NATO to Obama on troops: Molon Labe
posted at 9:41 am on April 4, 2009 by Ed Morrissey
Yesterday, I wrote about the abject failure of Barack Obama to use his “smart power” to shake loose any new troop commitments for Afghanistan from our NATO partners. In fact, while Obama prostrated himself in Europe, apologizing for American arrogance in the past, our allies were so unimpressed that only the French offered any new assistance at all to match the 17,000 additional troops the US has already added. They’ve pledged 300 more troops — and will not allow them to fight.
Today, a few more troop commitments have trickled in … and when I say trickled, that’s exactly what I mean:
Barack Obama made an impassioned plea to America’s allies to send more troops to Afghanistan, warning that failure to do so would leave Europe vulnerable to more terrorist atrocities.
But though he continued to dazzle Europeans on his debut international tour, the Continent’s leaders turned their backs on the US President.
Gordon Brown was the only one to offer substantial help. He offered to send several hundred extra British soldiers to provide security during the August election, but even that fell short of the thousands of combat troops that the US was hoping to prise from the Prime Minister.
Just two other allies made firm offers of troops. Belgium offered to send 35 military trainers and Spain offered 12. Mr Obama’s host, Nicolas Sarkozy, refused his request.
The derisory response threatened to tarnish Mr Obama’s European tour, which yesterday included a spellbinding performance in Strasbourg in which he offered the world a vision of a future free of nuclear weapons.
The Times of London is incorrect, I believe, on French participation, but the plot line is clear. No one in Europe wants to send more troops, especially not to fight. Even the British, who are fighting on the front lines, will not send more fighting forces, instead only volunteering police units for the election.
In my post yesterday, I asked for a good parody of 300 that would suit this story. The Dissident Frogman sent the best one I’ve seen thus far:
Molon labe, baby. Be sure to see the full-size graphic at DF’s blog.
Blowback
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But at leat these 300 (or so) won’t fight.
MaiDee on April 4, 2009 at 9:42 AM
So this whole trip was one big epic fail. I think the only thing he did right was bowing to the Saudi king.
becki51758 on April 4, 2009 at 9:45 AM
Ed,
API apparently has a different interpretation wrt to following headline.
France, Germany fully endorse Obama’s Afghanistan plans
swash_plate on April 4, 2009 at 9:47 AM
Here is one area I am more than willing to take Ogabe’s side.
What good are allies if they never agree to help? What good are any troops if they aren’t allowed to fight? I understand that they can be used for security and such, but the tactical opportunities could be greatly expanded if all the troops had the option of being used in combat. I believe it was Germany who said that if their troops are sent into direct combat, they would be withdrawn.
Ogabe should tell Europe to eat shiit and good luck with Iran’s long distance missiles.
Bishop on April 4, 2009 at 9:49 AM
Why are the Frenchman speaking German in the pic?
catmman on April 4, 2009 at 9:51 AM
But wait, the one is supposed to get tons of support from the Eurotrash…… It’s Bush that can’t pull any allies together. Like in Iraq, you know we had to go it alone because Bush was such a hayseed, except for,Albania, Australia, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominican Rep, El Salvador, Estonia, Georgia, Honduras, Hungary, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, South Korea, Latvia, Lithuania, Macedonia, Moldova, Mongolia, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, , United Kingdom, and Ukraine.
conservnut on April 4, 2009 at 9:52 AM
Actually, for The Precedent it’s “smarts power”. Don’t ask me what that is, except that it certainly smarts, and that’s what’s to be expected of Precedents.
“Social and economic justice”, baby. It’s coming. Thank you, again, to all the America-hating morons on the left. You’ve really done it, this time.
Oh, Europe was impressed. They had no idea how much The Precedent hated the US, but now they know. It will take them a little longer to find out that the idiot messiah hates Europe just as much! He coming after them, eventually. But, they can’t understand that sort of stuff. Europe is pretty stupid when it comes to politics.
