Michael Steele: Afghanistan is a “war of Obama’s choosing”
posted at 3:56 pm on July 2, 2010 by Allahpundit
It’s been, what, ten weeks since his last gaffe? Let’s be fair: He was overdue.
“Keep in mind again, federal candidates, this was a war of Obama’s choosing. This was not something that the United States had actively prosecuted or wanted to engage in,” he said. “But it was the president who was trying to be cute by half by building a script demonizing Iraq, while saying the battle really should be in Afghanistan. Well, if he is such a student of history, has he not understood that you know that’s the one thing you don’t do, is engage in a land war in Afghanistan?”
Do I need to run through the problems with this or are we all on the same page? Afghanistan invasion was actually … ordered by Bush … nine years ago, in response to 9/11 … and was supported by none other than Michael Steele as recently as last December. Everyone up to speed? Okay, here’s the RNC spin:
The RNC said that Steele did not say the troops should not be in Afghanistan, instead that he was calling for a better war strategy.
“The chairman clearly supports our troops but believes that success of the war effort in Afghanistan requires the ongoing support of the American people,” RNC Communications Director Doug Heye said. “The responsibility for building and maintaining that strategy falls squarely on the shoulders of the president. Like so many Americans, Chairman Steele wants to hear an explanation from President Obama on what his strategy is for winning the war in Afghanistan. The Petraeus hearings were an opportunity – a missed opportunity – to do that. Instead, all we hear from the president is criticism of his predecessor for doing exactly the same thing.”
Yeah, that’s a valiant effort by Heye but (a) it doesn’t really address what Steele said and (b) the Petraeus hearings were clear enough. We’re going to continue to follow a counterinsurgency strategy in Afghanistan in hopes of turning the public against the Taliban while building up Afghan security forces to the point where they can take over. It’s not a strategy that’s likely to succeed, perhaps, but then that wasn’t really Steele’s complaint.
Perhaps unsatisfied with Heye’s attempt at spin, Steele himself put out a new statement this afternoon:
“There is no question that America must win the war on terror,” Steele said. “During the 2008 Presidential campaign, Barack Obama made clear his belief that we should not fight in Iraq, but instead concentrate on Afghanistan. Now, as President, he has indeed shifted his focus to this region. That means this is his strategy. And, for the sake of the security of the free world, our country must give our troops the support necessary to win this war.”
If a “land war in Afghanistan” is a fool’s errand, why give the troops any support to continue it? Again, he’s not really addressing what he said earlier.
Bill Kristol’s had enough:
You are, I know, a patriot. So I ask you to consider, over this July 4 weekend, doing an act of service for the country you love: Resign as chairman of the Republican party…
Needless to say, the war in Afghanistan was not “a war of Obama’s choosing.” It has been prosecuted by the United States under Presidents Bush and Obama. Republicans have consistently supported the effort. Indeed, as the DNC Communications Director (of all people) has said, your statement “puts [you] at odds with about 100 percent of the Republican Party.”
And not on a trivial matter. At a time when Gen. Petraeus has just taken over command, when Republicans in Congress are pushing for a clean war funding resolution, when Republicans around the country are doing their best to rally their fellow citizens behind the mission, your comment is more than an embarrassment. It’s an affront, both to the honor of the Republican party and to the commitment of the soldiers fighting to accomplish the mission they’ve been asked to take on by our elected leaders.
Two grand ironies to this clusterfark. One: It’s high-larious to see the idiots at the DNC turning super-hawk on Steele for wanting to “walk away from the fight against al Qaeda and the Taliban without finishing the job” and for daring to “undermine the morale of our troops when what they need is our support and encouragement.” After year upon year of screeching at Bush over every setback in Iraq, with Democrats as prominent as Harry Reid declaring the war lost, the sheer balls needed to call him out in those terms are astounding. And am I mistaken or aren’t there an awful lot of liberals who oppose the war and might not care to have the DNC describing them in those same terms? Good work, hypocrites: You’ve done your job of distracting attention today from our pitiful president’s pitiful economy. Make sure to bookmark their statement too, because we’ll be revisiting it — repeatedly — next year when The One inevitably gives his order to start a massive drawdown.
Two: This is actually a rare case of Steele saying something stupid that arguably — I stress, arguably — makes the public better disposed to the GOP. Hawks may hate it, but (a) 58 percent of the public supports Obama’s withdrawal timeline next year and (b) prominent conservatives are growing bolder about speaking up against the war. George Will has been against it forever, of course, and just this morning Byron York hint-hinted that it’s time to go; in Congress, Ron Paul (of course) and Jason Chaffetz are big-name Republicans who oppose continuing the mission. It’ll be awfully interesting to see who else comes out of the woodwork in December, when the Pentagon conducts its review of operations, and then again next July, when Obama has to decide on his next step. Exit question: Is Steele simply ahead of the curve of the Beltway GOP?
