Obama Under Fire Over Afghan 'Insult'

Adelaide Now ^ | 07.12.2008 | Stephen Collinson

[Coffee200am]

WHITE House hopeful Barack Obama has said the Afghan government of President Hamid Karzai has not "gotten out of the bunker" to rebuild the war-torn country. Senator Obama's comments, ahead of an expected visit to Afghanistan in the coming weeks, drew immediate fire from Republicans, who accused him of insulting a key US "war on terror" ally.
Senator Obama also said in an interview with CNN, to be broadcast in full this weekend, that the Bush administration had allowed al-Qaeda and the Taliban to regroup, by diverting vital US forces to the war in Iraq. "I think the Karzai government has not gotten out of the bunker and helped to organise Afghanistan and (the) government, the judiciary, police forces, in ways that would give people confidence," he said. "So there are a lot of problems there. "A big chunk of the issue is that we allowed the Taliban and al-Qaeda to regenerate itself when we had them on the ropes. "That was a big mistake and it's one I'm going to correct when I'm president."

Senator Obama's Republican foes accused him of ignoring multiple assassination attempts against Karzai, and of offending a vital US ally. "Barack Obama had no interest in Afghanistan until he started running for president," said Republican National Committee spokesman Alex Conant. "Obama has never visited Afghanistan to meet our allies on the ground, yet he is audacious enough to assert that President Karzai has not gotten 'out of the bunker'. "Obama's words are naively out-of-touch with reality and offensive to America's allies."

[JavaJumpy]

Obama missed Afghanistan hearings:

http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/obama-absent-at-afghanistan-hearings-2008-03-01.html

[awaken2spirit]

Barack Obama thinks outside the box from inside his as*.

[awaken2spirit]

Job Listing:

President of the United States of America

This is an entry level position and requires minimal experience. You will preside over the most powerful nation on earth. As president, you will be responsible for both the foreign and domestic policies of the United States. You will be responsible for the security of the nation and command one of the most powerful military forces on the planet. You will negotiate treaties with foreign nations and often be called upon to meet with foreign leaders. This is a learn as you go position and inexperience is preferable.

The desirable candidate should be at least 40 years of age and a natural citizen of the United States. You should be young and hip in appearance, and have a charismatic personality. The ideal candidate embraces multicultural diversity and must have great abilities as an orator. It will be your job to motivate the nation with idealistic sounding but vacuous ideas to manipulate people on an emotional level. Preference will be given to Affirmative Action candidates. Old white men need not apply.

[LikeLight]

audacious enough to assert that President Karzai has not gotten 'out of the bunker'

The Audacity of Arrogance

[Uncle Ralph]

Sounds like a man who’s been taking foreign policy advice from the SDS roundtable at Ridgemont High.

[RushLake]

"That was a big mistake and it's one I'm going to correct when I'm president."

Boy, you spend my son's life needlessly as part of your on the job training to try to impersonate a man and I'm holding you personally responsible. I don't forgive and I don't forget.

Cpl. RushLake, USMC is standing in the breach this morning and proud to be doing so.

[JavaJumpy]

I don’t know whether to laugh or cry...but I’ve read enough this morning to know I need to take a break.

[iopscusa]

I agree...the Hilldog is just waiting for the BM ship to sink. We are better off having BHO as the nominee, I can still see him being defeated handily inspite of McCain’s inept campaign.

[SueRae]

Obama is not fit to shine President Karzai’s shoes.

[Sacajaweau]

I hope Karzai tells Obama to buzz off. Apparently, NASCAR has already.