CPAC 2013: Where does conservative military policy go from here?
Sen. Rand Paul’s 13-hour filibuster last week, in which he demanded the Obama administration clarify if it believes it has the authority to kill Americans on U.S. soil with drones, sparked blowback from some of his fellow Republicans, including Sen. John McCain. That has sparked debate about whether the GOP is moving in a new direction regarding foreign and military policy, or drifting apart into two, ahem, warring camps.
But foreign-policy and military experts speaking on a Thursday morning panel at the American Conservative Union’s CPAC conference sounded a relatively consistent line of thinking, albeit more about the use of force overseas while largely staying away from the topic of domestic drones.
“The proper natural end of war is your peace, the peace according to you, the peace you want,” said Angelo Codevilla, professor of international relations at Boston University. “Victory is that achievement. And defeat is in fact letting the enemy achieve his version of peace. That is what war is all about.
“Our bipartisan leaders for the past generation have forgotten that fundamental truth. So they have engaged us in a variety of enterprises around the world without knowing what they are fighting for and what they want to achieve. … They have deprived us of the proper product [of war]. This country has no peace right now. And the lack of peace is eating away at us.”
Rep. Tom Cotton, a Republican from Arkansas and veteran of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, sounded a similar note. “Wars are not movies. They do not end. They are won or they are lost,” he said. “We should fight anywhere, but we should not fight everywhere.”
Cotton also criticized the Obama administration’s decision to try the recently captured son-in-law of Osama bin Laden, Sulaiman Abu Ghaith, in federal court rather than holding him at Guantanamo Bay — in the prison President Obama hasn’t closed despite his 2008 campaign rhetoric about the need to do so — so that the military could interrogate him at length and try him in a military tribunal.
“It’s possible, I suppose, that we had exploited him for all intelligence value in just the few hours we had him” under military custody, Cotton said. But he noted it took far longer for the U.S. to learn from 9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed about the courier whose presence ultimately led Navy SEALs to Osama bin Laden’s hideout in Pakistan.
Cotton’s comments echoed remarks Georgia’s Sen. Saxby Chambliss made to me Wednesday in his office, when he called a federal-court trial for Abu Ghaith “a huge mistake.”
“This is not an ordinary terrorist, it’s an enemy combatant,” Chambliss said. Yet, “he’ll be tried as an ordinary bank robber would be.”
In any case, the notion that America should engage in nation-building abroad came in for rough criticism from the CPAC panelists. Rep. Louie Goehmert of Texas recalled how it took little time and few soldiers to come to the brink of victory in Afghanistan, citing the help of the Northern Alliance.
“They fought the Taliban and defeated them for us,” Goehmert said. “We had less than 500 American soldiers … in Afghanistan when we defeated the Taliban because the Northern Alliance did our work. That was the beginning of the very end for the Taliban until — after we won — we sent in tens of thousands of troops in to occupy it.”
– By Kyle Wingfield
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251 comments Add your comment
Cheesy Grits is gone but not forgotten
March 14th, 2013
2:42 pm
President Incompetent is still largely a 50-50 proposition to the entirety of this country.
Wrong again.
Ill say it again real slow.
In the South Obama is very very very unpopular.
Outside the South he is very popular.
Politico
March 14th, 2013
2:42 pm
“You don’t have permission to put words in my mouth………….”
bwhahahahahahahahaha
bless the little tikes heart
Rafe Hollister
March 14th, 2013
2:43 pm
Del
You forgot crazy uncle Joe Biden and Michelle Obama. Michelle is as qualified as our current potentate was, so she may stand a chance if she chooses to throw her wig into the ring.
Speaking of getting old and dying out, that would be the potential Democrat nominees. Their young upstart Presidential hopeful, Gov Cuomo, of NY just willfully shot himself in the foot with his gun control fervor, which will not play well outside the Wash-Bos corridor.
Maybe Debbie Washerwomen Shultz will be their choice or Alan Grayson, hah!