No problem. I wouldn’t let French troops fight, anyway. As Patton said, ‘I would rather have a German division in front of me than a French division behind me.’
progressoverpeace on April 4, 2009 at 9:53 AM
When history looks back at Obama’s term in office
he will be seen as a King Midas in reverse (in which case Midas would be spelled Sadim) Everything he touches, turns into sh!t.
oldernwiser on April 4, 2009 at 9:55 AM
Maybe the Europeans realize that allowing Islamic Law to be the rule in Afghanistan made it a lost cause?
Or that they will be needing these troops at home to fight agsinst the same thing happening to them?
profitsbeard on April 4, 2009 at 9:57 AM
That kind of like the old line of — “we’re right behind you…” as you stand on the precipice.
Dr. Dog on April 4, 2009 at 9:57 AM
If it wasn’t for American blood that would be their official language.
thomasaur on April 4, 2009 at 9:59 AM
becki
No, not one big epic fail….
Michelle has such a fahion sense… “American Royalty”…
Will Michelle wear that sleeveless number?…
Carla didn’t kiss Barack?…..
sarc off
yes, it was a failure
mountainmanbob on April 4, 2009 at 10:00 AM
as much as Europe views us with derision, they like to see the head of another country love their own country. why else would they tolerate little luxembourg, etc? they know if bambi will sell out his own country, he will certainly sell them out.
a 4th grader could figure this out.
kelley in virginia on April 4, 2009 at 10:00 AM
The French surrendered again ?
William Amos on April 4, 2009 at 10:02 AM
…what’s going with the picture on the left side? Looks like a cow in furs and rope?
Consanescerion on April 4, 2009 at 10:02 AM
also, i watched john bolton on Fox News last night talking about N. korea & NE asia. he was talking about what each country’s leader would do in “their best interests”.
Europe has no idea what bambi will do because they know he is not pushing “our best interest”.
kelley in virginia on April 4, 2009 at 10:02 AM
Patton never said that. It was misattributed to him by a Bush Administration official on Fox News in 2003. It’s suprising to me that this myth has grown so much on the internet. Patton spoke French, commanded French troops, befriended French generals. He wasn’t Ed Morrissey, in other words.
aengus on April 4, 2009 at 10:03 AM
We should have gone in alone. Why don’t we try an attack like we did at the beginning of the war and tell the other countries to get lost. Start from square 1.
They are so scared they are going to get attacked they are basically allies of the taliban and al queada. Get them out of there.
tomas on April 4, 2009 at 10:04 AM
smart power failure — love it.
tarpon on April 4, 2009 at 10:05 AM
also, did you see where the Taliban claimed responsibility for the attacks in NY yesterday? i doubt they knew anything about it, but it is a good call to arms, don’t you think?
what will bambi do?
kelley in virginia on April 4, 2009 at 10:05 AM
1) If it was misattributed to him, then it happened a long time before Fox News was even around. I knew this saying decades ago.
2) If Patton didn’t say it, then I’m just as happy to quote it as being from some anonymous genius. It is genius, and true. The French have never had an ally they didn’t stab in the back eventually, and usually for really petty and stupid reasons.
Speakingt of which … I find it amazing that no one has seen fit to fill in the history on France’s “reintegration” with NATO. That’s a nice little story of the French f#cking the US over, as the US protected France, and French interests. I’m really sorry that The Precedent didn’t get that uestion in his town hall. That would have been pretty funny to listen to.
progressoverpeace on April 4, 2009 at 10:07 AM
thomasaur on April 4, 2009 at 9:59 AM
Yes, I know this.
Also “Frenchman” should be “Frenchmen”, but it’s an oxymoron anyway, right? :)
William Amos on April 4, 2009 at 10:02 AM
Funny!
catmman on April 4, 2009 at 10:09 AM
Here is what the French were saying:
Tout ce qu’il touche, se transforme en merde
The Germans:
Alles, was er berührt, verwandelt sich in Scheiße
And the Arabs:
كل ما يمس ، ويتحول إلى الخراء
izoneguy on April 4, 2009 at 10:11 AM
progressoverpeace on April 4, 2009 at 10:07 AM
One has to wonder given Obama’s lack of understanding of pretty much everything, if he even knew France wasn’t in NATO!
