Just like you can't rewrite history and pretend the decisions made by the Bush Administration early on were shortsighted at best, borderline criminal at worst. Here's a fact you cannot talk your way out of. If GWB had listened to the right people he would not have had to sign an order for a troop surge to try and fix the disaster Iraq had become in 2006.
I found it interesting that you called the situation in Afghanistan a "losing situation". Who do you think is more responsible for that?
I've noticed on this thread several people talking about how many times GWB talked to his generals and how many times Obama has. Does the name Shinseki ring a bell with you? In case it does not he's the general who in 2003 said more troops were needed for Iraq. Guess how the Bush Administration treated him? Guess who was right?
Just like you can't rewrite history and pretend the decisions made by the Bush Administration early on were shortsighted at best, borderline criminal at worst. Here's a fact you cannot talk your way out of. If GWB had listened to the right people he would not have had to sign an order for a troop surge to try and fix the disaster Iraq had become in 2006.
And you’re trying your hardest to equate post war troop level allocation as outlined in OPLAN 1003-98 with in-theater war time troop allocation based on real time conditions in Afghanistan. That’s an apple to orange comparison that will never equate. With all due respect for you and your service to this country, I find it less than honorable that you justify the blatant disregard the CIC has for the immediate, urgent needs of our troops in Afghanistan.
Let’s agree to a standard 777, if
“the decisions made by the Bush Administration early on were shortsighted at best, borderline criminal at worst†then the same must be said about the Obama Administration.
Obama is not the only person capable of calling someone out. The left wing anti-war crowd that vilified the Bush Administration for crimes against humanity seems to be perfectly content with the way Obama is handling the Afghanistan war with cross border insertion of American troops into a sovereign country, bombing innocent civilians, not listening to your Generals, expanded rendition etc. Yet, in your eyes it is I who holds a double standard?
I found it interesting that you called the situation in Afghanistan a "losing situation". Who do you think is more responsible for that?
In the first six years of Operation Enduring Freedom, US troop casualties averaged 32 per year, hardly a “losing situationâ€. In the last three years (since the Democrats took control of Congress), US troop casualties have risen to an average of 311 per year.
2009 has been the deadliest year in the history of Operation Enduring Freedom with 409 US troop casualties. US troop casualties have doubled since June 2009.
Who do you think is responsible for that?
Operation Enduring freedom now belongs to the Obama Administration and I will continue to hold the current administration responsible for the war strategy, or in this case, the lack of a war strategy.
I've noticed on this thread several people talking about how many times GWB talked to his generals and how many times Obama has. Does the name Shinseki ring a bell with you? In case it does not he's the general who in 2003 said more troops were needed for Iraq. Guess how the Bush Administration treated him? Guess who was right?
Yes, General Shinseki does ring a bell; I’ve had the honor to meet and talk with the fine General. Whereas Shinseki recommended troops levels between 200 and 500K in the post Iraqi war contingency plan (OPLAN 1003-98) it was not to be misconstrued as a means to ensure victory. If that were the case, Vietnam would have been the 51st state. Since the end of World War II, no western style nation state army has defeated an insurgency without the overwhelming majority of soldiers coming from the host country, but I think you know that.
When you asked
“Guess how the Bush Administration treated him?†I assume you to mean that the Secretary of Defense overrode his recommendations. Recently, cupid stunt Pelosi suggested that General Shinseki had been fired for his troop level recommendations during post Iraqi war contingency planning. Just to set the record straight, General Shinseki retired on schedule in June 2003.
