Ramirez on offramps and exit strategies

posted at 10:12 am on December 3, 2009 by Ed Morrissey

Give credit to Barack Obama for not caving to his Left and either leaving the status of the war in Afghanistan at the current troop levels or trying to withdraw now.  However, his imposition of an artificial timetable of 18 months, with a troop increase that will take months to complete, demonstrates a commitment to something, and it’s not victory over the Taliban and al-Qaeda.  Michael Ramirez, the two-time Pulitizer Prize winner for his editorial cartoons, sums it up nicely for Investors Business Daily:

The thoroughly uninspiring speech given to West Point cadets said nothing about what Obama wants as an outcome from our fight against the extremists.  Even if Obama can’t choke out the word victory, he must have some idea why Americans have a stake in the war.  His Cabinet officials did a better job in Congress yesterday, noting that the security concerns for the US in a Taliban takeover of Afghanistan would be a 10 on a scale of 1-10.  If that’s true, why will Obama start packing up in 2011 regardless of the status of the war?

Ramirez has a terrific collection of his works: Everyone Has the Right to My Opinion, which covers the entire breadth of Ramirez’ career, and it gives a fascinating look at political history.  Read my review here, and watch my interviews with Ramirez here and here.  And don’t forget to check out the entire Investors.com site, which has now incorporated all of the former IBD Editorials, while individual investors still exist.

Tags: , ,

Blowback

Note from Hot Air management: This section is for comments from Hot Air's community of registered readers. Please don't assume that Hot Air management agrees with or otherwise endorses any particular comment just because we let it stand. A reminder: Anyone who fails to comply with our terms of use may lose their posting privilege.

Trackbacks/Pings

Trackback URL

Comments

Afghan exit just in time for 2012 reelection.

Rinse and repeat.

faraway on December 3, 2009 at 10:13 AM

His cartoons are a must read each day.

faraway on December 3, 2009 at 10:14 AM

He is still voting present and running for reelection at the same time.

Johnnyreb on December 3, 2009 at 10:15 AM

I wish there was an exit strategy on Obamacare. How about an exit strategy for the stimulus or TARP or the GM bailout?

ThackerAgency on December 3, 2009 at 10:16 AM

He is still voting present and running for reelection at the same time.

Johnnyreb on December 3, 2009 at 10:15 AM

++++++

ladyingray on December 3, 2009 at 10:16 AM

Obama to Taliban: Hide in Pockyston till July 2011, then bring it on!

Kandahar 2011 = Saigon 1974.

Steve Z on December 3, 2009 at 10:17 AM

Exit question: If Al Qaeda already has camps in Pakistan, what do they gain by having camps in Afghanistan? Shouldn’t we be worried about the Paki camps?

faraway on December 3, 2009 at 10:19 AM

Replacing/eliminating Democrats in 2010, and Obama in 2012—the ultimate exit strategy!

Rovin on December 3, 2009 at 10:21 AM

Afghan exit just in time for 2012 reelection.

Rinse and repeat.

faraway on December 3, 2009 at 10:13 AM

Hey, if the conditions don’t warrent it, and I highly doubt they will, Barry comes off as an even bigger liar/idiot. (take your pick, both apply)

anniekc on December 3, 2009 at 10:22 AM

I look forward to his exit from the oval office.

publiuspen on December 3, 2009 at 10:23 AM

Exit question: If Al Qaeda already has camps in Pakistan, what do they gain by having camps in Afghanistan? Shouldn’t we be worried about the Paki camps?

faraway on December 3, 2009 at 10:19 AM

The camps in Afghanistan are closer to major population centers?

Del Dolemonte on December 3, 2009 at 10:25 AM

I wish there was an exit strategy on Obamacare. How about an exit strategy for the stimulus or TARP or the GM bailout?

ThackerAgency on December 3, 2009 at 10:16 AM

Now don’t be silly. Government take over of the economy for the benefit of SEIU and George Soros is much more important than defeating those who attacked us.

rbj on December 3, 2009 at 10:28 AM

This plan is the worst of both worlds. He’s putting more troops in harms way, but has told the enemy, as well as our allies, that he has no intention of trying to win.

MarkTheGreat on December 3, 2009 at 10:28 AM

Ramirez’s cartoon should have depicted Obama leaning back against the door with the door already open about a foot.

BuckeyeSam on December 3, 2009 at 10:35 AM

You can bet that anything this guy does is for his own good and the country be damned. Anybody that still believes him and trusts him makes a Jim Jones convert look like a free thinker.

rplat on December 3, 2009 at 10:54 AM

Aide: Mr. President, just say “victory”.

