The other reason we're fighting in Afghanistan is to prevent it from relapsing into a failed-state and terrorist sanctuary ruled by the Taliban (as opposed to Iraq, which would be dominated by Shiites were it to collapse). Getting bin Laden's head on a stake is certainly an important goal, but the overall goal is to prevent Afghanistan from reverting to the home base for the AQ movement.
Posted by Geek, Esq. at November 17, 2008 07:21 AM>>No marketing or political rationale would have ever withstood the completely devastating attack from opposition Republicans that Obama was another Democratic wimp who wouldn’t and couldn’t fight.
Such marketing WOULD work if the Democrats had ever seen fit to market themselves as a brand, if they stood for anything as ridiculous as PRINCIPLES, for example, and hammered and hammered away at what they stood for and why.
But they never have, except on TV.
http://susiemadrak.com/2008/11/15/14/24/good-advice-5/
Carolyn Kay
MakeThemAccountable.com
But you're still against "Beachboying" Iran, right?
Posted by TIKI AL at November 17, 2008 10:04 AMMichelle Obama’s advocacy for military families has to be seen as a political calculation for fealty to American militarism
Maybe she actually thinks military families ought not to be jettisoned once they've sesrved their functions as widgets in the military machine.
Posted by joel dan walls at November 17, 2008 11:46 AMSuch marketing WOULD work if the Democrats had ever seen fit to market themselves as a brand, if they stood for anything as ridiculous as PRINCIPLES
Wonderful. A few days after eriposte relaunched his attacks on Obama supporters as congenital liars, guess who comes crawling out of the woodwork? Carolyn Kay and the PUMA brigade.
Posted by joel dan walls at November 17, 2008 11:59 AMParadox;
I am sorry but you have no grasp of the jihadi muslim psyche. If we fail to crush them now, we will be sorry because they will keep attacking us forever. Read the history of Islam and you will find the same jihadi mentality operating in the muslim world since 800 AD. They never stopped attacking countries that were non islamic. That is in their teaching and you cannot convience them otherwise.
So we have to be prepared to fight these jihadis for a long time to come. Even we destroy them in Afghanistan, they will try to regroup in some other islamic country. Unless we project a strong policy of no tolerance of such groups, the other islamic countries will provide safe heaven to these groups.
Posted by suresh at November 17, 2008 01:24 PMUnless we project a strong policy of no tolerance of such groups, the other islamic countries will provide safe heaven to these groups.
Yup.
Them jihadis and the homos. We gotta keep fighting them or they'll regroup in some other safe haven. Like Pakistan. And Connecticut!
No tolerance for the jihadis!
No tolerance for the homos!
Posted by snark at November 17, 2008 01:42 PMsnark;
You do not see difference between homos and jihadis? Arn't you naive. One will peacefuly co-exist with you, other will try to kill you because you are not like him. Comprendo?
Posted by suresh at November 17, 2008 02:13 PMArn't you naive.
Yes, naive.
That's it.
Posted by snark at November 17, 2008 02:25 PMMichelle Obama’s advocacy for military families has to be seen as a political calculation for fealty to American militarism
No it bloody well doesn't. It can be seen as one woman noticing the kind of burden military service imposes on families and wanting to do something about it. One can be against certain military actions without having to ignore or hate military families.
Posted by Emma at November 17, 2008 03:13 PMThanks, Emma, that was kinda bugging me, too.
Posted by iamcoyote at November 17, 2008 04:37 PM"...for now acceptance of reality and admiration for adroit political set-ups leaves me no option but to support President-elect Obama in his militarism...."
uh, NO. What the hell are we doing in Afghanistan? The Afghans will tolerate foreign occupation no more than the Iraqis will.
Posted by gay veteran at November 18, 2008 11:59 AMthe simple fact is than little progess can be made in this country until the Pentagon's bloated budget is cut
Posted by gay veteran at November 18, 2008 12:34 PM