Why is Obama "Air-raiding Villages And Killing Civilians?"

Obama criticizing Bush in August:

Asked whether he would move U.S. troops out of Iraq to better fight terrorism elsewhere, he brought up Afghanistan and said, "We've got to get the job done there and that requires us to have enough troops so that we're not just air-raiding villages and killing civilians, which is causing enormous pressure over there."

From today's headlines below. Could it be as with Bush there's really no accounting for what comes out of Afghanistan that might only be propaganda and that, even in the best of cases, in attacking an enemy determined to hide among the population there will inevitably be civilian causalities the true number of which we may never know?

There is no honor, let alone "change" in attacking a then sitting President for doing the best he could because you hope to gain that office - only to continue doing the very same thing. What remains to be seen is if Obama has the stones to see it through, or if he'll turn tail and run from Afghanistan as a typical liberal president would. I'm not optimistic. Empty suits can run pretty quickly without the weight of substance holding them back. We'll see.

KABUL, Afghanistan (AP)- President Hamid Karzai condemned a U.S. operation he said killed 16 Afghan civilians, while hundreds of villagers denounced the American military during an angry demonstration Sunday.

Karzai said the killing of innocent Afghans during U.S. military operations "is strengthening the terrorists."

Comments

[WAHOO WILLIE]

"President Hamid Karzai condemned a U.S. operation he said killed 16 Afghan civilians, while hundreds of villagers denounced the American military during an angry demonstration Sunday."

It wont be long now.....damn I hate being right so often.

[mark l.]

I think I hear the Afghani 'hope bubble' popping.

[mark l.]

"I'll tip my hat to the new constitution
Take a bow for the new revolution
Smile and grin at the change all around me"

[Ben Doon]

Dan

My most helpful email was treated as spam.

[mark l.]

"It wont be long now....."

you think they will come after us? I'd bet they'll make a move in the UK first.

[Dan]

No idea what you mean, Ben.

[WBestPresidentEver]

Why is Obama "Air-raiding Villages And Killing Civilians?"

~Because he wants to~ "He won." LOL.

[Lala]

me too, Ben

Worlpress says I am spam

[mark l.]

obama=baby killer?

for starters, obama has just surrendered the left's moral high ground on any criticism of ANY Israeli action against the palestinians. He just killed civilians for the sake of killing terrorists, that at present, are far less of a threat to the US, than the hamas members that Israel has targetted...

unless his foreign policy is going to be 'do as I say, not as I do'.

Even his Afghanistan escalation begs the question..."Chickenhawks"?

not that the left would take the time to find out how many draft deferments Biden had, nor would they question Obama's use of military, to kill civilians, despite his failure to have served.

[Todd]

Why, indeed?

The real reason is the terrible decision of the Bush Administration to move American forces from Afghanistan to Iraq, allowing the Taliban and Al Qaeda to resuscitate their military capabiities. The Taliban and Al Qaeda could have been entirely dismantled had proper judgement been applied. Plain and simple.

Obama has inherited a mess there and there's not going to be good headlines out of Afghanistan for quite a long time. Good spin opportunity for the right, despite the fact that Obama doesn't have a lot of good options. Lots of innocent people get killed in wars.

[mark l.]

"The Taliban and Al Qaeda could have been entirely dismantled had proper judgement been applied. Plain and simple."

so, what works in Iraq, will work in Afghanistan?

The mountainous terrain, is far different from the urban environment of Iraq. Can a mass force prove capable of taking out mountain dwellers? yes, if they are willing to suffer casualities on a 5:1 ratio.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charge_of_the_Light_Brigade

[Terry Gain]

No idea what you mean, Ben.

Posted by: Dan | Sunday, January 25, 2009 at 03:05 PM

--

I suggested that it might be wise to post using a pseudonym. As am I.

[templar knight]

"The Taliban and al-Queda could have been entirely dismantled had proper judgment been applied."

Really. It would have taken the conquest of the tribal regions and Indian border regions of Pakistan to do what you say could have been done, and I doubt whether Bush would have attempted such a thing, and I know your boy Obama won't even consider it. The civilian casualties would have been enormous, but ours would be just as bad. Obama won't have the stomach for such a war, so I predict a victory for the mujihadeen within 6 mo. Of course, Obama will couch it in different terms, and the media will give him cover. But it will be a defeat nonetheless, and my prayer is that nuclear weapons won't fall into the hands of al-Queda. But they will, sooner or later. And they will be used, so my advice is to get ready for it.

[mark l.]

The only means of a practical mountain, without sufferring massive caualties assualts would have employ gas attacks.

The world would be sh*tting a brick ovver that, even if it merely rendered them unconscious.

Well worth examining the use of flamethrowers on Japanese hiding in caves during WWII.

[Elmo]

Could be a whole lotta reasons for the drone strike in question? Its preparation/genesis, and then the go command. And I've speculated/tossed around in mind, a few of them.

