Ditching Afghanistan

Last week American officials accidentally burned Korans. Afghan soldiers intentionally killed American soldiers. Barack Obama apologized profusely. The Afghan government is silent.

In 1956, U.S. allies went off the reservation. Britain, France, and Israel, all three heavily dependent upon American support and defense, initiated a war against Egypt over the Suez Canal. They all backed off after a private, but fiery threat from then-President Dwight Eisenhower to cut them out of the alliance system.

A president with more sand would call Karzai and demand an apology and restitution for the families of military men sent to protect Karzai's government. The alternative would be an immediate and total withdrawal coupled by a 100% shutting off of support. Then create a cordon sanitaire around the nation. If Karzai falls and Iran wants to go play, provide support to groups that could tie Iran down there. Perhaps also carve out a territorial portion of the nation for those who supported us and for others who want to live in some era beyond the 11th century. Within this westernized enclave, work on complete education of women and the abolition of pedophilia. Maybe this area can serve as a model for the rest of the country to join when it sees the benefits of living Western.

But otherwise, abandon the place to its hellish fate, if that is what it wants.

Troops In Afghanistan Face More Restrictions Than Your County Sheriff

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2009/nov/16/us-troops-battle-taliban-afghan-rules/print/

This article is almost a month old, but worthy of mention for anyone with loved ones in Afghanistan, as my family has.

It speaks for itself but fails to point out an important salient fact. Your county sheriff, or any other law enforcement officer in the US, has more latitude in fighting crime than Army and Marine officers have in fighting terrorism.

I understand the problems involved in counterinsurgency from an academic standpoint, having researched and delivered papers on the subject. There must be an understanding of the population's role. However you must make the population feel secure to get them on your side. These rules of engagement would seem to weaken the US military's ability to offer that kind of security.

Capito Statement on President Obama’s Afghanistan Address

WASHINGTON – Rep. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., released the following statement this morning in response to President Barack Obama’s address to the nation regarding his administration’s strategy for the ongoing conflict in Afghanistan:

“First and foremost, our men and women in uniform must know that we stand fully behind them and their mission. They‘ve made a commitment to prevent the spread of terrorism and work towards a stable Afghanistan, and it is critical that our government match their level of dedication.

“While any decision to send our service members into harm’s way is a difficult one, it has become increasingly clear that success in Afghanistan demands that our forces have further resources and manpower.

“As this process unfolds, however, it is critical that General McChrystal and his team of commanders have an appropriate opportunity to succeed. We must not be so quick to judge success or failure based on an arbitrary timeline that we draw premature conclusions about the effectiveness of this new strategy.

“As I have said before, our military efforts should be driven by the expertise of our generals on the ground who know the day to day demands of the mission, and not by the political winds of Washington.

“Put simply, I am encouraged by the President’s decision, but I urge him to let the facts on the ground – rather than a politically-driven timetable – guide our policy moving forward.”

Sen. Robert Byrd (D-WV) Senate Floor Remarks on Afghanistan

Betraying a Sacred Trust and Appeasing Islamofascists Does Not Bring Peace

During the presidency of Thomas Jefferson, Americans emgaged Islamic terror for the first time. The Barbary Pirate states of North Africa charged each nation tribute for the privilege of shipping on the Mediterranean. When they unilaterally tried to raise the tribute paid by the US, we sent not more money, but the Navy and Marines. The Marines made deals with the local opposition who helped us invade Tripoli. Once we accomplished our goals, we left. Our opposition friends ended up in the hands of the Bey of Tripoli.

American history has this dark side. We convince people to help us, then we abandon them when public opinion moves on. We did it to Tripolitanians; we did it to the South Vietnamese. We are about to do it to Afghanistan.

Obama and his advisors are leaning towards giving the Islamofascist Talibam a role in that nation's government. Imagine giving the Nazis a role in 1946 Germany! The Taliban massacred its opponents. It tortured, mutilated, and killed women who went to school. These murders were public spectacles in soccer stadiums!

It does not matter that we promised these people a new future and that we would help them achieve one without fear. Obama simply wants to abandon these people to the fates of fanatics with guns. He wants to lose everything our soldiers fought and died for because Afghanistan is inconvenient to him.

Obama just got the Nobel Peace Prize. It was given to him by people who know not what peace actually is. Peace is not platitudes. Peace is not the absence of war. Peace only comes when problems are solved. George W. Bush's diplomacy gave us the promise of long term peace because it aimed to actually solve problems, not ignore them or put them off. apologizing for doing the right thing, putting our enemies in control of nations, only encourages the militants to fight harder because they learned that terrorism accomplishes their goals.

Obama has that award and he may shout that he is looking for "peace in our time." But he has set himself up as this generation's Neville Chamberlain, another naive politician who thinks that his country's enemies can be dealt with reasonably.