Tiberius - pulling the tail of the left AND right when needed
March 14th, 2013
2:43 pm
I see that Politico has reverted to the childish leg-humper mode he usually operates in.
Cheesy Grits is gone but not forgotten
March 14th, 2013
2:44 pm
You’d have to first be upright in order to stoop, Finn.
Obama has been in the gutter since 2006.
And has never left it.
Notice again Reagan’s record isn’t mentioned.
But can you imagine if Obama did anything close to that.
Oh the outrage.
Finn McCool (the system isn't broken; it's fixed)
March 14th, 2013
2:44 pm
Here is your link – with new evidence described.
http://www.alternet.org/tea-party-and-right/shocking-new-evidence-reveals-depths-treason-and-treachery-watergate-and-iran
Politico
March 14th, 2013
2:45 pm
The little tike who humped my leg when I was replying to JR now talks about leg humping……
You can’t make this stuff up
“color me shocked”
Cheesy Grits is gone but not forgotten
March 14th, 2013
2:46 pm
Speaking of getting old and dying out, that would be the potential Democrat nominees.
Meh plenty more where that came from.
The under 30 crowd was over 60 percent for the Democrats last election.
That is powerful stuff.
JohnnyReb
March 14th, 2013
2:46 pm
Two more thoughts -
Just after the 2008 election there was a photo going around of a truck bed tailgate where a guy had turned Obama into the acronym One Big Ass Mistake America. How true.
Next, I was listening to Feinstein on the tube about gun control and my demons came out. I thought of the movie where a bunch of guys are launched to Mars and their landing craft is a design that uses air bags around the circumfrence to cushion the landing. They hit hard and the thing bounces all over Mars almost killing them all.
Point being, I would lke to see Feinstein and her looney legislative sisters from the Left Coast in one of those things. So they don’t get lonely, send Waxman, Harry, and Chuck along. To keep everyone amused, that traveling Fat Boy from the NYT and his buddy the weasel economist can be included. Talk about instant improvement.
What a site. I would pay toward the effort.
Tiberius - pulling the tail of the left AND right when needed
March 14th, 2013
2:48 pm
“Ill say it again real slow.
In the South Obama is very very very unpopular.
Outside the South he is very popular.”
I’ll type it again real slow for you, Cheesy.
The South is still part of the USA. The USA votes for the President. This current iteration received about 3% more votes across the NATION than did his closest opponent. That makes him a roughly 50-50 proposition for the country he was elected by.
And btw, as soon as you can tell us how Montana, Idaho, Utah, Wyoming, Nebraska, Kansas, North Dakota and South Dakota are considered Southern states, we can have an intelligent discussion.
Tiberius - pulling the tail of the left AND right when needed
March 14th, 2013
2:51 pm
I was pointing out your error in changing the argument to meet your preconceived notions, Politico.
All you do is attack people personally and then repeat some of their posts back at them.
Not exactly the mark of someone willing to debate a topic intellectually.
@@
March 14th, 2013
2:51 pm
The under 30 crowd was over 60 percent for the Democrats last election.
That’s because they were hoping the government would pick up the tab for their college loans.
Politico
March 14th, 2013
2:52 pm
And Tiberius wept
And name callers and insults like you shouldn’t cry about name calling and insulting
hypocrite much………. yes you do
Cheesy Grits is gone but not forgotten
March 14th, 2013
2:52 pm
Looks like we are headed towards another record with the DOW.
How many days is that in a row ?
Cheesy Grits is gone but not forgotten
March 14th, 2013
2:54 pm
That’s because they were hoping the government would pick up the tab for their college loans.
LOL
Or maybe they are pretty liberal in their viewpoints.
independent thinker
March 14th, 2013
2:54 pm
Dusty at 2:34″”"”The country is not in good shape. I don’t need someone telling me 24/7 how wonderful it is being run It isn’t. Hasn’t been for four years. Bush was a strong steady president and we need another one like him. He’d be smart enough to know it is time to leave Afghanistan and get on with smart America, the one we once had. He’d also be smart enough to work with Congress.”"”"”"”"”"”
