He gets the first part right (insubstantial lightweight meets French President) but flubs the second (visit saved by charming French speaking wife.)

JiangxiDad on July 25, 2008 at 2:40 PM

I don’t know JiangxiDad, if Mrs. Obama went to France and spoke French it probably would not have played well with those working class whites who cling to their guns and bible.

He gets the first part right (insubstantial lightweight meets French President) but flubs the second (visit saved by charming French speaking wife.)

JiangxiDad on July 25, 2008 at 2:40 PM

Heh, right now you’d think that Obama isn’t even married. If they could they’d hide Michelle O. until Nov. 04, 2008.

Could we, please, just on this site, put a big red NO in front of “Judgment to Lead under Herr Obama’s mugshot here.

eaglesdontflock on July 25, 2008 at 12:48 PM

This has been my thought every day.

Did Obama study history at all? We lost more in a single battle to begin the Atlantic campaign in World War II than all of these nations combined: 1500 men at Kassarine Pass, a disaster that forced the American Army to shake up its Africa command. The Canadians lost a similar number at Dieppe in 1943. We lost tens of thousands in the Philippines in 1941, and tens of thousands in the march up the island chain from 1942 to 1945.

You’re being kind to Obama by not mentioning WW1 casualties.

The Third Battle of Ypres in late 1917 lasted about 3 months. Both sides lost a total of more than 850,000 dead, wounded, captured, or missing.

Kinda puts things in perspective.

Just facts.

He won’t let such things get in the way.

Well, I think Obama does have a slight point in that many Americans feel we’re essentially going it alone.
Yakko77 on July 25, 2008 at 2:21 PM

And (some) Americans feel that way because the Democratic party, along with media enablers, have been accusing the US of “unilateralism” since we invaded Iraq.

So now, in Obama-speak, let us chastise the same American people that he and his party and the media have lied to for years for the crime of believing those lies.

Change you can believe in.

Iraqi Sheik Offers To Take Fight to Bin Laden

At the same time, he said Americans also had to slough off their false impressions of their European allies.
“Americans have a tendency to characterize Europeans as effete or unwilling to shoulder the necessary burdens for freedom when you’ve got a lot of coalition forces in Afghanistan who have taken serious losses,” Obama said.

Is it absolutely necessary, Mr. Obama, to call Americans bigots and relatively denegrate the sacrifices of American troops?

If all you really wanted to do was praise our allies – you know, the people John McCain referred to as “the coalition of the bribed and coerced” – then why the Hell can’t you JUST DO THAT?

And, assuming that was your goal, the best way to show genuine appreciation would be to have somebody feed you a couple of facts so you can at least get a detail or two right while you’re at it. But I suppose that’s out of the question; I mean, nobody expects miracles from The Messiah, right?

Did he list “climate change” above terrorism? Tell me he didn’t just list “climate change” above terrorism. He did, didn’t he?

crazy_legs on July 25, 2008 at 2:56 PM

Yup, he put it above genocide and poverty too. Remember, the sky is falling, so sayeth ManBearPig.

“That coalition of ideas and values is what’s necessary for us to solve transnational problems of the 21st century, like climate change, terrorism, genocide and poverty.”

Did he list “climate change” above terrorism? Tell me he didn’t just list “climate change” above terrorism. He did, didn’t he?

How many of you know, that the UAE of all countries, has a contingent of Troops over in Aghanistan; and though small, they’ve been doing a great job, and have really helped with the whole fellow “Muslim” thing.

In fact, several of the Al Anbar tribes, have offered to send troops over to help the Americans in Afghanistan, they so hate Bin Laden and Al Qaeda now; anyone know that?

Thank that POS Obama knows that?

Dale in Atlanta on July 25, 2008 at 2:25 PM

No, I didn’t. Had to Google it up to find out. Thank you for sharing.

On one hand the realization that America will not be leading under him and on the other hand the real possibility of a shift in world leadership to France under Sarkozy.

Texas Gal on July 25, 2008 at 2:20 PM

Well,Obama wanted to be JFK, but as in Germany, he also fails in France. He gets the first part right (insubstantial lightweight meets French President) but flubs the second (visit saved by charming French speaking wife.)

The Brits and Canadians are tough, and the Dutch have stood pretty firm in agreeing to serve in combat roles unlike most of the continental Europeans. However, none of the continental Europeans are used to taking any sort of combat losses in the modern times. Having any soldier killed is serious for them because they haven’t got much political support or will to stand up militarily.

