Today’s best piece on Afghanistan

Posted By Thomas E. Ricks Thursday, December 3, 2009 - 4:46 PM Share

The best commentary on President Obama's speech came, oddly enough, from a British newspaper. Clare "Hold-and-Build" Lockhart writes:

President Obama has got it right. After taking his time to wrestle with the enormous challenge of defining the US national interest in Afghanistan and its region, he has provided a credible vision of ending the war, stabilising the country and handing over responsibility to Afghan self-rule. His move away from fighting, endorsing General Stanley McChrystal's analysis, will protect the population and provide a security bridge while Afghan forces are trained."

Roger L. Wollenberg-Pool/Getty Images

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JPWREL

5:33 PM ET

December 3, 2009

Actually, Clare

Actually, Clare "Hold-and-Build" Lockhart's analysis was really the only politically palatable choice Obama could make. Trapped by his own rhetoric during the election campaign, his selection of McChrystal and his affirmation of the strategic outline in March made this decision pretty much a foregone conclusion.

Obama tweaked the McChrystal recommendation just enough to demonstrate that he was not going to allow himself to be being shoved around by the generals and right wing hawks but not enough to materially change the plan. For my country’s sake I sincerely hope he is right – but I still fear it all ends badly.

TYRTAIOS

6:55 PM ET

December 3, 2009

Hold that thought

In my days of yore, in the Corps, we had a list of traditionally ill-kept promises, not all inclusive, but starting with: three purple hearts you go home, resupply on the objective, and last but definately not least was the famous promise, transportation's on its way.

I am hopeful, but skeptical we can pull this off within such a lean time table. Therefore, hold that thought on scheduling transportation out of theater just yet.

CMEYERGO

5:47 PM ET

December 3, 2009

Obama the Referee

It is now clear that Obama is not a leader. He lacks the confidence and conviction to battle special interests for the national good. He has the Generals and their Military-Industrial-Congressional-Complex supported by their corporate media spokesmen (disguised as newsmen) wanting to boost troop levels by some 80,000 troops to keep the military budget soaring ever higher.

On the other hand, he has the American people, real experts, and common sense telling him this is a horrible idea. So Obama chose a compromise.

ADMIRAL

9:24 PM ET

December 3, 2009

What choice did he really have?

I think you are making some good points. As we have seen, he is walking a fine line against the domestic enemies in the pentagon. My guess is that if he goes openly against them, he will end up like JFK.

He is possibly giving them enough rope. Of course the Army will fail considering the horrible leadership they are stuck with. The senior officer corps of our military is corrupt and broken. Many soldiers will be killed and mutilated for nothing other than their corrupt senior leaders attempt to save face. This is how evil all this has become. Bad things happen as empires begin to fall apart.

Give it some time. The war tax talk is growing daily. Forcing broke Americans to pay for the insanity will put an end to it. The tax issue scares the hell out of the war mongers. I'm sure Obama cares about our soldiers, but he is dealing with an army high command that only cares about themselves, not those doing the fighting and killing.

JPWREL

10:22 PM ET

December 3, 2009

Admiral, I think it is time

Admiral, I think it is time for your medication.

RUBBER DUCKY

10:45 PM ET

December 3, 2009

Obrigado.

Thank you, Genghis Kahn. We await your next proclamation, oh Wise One, oh Wondrous Seer (oh Windy Twit). And to be seconded by the Admiral! O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!'

TYRTAIOS

12:45 AM ET

December 4, 2009

Khan and canned

"Thou once soared like an eagle overhead, but has now stumbled and fallen like a young colt - Oh my "Khan."

I can't let this pass Duck, you stumbled and miss-spelled Chinggis Khan's name. This calls for an extra measure of rum - for me. :)

RUBBER DUCKY

1:34 AM ET

December 4, 2009

Alas

Alas, I've only Google ... and Wikipedia ,,, and most dictionaries to blame.

So enjoy your tot of spirits. As Don Ho would say (or is it Whoa ... or Hoough ... oh forget it), Suck 'Em Up.

ASTRAL SWAMPER

7:57 PM ET

December 3, 2009

Emphasis away from Fighting?

Thomas,
According to Ms Lockart's piece we're going to create stability by not fighting?
She may have some experience over there I don't, but doesn't creating security generally entail some combat operations?
What a rambling, UN inspired puff piece you laud, Mr. Ricks. Seriously, are you really that keen on her perspective?
Sincerely,
Astral Swamper

ITONLYSTANDSTOREASON

7:06 AM ET

December 4, 2009

Choices

I'm going to go out on a limb and sound naive, but this wasn't the only choice Obama had, and I actually believe that he made his choices based on concern for US security. Of course he had to make sure that his plan was politically feasible. Even Petreaus once described his mission as speeding up the clock in Iraq and slowing it down in the US. What Congress will go along with is a constraint just as is the number of available troops. Given all constraints, it's a good plan and it is hard but not impossible to execute well.

YITIAN

9:25 AM ET

December 4, 2009

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TRTUMLIN

2:19 PM ET

December 4, 2009

Obama's Plan

I was surprised at the impatience of some over Obama's decision making process, which reflects his personality. He is somewhat introverted and reflective. Such persons tend to make their mistakes in their heads (or in multiple principals' meetings), then come up with the solution and act on it. Extraverts like Joe Biden make their mistakes out in the open before finally getting to the right solution.

The former tend to be inappropriately criticized for seeming to be disconnected, indecisive or "dithering". The latter sometimes get too much credit for being active or, in the case of the arrogant "gut-brilliant" Bushies, shooting from the hip. They made their mistakes in Iraq out in the open, killing a lot of our soldiers, before they figured out a better solution.

The armchair Clausewitz's can't really know how well this will work. The devil will be in the details of how the troops are used, whether real training of the Afghan military occurs, how much the U.S. can lean on the Karzai government to become more competent and less corrupt, how much Pakistan and the ISI can be brought in to collaborate, etc.

A2G

2:30 PM ET

December 4, 2009

The delay

The delay in his making a decision was due more to domestic political considerations (healthcare and the economy) than that of prolonged reflection. He wanted to delay the Afghan decision until those issues were settled due to the political capital both have and are costing him and his administration. The new Afghan strategy just could not wait any longer due to the realities of the situation abroad. The decision was probably made some time ago.

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December 8, 2009

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