"Obama's War in Afganistan - Image: whitewraithe wordpress
A CBS News report issued yesterday indicated “informed sources” suggested that the President would increase troop deployment to Afghanistan by up to 40,000 members. There are 68,000 U.S. troops currently stationed in Afghanistan; General Stanley McChrystal, who was chosen by the administration to head the Afghan theater has requested up to 44,000 additional troops to deal with the increase in Taliban and Al Queda actions against U.S. forces. John Kerry, (D-MA), immediately opposed the Generals request, replaying his general opposition to deployment of military personnel. Kerry has been a prominent anti-war activist since his brief stint in Viet Nam and has been critical of any U.S. troop deployments, most recently the mission in Iraq. Kerry, who heads the Senate Armed Services Committee, stated in a recent speech that Gen. Stanley A. McChrystal's plan, which calls for 44,000 troops to carry out a counterinsurgency campaign, "reaches too far, too fast." (Washington Post).
Immediately following the CBS report, the White House issued a denial that Obama had made any decisions yet as to the level of troops he is willing to commit to Afghanistan. A national security advisor noted that reports of a decision by Obama regarding troop deployments were false. One interesting facet of that particular AP report is contained in a brief paragraph in the middle:
“After attending Tuesday's memorial service for the 13 killed in a shooting spree at the Fort Hood military base in Texas, Obama is due to meet his senior commanders on Wednesday again in the situation room to discuss Afghanistan. Analysis: More Fort Hoods possible.”
U.S. involvement in Afghanistan, specifically Obama’s initial campaign promises to remove troops from Iraq and go into Afghanistan to take on Al Queda, including use of additional U.S. forces in that theater has been compared to Viet Nam on more than one occasion. The fact that the U.S. Military believes that there are “more Fort Hoods possible” is also troubling and should, perhaps, have been a separate headline. The overall impression is one of chaos, as far as the management and direction of what has become known as “Obama’s War”. It is questionable as to how the administration will handle both domestic terrorism (Al Queda linked) and the troop buildup in a country that no nation has ever successfully controlled.
As to the CBS News organization, which has issued reports in the past without fully investigating the subject matter (see Dan Rather, former CBS anchor and reports on President Bush in 2005 which included falsified documents, that were not vetted by the news organizations.) either decided to issue a credible report, again “based on informed” sources, or they jumped the gun, and ran a story that had little credence or backing. That said, the White House issues denials of reports on a regular basis, so it is difficult for anyone that is sitting on the sidelines to determine what is taking place. White House communication director, Anita Dunn, has stated that the Obama campaign and the administration “control the press” which, leaves little room for error on the part of journalists walking the fine line between White House approval (access) or banishment (see Fox News boycott story on Huffington Post) should the administration be questioned. This leaves the general public in the dark regarding the War in Afghanistan, should news organizations decide to shut down and kowtow to the administration.
Regardless, the fact that large numbers of troops are being considered for deployment, in a theater that is historically unmanageable, with the concept of phasing in troops over a period of time (see Viet Nam, War of Attrition) could lead to an eventual draft, once volunteer forces become exhausted. In this instance, Senator Kerry’s hesitant stance may be justified. The current administrations inattention to historical boondoggles of the past, (see Carter), have led to economic woes, and the addition of a “Viet Nam” is not out of the question. The “excuse” that both the economic problems facing the county and the War in Afghanistan are merely leftovers (so to speak) from the Bush Administration, is beginning to wear thin. It is growing more obvious by the day, that throwing money (stimulus after stimulus) and adding taxes to corporations, does little to improve the economy – in fact, as the unemployment rates tops 10%, those tax cuts to “the evil corporations”, may induce them to actually hire and build in the United States. Additionally, Bush’s strategy to engage terrorists organizations in Iraq, build the Iraqi security forces, and eventually hand security over to the Iraqi government, appeared to be working. It is now apparent that withdrawal from that theater, only increased violence in Iraq, and Al Queda and the Taliban grew stronger in Afghanistan. Additionally, we are now faced with domestic terrorism in the United States, from Fort Hood to the latest plans to attack shopping malls in Boston. The problem seems to be, at the present time, a disconnect between the White House, History and the Press.
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