As if the White House behavior on the war in Afghanistan wasn’t erratic enough – our ambassador in the country, Karl Eikenberry, decided to weigh into the madness opposing sending more troops to Afghanistan. The reason: President Karzai’s government is corrupt. Really?
First, the White House may want to call Joe the Plumber, because the leaks are embarrassing. Everybody in the world is reading the President’s correspondence with his generals. Gee! It is hard to surprise the enemy if you telegraph your moves in advance.
Second comes the question: which one of the two generals in Afghanistan is in charge – McCrystal or Eikenberry? That is right. US ambassador in Afghanistan is a career army officer. Obama appointed Lieutenant General Eikenberry instead of career diplomat to this highly important ambassadorship. Not surprising since Obama himself thought that attending kindergarten in Indonesia counts as a foreign policy experience.
The confusion in the White House is total. Two generals are appointed by President Obama - both of them in key positions in Afghanistan. The commander on the ground McCrystal is asking for more troops or a new strategy. The Ambassador Eikenberry is asking for new strategy and no troops. Don’t you wonder how those two work together over there?
Don’t you think that the Commander on the ground and the Ambassador in Afghanistan should be on the same page implementing whatever President Obama’s vision for the US presence there is? The two key people – dealing with the war are totally out of sync? This is a war and the American bravest die there. The White House should get their position straight or get our people out of there!
Day after day, hour after hour no decision is coming from the White House. No decision – just leaks. Seems like Obama is turning into “the Undecider”, fulfilling his campaign promise not to be George W. Bush.
November 14th, 2009 at 5:25 am
Who is in charge of Afghanistan ?
The Taliban ?
November 14th, 2009 at 8:12 am
Hope not, Tim! That all we are stuck with now - hope
November 14th, 2009 at 9:45 am
I think Pakistan is in many ways, for if they clean out Wazhirastan of the taliban and al queda we will have at least a real chance assuming we can get afghanistan get a representative government. I saw something in Karhzi’s eyes that told me he was just another hard core player manipulating us and the situation. But without that I don’t see much chance of any real nation building or a true success. We can always keep some troops there for smash and run’s against the taliban and al queda without having to commit a hundred thousand troops. simply throwing more troops at the mess we have there now wont’ solve the problem and just create additional problems frankly. Both the US ambassador and the head of the Harvard Institute on Afghanistan and Pakistan are very vocal in saying so and they do make a wiser case than just endlessly militarizing the conflict without winning hearts and minds.
November 14th, 2009 at 10:54 am
Out of coffee Brian?
November 14th, 2009 at 1:26 pm
Brian, /this is a periphrasis of John McCain/ - when I look in Karzai’s eyes I see tree letters a C, an I and an A. The White house recently outed him.