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Military growing impatient with Obama on Afghanistan
Miami Herald ^ | 9/18/2009 | NANCY A. YOUSSEF

Posted on 09/18/2009 7:48:21 PM PDT by markomalley

Six months after it announced its strategy for Afghanistan, the Obama administration is sending mixed signals about its objectives there and how many troops are needed to achieve them.

The conflicting messages are drawing increasing ire from U.S. commanders in Afghanistan and frustrating military leaders, who are trying to figure out how to demonstrate that they're making progress in the 12-18 months that the administration has given them.

Adding to the frustration, according to officials in Kabul and Washington, are White House and Pentagon directives made over the last six weeks that Army Gen. Stanley McChrystal, the top U.S. military commander in Afghanistan, not submit his request for as many as 45,000 additional troops because the administration isn't ready for it.

In the last two weeks, top administration leaders have suggested that more American troops will be sent to Afghanistan, and then called that suggestion "premature." Earlier this month, Adm. Michael Mullen, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said that "time is not on our side"; on Thursday, Secretary of Defense Robert Gates urged the public "to take a deep breath."

The White House didn't respond to requests for comment. Officials willing to speak did so only on the condition of anonymity because they weren't authorized to speak publicly.

In Kabul, some members of McChrystal's staff said they don't understand why Obama called Afghanistan a "war of necessity" but still hasn't given them the resources they need to turn things around quickly.

Three officers at the Pentagon and in Kabul told McClatchy Newspapers that the McChrystal they know would resign before he would stand behind a faltering policy that he thought would endanger his forces or the strategy.

(Excerpt) Read more at miamiherald.com ...


TOPICS: Foreign Affairs; Front Page News; Government; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: afghanistan; bho44; bhodod; cicobama; healthcare; islam; jointchiefs; mcchrystal; mhmmdnsm09182009; military; mullen; nationalsecurity; nsp; nspnationalsecurity; nss; obama; obamacare; palin; third100days; veterans
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To: markomalley

Come on, he’s a community organizer. He has no experience at anything and he’s supposed to run this country? He is also a limp wristed puss.


81 posted on 09/18/2009 10:29:24 PM PDT by mojitojoe (Socialism is just the last “feel good” step on the path to Communism and its slavery. Lenin)
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To: markomalley

How many troops must die while general yellow belly contemplates his next move?

This is shameful and I wonder at what point the military will commit to the unthinkable... Defy the Commander in thief.


82 posted on 09/18/2009 10:57:17 PM PDT by Dream Warrior (Never underestimate the POWER of an ARROGANT Marxist President and Congress!)
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Comment #83 Removed by Moderator

Comment #84 Removed by Moderator

To: markomalley

baby boy is too busy playing politician to deal with his 6 month old plan for Afghanistan. He has the attention span of a ferrit, this is old history to him and not significant enought to be bothered with. Too many irons in the fire in his campaign to destroy all that is good in the U.S. And his political career is at stake for gosh sake! He can’t be bothered with mere miliatary matters.

May is too far away. How about 7 days in October?

FUBO


85 posted on 09/18/2009 11:23:49 PM PDT by Sequoyah101 (Half of the population is below average)
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To: exit82

Coups are committed by Colonels because the strong generals are replaced.

baby boy is not a closet muslim, he is out in the open. His mission is clear and he is executing it as fast as he possibly can. It is a daily push from one thing to the next in quick succession.

Leaving the military in the dust is just one step of many.


86 posted on 09/18/2009 11:33:17 PM PDT by Sequoyah101 (Half of the population is below average)
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Comment #87 Removed by Moderator

To: kromike

If ONLY they would mature full blown.


88 posted on 09/18/2009 11:41:08 PM PDT by Sequoyah101 (Half of the population is below average)
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Comment #89 Removed by Moderator

To: markomalley

One of the many things I am fearful of is that our troops mean so little to baby boy that he will throw them into the crucible with abandon if he thinks it will save him somehow.


90 posted on 09/18/2009 11:45:28 PM PDT by Sequoyah101 (Half of the population is below average)
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To: markomalley
Secretary of Defense Robert Gates urged the public "to take a deep breath."

I suggest Gates hold his breath.

91 posted on 09/19/2009 12:41:38 AM PDT by Just A Nobody (Better Dead than RED! NEVER AGAIN...Support our Troops! Beware the ENEMEDIA)
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To: exit82
closet Muslim Marxist

When was he in the closet?

He is a known, or should have been known, islamo-fascist communist. Period!

92 posted on 09/19/2009 12:45:48 AM PDT by Just A Nobody (Better Dead than RED! NEVER AGAIN...Support our Troops! Beware the ENEMEDIA)
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To: WilliamofCarmichael

I don’t understand how the Taliban are still fighting us effectively after eight years. Who is supplying them with weapons and ammunition? Is Iran their weapons/ammo supplier and if so why can’t we cut off the flow of military supplies to the Taliban? This isn’t Vietnam where the Soviet Union was supplying the North Vietnamese. Why can’t we cut off the military supplies to the Taliban? I don’t get it.


93 posted on 09/19/2009 1:00:58 AM PDT by your local physicist (Gridlock is good...in Washington.)
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To: Dead Dog

Hopefully it won’t take that long.
Throw this marxist poser punk in a jail.


94 posted on 09/19/2009 4:19:38 AM PDT by Joe Boucher (google; operation garden spot and REX84 (FUBO))
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To: Frantzie

The White Hut !

i love it, i shall use the phrase with impunity.


95 posted on 09/19/2009 4:29:09 AM PDT by Einherjar (PEACE THROUGH SUPERIOR FIREPOWER)
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To: markomalley

Military coup?


96 posted on 09/19/2009 4:32:09 AM PDT by myknowledge (F-22 Raptor: World's Largest Distributor of Sukhoi parts!)
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To: markomalley
Adding to the frustration, according to officials in Kabul and Washington, are White House and Pentagon directives made over the last six weeks that Army Gen. Stanley McChrystal, the top U.S. military commander in Afghanistan, not submit his request for as many as 45,000 additional troops because the administration isn't ready for it.

Well excuuuuuuuse me!
How nice, Barry and Rahm aren't "ready". Well they can.....

(I'm shuttin up now & counting to ten....)

97 posted on 09/19/2009 4:37:49 AM PDT by Condor51 (The difference between stupidity and genius is that genius has its limits)
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To: Parley Baer
Why not remove the hindering gloves of ROE and reveal an iron fist. That's what a general would want to do in Afghanistan. Win the war. Bring as many tribal groups on to the side of the Coalition forces against the Taliban, the same way the CIA did so with the Mujahideen against the Soviets through the eighties.
98 posted on 09/19/2009 4:39:06 AM PDT by myknowledge (F-22 Raptor: World's Largest Distributor of Sukhoi parts!)
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To: unkus

Knock knock. ;)


99 posted on 09/19/2009 4:39:58 AM PDT by 2 Kool 2 Be 4-Gotten
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To: your local physicist

They have no plan and our boys are getting killed. I wish we could pull them out of there and not waste one more life.


100 posted on 09/19/2009 4:41:48 AM PDT by samsmom
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