Maybe Because He Wants to Win the War

General McChrystal has written, spoken, and probably leaked to the public his earnest desire to win the war in Afghanistan by requesting what the Democrats called for several years ago, more troops.

Back when Iraq's future remained uncertain, many Democrats, including the current Secretary of State, called for more focus on Afghanistan. They, including the current president, called this country the real war and Iraq the distraction. Now Afghanistan is the distraction and the Olympics are the real war.

Naturally the officers and soldiers have gotten fed up with the shifting of attention. Obama called health care the most important struggle of this generation (excuse me, are we not at WAR?) He has little concern or time for Afghanistan, so long as he can get one domestic victory and the Olympics (oops, may have screwed the pooch on that one.)

Danger does exist in too massive a buildup; after all, we trained them to hit the logistical units of massive concentrations of men and armor during the Soviet occupation. However we need to expand our presence in the countryside. Experts at the Army War College have studied two hundred years of irregular warfare in American history and figured out a gameplan for victory.

They concluded that you can pacify a region like Afghanistan in two ways, offer security or terror to the most important factor which is the population. Americans do not terrify civilians, even though that is the easiest way to win. Instead the goal is to establish permanent security. It makes no sense to advance into a town, secure it, gain cooperation, then abandon it to go after another objective. You need a long term presence to help train security units and home guards so that they can protect themselves. This requires time and more manpower.

Is Obama interested? Does Obama care? His generals have taken the extraordinary step of speaking out to try and pressure him into giving the war more attention than the Olympics. Let's hope they succeed. Failure in Afghanistan means emboldened terrorists and more attacks on our soil.

Beneath His Dignity, An Epic Fail

George Washington was one day walking down a street in the capital. One of his old friends, Governeur Morris, had just arrived and was anxious to see Washington, but first saw the Secretary of the Treasury Alexander Hamilton. Hamilton pointed out the president and encouraged Morris to walk over, slap him on the back, and greet him with enthusiasm. Morris did so. Washington stopped, slowly turned his head to face Morris, and froze him with a stare like pure liquid nitrogen. He then coldly continued his walk.



Washington had a very conscious idea of the image of a president. He strove daily to present the image of simplicity and dignity. He required no uniformed guards, bands, or announcement. Washington believed that if a president was worthwhile, people would know when one entered the room. He also remained very strict about what actions lay beneath the dignity of a president.



I am positive that George Washington would react with rage at the idea of a sitting Chief Magistrate of the United States kowtowing to a group of foreigners to get games played somewhere in America. I do not care if the Prime Minister of Britain or the President of Russia has done it, we should keep high expectations of our head of state. Would Queen Elizabeth beg for Olympic games? I think not!



Let us, though, for one second assume that begging foreigners to allow us to spend uncounted millions and go farther into debt is an appropriate task for an American president. Surely that is a task reserved for when times are good and burdens are light. As a person with family fighting in the Middle East, it insults me that Obama went to Denmark to flash his smile, speak about his dream of a Chicago Olympics, and make an "oh by the way" stop to meet with his generals. A smart politician would have played up the meeting with commanders and made the Olympic stop secondary. Otherwise, people might get the idea you care more about the Olympics than the sacrifices of our fighting men and allies.



Then, if your Olympic pitch fails, you do not look like you spent a lot of money to travel across the ocean and waste everyone's time. Also the IOC doesn't get peeved when you do not stick around to watch all the other presenters who courteously watched you. After all, if you are fighting a war and care about those fighting it as well as the outcome, people understand if you have to leave to meet the generals.



But Obama didn't. As usual his priorities got skewed, he failed to think things through, and ended up looking stupid again. Not saying he is stupid, but he has not learned much political competence since entering office.



As the kids say these days, Olympic campaign 2009 will go down in history as . . .



Epic Fail.

Is Obama turning Afghanistan in to his Vietnam?

As President Obama struggles whether or not to go for the win in Afghanistan we are reminded of a very similar decision made by a President over 40 years ago. General Westmoreland became Chief of Staff of the Army in March of 1968, just as North Vietnamese Army was destroyed by US forces at the end of the Tet Offensive. The media did not report this victory as the victory it was and the public was weary of the war. Westmoreland’s request for 200,000 additional troops had been leaked to the media and was ultimately denied for political reasons.

Today a similar request for additional troops sits on Obama’s desk. History repeats its self at General Stanley McChrystal's request for an additional 40,000 troops was leaked to the press.

Obama should learn from history. The first lesson is let the General fight the wars and keep the politics out of it. If Obama does not give the troops to McChrystal to push to final victory, then American soldiers will continue to die with no chance of victory. That is not an acceptable out come. We do not need another Vietnam.

