Comments on: Europe angry over Obama’s indecision on Afghanistan?

By: Karzai Stays: A ‘New Chapter’? » Afghanistan

Karzai Stays: A ‘New Chapter’? » Afghanistan — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 05:36:42 +0000

[...] in the conflict. Many constituents are waiting for an answer, from Republicans, anti-war activists, European governments, NATO, let alone the citizens and leaders of Afghanistan and Pakistan. Republican Rep. John [...]

By: Catching up on the headlines and opinions of HOPE® and CHANGE® « DPGI – the aftermath

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 17:53:13 +0000

[...] Europe angry over Obama’s indecision on Afghanistan? [...]

By: “have you no wisdom thus to despair?” : NO QUARTER

“have you no wisdom thus to despair?” : NO QUARTER — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 01:30:41 +0000

[...] measure of devotion from these soldiers is the right thing for a President to do,” writes Hot Air’s Ed Morrissey. Curiously, like most pundits, Morrissey believes Obama’s trip to Dover [...]

By: Hogman

Hogman — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 17:21:13 +0000

The real question:

How many times have fallen Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and/or Marines flown into Dover since January 20? How many times has Obama gone to pay respect?

By: mathewsjw

mathewsjw — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 05:22:58 +0000

G.W. Bush did the same whenever the schedule allowed WITHOUT CAMERAS, G.W. Bush invited relatives schedule permitting to the White House and talked one on one WITHOUT CAMERAS, G.W. Bush went to hospitals to visit wounded troops WITHOUT CAMERAS.

if I was a relative of one of the fine men under those flags I would raise Holy Hell with the Pentagon, the same Pentagon which earlier this year bowed to NObama to allow(seems fishy now) photos “if ok with relatives”.

By: Chris_Balsz

Chris_Balsz — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 02:54:51 +0000

JM Hanes

You’re right. This was Obama paying respect to the cameras.

By: GarandFan

GarandFan — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 02:52:46 +0000

WHERE did all the LOVE go?

By: BD57

BD57 — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 23:10:31 +0000

I’d like it better if the President had done this without the photos. And it doesn’t matter what the name is that comes after “President” – the way to pay tribute to the troops is to pay tribute to the troops, period.

By: Star20

Star20 — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 22:37:34 +0000

Obama HAS given his answer; "Present!"

By: SilentWatcher

SilentWatcher — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 22:37:25 +0000

Obama says it’s his duty as president to make sure Islam is not ill spoken of. He has done everything he can to protect the Muslim ‘brothers’: he’s released some to Bermuda; he’s released others back to the battlefield; he wants to release others into the U.S. He does not really wish to do anything much against them that will result in a huge defeat for them. A few Predator drone killings doesn’t change this. His objective is not U.S. defense but protection of the Muslim ummah. Nothing that supports democracy and weakens them will be accomplished rapidly by him.

By: lovingmyUSA

lovingmyUSA — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 22:10:30 +0000

I only have this one question…
What is Bush had done this?He did it privately–because that’s the kind of MAN he was. To him, it was ALWAYS about America and those who sacrificed for her.
If Bush had done this–it would have been a media frenzy to see who could be the most sneering. The fact that they would have been throwing mud at Bush over the coffins of our fallen would have been lost in endless, bitter enuendo.
Therein lies the difference between the two Commanders in Chief’s.

On an unrelated note, I agree with Jazz Shaw that Obama’s reception of the dead at Dover is the right thing to do…

Ed, I’m a little disappointed that you actually bought into the photo opp. If he was realy going to be respectful, he would have done it without the publicity…

By: lovingmyUSA

lovingmyUSA — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 21:58:43 +0000

Important decisions should be rushed, and made hastily!

Deciding quick is better then deciding after considering all the data!

e-pirate on October 29, 2009 at 12:22 PM

Exactly, just like, TARP, Porkulous, and HealthScare! Oh wait….

Youngs98 on October 29, 2009 at 12:52 PM

**Slap!!!*** That was great! I think you slapped him right off the forum!

By: mojo

mojo — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 21:58:33 +0000

“I’m always frank and earnest. In Chicago I’m Frank, In New York I’m Earnest…”

By: lovingmyUSA

lovingmyUSA — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 21:55:19 +0000

gwelf on October 29, 2009 at 12:44 PM

Excellent!!

By: Sherman1864

Sherman1864 — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 21:48:59 +0000

This article is accurate as far as Obama`s dithering (and betraying our troops) is concerned.

But it misses the most important point of all. That is, Europe (and most of the rest of the world) does not like what America does and it does not plain like America. There are many reasons for this, but they are mainly problems with the rest of the world, not America. These reasons are oft discussed as we well know and I will not address them here directly.

America is unique in history for being a powerful country not really interested in acquiring the property or lands of those of other countries with that power. For example, the Iraq War is not about oil. If America desired, it could quite easily TAKE all the oil it wants rather than purchase it.

The point is that no matter what America does, America is more often than not condemned by the rest of the world.

I am more concerned when Europe claims to support America than the reverse.

This is reality. Historical reality. Plain reality.

Reality is that America does not take marching orders from the rest of the world, nor does it need to be overly sensitive to the views of that world or Europe.

Yes. Obama is a complete failure as president and will remain so. His course has been set. He dithers at best and harms at worst both the domestic and foreign fronts.

Europe is suiting itself with its views on dithering and it just happens to be right this time. But not right for America. Right for Europe at this moment in time. Right for itself.

That is all.

I think we have had enough of Europe.