Definitely the funniest comment of the day. No wonder Jindal calls it the stupid party.
Mission Accomplished???????What mission- when? where?
Cheesy Grits is gone but not forgotten
March 14th, 2013
2:55 pm
The South is still part of the USA. The USA votes for the President. This current iteration received about 3% more votes across the NATION than did his closest opponent. That makes him a roughly 50-50 proposition for the country he was elected by.
And if you look at the South and yes the rural Midwest.
That is where he lost badly.
When you get out of those areas and back to civilization.
He is very very popular.
To keep denying it is making you look stupid.
JohnnyReb
March 14th, 2013
2:55 pm
If I had the honor of addressing all the Republican Congressmen, I’ll tell them this.
All the talk from the media and the Left on a balanced approach, compromise, etc. Ignore it.
Tell the Left you are following in their footsteps on compromise displayed when Obamacare was voted in.
There was not compromise. There was no consideration of the Right’s wishes. Every dirty trick under the Sun was used to pass the bill.
Let the Left put their compromise and shared sacrifice up their patuttie. Stick to your guns. Just vote no.
MarkV
March 14th, 2013
2:55 pm
After 2004 2nd term elections,
the Republicans: WE WON!
After 2012 2nd term elections,
the Republicans: The country is almost 50:50
Rafe Hollister
March 14th, 2013
2:56 pm
Odd Owl
Germany is doubling down on austerity by choosing to balance their budget. I think they have found a way, ONCE AGAIN, to dominate Europe. Different approach, but this time they will do it peacefully, by controlling the purse strings. Their government first, socialist nanny state neighbors, that do not like the pain of budget cuts, will be bowing down even more, and begging for money to stay afloat.
JohnnyReb
March 14th, 2013
2:57 pm
So Cheesy, since the South is not civilization does that mean you do not live here, and therfore have no vested interest, or are you being held captive?
JohnnyReb
March 14th, 2013
2:58 pm
Record Dow – cue the Obama lies. Guess what? It’s not Obama. It’s Bernanke.
Aesop's Fables and other Lib Economic Theories
March 14th, 2013
2:59 pm
Southern states yes. But with others no.
Kalifornia is a southern state?
Yes, America has voted on gay marriage and you sods lost. So shut the hell up and get over it.
You lost.
Cheesy Grits is gone but not forgotten
March 14th, 2013
2:59 pm
Record Dow – cue the Obama lies. Guess what? It’s not Obama. It’s Bernanke.
Wanna bet that answer would be different with a Republican in the WH.
Jefferson
March 14th, 2013
3:01 pm
Reasonable people can come to reasonable conclusions under reasonable conditions, unless you are a republican.
Cheesy Grits is gone but not forgotten
March 14th, 2013
3:01 pm
Yes, America has voted on gay marriage and you sods lost. So shut the hell up and get over it.
LOL.
Look at the demographics dummy.
Its coming and sooner than later.
The bigots will not win. You cannot discriminate against people based on your silly religion.
Its over.
YOU LOST.
Aesop's Fables and other Lib Economic Theories
March 14th, 2013
3:01 pm
Just a quick, cranky reminder: Despite what you may have read, the Dow Jones industrial average did not hit a new high today in any meaningful sense.
After adjusting for inflation, the Dow was higher in 2000 than it is today. It was also higher in 2007. It would need to rise another 10 percent or so to hit an all time high in real (i.e., inflation-adjusted) terms. – National Public Radio
independent thinker
March 14th, 2013
3:02 pm
“”"”"”"”"”In any case, the notion that America should engage in nation-building abroad came in for rough criticism from the CPAC panelists. Rep. Louie Goehmert of Texas recalled how it took little time and few soldiers to come to the brink of victory in Afghanistan, citing the help of the Northern Alliance.