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Steele is right. Obama used Afghanistan to try and undermine the Iraqi surge. That’s all Steele was saying. End of story.
Narutoboy on July 2, 2010 at 3:57 PM
That’s what Steele is attempting to say…
However, he’s not articulating it very well, though, as it’s coming off as “We don’t want to be there but Obama’s the one who insisted we step up things there.”
teke184 on July 2, 2010 at 3:59 PM
Did somebody say something?
portlandon on July 2, 2010 at 4:00 PM
Alright, that’s it! Steele has gotta go…post haste…period! No ifs, ands or buts, he must be shown the door immediately.
From what I understand, Steele is a personally very likable fellow possessing a sharp mind and superior presentation skills, but no matter. As RNC chair it is NOT his place to stake out new policy positions, but to annunciate the party consensus.
Steele has repeatedly gotten the benefit of the doubt in consummate stupidities of tone def profligate spending like the Hawaii debacle and the bizzarro bondage-club blunder. Enough is enough, be gone with you!
Despite rumored ambitions of Barbour to seek the Oval, and as much as I like him, he hasn’t a shot. Its time to bring competence back to the RNC for the critical ‘10 & ‘12 races.
Out with Michael, in with Haley.
Archimedes on July 2, 2010 at 4:01 PM
Oh, come now! The left ALWAYS does this. Turnabout is fair play.
CurtZHP on July 2, 2010 at 4:03 PM
*Facepalm*
Why must he continue to say things that have to be clarified, after embarrassment?
Say what you mean the first time, or STFU!
Brian1972 on July 2, 2010 at 4:03 PM
no. He is just saying what others are starting too say.
upinak on July 2, 2010 at 4:03 PM
Paulnut on house floor last night, voting against troop funding
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=skWt4uUwzSs
there is no enemy over there according to him, they are impotent according to him, thus we should withdrawal.
oh, and gut the military(see his Bill co-sponsored by Barney Frank)
jp on July 2, 2010 at 4:04 PM
LOL, you crack me up!
Key West Reader on July 2, 2010 at 4:04 PM
teke184 on July 2, 2010 at 3:59 PM
Yes, I think your assessment is correct. However, this is going to do real damage to Steele because, as we all know, this is a game of “gotch ya.” Any gaffe is immediately seized upon and manipulated to political advantage by the opponents. This gaffe may end up being one too many for Steele.
KickandSwimMom on July 2, 2010 at 4:05 PM
Steele was right, he just used a poor choice of words. Saying it was Obama’s choosing is what is kind of strange. I think he was trying to draw out the fact that between Iraq and Afghanistan, Obama CHOSE Afghanistan as “the” war that should be prosecuted.
While I understand what Steele was trying to say, he still needs to resign for being a moron.
ButterflyDragon on July 2, 2010 at 4:05 PM
Sometimes I wonder why this guy holds his chair and if perhaps he’s a Dem in a red tie or something. Sigh.
Key West Reader on July 2, 2010 at 4:05 PM
Patently untrue based on his own words.
Allahpundit on July 2, 2010 at 4:06 PM
This will earn Dr. Paul my unending contempt for all time.
Get out of Congress you lunatic.
Brian1972 on July 2, 2010 at 4:06 PM
Michael “Alvin Greene” Steele
LibTired on July 2, 2010 at 4:06 PM
Well, IMO, you tell the truth and let the chips fall where they may.
But you make a good point. The left lies about EVERYTHING in order to gain a political advantage, so it’s hard to understand why it’s such a big deal when Steele just doesn’t explain his point properly.
I still think he should resign, though, only because he stinks at being a leader.
Daggett on July 2, 2010 at 4:07 PM
No, Bush chose it. Obama continued it. If Steele’s saying Obama was wrong to do that, then he’s calling on us to get out. If Steele’s saying that we should continue there but muddle along like we did with Bush while focusing on Iraq, then what’s the sense in that?
Allahpundit on July 2, 2010 at 4:07 PM
True, but in Obama’s defense(and those are words I seldom use together), he did send 30,000 more troops over there. He did hire McChrystal to come with a counterinsurgency plan and then replaced him with Petraeus. So whether his 2008 campaign rhetoric was merely for political gain, you have to at least give him credit for putting his money where his mouth is on this one. Meanwhile, Steele did nothing but put his foot in his mouth.
Doughboy on July 2, 2010 at 4:08 PM
Let’s be fair. It was not a “gaffe”.
Your page is underwater.
