening shelters, evacuating people, keeping track of special needs populations, making sure that highways are closed to one-way direction, making sure that shelters have food, baby food, places for pets, all the rest,” she said. “I certainly have been through that quite a bit.”
The funny part is to go read this hack’s biography.
Corporal
March 27th, 2009
11:25 pm
The Professor:
He said so many weird things and changed his mind on so many issues during the campaign it would be impossible for anyone to really know what he said or let alone meant. Don’t get me wrong …. 95% of politicians are that way ….. he is just better than most ….
)
Copyleft
March 28th, 2009
11:27 am
I know you’re still confused, Corporal, so I’ll try to clear it up for you:
“There are always exceptions but “in general” liberals are usually not into a strong defense, etc.”
100% wrong. Point to any evidence of such a thing.
“liberals and conservatives are as different on a strong defense, or fighting terrorism as they are the 2nd Amendment.”
Again, 100% wrong. Where’s your evidence for such an absurd claim?
“It is obvious that Obama was much softer on all of this until he got a few briefings.”
And again, wrong. As has already been demonstrated, Obama was always in favor of going after Al Qaeda.
What threw the far-right neonuts off course was when liberals opposed a SPECIFIC military action (invading Iraq) that made no sense and had nothing to do with the attacks on America. In their little black-or-white minds, that meant “Liberals don’t really want to fight terrorism.” Of course, all it really meant that liberals wanted to fight ACTUAL threats, rather than inventing new ones.
But the chickenhawks couldn’t process such a complicated concept. It was easier to claim “liberals want to be friends with the terrorists and hold hands and sing.”
Liberals have never been soft on defense… we’ve just been SMARTER about it, which includes using every available method, not just the guns and bombs that make the conservative children squeal and wet their pants.
Joe Matarotz
March 28th, 2009
3:11 pm
Interesting addendum to this story is the backstory regarding the debate which took place at the White House. Joe Biden argued that this could become a quagmire. Military personnel argued for more troop. Since Joe Biden is the intellectual equivalent of Sarah Palin, the choice was made to increase troops.
Henceforth, on questions of policy, Obama should ask Biden what to do, and then to the opposite. That would work.