Actually, the best news of the night.... | Philly

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Tuesday, June 30, 2009

Actually, the best news of the night....

...isn't the start of the Al Franken 6/10 Decade, but this highly sensible pronouncement about future policy in Afghanistan:

National Security Adviser James L. Jones told U.S. military commanders here last week that the Obama administration wants to hold troop levels here flat for now, and focus instead on carrying out the previously approved strategy of increased economic development, improved governance and participation by the Afghan military and civilians in the conflict.

Notes Jones:

"This will not be won by the military alone," Jones said in an interview during his trip. "We tried that for six years." He also said: "The piece of the strategy that has to work in the next year is economic development. If that is not done right, there are not enough troops in the world to succeed."

More common-sense foreign policy. As regular readers know, there was a time when I was supportive of suggestions of sending more troops into Afghanistan; because I felt there was a clear reason for going there in the first place (as a matter of self-defense, given Afghanistan's role in 9/11 and as a staging area for possible future attacks), there has seemed hope at times of a positive outcome (i.e., a stable democracy). Also, a military strategy that relied too much on air power was causing way too many innocent civilian deaths. But it's become increasingly clear that a military-oriented strategy isn't working there because...it's a military strategy. If we've decided for the reasons noted above that Afghanistan is where we wanted to engage in nation building, then maybe it's time to do more building and less blowing up.

One footnote: The scoop on this comes from the Washington Post's Bob Woodward, so here's one of those cases where access actually is worth something.

Posted by Will Bunch @ 9:40 PM Permalink | 91 comments

Comments

Posted 09:47 PM, 06/30/2009

bryanc

Here's another GREAT announcement from Afghanistan -- they are building a prison there to hold captured terrorists and fighters, and Obama is arguing that the Supreme Court decision granting rights to Gitmo prisoners does NOT apply to those held at the Bagram prison. Explain that massive contradiction, Will.

Posted 10:02 PM, 06/30/2009

bill at

...and bunch closes his eyes, covers his ears, and begins chanting "na-na-na-na-na"

Posted 10:31 PM, 06/30/2009

SBVFT Contributor

***crickets**** from the lefties. Obama. War criminal.

Posted 10:55 PM, 06/30/2009

will

"Explain that massive contradiction, Will." I can't -- it's dead wrong. It's not like I haven't been highly critical of Obama's poor record on human rights so far -- where've you been?

Posted 11:04 PM, 06/30/2009

Think for myself

where've you been?....you just noticed that posters like bryanc don't read your blog? where've you been? lol

Posted 01:35 AM, 07/01/2009

georgel

Would that be the same Bob Woodward that supposely spoke to former CIA director Robert Casey while he was on his death bed in a coma? Hmmm?

Posted 02:40 AM, 07/01/2009

bryanc

(((It's not like I haven't been highly critical of Obama's poor record on human rights so far -- where've you been?))) Highly critical? You are an Obama lickspittle. Outside of the occasional post where you vehemently "don't agree" with Obama, there is barely a peep from you on Obama and human rights. Unless, of course, it involves a terrorist. The contrast in how you rip George Bush, and "disagree" with Obama for doing the SAME THING, could not be more obvious. This administration has completely abandoned the idea of promoting democracy as a goal for the opressed in this world, choosing instead to lump democracy in with other forms of government. This, despite the fact that democratic governments are the single best way to promote human rights. The night before his inauguration, Obama told the Washington Post that democracy was not as important as "freedom from fear," that if people were starving, free elections mean little (tell that to starving North Koreans, where the government wants to feed the military machine but not it's own peopl). Add in the abandonment of Obama's transparency pledge, the horrendous stimulus bill (that could have been so much more useful), the ditching of the "no lobbyists" pledge, ignoring the recognition of Armenian genocide (where's your "outrage" on that, Will?)... I mean, the list goes on and on and on. Where have I been, Will? I've been watching you and fellow far-left, anti-war liberals fall for the same rope-a-dope from Obama that Bush did on the "faith based" faithful in his first term. Meet the new boss, buddy, same as the old boss.

Comment removed.

Posted 07:38 AM, 07/01/2009

stoneman

Again, just negative commentary about anything Obama does or says. The same thing on TV and the irresponsible commentators talking always/only to their own kind making negative cynical insulting comments about the president. At the same time there is NEVER a constructive alternative plan. How is it that one man has so many poor ideas/plans yet he was "fooled" 60% of voters to mark his name for President of the United States. By the way 'a-holes' whatever happened to 'right or wrong he's my president and this is my country' and the lapel pins????? Oh yea, how about another good christian republican being the fool and crying for his (cheatin')lover on national TV. But of course, he'll quote some verse of the bible and all will be just great again!!!!!!!!! You're all pho

Posted 07:40 AM, 07/01/2009

jmc

Did you see that yesterday was victory day in Iraq. I know the administration, or the left in general, won't acknowledge it because it maks them look like a**es. Kudos to our armed forces, the commanders, and George W. Bush.

Posted 07:47 AM, 07/01/2009

AngryWhiteMale

"How is it that one man has so many poor ideas/plans yet he was "fooled" 60% of voters to mark his name for President of the United States"- stoney, you must be living in a cave, if you need an answer to that...

Posted 07:59 AM, 07/01/2009

"they are building a prison there to hold captured terrorists and fighters, and Obama is arguing that the Supreme Court decision granting rights to Gitmo prisoners does NOT apply to those held at the Bagram prison. Explain that massive contradiction, Will." Are they sending terrorsits and figthers found in Afghanistan there, or those from across the globe? That could be the major key. If only terrorists found in Afghanistan are sent there, then its simply an Afghani prison, and the laws of that country apply. That would be completely different from gitmo, in which suspected terrorists from across the globe (Iraq, Afghanistan, even the Balkans) were flown to another country where their rigths were not clearly defined.

Posted 08:18 AM, 07/01/2009

one_eyed_jack

Victory day in Iraq, and only 6 years after Mission Accomplished was announced. Remember when the Iraq war was only going to be 6 weeks, or 6 months? Those were good times. Kudos.

Posted 08:25 AM, 07/01/2009

Think for myself

Remember when the Iraq war was only going to be 6 weeks, or 6 months? Those were good times......the neocons got everything wrong under Bush but think that they are right under Obama. bwahaha......

Posted 08:44 AM, 07/01/2009

WriteWinger

hey stoneman- where were you the last 8 years when GWB was blamed if it rained on someone's gay pride parade? Boy, you guys can't take it can you? This flubbering fool has gotten the best media coverage of any human being in the history of the world and they are very slow to criticize him for some reason. But that won't stop us.

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About Will Bunch

Will's book: Learn about it here and purchase it here.

Will Bunch, a senior writer at the Philadelphia Daily News, blogs about his obsessions, including national and local politics and world affairs, the media, pop music, the Philadelphia Phillies, soccer and other sports, not necessarily in that order.

E-mail Will by clicking here.

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