That was nine fracken years ago. We are not fighting Bin Laden in Afghanistan anymore and have not been for many years. We are doing the inane COIN “Hearts and Minds” and “Unicorns and Lollipops”. Success there in Alice in Afghanland is no longer measured in how many Al Queda are killed but in how many Afghans are going to school and have cell phones and get bribes.
Tav on July 2, 2010 at 4:09 PM
Well, I can see where there might be a semantic out for him. When someone says:
They could mean “this is a war strategy of Obama’s choosing” or “the prosecution of this war is Obama’s choosing” because he had fired the Bush commander and had put McC in charge along with changing the war strategy. So in that sense, Obama owns the war now. It *is* his war now and he chose how to prosecute that war.
While that might be what Steele meant, if so, he should have used clearer language.
crosspatch on July 2, 2010 at 4:09 PM
What are you talking about? His clarification made that point even clearer.
Bush’s objective was the liberation of Iraq. Liberals opposed it, so they started the meme that Bush had invaded the wrong country, referring to Afghanistan as the right country. Obama latched on to that, using Afghanistan, and the fact that we didn’t have as much man power and intention there, as a way to undermine the surge that was going on in Iraq. So, Obama chose Afghanistan as “the right war.”
Narutoboy on July 2, 2010 at 4:09 PM
OUT! Long past due. OUT!
ncjetsfan on July 2, 2010 at 4:10 PM
Good luck with that.
thomasaur on July 2, 2010 at 4:11 PM
No, there is an element of truth in it. He said…
That’s true. His problem was that he was acting as if Obama STARTED the war, which he didn’t. He could have made it clear that Obama just put the focus back there, but I’m not sure that’s the relevant issue. It is Obama’s war now.
Daggett on July 2, 2010 at 4:11 PM
Oh, and the other rule of the gaffe is that it is always 10 times worse if a republican is guilty of a gaffe than a democrat. That is how lopsided things are. I would like to see republicans fight back against this crap but unfortunately they are usually the first ones to turn on their own. Think Trent Lott and George Allen. Already Bill Kristol is out of the gate calling for the resignation of Steele even before the democrats have a chance to get worked up over it. Figures.
KickandSwimMom on July 2, 2010 at 4:11 PM
BREAKING: Howard Dean caught on tape shrieking “Smoke ‘em out, dead or alive! YEEEARGH!!”
Cuffy Meigs on July 2, 2010 at 4:12 PM
It is all one war with different theaters of operation.
thomasaur on July 2, 2010 at 4:12 PM
Maybe he’s competing with O’bummer for Gaffemeister of the Year?
It’s time for that clown to go.
EconomicNeocon on July 2, 2010 at 4:12 PM
one problem with Afghanistan is that too few in this country thanks to our leadership and MSM, understand whats really going on over there and think we are simply trying to “Nation build” in a hell hole. The real FP objectives are never discussed.
The only grown-up way to leave afghanistan is to do something the Pinkos would never imagine: Fund a pro-American Dictator strong man, that will keep the Taliban from taking over and AQ in check. the cries of imperialism keep that from happening partly.
otherwise, we leave, Taliban take backover and Al-Qaeda declares victory thus “Creating more terrorist” as they are emboldened with a major victory. Pakistan falls further into chaos with no check right next door to worry about, but who cares its not like Jihadi’s could ever get their hands on their nukes and even if they did actually set one off on us, especially with we surrender, right???(channeling Ron Paul)
and thats before we talk about how Iran factors into this equation.
jp on July 2, 2010 at 4:13 PM
Afghanistan, as far as I know, is stationary. We were at war with mobile terrorist cells that happened to be in Afghan and other countries in the region.
Electrongod on July 2, 2010 at 4:14 PM
And? There are still thousands of troops in Iraq; it’s not like he vacuumed them up and dumped them into Afghanistan on January 20, 2009. And I reiterate: Bush CHOSE both Afghanistan and Iraq as “the right wars.” Obama has emphasized Afghanistan, partly because of his opposition to Iraq but also partly because conditions are actually worse there now than they are in Iraq. Michael Yon’s been saying that for years, in fact — that it’s Afghanistan, not Iraq, where we stand the greatest chance of losing. So Steele’s point about choosing is stupid. Yeah, Obama chose to emphasize Afghanistan in his war planning. So what? There’s good reason to think that was a smart call.
And I repeat: It’s patently untrue that your take on what Steele said is all that Steele meant. He wouldn’t have tossed in that bit about the foolishness of getting involved in a land war in Afghanistan if it was a simple matter of chiding O for choosing one war over the other. If he thinks it’s so foolish, then let him call for a drawdown flat out.