The way I see it Obama has two choices. The first, if you will not give the troops what they need to win, then pull them out immediately. Do not sacrifice American lives without the chance of victory. However Mr. Obama needs to be prepared for what will follow. Afghanistan will revert back to the haven for terrorist bent on destruction of the United States and the western world. History also shows us that it will destabilize Pakistan, a nuclear armed country.

The second choice is not to repeat the mistakes of Vietnam. Keep politics out of it. Give the Generals what they need to push on to final victory. Win the war and keep America safe.

Obama's Misplaced Priorities

Obama went to one of the few crowds left in the world that adore him, liberal college students, and made the announcement that the struggle for health care reform was the most important one of our time.

Honestly, this guy is the president?

The President of the United States is commander-in-chief of the armed forces of the country. Tens of thousands of troops remain in harms way in Iraq. Tens of thousands more are going actively into battle every single day in Afghanistan. Their loved ones wait every day to hear good or bad news.

Obama, get this message. When American soldiers are in battle THAT is the most important struggle of the time. Everything else is secondary.

Did Obama mean to show disrespect to the troops? Probably not. He just lacks a basic understanding of America and what we consider most important. Our soldiers fight in Afghanistan to prevent the reestablishment of a regime that assisted in the 9/11 attacks. They fight to give to that nation a measure of stability and rule of law where women can go to school and almost all can live without fear. Compared to those ends, Obama's health care proposals pale considerably.

Again, Obama shows a basic lack of comprehension and inability to understand the big picture. He needs to stop campaigning and start being president.

Real Americans Thank and Honor Our Veterans

Last Friday I got the opportunity to see a ceremony that few people ever take the chance to see, a United States Army Ranger graduation.

My wife's cousin took his place as a Ranger last Friday and we couldn't be more proud. The stories he told about his training and school were probably just the tip of the iceberg. These guys experience pain, deprivation, and extremes that few of us could ever imagine. They do it to test themselves and out of love of their country. Praising them only makes many of them feel a little awkward. They see it as their job. Regardless, I am glad I got the chance to tell him how proud we all are of him.

We Americans never can thank these people often enough. Our cousin is one of the Army's newest Rangers and his wife serves in the 82nd Airborne. At some point he will serve as the tip of the spear, probably in Afghanistan. Only more danger and stress awaits. He won't get rich, but he will serve his country and know that he earned the right to be considered among the best of the best.

Last Monday the country took a day off. In our new era of warfare the enemy may fight the tip of the spear, but they also target the shaft, the hand that throws it, and even its place of manufacture. All of our veterans, living and past, deserve a prayer and a thank you, not just twice a year but every time they come to mind.

Last Monday I also remembered two veterans who passed. One grandfather served in New Guinea in the Army Air Force. The other served in the oft bloodied 36th Division that saw some of the toughest fighting in Europe. I never met him. All I have of him is a cigar box full of captured photographs and an old knife. I thought of a good friend of our family who landed at Normandy and has told a lot of colorful tales of fighting across Europe. You can often tell the guys who saw the worst; their stories are always humorous, never bloody. I remembered my stepfather who served in Vietnam.

Thank God for our veterans living and dead. Thank God for the sacrifices they made and continue to make every day. And thank the veterans. If you see one in uniform and you for whatever reason do not thank him or her personally, say a little prayer for the serviceman and the family that love him.

The Brilliance of President George W. Bush

It's not fashionable to say it, even amongst the conservatives who voted for him. The truth is inescapable, though. When it comes to foreign policy and bolstering American credibility in the world, President Bush and his administration have performed brilliantly.

After eight years of mollycoddling by Bill Clinton, President Bush's unabashedly aggressive policies worked like a bucket of ice water on a soundly sleeping child. Europe especially had to wake up and recognize the new sheriff in town. President Bush after 9/11 then named the three most wanted malefactors against world peace. His "Axis of Evil" address offended the sensibilities of liberals and professional diplomats in the same manner as President Reagan's "Evil Empire" analogy. In the long run, this kind of labeling when applied to rogue regimes is difficult to shake.

President Bush in Afghanistan and Iraq demonstrated American resolve. Bill Clinton issued threats just as when the National Weather Service issues a thunderstorm threat. It may or may not come. President Bush along the same line issued warnings; in other words the storm is coming.

The world got used to an America ready to defend the interests of real peace and it responded. Anti-American governments fell in nations such as Germany and France despite the fact that the world press labeled the people as literally hating the United States. Perhaps they understand better than academics and the press who the real threat is. Meanwhile some states such as Libya abandoned their previous policies of seeking WMDs and supporting terror. Palestinian terror has dropped significantly since its major benefactor Saddam Hussein was expelled from power. Vietnam sought a partnership with the US against Islamic terror.

