Sliding to 2014

by Deacon Blues

So in the midst of ongoing reports of corruption within the Karzai regime, and mismanagement of rebuilding projects by the Pentagon and its disaster capitalism cronies, three more years have been suddenly added to our Afghanistan combat commitment. This was done at a time when Hamid Karzai, the corrupt one himself, has been demanding that General David Petraeus tone down his counterinsurgency strategy and go easier on the Taliban, while telling us all is good. It also happens in the same week the Catfood Commission wants significant cuts in domestic spending, while staying silent about our overseas wars.

Where exactly is the money going to come from to pay for another three years of combat operations in Afghanistan and a still-to-be-extended presence in Iraq? If you think that question will give Obama pause for even a minute as he asks Americans next year to accept cuts in Social Security and Medicare, you haven't been paying attention. The man wants to make sure that no one gets to his right on national security heading into 2012, so inconvenient thngs like moral priorities will not trouble him.

We're about to see the new GOP leadership fight tooth and nail against unemployment insurance and any additional spending for jobs here at home. Will they be just as opposed to bankrolling 100,000 troops in Hamid's Playhouse for another three years? Just keep this new 2014 date in mind next year when Obama and the GOP give us the lecture on fiscal discipline.

The progressive left will have a huge opening on this issue, despite what the White House wants, and there are Tea Partiers out there who are no fans of unrestrained defense spending. Perhaps progressive Democrats in the House should begin mapping out their own triangulation strategy against the White House, now that Nancy Pelosi has adroitly solved her leadership challenge.