Hell, I'll probably vote for McCain simply because I totally support a RESPONSIBLE withdrawal from Iraq. That's NOT a vote for going in there to begin with, and that's certainly not a vote against withdrawal. But it'd be a vote for a RESPONSIBLE withdrawal. Our commanders know what's going on there a helluva lot better than any U.S. citizen does, including Obama. And for that matter, McCain as well.
Err, sorry to rain on your parade, but the U.S. is negotiating with the Iraqi "government" (about as stable as Alec Baldwin with his kids) a security pact where our frontline combat troops would withdraw in 2009, and the last Americans military personel would leave on December 31, 2011.
So really, you can't vote on this issue, if there is NO issue then. I am pretty sure that if Dubya gets that deal sealed before he leaves office, Obama won't void or nullify it.
We can't lose that "war", or we'll be in deep shit. McCain knows that, and I think he also knows that we need to get (fully) back into Afghanistan, and, we need to hit Pakistan as well.
Yes because we as a nation were so fucked after we left Vietnam. Oh wait, the USSR collapsed in 1991. Holy shit, we won the Cold War in spite of losing Nam! Whoa Macaroni!
Anyway, you know that Obama...and here is my spin-doctor dipshit moment of the day....anyway, Obama called for a surge in troops for Afghanistan before the White House did, the same as well on a Iraq withdrawal plan/timetable. As I've said before, if Obama is so wreckless, why did the White House follow his lead on both points?
Usually the President, NOT a candidate, leads our foreign policy.
But now we're conveniently in a recession -- shit, almost globally at this point. Sheesh. Who's to blame? I don't know. But certainly the Left's typical protocal of raising taxes like Robin Hood isn't gonna help much, while at the same time international affairs turn even worse.
You know, I don't think Obama will govern from the left, at least for the first year, to the surprise of you and dismay of the liberals. In fact, I wouldn't be shocked if Obama has more fights with HIS party than the GOPers.
An interesting discussion on THIS WEEK today, where Gergen and Gingrinch both agreed that Obama shouldn't raise anyone's taxes for at least the first year.
So go ahead, let's give That One a shot at it. Tell me how it is 4 yrs from now when the economy gets better ON ITS OWN, despite more attacks on the Free World due to a lax in military force.
If we were in a peaceful time, I'd have no problem giving Obama a shot. But we're not. And we certainly won't be 4 years from now if he's president (IMHO).
Compare Iran in 2001 when Clinton left office to Iran in 2009. Notice how the great failure perhaps of the Dubya Administration was allowing Iran to grow in prominence in the region. Before Iraq, Iran was contained by Saddam, and despite what facts you or DJ or appleonya can give me to excuse for that war, Iran was contained.
To put it another way, why fight when your enemies can fight each other? Shit, Iran almost went to war with the Taliban regime in Afghanistan in the late 90s because of a Taliban attack on a Iranian diplomatic envoy.
If anything Geoff, look at history, and I see Obama trying to imitate more Kennedy than the Liberal Doomsday scenario that you seem to be dreaming about.
Yeah JFK is seen as a liberal, but he also had the CIA overthrow the regimes in Iraq and South Vietnam (indirectly leading to Diem getting skull-capped), escalated our involvement in Vietnam, and he was willing to start nuclear WW3 over fucking Cuba.
All I'm saying is, instead of trying to play Rambo, we should be like Ninjas. Use smarts, mobility, quick-action/withdrawal guerilla warfare, fight on our schedule instead of our enemies.