“They fought the Taliban and defeated them for us,” Goehmert said. “We had less than 500 American soldiers … in Afghanistan when we defeated the Taliban because the Northern Alliance did our work. That was the beginning of the very end for the Taliban until — after we won — we sent in tens of thousands of troops in to occupy it.””"”"”"”"”"”"”"”"”"”
From Kyle at CPAC
These are the same clowns who complain that we did not take the lead in Libya and put troops on the ground. If we had armed the Shiites and Kurds in 1991 when Daddy Bush chickened out and cancelled the war, where would we have been? Surely not 20 years of war with the US having to do all the heavy lifting. But the cons here wish someone strong like Cheney aka George W was in charge.Or someone like Reagan who overcame the superior military forces in Grenada.
JohnnyReb
March 14th, 2013
3:02 pm
Cheesy, you obviously forget that after the 2008 election, when the market was down, the WH went to great extremes to separate Obama’s policies from market results. Oh, they probably did not show that on MSNBC and other Obama media.
Rafe Hollister
March 14th, 2013
3:03 pm
When you get out of those areas and back to civilization.
Your idea of civilization Finn is different than mine. People stacked on top of each other, stuck in rush hour traffic or packed like sardines on a commuter train, forced to pay high taxes and a high standard of living, trying to keep their kids off the streets to save them from the gunfire and the drugs, is not my idea of civilization.
I will take an 32 oz glass of sweet ice tea, some pork rinds, and a porch swing overlooking the grazing livestock, as my civilization.
Aesop's Fables and other Lib Economic Theories
March 14th, 2013
3:03 pm
Get over it cheesy, the American people have spoken and you sods lost.
Deal with it.
Cheesy Grits is gone but not forgotten
March 14th, 2013
3:03 pm
Yup another record day for the DOW.
Seems we have finally recovered from the Bush recession
Tiberius - pulling the tail of the left AND right when needed
March 14th, 2013
3:03 pm
“And if you look at the South and yes the rural Midwest.
That is where he lost badly.
When you get out of those areas and back to civilization.
He is very very popular.
To keep denying it is making you look stupid.”
I’m not denying it, Cheesy. I’m pointing out your stupidity in not accepting the reality that he is a 50-50 proposition for the entire nation.
JohnnyReb
March 14th, 2013
3:04 pm
I’m disappointed I did not get at least an amen on my proposal to put a bunch of the Liberal Left on a rocket to Mars. Surely it brought a smile to some faces?
Cheesy Grits is gone but not forgotten
March 14th, 2013
3:05 pm
Get over it cheesy, the American people have spoken and you sods lost.
Deal with it.
You’re wrong. But a fool so ill let you believe what you want.
Its just a matter of time however.
Cheesy Grits is gone but not forgotten
March 14th, 2013
3:05 pm
I will take an 32 oz glass of sweet ice tea, some pork rinds, and a porch swing overlooking the grazing livestock, as my civilization.
You may like the Trailer park and the constant smell of manure
Not me.
Finn McCool (the system isn't broken; it's fixed)
March 14th, 2013
3:06 pm
I guess the reason the Cons didn’t want W to leave Afghanistan while he was still President was because that would look like we were cutting and running.
Cheesy Grits is gone but not forgotten
March 14th, 2013
3:07 pm
I’m not denying it, Cheesy. I’m pointing out your stupidity in not accepting the reality that he is a 50-50 proposition for the entire nation.
Not really.
When you get out of the South and Midwest.
To the places where things matter. Where they have money and decisions are made.
He is very popular.
HDB
March 14th, 2013
3:08 pm
JohnnyReb
March 14th, 2013
1:29 pm
“HDB – it’s your champion who is making every effort to turn a war into civilian law enforcement. All to satisfy a few screamers from his base who can’t get over the water boarding.”
Actually, the FBI states that’s part of their purpose (from fbi.gov):
Spies. Terrorists. Hackers. Pedophiles. Mobsters. Gang leaders and serial killers. We investigate them all, and many more besides.