Yours is a good point…
catmman on April 4, 2009 at 10:11 AM
And I’m usually good at recognizing sarcasm. (tips hat)
thomasaur on April 4, 2009 at 10:13 AM
I use AOL.com for my start page….There’s a headline under “Top News”
“France,Germany endorse Obama Afghanistan Plans”
There’s an Obama Plan?
BigWyo on April 4, 2009 at 10:14 AM
I guess the Chicago Thug has learned there is no honor among thieves.
Zorro on April 4, 2009 at 10:15 AM
Spain’s ‘commitment’ was the most pathetic — 12 soldiers?
This is a country that suffered a horrific terror attack, and yet has done very little to seek justice for those victims — that is, not simply punishing those responsible, but going after those bastards who inspired and trained the murderers.
Europe will soon pass — it has lost the will to defend itself…and we’ve seen this before.
Richard Romano on April 4, 2009 at 10:15 AM
Fair enough but you should quote it as being said by Anonymous. Misattributing it to Patton is a false appeal to authority.
aengus on April 4, 2009 at 10:16 AM
“What are we going to do tonight Brain?”
“Same thing we do every night Pinky. Try to screw the
American taxpayer again, and again!”
Dr. Dog on April 4, 2009 at 10:16 AM
I even saw a news report of how Carla wore flat soled shoes so she wouldnt overshadow Michelle! ugh
becki51758 on April 4, 2009 at 10:17 AM
We look down at the “cheese-eating surrender monkeys” in France, aghast at how far they’ve fallen since they heroically helped us in our Revolutionary War, but look at how far we’ve fallen from the God-honoring limited government we once had.
jgapinoy on April 4, 2009 at 10:21 AM
NATO names Danish PM as new chief
That’s gonna chap some araby ass.
BallisticBob on April 4, 2009 at 10:21 AM
Fun times for Obama when he goes to Turkey. They were dead set against Rasmussen.
William Amos on April 4, 2009 at 10:22 AM
So, these European trainers, are they going to be training the Afghans on how not to fight too, or…?
CP on April 4, 2009 at 10:24 AM
What bleach to use to make the brightest white flags.
William Amos on April 4, 2009 at 10:26 AM
Didn’t this guy have a WSJ editorial this week critical of the U.S.?
Also, Fox is reporting 5,000 troops.
BuckeyeSam on April 4, 2009 at 10:32 AM
The Precedent is rereading a speech, right now. I’m sure that a few words are changed here and there, but most of it sounds eerily familiar. What a moron.
progressoverpeace on April 4, 2009 at 10:35 AM
“Some words have been changed to confuse the ignorant.”
thomasaur on April 4, 2009 at 10:43 AM
Obama “Words have meaning except when I say them”
William Amos on April 4, 2009 at 10:46 AM
right on cue:
sesquipedalian on April 4, 2009 at 10:51 AM
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/elections/2009/04/04/allied-reluctance-likely-obamas-push-troops-afghanistan/100days/
Fox says Gibbs said 5000, but only gave numbers for 900, 600, and 600…
Even if those numbers are true… is this New Obama Math? Kinda like the Jobs numbers where 2100 becomes 5000?
Romeo13 on April 4, 2009 at 10:51 AM
I heard the 5,000 report, then I heard a tabulation of trainers and other non-combat commitments that fell short of 5,000. Why can’t they get their stories straight on objective numbers?
Obama’s double-talking on American exceptionalism as I type.
BuckeyeSam on April 4, 2009 at 10:56 AM
In Muslim-Obamaspeak, he’s basically advertising to AQ to attack a vulnerable Europe. This is his idea of protecting the homeland, by telling the enemy to attack someone else’s homeland. With friends like Nobama….