Allahpundit on July 2, 2010 at 4:15 PM
repugnican merchants raced to the bottom to find Steele after the Obama. “Hey , lets get us one too!”
borntoraisehogs on July 2, 2010 at 4:15 PM
No, Bush re-acted to war declared on us.
or to channel George Washington, “We don’t seek war, but war seeks us”
a majority of this nation are appeasers, out of touch with human nature and history
jp on July 2, 2010 at 4:16 PM
If I remember right, this was a NATO/UN choosing… in which Bush had to go to congress for a vote.
upinak on July 2, 2010 at 4:16 PM
The muddling in Afghanistan is much more now under Obama than it was with Bush. Obama has twice the troops that Bush had and is killing less of the enemy and more Americans are being killed.
Tav on July 2, 2010 at 4:17 PM
You are really trying to reason with N-boy? Good luck with that.
thomasaur on July 2, 2010 at 4:17 PM
I think that’s the inescapable conclusion for nearly any listener. It’s certainly what I thought he meant.
Colossal stupidity, particularly after the McChrystal opportunity provided to the President and the Dems to shore up their position on the war. Do we have to muzzle these idiots for the next 4 months so they don’t blow it?
Resign, please, Mr. Steele.
DrSteve on July 2, 2010 at 4:17 PM
nobody ever connects how when Iraq was “hot” Afghanistan was not and now the reverse is going on .
Its the SAME WAR, two fronts. Bin Laden in company declared Iraq to be the central front in their War against us which is the biggest reason(along with Iranian help) that Iraq was a nightmare for so long. We held strong, surged and defeated them there and they retreated back to Afghanistan.
jp on July 2, 2010 at 4:18 PM
Popcorn time!
Skywise on July 2, 2010 at 4:21 PM
Steele is beyond incompetent. It’s long past time he was gone- before he gives the Dems any more ammunition to use against the GOP in 2010 and 2012.
Jay Mac on July 2, 2010 at 4:22 PM
The DNC only praises anti-war activity when Obama says so.
Speedwagon82 on July 2, 2010 at 4:22 PM
What we have here is the General {Obama’s McChrystal, now Obama’s Petraues] involved in a great social experiment, with the plains of Afghanistan as his personal laboratory and our Marines and Soldiers as the rats.
History is not on your side General and you are losing time and the support of the only segment of the population of this country who would normally support your efforts.
Admiral Mullen said in a letter to Senators Collins and Snowe (meant for me) that the ROE had not in fact changed with the ISAF Commander back in June 2009; The Rules of Engagement had only been ‘clarified’. Ganjgal is but one example of how that ‘clarification’ is being brought into question. The current investigation, if not buried by the Army, ISAF, SecDef or higher, is going to yield what we already know; that the rules are intentionally vague to offer maximum cover for those who have implemented them while exposing the decision makers on the ground and all at the expense of those prosecuting the war, O-5 and below. It is already painfully obvious to all, especially those on the ground, that before June we were blowing crap up and providing Air and Arty when needed and now; American lives are inferior to Afghan by our own rules and the UN has prosecutors in Kabul, gleaning after-action-reports looking for evidence they can use to prosecute Marines and Soldiers.
What General McChrystal, Sec Def Gates and President Obama need to remember is that they are sworn by oath to defend this country and our people – not protect the civilian population of another country or rebuild their country with our tax dollars and the blood of our children!
Tav on July 2, 2010 at 4:23 PM
Steele is correct that this war was Obama’s priority as opposed to Iraq. He did say Afghanistan, and Pock-ee-stahn for that matter, should be our focus.
clnurnberg on July 2, 2010 at 4:23 PM
When are the doofi from earlier today going to show up with the asinine “If Obama’s fer it, I’m agin it!” argument?
Cuffy Meigs on July 2, 2010 at 4:23 PM
Glad you’re taking this one on. Most of us are on the same page – Narutoboy, just wants an excuse to call Hot Air people racists.
Esthier on July 2, 2010 at 4:23 PM
time for new blood
cmsinaz on July 2, 2010 at 4:23 PM
Vietnam is being repeated in Afghanistan with Bush having played the role of JFK and Obama playing the role of LBJ.
Tav on July 2, 2010 at 4:24 PM
I thought Steele’s mad media skillz were supposed to help the GOP modernize it’s messaging, and perhaps reach into communities that haven’t been reached previously.
What happened?
Brian1972 on July 2, 2010 at 4:25 PM
I am still waiting, as are others.
upinak on July 2, 2010 at 4:25 PM
Bingo!
Obama doesn’t believe it, most Democrats don’t believe it.
Iraq was a political tool to bring down the GOP.