That Obama is dithering is a fact completely unrelated to whatever Europe has to say.

Sorry Europe, we continue to defend you militarily and defray your costs and responsibility in blood and treasure.

That is good or bad enough.

“Mind your own business,” Europe.

China likes the above line and uses it often. I say America can use it, too. And with more authority and honesty.

To most of Europe and parts of the rest of the world on any given day, I say:

Thanks, but no thanks!

By: elduende

elduende — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 21:30:58 +0000

His stunt at Dover is despicable. Thankfully our troops know what a POS vermin this snake of a CinC is. F U Obama.

By: JM Hanes

JM Hanes — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 21:24:01 +0000

Ed:

If Obama had ever saluted the fallen at Dover before before the media policy was conveniently changed, I might be willing to cut him some slack. It wasn’t even just a photo-op, either. Obama took Robert Gibbs along for the ride, and the New York Times reports that:

The images and the sentiment of the president’s five-hour trip to Delaware were intended by the White House to convey to the nation that Mr. Obama was not making his Afghanistan decision lightly or in haste.

That’s not the kind of recognition I’d be looking for in a C-i-C, and it’s no surprise that only one family out of fifteen agreed to a presidential portrait. I hope it brought some measure of comfort to Sgt. Griffin’s family. I cannot pretend, however, not to be utterly stunned at a White House which shamelessly admits that they viewed this sacred ritual as a multi-purpose opportunity. That is not my idea of the “right thing to do.”

You can try closing the door here, but the photo-op horse left the barn way back when Obama mounted his triumphal campaign march through Europe. That time he outright cancelled a visit to Landstuhl, with his press pool on the tarmac, when he found out he couldn’t take a photographer with him. He decided he’d rather pass the time in his hotel gym.

“Let’s hope that politics won’t play a part in this recognition at all.”

You are apparently impervious to irony if you think you’re not politicizing this event, just because you’re exhorting others not to do so. We get enough of that from the President.

By: MB4

MB4 — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 21:21:47 +0000

I don’t know why those who want more and more American troops in Afghanistan, for however long it takes, to “Win!”, whatever that means, are complaining so much about Barack Obama as he has already increased the American troop level from Bush’s around 45,000 to almost 70,000 and will likely add at least 15,000 more still, meaning he will have at least almost doubled the number Bush had. And I sure don’t hear much criticism of Stan McChrystal, Obama’s hand picked general, so most must be OK with McChrstal’s ROE. The disconnect seems most illogical.

By: The President Went To Dover « Around The Sphere

The President Went To Dover « Around The Sphere — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 21:11:43 +0000

[...] Ed Morrissey: Even apart from the politics of this, Obama is the Commander in Chief, and recognizing the last full measure of devotion from these soldiers is the right thing for a President to do. I suspect that Obama wants to meet McChrystal halfway, and if there is any political calculation in this at all, it may be to tell the Left that he’s well aware of what the sacrifice means. Let’s hope that politics won’t play a part in this recognition at all. [...]

By: Franklyn

Franklyn — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 20:49:09 +0000

As so many have pointed out, it is all about him and all about politics that support his goals. All the campaign talk was on the belief that a surge like the one that worked in Iraq was all that was needed. Since Obama nor any of his liberal, socialist, communist staff understands anything about military stratagies, they did not understand that it would not work in Afganistan.

Anyone who knows the history of wars in Afghanistan knows that those fighting on the lossing side, often switch and fight for the winning side.

Obama’s is seen as weak. His readiness to cede the country side and pull back to the cities is well known to our enemies. They know that they need not win a battle to win it. All they need to do is present a show of force and the inablity of our forces to respond in an offensive way. If Obama pulls back to the major cities, it will only be a matter of time until they fall from within and Obama will have his desired outcome and the only decision possible, to surrender the war and withdraw.

In the mean time he needs to stall since any decision he makes will hurt the chances of his democrates winning in the upcoming election. Loses will hurt the chance that he will get his nationalized medicine bill passed into law.

Anyone that understands the history and goals of the communinst and socialist parties in the United States, knows that since 1944, they have known that the only way to move the country into socialism was through nationlized medical insurance. Once in place it can reach into every aspect of government and the lives of the people. Achieving that is his highest priority.

The live that have been lost, and those that have been lost while he delays any decision mean nothing to him. As he said, those that join the military, chose to go to war and accepted the responsibilty for themselves and the results of death or injury. That they did it for their country rings just as hollow in his ears. Our country is not one he is proud of. It is everything that his mentors said was wrong. He sees himself as having a narcissist mandate to change it into one that he can be proud of.

By: albill

albill — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 20:46:32 +0000

Obama`s photo op to visit the returning caskets was the indication of which way he will decide. He will reference it in his speech when he says he cannot send more troops.

By: petunia

petunia — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 20:31:50 +0000

Oops! It was the Times of London who accused Obama of dithering…

By: petunia

petunia — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 20:29:08 +0000

I believe the Daily Telegraph said the same thing…\

I’m waiting for them to call for us to bring back Bush! Better to deal with an honest Cowboy than a dithering dolt!

By: Has Europe Gone Cheneyesque? — The Dana Report

Has Europe Gone Cheneyesque? — The Dana Report — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 20:04:53 +0000

[...] The headers of the sections of the editorial are quite telling, especially for a publication not known for its opposition to Obama or particular love for President George W. Bush. [Read More] [...]

By: Dhuka

Dhuka — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 19:33:56 +0000

The no ball peace prize.