Coulda been a gut check from the mil, to see where Obie be at (here's a slow fat pitch, see what ya can do with it).

A slow fat pitch, from well wishers in the mil, to insure Obie gets a stripe (right out of the box).

Or even Obie hizself, trying for same.

Or of course, the event doesn't bear Obie's imprimatur one hundred percent [not knowing accurately where to assign/place credit/blame (I don't get my coffee from the cart in the Pentagon).

All of course .... meandering speculation. Mostly I think he wants to appear to be doing/accomplishing something. Shaping/creating his mythical legacy. In five days ..... doing it Barry Style .... http://anechoicroom.blogspot.com/2008/11/barry-style_16.html

[Lala]

The Times of India says Obie ordered the strikes personally -

'Obama ordered air attacks in Pak'
26 Jan 2009, 0112 hrs IST, AGENCIES

LAHORE/ISLAMABAD: Pakistan urged US president Barack Obama to halt missile strikes on al-Qaida strongholds near the Afghan border, even as
reports claimed that the twin strikes on Friday inside the South Asian country were ordered by the president himself.

US commanders had consulted Obama before launching the drone attacks on Waziristan. Four days after assuming the presidency, he was consulted by US commanders before they launched the two attacks, the Guardian reported on its website.

Obama has warned that he is prepared to bomb inside Pakistan if he gets relevant intelligence about the whereabouts of Osama bin Laden. He had also said he would act against militants along the border if the Pakistan government failed to.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/World/Obama_ordered_air_attacks_in_Pak/articleshow/4031523.cms

[North Dallas Thirty]

"The real reason is the terrible decision of the Bush Administration to move American forces from Afghanistan to Iraq, allowing the Taliban and Al Qaeda to resuscitate their military capabiities. The Taliban and Al Qaeda could have been entirely dismantled had proper judgement been applied. Plain and simple."

Are you unaware, Todd, of the fact that NATO forces were specifically deployed in equivalent or more number to take over the duties and responsibilities of US forces?

The only mistake the Bush administration made was believing the Obama Party and its insane insistence that their leftist allies could and would actually fight. That's why Obama Party apologists like yourself are blaming Bush for the decay of Afghanistan, where a far better bit of blame could be put on NATO and the European left's failure to do what they're supposed to be doing.

[WAHOO WILLIE]

"I'll tip my hat to the new constitution
Take a bow for the new revolution
Smile and grin at the change all around me"

Mark, I'll pick up my guitar and play, just like yesterday

maybe harpie will get on his knees and pray

[WAHOO WILLIE]

"It wont be long now....."

"you think they will come after us? I'd bet they'll make a move in the UK first."

No, no my friend. The Afghans would have slept with the Israelis to be rid of the tallywhosits and to sell their poppies. I've just been waiting for them to turn on their "liberators" and I see it coming soon.

[WAHOO WILLIE]

"Can a mass force prove capable of taking out mountain dwellers?"

Worked real well for the French, Brits and Soviets.........no, no wait a minute. Alexander the great maybe? No, no.......OK well The One will fix it, it'll work this time.

[mark l.]

the orcs were successful against the dwarves in the mines of Moria...

we can employ the tolkien military strategy.

[LOL]

does this mean your against the attacks Dan?

[Elmo]

Thanks Lala [haven't yet read, but will (saved)].

[Todd]

"The Taliban and al-Queda could have been entirely dismantled had proper judgment been applied."

Really. It would have taken the conquest of the tribal regions and Indian border regions of Pakistan to do what you say could have been done, and I doubt whether Bush would have attempted such a thing, and I know your boy Obama won't even consider it. The civilian casualties would have been enormous, but ours would be just as bad.

Posted by: templar knight | Sunday, January 25, 2009 at 05:01 PM
-------------------------------
It's amazing to me that you won't admit the Bush failures in Afghanistan, and keep making excuses for him. What is this, is Bush infallible to you? With what you just posted there tk, are you saying that U.S. forces post-9/11 were incapable of conquering Al Qaeda and the Taliban?

[Todd]

Are you unaware, Todd, of the fact that NATO forces were specifically deployed in equivalent or more number to take over the duties and responsibilities of US forces?

The only mistake the Bush administration made was believing the Obama Party and its insane insistence that their leftist allies could and would actually fight. That's why Obama Party apologists like yourself are blaming Bush for the decay of Afghanistan, where a far better bit of blame could be put on NATO and the European left's failure to do what they're supposed to be doing.

Posted by: North Dallas Thirty | Sunday, January 25, 2009 at 07:04 PM
----------------------------
Oh yea, NDT, I'm realll happy we outsourced much of the military work to NATO, in the country that was responsible for hosting the terrorists who ATTACKED us on 9/11. Let's see, a choice between US Marines, Navy Seals and Special Forces and NATO forces - which would be more effective at smashing the Taliban and Al Qaeda.....tough choice !!!

By the way, that's not the only mistake the Bush Administration made. 2 words: Tora Bora.