The very heart of FBI operations lies in our investigations—which serve, as our mission states, “to protect and defend the United States against terrorist and foreign intelligence threats and to enforce the criminal laws of the United States.” We currently have jurisdiction over violations of more than 200 categories of federal law, and you can find the major ones below, grouped within our three national security priorities and our five criminal priorities. Also visit our Intelligence program site, which underpins and informs all our investigative programs.
Here”re the first two:
1. Terrorism
- International Terrorism
- Domestic Terrorism
- Weapons of Mass Destruction
2. Counterintelligence
- Counterespionage
- Counterproliferation
- Economic Espionage
….and the FBI’s role in terrorism was expanded during the REAGAN Administration!!
JohnnyReb
March 14th, 2013
3:09 pm
Finn – what’s your point on Afghanistan? If anyone has mud on their face about Afghanistan, it’s Obama. He completely ignored history and doubled down. Results zero.
Dusty
March 14th, 2013
3:09 pm
Bubble bubble toil and trouble
LIbs are proud of their political rubble.
Their minds move slowly, their lips are fast
As they move away from our wondrous past.
And shocked Americans can only ask,
“Why isn’t Obama up to this task?”
Cheesy Grits is gone but not forgotten
March 14th, 2013
3:09 pm
Bye for today folks.
Ill leave you to your conspiracies and Tea Parties.
Don’t forget your tin foil hats. Otherwise the drones can hear your thoughts.
See ya.
Aesop's Fables and other Lib Economic Theories
March 14th, 2013
3:09 pm
I have no idea why I’m going to try reason with the cheeser but here it goes anyway – cheesy, how’s your gay marriage election losses any different than Romney’s loss to President Obama?
Is there something special that I do not know of?
JohnnyReb
March 14th, 2013
3:10 pm
HDB – don’t be dense. What did you expect to find in a FBI mission statement posted by the Obama administration?
HDB
March 14th, 2013
3:10 pm
JohnnyReb
March 14th, 2013
3:04 pm
“I’m disappointed I did not get at least an amen on my proposal to put a bunch of the Liberal Left on a rocket to Mars. Surely it brought a smile to some faces?”
I was hoping more cons would’ve been on that spaceship….since many of them seem to be from outer space any way….like Rand Paul, Rick Perry, Paul Braun and the rest of that ilk….problem would be that the ship would have to go to Uranus for them to fit in……..
saywhat?
March 14th, 2013
3:11 pm
Obama caught two Bin Ladens, Bush caught zero.
Tiberius - pulling the tail of the left AND right when needed
March 14th, 2013
3:11 pm
“When you get out of the South and Midwest.
To the places where things matter.”
Always nice to see the tolerance of the left on full display.
Half the country doesn’t matter. Got it.
ODD OWL
March 14th, 2013
3:12 pm
We Democrats are going to use the “McCaskill Strategy” to dislodge these tea party Republicans who have insulated themselves in gerrymandered districts… We Dems will bankroll the most extreme, right wing Todd Akin types to run against the tea party obstructionists in the Republican primaries… The results will be a huge Democrat majority in the House and a filibuster proof super majority in the Senate…
Tiberius - pulling the tail of the left AND right when needed
March 14th, 2013
3:13 pm
“Obama caught two Bin Ladens, Bush caught zero.”
Obama caught zero Bin Ladens (Navy SEALS – Turkey – 1), Bush caught zero.
Fixed your typo, saywhat?
Cheesy Grits is gone but not forgotten
March 14th, 2013
3:13 pm
Is there something special that I do not know of?
Yes the last few states to vote on it all affirmed gay marriage.
Maine, Maryland, Minnesota and Washington all passed Gay marriage rights.
And the supreme court is about to do so as well.
A November 26-29 Gallup poll found that 53% of Americans support same-sex marriage while 46% do not
And when you look at the fact that most opposition to gay marriage is from the over 65 crowd.
While 60 to 70 percent of young people could care less.
Well even you should be able to figure that one out.