Sen. Obama was trying to be polite (good), diplomatic (good), and keeping up with his usual practice of tailoring his message to please the current audience (not good).

God DAMN America!
God DAMN America!

The Berliners would have ate it up.

In fact, several of the Al Anbar tribes, have offered to send troops over to help the Americans in Afghanistan, they so hate Bin Laden and Al Qaeda now; anyone know that?

Thank that POS Obama knows that?

JiangxiDad on July 25, 2008 at 2:04 PM

Thank you.

Seems like at least one person on their editorial staff has been paying close attention to Obama.

Watching Obama up against Sarkozy was like watching the student up against a master. As hard as Obama tried to take charge of that press conference, every move came across as immature. If I was French and a supporter of Sarkozy, I would have very mixed feelings about Obama becoming president. On one hand the realization that America will not be leading under him and on the other hand the real possibility of a shift in world leadership to France under Sarkozy.

Currently, our Non-combat losses in Iraq, are 18.55%, and IED’s account for approximately 70% of our losses in Iraq; both figures represent a stunning idictment of how incompetent, and how much of a non-threat, the “insurgency” really was.

But you’ll never convince the clueless, Anti-American/Pro-Jihadi Democratic Traitor Nutbags, such as Obama, of that!

We lost 7000+ Army, Marines, Sailors, Airmen in the Battle of Guadalcanal, over six months, in WWII.

Compare that with under 5000, in Iraq & Afghanistan COMBINED, in seven years!

We’ve had under 5000 Service members killed in Iraq & Afghanistan, in TWO Wars, Simultaneously, since 9/11.

Over 110,000 Americans, have been MURDERED, by the own Fellow Americans, in the same time period!

WHERE IS THE DEMOCRATIC OUTRAGE???

Oh, there is none, because “murderers” are the “victims”, propped up by their Activist Lawyers, Judged, Politicians.

I’m tired of “Democrats” and Obama; they’re liars, frauds, Traitors & POS’s!

And of course what his trying to do, with this statement is

a) downplay the US losses and overplay the European losses, to make the US effort look less…

and

b) of course, in a backhanded way, build up the Afghanistan campaign, and backhand the Iraq Campaign…

This POS is such a fraud, like All “Democrats”, he absolutely HATES the troops, the US Military, etc.

He wouldn’t know squat about sacrifice, service, Military Service, Military History, Historical trends in casualties, etc., if it hit him square in the face.

In fact, his comments betray, as usual, his and typical Democratic complete and utter idiocy and stupidity and ignorance on such matters.

It also betrays his stupidity and lack of knowledge on the current NATO allies in Afghanistan, and their current missions.

The French, though they are there, and have suffered some casualties, have refused to actually let their troops engage in any Combat; they’re only allowed, currently, to engage in “Peacekeeping”.

The Germans are the same, the Germans in fact, make sure they deploy their troops, on the opposite side of the country from any figthing, on purpose.

The British, mix it up whenever they can, and have borne the brunt of the figthing just the like Canadians and the Americans. However, with the British, as soon as their Troops win a battle, they’re Generals and their Politicians, just like in Iraq, try to give the victory away, by immediately “negotiating” with the same people they just defeated, and giving them moral and political victories, and then withdraw; only having to go back in later, and fight all over again, when the situation turns out worse (just like they did in Basra).

The Canadians, despite their Leftist Government at home, and the same with the Australians, have actually been our most reliable allies over there.

But the Danes, the Dutch, the Poles, and the other Eastern Europeans have also done VERY well, especially their Special Forces.

But again, Obama wouldn’t know any of this, because he’s a lying, Troop-hating Democratic POS!

And for the record, the US has lost 560 people in Afghanistan; but according to Obama, that doesn’t matter, the European losses are “serious”; ours are not!

Typical Democrat POS!

While I don’t recall the number off the top of my head, I seem to recall that non combat related deaths account for something like 20-25% of the total number of in theater deaths.

A percentage of the total number of non combat related deaths (statistically speaking) would have occured no matter where these individuals were stationed. The fact that they are stationed in combat theaters means their numbers are rolled into the death total.

Having served in the Army Medical Corps at a number of very large bases and combat training facilities, I can speak from personal experience. Heat related deaths and accidents of every imaginable stripe occur on an ongoing basis.

While each death is tragic, it is meaningful to place the entire count into perspective. It is hard to imagine combat operations over this length of time and have so relatively few deaths and injuries.

God bless the servicemen and women and our prayers are with them and their families.