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General Petraeus Did Not Endorse Obama’s Withdrawal Decision
Politicons.net ^ | 6/22/11 | Henry D'Andrea

Posted on 06/22/2011 3:02:04 PM PDT by Nachum

Truly that’s no surprise, Obama is a failure all across the board.

What Obama fails to realize, is that he needs to listen to the commanders on the ground. He cannot make a decision from Washington and expect it to go well over seas. Petraeus has experience, Obama doesn’t.

The NY Times reported:

The president is scheduled to speak about the Afghanistan war from the White House at 8 p.m. Eastern time.

Mr. Obama’s decision is a victory for Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr., who has long argued for curtailing the American military engagement in Afghanistan. But it is a setback for his top commander in Afghanistan, Gen. David H. Petraeus, who helped write the Army’s field book on counterinsurgency policy, and who is returning to Washington to head the Central Intelligence Agency.

Two administration officials said General Petraeus did not endorse the decision, though both Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates, who is retiring, and Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton reluctantly accepted it. General Petraeus had recommended limiting initial withdrawals and leaving in place as many combat forces for as long as possible, to hold on to fragile gains made in recent combat.

In announcing the withdrawals, which represent about 30 percent of current American troop strength in the country, Mr. Obama will fulfill a pledge he made in December 2009. At that time, he coupled the deployment of 30,000 additional troops with a promise to begin winding down America’s engagement by the middle of this year. Still, the speed and scope of this plan is striking.

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TOPICS: News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: afghanistan; afghanistanspeech; axisofsurrender; cutandrunbarry; endorse; general; obamas; petraeus

1 posted on 06/22/2011 3:02:06 PM PDT by Nachum
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To: Jet Jaguar; NorwegianViking; ExTexasRedhead; HollyB; FromLori; EricTheRed_VocalMinority; ...

The list, ping

Let me know if you would like to be on or off the ping list

http://www.nachumlist.com/


2 posted on 06/22/2011 3:02:44 PM PDT by Nachum (The complete Obama list at www.nachumlist.com)
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To: Nachum
"Gen. David H. Petraeus, who helped write the Army’s field book on counterinsurgency policy, and who is returning to Washington to head the Central Intelligence Agency."

Two months? No longer. I'll take he's gone in two months in the pool.

3 posted on 06/22/2011 3:05:07 PM PDT by jessduntno (Liberalism is socialism in a party dress. And just as masculine.)
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To: Nachum

Are we putting the safety of our troops in jeopardy for the sake of political posturing?


4 posted on 06/22/2011 3:10:01 PM PDT by kempster
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To: kempster

“Are we putting the safety of our troops in jeopardy for the sake of political posturing?”

Abdo-lutely! Taking away 30% really endangers the remaining 70%. Either overwhelming force or none at all. I’d prefer we get out, and tell them, “Anything. Anything comes from you a-holes, and we will reduce your country to complete rubble!”


5 posted on 06/22/2011 3:21:44 PM PDT by Dr. Bogus Pachysandra ( Ya can't pick up a turd by the clean end!)
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To: Nachum

So, he is going to with draw enough troops to put the remaining troops in jeopardy. Great move and consistent with his hate for the military and America.


6 posted on 06/22/2011 3:22:24 PM PDT by calex59
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To: kempster

The US is turning tail and running. I recall an old phrase - these colors don’t run. Alas, not true with O.


7 posted on 06/22/2011 3:24:20 PM PDT by Citizen Tom Paine (An old sailor sends)
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To: Nachum

“Truly that’s no surprise, Obama is a failure all across the board.”

. . . but succeeding in his puppetmaster’s plan to destroy America on all fronts. It depends on which perspective this is judged from whether he is a failure or not.


8 posted on 06/22/2011 3:34:10 PM PDT by Bluebird Singing
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To: Dr. Bogus Pachysandra

Either overwhelming force or none at all. I’d prefer we get out, and tell them, “Anything. Anything comes from you a-holes, and we will reduce your country to complete rubble!”
///
agreed!!!

...we are not going to change their religion, which is what their culture is based on.
(especially when we ourselves prevent Bibles from going in!)

so, we accomplish NOTHING there. except kill a few thousand of the current generation of Taliban.
(out of a million?)
and give combat experience to 10 times that number.

unless General Petraeus can clearly state WHO we are fighting, WHY we are fighting, and clearly define our long term goals, and what defines accomplishing them,
we need to bring our troops home NOW.
all of them.

(again, the Dr.’s deterrence threat, is the ONLY practical stance. ...having our troops dig up hundreds of IED’s each day, is pointless.)


9 posted on 06/22/2011 3:54:56 PM PDT by Elendur (the hope and change i need: Sarah / Colonel West in 2012)
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To: Elendur

and frankly, i think they’d do a lot more good, with maybe some permanent benefits, if our troops were clearing out the drug gangs in Mexico, that are actually building pseudo tanks now.
soon, Mexico WON’T be a viable country at this rate.
THAT, we could do something about, if we’d act.
...instead of garrisoning 100,000 in Afghanistan,
and doing 4,000 airstrikes in Libya.


10 posted on 06/22/2011 4:00:04 PM PDT by Elendur (the hope and change i need: Sarah / Colonel West in 2012)
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To: Nachum

BTTT


11 posted on 06/22/2011 11:20:24 PM PDT by Jet Jaguar
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