(AGI) - Washington, 22 Sep. - US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton offered a blunt reply to the commander in chief of US troops in Afghanistan, general Stanley McChrystal. Yesterday it emerged that his confidential 66 page report on the ground situation recommended the immediate deployment of further western troops, lacking which they will lose the war against the Taliban "by the end of the year". a few hors later the former first lady reacted with some irritation, adding to president Obama's words: no decision will be taken until an effective strategy is in place. Interviewed by PBS, the public television network, the US Secretary of State first expressed "respect" for the general and his stance, but then added that "I can only say that there are other assessments, drawn up by highly skilled analysts who focused on anti-guerrilla and which say the exact opposite". In the meantime 'The Washington Post', citing confidential sources within the Pentagon, wrote that Robert Gates, the minister of Defence, personally solicited McChrystal to refrain from immediately submitting a request for more troops for Afghanistan, postponing and subjecting it to the completion of the deeper strategic revision supported by Obama.
This is interesting. Hillary's response sounds quite reasonable - other, valid assessments should be considered in making a rational plan.
On the other hand, I recall the criticism leveled at Bush - that he didn't listen to the commanders on the ground. I remember agreeing with the criticism and voicing it, myself.
Obama is in a tight spot on the war. His base - the ultra-liberal, wealthy, elite want the war stopped, and he wants to keep them happy. If he's making decisions based on what's best for him, politically, it's a damn shame that Hillary's the one having to field questions and answer for O's defense decisions. I trust that she has a good understanding of how best to handle this, but I don't trust that she's able to give her opinion and not Obama's.
She needs to quit that damn job.
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It was we, the people; not we, the white male citizens; nor yet we, the male citizens; but we, the whole people, who formed the Union.... Men, their rights and nothing more; women, their rights and nothing less. ~Susan B. Anthony
Anyone who watched the PBS interviews knows the real deal. The media again is coloring the news instead of covering it. Hillary was not at all irritated. She said she RESPECTED the general's assesment because obviously he is the general on the ground. Also its worth noting that of course they are getting more information than just what's on the ground, add that to what the General reportedly says on his 60 minutes interview that he doesn't think a surge will work like it did in Iraq. The question becomes what excatly does he want us to do?
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