Finally — President Obama announced his Afghanistan troop surge plan during an address at the esteemed West Point academy. Instead of a simple, clear “We will finish the job and be victorious” or “We will abandon Afghanistan in defeat” plan, he is going to send 30,000 troops there, then withdraw after 18 months.
Say what?!
As cadets, you volunteered for service during this time of danger. Some of you fought in Afghanistan. Some of you will deploy there. As your Commander-in-Chief, I owe you a mission that is clearly defined, and worthy of your service. And that’s why, after the Afghan voting was completed, I insisted on a thorough review of our strategy. Now, let me be clear: There has never been an option before me that called for troop deployments before 2010, so there has been no delay or denial of resources necessary for the conduct of the war during this review period. Instead, the review has allowed me to ask the hard questions, and to explore all the different options, along with my national security team, our military and civilian leadership in Afghanistan, and our key partners. And given the stakes involved, I owed the American people — and our troops — no less.
This review is now complete. And as Commander-in-Chief, I have determined that it is in our vital national interest to send an additional 30,000 U.S. troops to Afghanistan. After 18 months, our troops will begin to come home. These are the resources that we need to seize the initiative, while building the Afghan capacity that can allow for a responsible transition of our forces out of Afghanistan.
No, this announcement didn’t make him a decisive president, it only made him to be what we’ve all witnessed since the beginning of his term: Mr. Wishy-Washy. Here is a man who cannot see the world in black and white, right and wrong, good and evil. Instead the surroundings appear all grayish to him. As if he’s afraid of disturbing the yin yang of the natural world, his actions (however overdue) are about pleasing the majority. This military plan is a joke, clearly a blueprint to appease his buddies on the Left and put up a front as a tough man for the Right.
How many times did he mention the words “freedom” and “victory” in this speech?
I’m with George Will — this will not end well.