Brian1972 on July 2, 2010 at 4:28 PM
I thought Iraq was Vietnam? thats all we heard for several years, now the word Iraq has been dropped since we won and Afghanistan inserted?
jp on July 2, 2010 at 4:29 PM
Candidate Obama did indeed say that the surge in Iraq took our eye off Afghanistan. Steele’s statement should have been worded better
clnurnberg on July 2, 2010 at 4:29 PM
Wrong. Bush started the war.
But when it came down to the bottom line, Obama CHOSE to support the Afghanistan war. That was the “right” war, remember?
ButterflyDragon on July 2, 2010 at 4:29 PM
I trust AP on this one.
Esthier on July 2, 2010 at 4:29 PM
Good on him. It’s about damn time a GOP leader stepped up and admitted that YOU CAN’T WIN AN OCCUPATION.
Kristol and other neoconservatives like him led this country into a ditch with their failed foreign policy so they just need to STFU.
popularpeoplesfront on July 2, 2010 at 4:30 PM
It’ll be grimly amusing if after 9/11 we win an unrelated war in Iraq and abandon the casus belli in Afghanistan.
Lehosh on July 2, 2010 at 4:30 PM
Post-Modern COIN-age of a Failed Policy — McChrystal, Tocqueville, and the Koran
We have only two legitimate strategic interests in so-called “Af-Pak”:
1) First and foremost, seizing and destroying or removing Pakistan’s nukes
2) Second, destroying Afghanistan’s –and the Taliban’s—odious “cash crop”–opium
If the US is unwilling to pursue these two basic strategic aims, we should withdraw, lest our brave combat soldiers–subjected as they are to our heinous, COIN-based ROEs–become victim to the hopeless malaise characterized so aptly by Rudyard Kipling in his “The Young British Soldier”
When you’re wounded and left on Afghanistan’s plains,
And the women come out to cut up what remains,
Jest roll to your rifle and blow out your brains
McChrystal’s superficial, bowdlerized pieties on the Koran, and Petraeus’ complete neglect of this foundational Islamic text, contrast starkly with the contemplative, first hand observations on the Koran (and Islam) made by Alexis de Tocqueville. Shortly after his return from America, Tocqueville studied North African Islamic culture and history which included an analysis of the Koran and made two visits to Algeria, becoming one of the foremost experts on these matters, while serving as a French parliamentarian.
The entire COIN strategy is a fraud perpetuated on the American people on a level with Al Gore’s Global Warming. The idea that we are going to spend a trillion dollars to reshape the culture of the Islamic world [particularly in Afghanistan] is utter nonsense.
Tav on July 2, 2010 at 4:31 PM
He’s lucky this gaffe took place on Independence Day weekend. Otherwise, he’d be outta here already. We’ll have to wait and see if the weekend takes the story off the front page, or if a slow news weekend escalates the tale. Either way, this guy is a walking joke!
~ Halli Casser-Jayne
The CJ Political Report on July 2, 2010 at 4:31 PM
Seriously, Steele has to go. Does he not embarrass himself? Isn’t their someone on his staff that can tell him when he is making a fool of himself?
ramrants on July 2, 2010 at 4:32 PM
the Taliban and Al-Qaeda started it
jp on July 2, 2010 at 4:32 PM
Steele is on his own bell curve of one and it’s more a sine wave.
Dusty on July 2, 2010 at 4:32 PM
There are other fronts, or theaters if you perfer, in our one war.
Iraq
Afghanistan/Pakistan
Horn of Africa
Philippines
One might argue
London
Paris
Berlin
Madrid
even
NYC
Washington DC
Brian1972 on July 2, 2010 at 4:33 PM
Please, if he cares about the GOP, he will quit.
madmonkphotog on July 2, 2010 at 4:33 PM
Vizzini
Great Thinker
Princess Bride
beselfish on July 2, 2010 at 4:35 PM
I wouldn’t hold my breath. Steele is sloppy to suggest that Obama was in any position to commit troops to Afghanistan when it started.
clnurnberg on July 2, 2010 at 4:35 PM
He’s well into Biden territory now.
exception on July 2, 2010 at 4:36 PM
We do not yet know how Iraq will turn out as the cast has not yet been removed. We do already know that Maliki doesn’t exactly have the same list of friends that we do.
Tav on July 2, 2010 at 4:36 PM
This guy will say something really stupid just before the November elections. Republicans always snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. Sigh.
Hummer53 on July 2, 2010 at 4:37 PM
I’ve heard the sound bite of Steele saying this, and it doesn’t read differently, as it’s written above.
I don’t think there is any spin to it, and it’s obviously being left to interpretation by some. I suppose it is possible that Steele meant that Obama was supportive of the Afghan war, but not Iraq, which Obama had made clear, long ago.
