Question for Red and the rest of the tree huggers?

But.......but......but his whole campaign was based on his opposition to the war in Iraq and Guantanamo. The only other thing he had was a campaign slogan, "hope and change". Seems like the Messiah has turned out to be just another politician.

 

For those that fell for his load, hopefully next time they will realize what is happening to them before they get lied to. Truthfully, I never expected him to pull this promise off, the plans for future military action had been long in place before he took office. He is just executing those plans.

 

You know, I am far from defending obama but in reality what president that has inherited a war has put an end to it or even provided significant troop reductions with just 6 months in office? I recall him stating that the emphasis needs to be taken away from Iraq and strengthened in Afghanistan which is currently under way. Troop reductions were promised in Iraq by the beginning of next year soooo, am I missing something? I don't watch the news anymore and often rely on the facts linked in this forum so don't bitch!

 

That is the military formula that he inherited. The build up in Afghanistan is the 2nd phase of a much bigger picture. You are correct about the withdrawl, congress set a time table of 2011 for the troops to be withdrawn from Iraq, this was under the Bush adm.

Also, and not trying to defend Obama here, but he didn't say he would end the war, just bring the troops home out of Iraq. What the American public heard was end the war, not move it to Afghanistan.

 

He specifically stated he wanted to place the emphasis on Afghanistan. Those troops will have to come out of Iraq cause there ain't much left elsewhere. He will have to do both to accomplish anything in Afghanistan which will not be a cake walk. I do not believe the public has had the wool pulled over, least not on this issue.

 

Not now they aren't, he is spelling out what was spelled for him when he took office, but that isn't what was part of his campaign. Which is what is being refrenced. His campaign was about bringing the troops home, but he did specifically say end the war. Though that is what many believed he meant.

 

I think the problem is the fact that he has majority demorcrats in the senate. democrats whose campaigns are so reliant on special interest groups that all they do is muddy up any legislation from getting passed.

Obama would have gotten alot of respect if his first order of business would have been to abolish the patroit act.

 

You are correct (I looked it up!) but just days into office he then stated the withdrawal will geaux late into 2010 early 2011. I do not have a problem with that. Again, I am not gonna defend this dude but on this issue I can see his position and hope he keeps his word. To say his intent was to bring all of the troops home and merely send a contingent to Afghanistan is pretty foolish to believe given our overall troop strength. Debating his intent 6 months into office is a little ahead of the gun. I see both sides of the argument, I am just not ready to hang the dude after only 6 months of war crafting decisions.

 

I agree with you. I don't support much of what he does or says, but on this issue he is taking the necessary steps. If there are those that heard what they wanted to hear that isn't his fault, even if it was implied.

 

He didn't send more soldiers to Iraq. Soldiers were sent to replace those that had already been there for a tour. What a lot of people don't seem to understand is that just because there is a timetable to withdraw doesn't mean that they will just stop the deployment rotations and keep units that have been there for 7-12 months there until it's time to leave.

Same thing happened with me. I'm deployed to replace a squadron that's been here for seven months. Since there is still a requirement for a certain number of troops, we have to continue to fill that until it's time to leave.

Now, between now and the end of 2011 (the agreed upon withdrawal date) you will start seeing a drawdown in troop strength, i.e. units will come home and will not be replaced. For instance, it's already been announced that all Marine forces will be out of Iraq by next Spring.