POTUS: Vvvvvvvvv! Vvvvvvvvv! Vvvvvvvv! Can’t do it.

donh525 on December 3, 2009 at 10:55 AM

The Taliban are going to be a part of Afghan politics forever with or without us. If we expect to ‘defeat and eliminate’ the Taliban, we are not going to do it with the Afghan president once again reiterating today that he wants peace talks with the Taliban.

Not only does Karzai want peace talks, but he chastises past ‘interruptions’ of negotiations with them. The Taliban live there. We could be there 100 years and the Taliban will still be there.

ThackerAgency on December 3, 2009 at 10:56 AM

Does he want another term? He may need to bring the troops home before the election to “help” his prospects here, but withdrawing and inviting Taliban escalation during the campaign seems very shortsighted to me. I mean, they might wait until after the election to make major advances, but that’s a big risk to take. Wouldn’t a major offensive by the Taliban between the primary and general election be ready-made GOP ad material?

And yes, the war is a higher priority than any campaign. I just don’t see the payoff, even if his motives are strictly political.

cs89 on December 3, 2009 at 10:57 AM

I wish there was an exit strategy on Obamacare. How about an exit strategy for the stimulus or TARP or the GM bailout?

ThackerAgency on December 3, 2009 at 10:16 AM

I see so many posts on Hot Air that need to be said by the elected Republicans, but never are.
Yours’ is a good example.

donh525 on December 3, 2009 at 11:02 AM

donh525 on December 3, 2009 at 11:02 AM

Thank you. I wish I was making more sales (there can NEVER be enough) so I would not have time to be posting here. But I appreciate the compliment.

ThackerAgency on December 3, 2009 at 11:05 AM

And yes, the war is a higher priority than any campaign. I just don’t see the payoff, even if his motives are strictly political.

cs89 on December 3, 2009 at 10:57 AM

In football terms, he punted.
I’ve heard he’s smart. Is this an example?

donh525 on December 3, 2009 at 11:05 AM

Does the US Embassy in Kabul have a helipad on the roof?

Kafir on December 3, 2009 at 11:06 AM

I wish I was making more sales (there can NEVER be enough)
ThackerAgency on December 3, 2009 at 11:05 AM

My company also depends heavily on sales to power industry. They’re in the tank. Thank you, cap and trade.

donh525 on December 3, 2009 at 11:11 AM

I doubt we will hear much more about Afghanistan from the Obama administration for the next year or so. (Unless President Pelosi and other Democrats in Congress block funding; which they won`t.)

Of all the things Obama would like to be involved in and working on, the two wars in Muslim countries are not on the top of his list.
He figured he has now filed the Afghanistan problem away to underlings to take care of and he will have a review in the middle of 2010 and again in mid-2011.
The only way this could become a big topic again is if there are many, many U.S. casualties.

Obama is now moving on to the topics he really loves: Obamacare and the socialization of the US economy.

albill on December 3, 2009 at 11:13 AM

Give credit to Barack Obama for not caving to his Left and either leaving the status of the war in Afghanistan at the current troop levels or trying to withdraw now.

No. I will not give the filthy lying coward credit for doing the right thing. That is part of his job. Pandering to the left is nothing but politics and he appeased them by providing a convenient timetable to surrender.

highhopes on December 3, 2009 at 11:18 AM

Go GO Gadget Go!

hawkman on December 3, 2009 at 11:24 AM

Ramirez is a genius. He can say so much with his work.

He is a great asset.

The one with the Elephant in bed with a rhino head was priceless.

His cartoons are a must read each day.

faraway on December 3, 2009 at 10:14 AM

Yes.

davidk on December 3, 2009 at 11:25 AM

His cartoons are a must read each day.

faraway on December 3, 2009 at 10:14 AM

..anyone have the new IBD link to Ramirez?

VoyskaPVO on December 3, 2009 at 11:27 AM

Try this:

http://townhall.com/cartoons/cartoonist/MichaelRamirez/

davidk on December 3, 2009 at 11:46 AM

The Taliban are going to be a part of Afghan politics forever with or without us.

ThackerAgency on December 3, 2009 at 10:56 AM

The difference is, do they run the show, or are they just one small party amongst many.

MarkTheGreat on December 3, 2009 at 12:20 PM

God Willing and the creek don’t rise … just 1145 days until liberation of the United States from the Chicago mobsters.

sannhet on December 3, 2009 at 12:27 PM

Sheesh– another Surprisingly Good speech from Hussein, one that seems to please Ed’s conservative sensibilites.

Ed, you are giving this snake credit for what exactly?? It took him all of these months to triangulate this decision. Pfft!

leftnomore on December 3, 2009 at 4:58 PM

The endless campaign just goes on and on and on……

huskerdiva on December 3, 2009 at 5:51 PM