However, hearing it, and reading it, I can only think he meant what he said, and it is a gaffe, or Steele trying to pull an Obama in hopes everyone will buy it. That I just can’t tolerate. Steele needs to either be as honest, and forthright as we want him to be, or step down. Enough is enough, trying to spin, and bend truths, and facts.
capejasmine on July 2, 2010 at 4:37 PM
just wow.I just don’t understand how he could say this. He must have forgotten his meds.
tommer74 on July 2, 2010 at 4:38 PM
We cannot leave Afghanistan. It’s as simple as that.
Connie on July 2, 2010 at 4:38 PM
I am not in any way a reflexive Steele critic. In fact, I supported him when he said, awhile back, that people shouldn’t vote Republican. At the time, it made some sense to be critical of the party, based on the miserable track record it had on fiscal conservatism.
But this is absurd.
I think it’s worse than that. I think he really was trying to say that we shouldn’t be there. There is no other way to interpret the “Never fight a land war in Afghanistan” remark. Even someone like Steele doesn’t say that without meaning “we shouldn’t be there”.
Which, by the way, isn’t to suggest that he thinks we shouldn’t be there. If he didn’t, he’d have said something before now. It just means he thought “Hey, I can appeal to people’s dislike of the situation in Afghanistan to attack the President.” Which is exactly what the craven opportunists in the Democratic party did to Bush for about 6 years. If I wanted that, I could vote Democrat myself and get the undistilled version.
I’m beginning to think that he just doesn’t have any real opinions, and is just trying to make up stuff on the fly that he thinks people want to hear. Occasionally, he might actually get it right, which might make him sound refreshing, until you realize that it’s all just some nonsense idea he came up with 5 minutes ago.
Unfortunately, that makes him exactly the type of person we don’t need right now. Particularly since he’s being so damned obvious about it.
I said I’m not a reflexive Steele critic. But after this, I’m thinking maybe I should be.
RINO in Name Only on July 2, 2010 at 4:38 PM
Steele: “Ha, ha, you fool! You fell victim to one of the classic blunders – the most famous of which is “never get involved in a land war in Afghanistan” – but only slightly less well-known is this: “Never go against the GOP when death is on the line”! Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha! Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha! Ha ha ha… ”
[Steele stops laughing suddenly, his smile frozen on his face and falls to the right out of view]
=====
Please, Mr Steele – exit the view, as quickly as possible.
Midas on July 2, 2010 at 4:39 PM
If our fate depends the Mullah’s Hemorrhoid called Afghanistan we might as well bend over and kiss our collective arse goodbye.
Tav on July 2, 2010 at 4:42 PM
Wow history is being re-written.
Iraq, at that time, had 2 no-fly zones being enforced by us and NATO for 10 years. After going into Afghan and getting intel, we learned that Al-Quada was going in and out of Iraq through those zones for many years, setting up cells and recruiting. Some of them were getting medical aid in Baghdad.
Those WMDs that we never found were useless to Al-Quada since they had a shelf live of 5 years or so. It was the raw material that they wanted and Saddam had plenty of that.
Etc.etc.etc.
Electrongod on July 2, 2010 at 4:43 PM
BINGO
Cuffy Meigs on July 2, 2010 at 4:45 PM
Thank you for the unreconstructed Stalinist view, “Populist People’s Front”.
RINO in Name Only on July 2, 2010 at 4:46 PM
Agreed.
Might be a bit harsh.
Yeah, I agree. Sharia law and the desire to dominate all other religions will always trump whatever we help put in place. the fundies will always use the process to gain a majority.
a capella on July 2, 2010 at 4:47 PM
Oh, it’s obvious enough that Steele was criticizing Obama for playing up Afghanistan as “the real war” so he could justify his opposition to the war in Iraq. How many times have we heard the phrase, “took his eye off the ball.”
But Steele stumbled, perhaps fatally, over the odd phrase, “a war of Obama’s choosing.” Because, of course, it wasn’t. It was the war he got stuck with while acting like it was the war he actually believed in.
This was absolutely a screw-up by Steele. He had a very good point to make about Obama’s phony support for Afghanistan, but the actual words he spoke made the opposite point.
tom on July 2, 2010 at 4:48 PM
I don’t see anything amusing about Afghanistan. My Nephew is serving on the ground with the Marines and his Humvee was hit by an IED 2 weeks ago. These are our fellow citizens, our children we’re talking about. Sorry, Lehosh if I’m being too harsh but I had to say something about that word.
