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When asked to define the difference between Bush’s “war on terror” and Obama’s “campaign against extremism”, Secretary of Defense Robert Gates said:
· “I think that’s people looking for differences where there are none.”--Fox News, 3/29/09
In that same interview, Secretary Gates said that the US would be increasing the number of troops in Afghanistan to 68,000--but we don’t need to worry; President Obama doesn’t do dumb wars:
· "I want the American people to understand that we have a clear and focused goal: to disrupt, dismantle and defeat al-Qaida in Pakistan and Afghanistan, and to prevent their return to either country in the future... That's the goal that must be achieved. That is a cause that could not be more just."
So, instead of ending the Bush wars and bringing the troops home, President Obama plans to escalate Bush’s war on Afghanistan (“the graveyard of empires”) and expand it into Pakistan. The cause may be just, but will sending more troops to Afghanistan accomplish any of his stated goals?
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Does President Obama really believe that Osama bin Laden is sitting in a cave somewhere, waiting for us to bomb him? If we actually knew where bin Laden was; we should have captured or killed him long ago. If we don’t know where he is--he could be anywhere. My guess is a luxury hotel suite somewhere--sipping sweet tea and watching CNN as America squanders its blood and treasure.
· “We are continuing this policy in bleeding America to the point of bankruptcy. ...We, alongside the Mujahedeen, bled Russia for 10 years until it went bankrupt and was forced to withdraw in defeat.”--Osama bin Laden, 10/29/04
George W. Bush played the perfect fool--doing everything bin Laden could have wished and more (invading Iraq). I thought Barack Obama was smarter than that, but (so far) he seems determined to continue Bush’s dumb wars.
Does President Obama really believe that he can eradicate al Qaida from Afghanistan by sending more troops? Bush sent 140,000 troops into Iraq, and now there is an al Qaida presence, which did not exist before the invasion.
· “Afghanistan has a land area 50% larger than Iraq and a slightly larger population of 30 million. According to counter-insurgency strategists, success requires some 20 counter-insurgents for every 1,000 people, which would be 600,000 troops.”--Steve Weissman, Truthout.com, 2/5/09
Does President Obama think al Qaida in Pakistan will sit and wait to be bombed; and when they move on to another nation--will he start bombing there too?
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In a report prepared for the Dept. of Social Sciences at Military Academy at West Point, General Barry R McCaffrey (USA Ret) made this ominous prediction:
“This is a 25 year campaign. We must be patient in our expectations.”
Anyone up for another generation of war?
