30,000 more troops to Afghanistan. Ok, Obama, I'm guess I'm game. Sure, I'm a somewhat of a pacifist by nature, but I'm also realistic enough to know that sometimes you gotta fight. Obama has access to more information than almost anyone in the world and he seems like a smart enough guy, and he says we need to fight. Barrack, I think you're right. But this chance I am willing to concede to you is a one time only thing before I write you off as a fat pig politician, just like all the rest.
I really do feel like we need to address the fact that our mission in Afghanistan has been, at best, a miserable failure. Our bloated effort in Iraq has indeed siphoned off all forms of resources necessary for success in Afghanistan--troops, money, media attention, general morale, etc. And the fact that our economy has been tanking has even further diverted the infantile attention of the American masses. Most people have forgotten that what we need to do in Afghanistan is important for our safety, and for the world's sake. We are talking about a country whose stability is teeter-tottering like Topple and is at the crossroads of worldwide terrorist activity. So it needs to be resolved, fully resolved. It can't be half-assed.
Despite the fact that I think that the president was giving us truth tonight, we have to remember that any president is part policy maker and part actor and is therefore to be distrusted. Obama is a great speaker and I think he genuinely means most of what comes out of his mouth, but I worry. He knows how to play the camera like a Stradivarius and he knows what a virtuoso he is. That kind of talent coupled with a more than healthy dose of self-confidence is always a dangerous thing. Playing on our lingering sense of unity and patriotism following 9-11, while admittedly relevant, is also a trick that seems all too familiar. And Obama is going to eventually run out of ex-presidents to name check to be sure he is appealing to the voting block of old folks. PS: Leaving your dick waving in the wind while you wait for applause at key moments in your speech is tacky and disrespectful of your audience. They will clap when they are moved to clap; you don't have to tell them.
But that is how politics is done. Eloquent congressional addresses give you high polling numbers, re-election and staying employed. Slick speeches will even help keep the economy from backsliding further despite the fact that the programs the slick speeches were sponsoring have created zero new jobs. But all the rhetoric in the world won't help the soldiers patrolling caves in the middle of the desert halfway around the world. That can't be forgotten.
So yeah, I'll give you 18 months and 30,000 troops despite my personal aversion to military solutions. But that's a lot of human beings put in harm's way, so for the sake of all those families who are giving so much, Obama better think things through real carefully. Cause I'm gonna hold you to that 18 months and gonna expect me some fucking results served up hot with maple syrup.
Support our troops (regardless of whether you support the war):
http://www.uso.org/
http://www.anysoldier.com/
http://www.veteransfund.org/
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