Key West Reader on July 2, 2010 at 4:49 PM
This is all about Steele reading the polls and seeing that the public is losing patience with our presence in Afghanistan. “Hey, ” thinks Steele, “Obama is vulnerable on this point. Let’s get to the left of him and tie completely to this “mistaken” war.
This is the type of nonsense that career pols play. They think everything is spin and polls, polls and spin and truth? What is truth?
PackerBronco on July 2, 2010 at 4:51 PM
Sorry about getting the name wrong. Please, Commissar, don’t send me to reeducation camp.
RINO in Name Only on July 2, 2010 at 4:51 PM
We can’t change their culture. Given the historical Afghani love for hit and run warfare, the political corruption as a given, and sharia, it’ll cost a lot of American blood for a long time if we continue as we are.
a capella on July 2, 2010 at 4:55 PM
the idea is to atleast secularize it in a way that neuters it compared to the alternative just as the British did in India
jp on July 2, 2010 at 4:55 PM
Within 3 (maybe 5) seconds after Steele resigns, I guarantee you that the cries of RACISM! BIGOTS! THEY THREW HIM OUT BECAUSE HE IS A BLACK MAN IN A WHITE MAN’S PARTY! will be heard all across the airwaves. It will be a veritable non stop cacophony of voices deriding the GOP for throwing out what they’ve been calling our token black man. How I hate, hate, hate the MSM. Steele was not elected chairman bc of his color, but when he gets tossed out or resigns, you know the MSM will lie and say that’s why.
JustTruth101 on July 2, 2010 at 5:00 PM
I just read a post on this at the American Spectator Blog and agree with their blogger that when you read the whole statement Steele does have a defensible position IMO so I guess I’m not ready to join the mob for this.
KickandSwimMom on July 2, 2010 at 5:01 PM
Yes. First off, he is right. Second, Americans are war-weary. And third, we are BROKE. We don’t have the money to fund our own glorious Welfare State, let alone Afghanistan’s.
The Afghanistan War for Social Services
Go team!
Rae on July 2, 2010 at 5:05 PM
He should resign over sheer clumsiness alone.
Having an RNC Chairman repeatedly inject himself into the news cycle by shooting off his mouth is embarrassing and distracting. I think AP has the right take on this, others seem to find Steele’s comments worthy of examination for nuance. The very fact that we’re programmed for spin cycle to cover the RNC Chairman’s ass on a regular basis is indicative of his inability to perform the duties of his post.
TexasDan on July 2, 2010 at 5:06 PM
Only in the manner of a broken clock being right twice a day.
Dark-Star on July 2, 2010 at 5:09 PM
Different times and methods. I recall seeing a picture of captured jihadis tied spread eagle over the mouths of Brit cannons as a form of execution to make a point. There must have been 20 or 30 cannons lined up. PC wasn’t so much a problem in those days.
The rank and file Afghani Muslim isn’t going to respect our present efforts at winning hearts and minds. Iraq isn’t a good parallel. COIN worked there because the Sons of Iraq Sunnis had enough brutality from the Shia fundies and began working wiith our forces instead of fighting us. Plus, they were paid. I fully expect Iraq to revert, just like Turkey.
a capella on July 2, 2010 at 5:12 PM
Can we get someone who is at least modestly competent as RNC Chairman, is that too much to ask?
brennan251 on July 2, 2010 at 5:15 PM
There are some excellent paralells here Tav, yet I think we are technically and militarily far superior to our enemies today. If Obama and the media want to go the route of Cronkite, and declare the war lost, (or the liberal congress decides to “unfund” the war)this will indeed become Obama’s Viet Nam. I have the hope that General Petraeus will make a difference in how this war is prosecuted to an end.
Well said Tom. But like many here, I fear that Steele will make the critically wrong comment, (like this one), at the critically wrong time—-that may cost the party dearly. The problem is now that if we replace Steele, this late in the game, just like Obama replaced “his general”, the libtard media will point out that the party is out of control. It’s a catch 22.
Rovin on July 2, 2010 at 5:16 PM
It is way past time to dump this turd.
Flush twice, we don’t need him back evah!!
RealMc on July 2, 2010 at 5:17 PM
The statement by Steele is correct. The holding action in Afghanistan need not become our war which we must win. Obama said that to send us down into a trap. Even Biden knows better. Anyone who wants to die in Afghanistan should go do it, but why make the best military in the world destroy itself to furnish targets for Taliban IEDs and guerilla ambushes from high ground onto the single road up a mountain valley. The Apaches once defeated the US Army for 20 years in similar terrain in Arizona of all places.
jimw on July 2, 2010 at 5:38 PM
Steele is RIGHT! dang it all yall closet hater fake conservatives! New Jersey, Mass and Virgina are GOP controlled because of Michael Steele… .Stop hating
conservador on July 2, 2010 at 6:01 PM
Personally, I like Steele. However he’s failing at his job in my opinion.