So, don’t be surprised if the next target is Paris or Berlin. In order for Nobama’s economics to work, he needs a war. He has just left a large pile of dry kindling in Europe (just think of it, this man has no allegiance whatsoever to Europe and its traditions, more at home with the so-called heritage of Africa), and he is waiting for his confrere Osama to light the match.
Once the fires start in Europe, I bet they won’t mind that cowboy diplomacy of Bush.
EMD on April 4, 2009 at 10:59 AM
Ed
Isn’t the new head of NATO a Confirmed Socialist? How does this help Michelle’s children?
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20090404/ts_nm/us_nato_19
Dr Evil on April 4, 2009 at 11:03 AM
So the Euroweannies are still shirking the responsiblities they actually signed up for in Afghanistan? How long before TOTUS blames that on Bush?
aikidoka on April 4, 2009 at 11:09 AM
Can you give us credible proof Patton never said this? Anti-Faux News sites don’t count.
Del Dolemonte on April 4, 2009 at 11:13 AM
whether Patton said it or not, it sounds like the truth.
kelley in virginia on April 4, 2009 at 11:14 AM
Heh I just read that, a Jennifer Loven intern?
She starts off, European leaders pledged a significant increase in troops for the U.S.-led war in Afghanistan at their 60th anniversary summit Saturday
LOL – Reading further, Britain ais it was possible that there was a possibility, Spain is sending a small contingent of “non-combat” troops (aren’t they all in Europe), Belgium 65 and 2 planes.
Yep, that’s pretty significant.
Maybe she meant this;
Obama said so, so it must be true and it will be significant! All hail the Boy King!. Wow we could have tens upon tens of worthless, European non-combat troops now!. More bodies that the actual combat troops will have to provide security for. Brilliant. The US still does all the work, the EU gets to say that they helped and the media pretends like Obama is the great uniter of nations.
This stupidity pandemic needs to be contained.
reaganaut on April 4, 2009 at 11:21 AM
Here is the entry on Wikiquote:
aengus on April 4, 2009 at 11:30 AM
Doch Obama kann lesen telepromter.
Johan Klaus on April 4, 2009 at 11:46 AM
Would anyone like to purchase some French rifles. Only been dropped twice.
Johan Klaus on April 4, 2009 at 11:52 AM
“NATO allies committed up to 5,000 more military trainers and police to Afghanistan but refused to agree to a U.S. request for additional combat troops. ”
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/elections/2009/04/04/allied-reluctance-likely-obamas-push-troops-afghanistan/
the_nile on April 4, 2009 at 11:55 AM
Obama in France.
I heard Obama visited the French factory that manufactures white surrender flags. (Side note: Michelle ran out of the factory screaming because she thought by mistake it was a clothing manufacturer for the KKK, but they later cleared that up with her.)
Then Obama went on the visit the French museum dedicated to Surrender & Defeat, locally refered to as “Musée de la Losers”, where Obama was made an honorary member.
Obama then reviewed French troops in their combat training of dropping their rifles, unfurling their white surrender flags and yelling “I surrender!” in 21 different languages.
albill on April 4, 2009 at 12:08 PM
Close. The joke is: Never been fired and only dropped once.”
BobMbx on April 4, 2009 at 12:21 PM
You forgot to say “never fired”.
capitalist piglet on April 4, 2009 at 12:22 PM
And 114,000 “pledges” turn into 642,000 with the push of the “print” button.
Obamath.
BobMbx on April 4, 2009 at 12:24 PM
Going to war without France is like……you fill in the punch line.
Dr Evil on April 4, 2009 at 1:08 PM
In case anyone wants to quote this out loud, it’s pronounced moh-LOHN la-VEH.
Tzetzes on April 4, 2009 at 1:19 PM
Even if it were tens of thousands, those numbers would be meaningless unless there is some change to the caveats restricting troop employment.
