Obama, you are the President...time to start acting like it

I know that coming from Chicago, everything for Barak Obama is political. However, the decision to send more troops, stand with current levels, or withdraw from Afghanistan should rise above typical, frustrating, and self-serving partisan gnashing of teeth. Unfortunately for Obama, he cannot rise from the sewer of Chicago politics. Every decision is political and is made through the decision tree of what makes Obama and the Democratic party look good and the other side look bad. Furthermore, what position strengthens his political foundation and erodes any competitor, in party or out.



The Afghanistan decision is not all that hard if put through a simple analysis. First, what does it take to win? Are we willing to pay that price? If we are not willing to go all in and win, then get out. General McCrystal believes 40,000 more troops will give him a winning hand. He believes he can secure the population, defeat that Taliban, and leave a nascent free society. He is closest to the ground, either give him what he needs or relieve him and pull out. I was shocked to think that Obama was considering splitting the difference and sending more troops but not as many as his general requested. This would be politics at its worst. This is the worst case scenario for he troops already there and the new ones he would send. It is not the addition in force that a trained military professional believes is needed to win. However it is enough to make Obama not look like a sissy, but not what the military needs, so he is still okay with his left wing loony supporters. This is a political decision. It is tantamount to throwing away American lives....not enough to win, but just enough to provide political cover with the opposing views on what to do in Afghanistan.



Obama is not big on American "winning". We know he is a man of the world. If he feels that a convincing and forceful American victory is not in our best interests....then make that decision and live with the consequences. That is what leaders do, it is not what politicians do. If Obama wants to get out, I would rather he say so and get the warring American forces home. Sending them a fractional reinforcement on what is needed to win is wasteful and immoral.



Obama, you are the President of the United States. It is time to start acting like it. Make a decision, lead for a change. We will let you know how you did in 2012.

Are you kidding me?

We are really going to bring the 9/11 terrorist a$$holes to American soil for a civilian trial...to be put on the docket right after a carjacking case is resolved? So the planners of the 9/11 jihadist massacre are due the same rights as the local car thief? Newsflash for Eric Holder - these bastards are not American citizens. They are not due any constitutional due process. They are ar criminals. This is both an irrational and stupid political decision...very Nixonian...by an administration that fancies itself as far smarter than markets, economies, and certainly average Americans.

There is an intersection of interests in the KSM matter. The only thing he wants out of his remaining pathetic and wasted life is to die as a martyr. The only thing we as Americans owe KSM is a bullet between the eyes. It is my suggestion that we recognize the intersection of these common interests...and save ourselves a lot of money, time, and national turmoil.