We’re stuck with him through the mid-terms, it would simple do more harm to Republican efforts to oust him now.
He should seriously consider stepping down after the mid-terms though, regardless of outcomes. It’s painfully obvious that he’s not up to the task of communicating as the head of the Republican Party. The gaffes come just too fast and too furious, doing too much damage and stalling our momentum.
Please Mr. Steele, either take on the role of elder statesman or run for state or federal office. Let’s get another Gillespie or Mehlman in there to raise money and coordinate messaging. Steele is a politician, not an organizational wiz. Republicans need to get back to business and get an effective and appropriate Chair.
I understand the reasoning behind putting Steele in the slot. I didn’t agree with it then and don’t now, Steele’s tenure only confirmed my opinion.
Jason Coleman on July 2, 2010 at 6:01 PM
So, no one cares if the Taliban conquers Afghanistan, again.
And then gives Al-Q a blank check to set up training camps, etc. Which goes a long way to their getting back to where they run all too well organized operations against us. Last time we did that, we lost the World Trade Center.
LarryD on July 2, 2010 at 6:02 PM
Steele being right or wrong regarding whether or not we stick it out in Af-Pak is ireelevent, as I stated at the begining of this thread, as RNC chair IT IS NOT HIS JOB to formulate policy positions. His job is to to CLEARLY ANNUNCIATE THE PARTY’S CONCENSUS POSITION and to keep republican candidates running on the ticket on message and assist them in getting elected.
When a person is failing to accomplish what they were hired to do, THEY SHOULD BE FIRED!
Archimedes on July 2, 2010 at 6:02 PM
I think its funny that Ron Paul claims to be a “patriot” and a promoter of freedom yet he won’t support our troops and is the only person to vote AGAINST the House Resolution to support Iranian dissenters.
While we’re celebrating July 4th this weekend, let us remember who are real our real patriots and who are not.
Ron Paul is not one of them.
Conservative Samizdat on July 2, 2010 at 6:07 PM
A few points from someone who wishes he was able to serve in “Obama’s War”
1.) Mike Steele, you were a great Lt. Governor of my then state (Maryland) and you are a HORRIBLE RNC chair. Shut your mouth and resign over the weekend. I do NOT want to ever hear from you again until you learn how to think prior to speaking.
2.) Nation-building and other stuff
2.) Destroying the opium won’t work. It would be akin to enviro-wackos destroying Iraq’s chief export (oil). I propose a change to the crop strategy: just simply buying the damn stuff from the farmers by foreign pharmaceutical companies and the money can then be returned to Afghanistan in the same way that Iraq shares its petroleum revenue with its provinces.
3.) The reason that “nation-building” worked after WWII (what folks on BOTH sides of the aisle often cite for why nation-building=GOOD) is because we:
-UTTERLY DEFEATED Germany, Japan, and Italy.
-We said “This is what your Constitution and form of Government is going to be, until you adopt this WE WON’T LET YOU GOVERN YOURSELVES and we won’t leave either”
-Had a very simple policy regarding “insurgents” “rebels” and any civilians that got between U.S. Forces and those people. We shot them. No matter where they were, their age, sex or faith. If you made your opposition to the occupying U.S. and Allied forces known with anything more than words (or other non-violent activities) you ended up dead.
We didn’t worry about blowing up Herr Falschenflager’s house with his kids in it if he was shooting at us from it. And we let them know it. After a few stupid teenagers and early 20-somethings were turned into bits between 1945-1947 the Germans got the message.
The Japanese had atomic bombs leveling Hiroshima and Nagasaki, no better deterrent to stupidity than the fear of getting nuked again.
-Both Japan and Germany had prior experience (in some way shape or form) with Republican Democracy, so it wasn’t hard to get them back to it. Both Germany and Japan were also mostly modern what we now call “Western” or “industrialized” nations.
-In neither Iraq nor Afghanistan were these steps done.
Iraq was (and still is) a semi-modern/industrialized state with higher learning and modern infrastructure.
Afghanistan is at least A CENTURY behind Iraq, in just education and infrastructure
However, the second that we allowed the Constitutions of the Republic of Iraq
and the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan
to enshrine Islam (religious beliefs) as point of law and equal or superior to law we failed, if our mission is to repeat the success of Germany and Japan. On the same note, if we DO NOT repeat the success of Germany and Japan as Tav noted above the leaders Nouri al-Malaki and Hamid Karzi respectively are going to have different goals than us (see cozying up to Iran by both leaders)
SgtSVJones on July 2, 2010 at 6:13 PM
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