So 300, 5000, whatever.
The sad part is he sold us out as arrogant and derisive and got nothing in return – pandering with no payoff.
Of course, the Europeans aren’t helping themselves much either, as this exposes them as unwilling to put up a fight.
Somewhere a madman is singing in a cave right about now.
Otis B on April 4, 2009 at 1:34 PM
Is It Really All About The Money? Col Jack Jacobs Retired.
http://jackjacobs.newsvine.com/_news/2009/04/04/2639671-is-it-really-all-about-the-money
Dr Evil on April 4, 2009 at 1:35 PM
A spellbinding performance??? Yes, that is Barack, the performer. For as long as I can remember Presidents have talked about a war without war, or without nuclear weapons, etc. There is nothing new here. The difference is that unlike some of our former presidents, Obama is all talk and no action.
Terrye on April 4, 2009 at 1:46 PM
Individual weapons systems are always a good investment, as long as they work….
When they speak of different types of wars, what they are really discussing is target designation and acquisition… and how many troops you need to destroy the target…
The F-22 is a great invesment IMO as it gives us the ability to put weapons on target anywhere… and overawes actors like Iran… who will spend money on Chinese or Russian Air defenses… but not be able to stop us if we wish to strike…
And if we are going to stimulate the economy, I’d rather do it by buying weapons to defend our country with… than pay money to ACORN or the Pakistanis.
Romeo13 on April 4, 2009 at 1:47 PM
I have no doubt Patton spoke those words, or, if he didn’t, he certainly felt them. The quote has also been rendered “I’d rather have a German general in front of me than a French general behind me.”
Strasbourg:
The French only nominally acted as allies in this matter, and their mutiny would have put 7th Army into great danger.
And, here’s a pop quiz: Who commanded 7th Army?
unclesmrgol on April 4, 2009 at 1:54 PM
What the hell language is that, French?
Speak. American!
madmonkphotog on April 4, 2009 at 2:01 PM
There’s a difference between claiming a person said something and claiming they “felt” it. It’s the difference between documented fact and communing with the dead.
aengus on April 4, 2009 at 2:10 PM
As has been pointed out above, can you prove he didn’t say it? And can you prove that I don’t commune with the dead? Patton did, why can’t I?
And if he didn’t say it, there’s substantial evidence that Lt. General Alexander Patch (the commander of 7th Army at the point the French threatened mutiny — you fail the pop quiz) would have.
Of course, the French might feel somewhat the same about Patch:
unclesmrgol on April 4, 2009 at 2:47 PM
No, not French. Perhaps you know what it is but are speaking with your tongue in your cheek (it’s sometimes hard to tell here); but in case you’re not, it refers to the Battle of Thermopylae (most recently dramatized in the film 300). The Persians told the Spartans to hand their weapons over, to which the Spartans replied “moh-LOHN lah-VEH” [short "e" as in red], meaning “come and take them”.
Tzetzes on April 4, 2009 at 3:00 PM
Wikiquote says it was misattributed. Nobody has provided a source for the quote.
aengus on April 4, 2009 at 3:02 PM
The Messiah, the one, the king, and all knowing ruler, epically failed? Prepostorous!!!
This is what happens, when people here, built him up to believe he was, more than he actually is.
A Chicago thug politician, with delusions of grandeur.
capejasmine on April 4, 2009 at 3:03 PM
The U.S. got a lot more help in Vietnam as the South Korean’s had almost 50,000 troops there at one time.
“The allies included Thailand with an infantry division including the King Cobra Regiment and its attached units, totaling about 11,000 soldiers; Australia with 9 infantry battalions and an attached artillery battalion from New Zealand; and the 47,000 soldiers of the Republic of Korea (RoK). The Philippines contributed a Civic Action Group of about 2,000 soldiers.”
MB4 on April 4, 2009 at 6:55 PM
But.. but… but… the world loves Obama.
Hog Wild on April 4, 2009 at 6:59 PM