Dominoes continue to fall. Europe backed out of any support of Iran as its frightened president turned up the rhetorical heat. North Korea negotiated its way out of the Axis of Evil by succumbing to regional pressure led by the US. Now Iran stands virtually alone, even Chavez has not been his usual boisterous self lately. All this has happened quietly without a lot of saber rattling by the US. Once we proved that we would act, the rest of the world friend or foe knows they can count on American resolve.

Had Congress listened to the president's wishes domestically, our position would be even stronger. Imagine if we had followed President Bush's wishes from his first months in office when he warned us about upcoming energy shortages. We could be almost self-sufficient if we would only tap our own sources. His only flaw has been his inability to sell his policies in the same manner as Theodore Roosevelt, Franklin Roosevelt, or Ronald Reagan. This reflects a businesslike mentality in the White House, but the result has been an electorate easily convinced by emotional appeals from his opponents.

At the end of the day, the Bush foreign policy has worked miraculous change. Europe stands with an aggressive United States. Even moderate anti-war activists have to accept the fact that the United States has almost succeeded in Iraq. Iran stands alone without support from any of its previous benefactors. Japan, Britain, and Australia stand with us as firmly as ever.

Hats off to President George W. Bush, a president who was not afraid to act and who has given the world real solutions rather than band aids.

The American GI: Our secret weapon

I had the opportunity to speak with an Iraq/Afghanistan veteran. The young man stopped by my store to pick up some parts. He explained he had been a mail order customer of mine in Germany when he was stationed there.

I immediately thanked him for his service to his county. I think we all should thank any person who is serving or has served his country every time we meet one for it is they that give us our freedom.

He spoke about how his grandmother wished all our troops could leave now from Iraq. He told me he explained to her that if we did it would all fall apart, and all the sacrifice that had been made would have been for nothing. He also stated that he explained to his grandmother that we have been in Germany for 62 years since the war ended. This young man who had been on the front lines sees the big picture that the Harry Reids of the world can not see.

His thoughts turned to locals he has interacted with. He talked about children that had nothing hanging around outside the camps and fire bases of Iraq and Afghanistan. Many without shoes or proper clothes. The GI's would give them candy, food and discarded items.

It brought to my mind the GI's through history. Whether it be the GI's in the UK during World War II giving the kids candy, because they had none due to sugar rationing or the film of the young Japanese kid shivering with fear on Okinawa as a US Marine gave him his canteen to comfort him. The candy bombers of the Berlin Airlift. Through Korea, Vietnam, Iraq, etc. the American GI's just being themselves win the hearts and minds of the next generation.

America's true secret weapon is the GI. Not because they are the best fighting force in the world (and they are by far), but because they represent America. Whether from the city or the country they are fair minded and are willing to lend a hand to those in need. GI's have a big American heart. Many of those kids that were given candy will remember when they are older and somebody says America is bad that is not true, because they have met true American's.

Thank you

As Memorial Day approaches, I wanted to take the opportunity to thank those who we need to remember this time of year.

First and foremost I thank those heroes currently in harm's way. I thank the soldiers and their support in Iraq and Afghanistan. I also thank every US serviceman. As we have seen for many years, the enemy seeks to make barracks, nightclubs, apartment buildings, and other facilities their front lines. We show appreciation for these gallant men and women at Arlington and other military cemetaries, but we also need to continue to thank these people by supporting their work to extend freedom for others and security for us.

We also ought to show appreciation for those that work in the shadows whose tales rarely get told. Agents of the CIA, FBI, and other agencies have worked long hours and put their lives on the line. We don't know their stories and we should not hear them until it is safe to tell them. Only now do we get to hear the courageous exploits of those that advanced the cause of freedom in wars long past. For now we'll remember at least some of them every time another anonymous star appears at CIA headquarters in Langley, Virginia.

Memorial Day of course remembers all those men and women living and dead who have sacrificed for their country. Take some time to talk to the few remaining World War II veterans. I wish I still had my grandfathers so I could ask them more about their service in the Pacific and Italy. Remember the Korean veterans because their war somehow has been lost in the historical memory. Thank a Vietnam veteran because our country owes them not only for their service, but also how they were treated for many years after they came home. Remember those that fought in Iraq in 1991 and other smaller conflicts whose names have slipped into history, but inspired feats of courage and duty all the same. Places such as Panama, Grenada, the Dominican Republic, Lebanon, and other areas are not just points on a map but areas made sacred by American blood spilt there in the cause of freedom.

Memorial Day is not just another day off. Especially in a time of war when enemies still conspire against our nation and our soldiers remained engaged, we must take the time to honor all those that have defended our freedom now and in years past.