While it tries to make the connection with the new Star Trek movie, it occurred to me that there is a more apt comparison.

Given Obama's current situation, the Obama-As-Spock meme plays perfectly into the TOS episode, GALILEO SEVEN.

Michale....

I'm interrupting here for an article which will make you grin, I bet. For once, the article is not too bad, fairly analytical. Although they didn't reach back to the episodes in TOS when Spock was acting Captain for a while...

Just food for thought, apropos of nothing...

-CW

Yes, it's apparent that Bush et al mismanaged Afghanistan in their zeal to pursue the Iraq campaign. That's agreed by all.

But Bush's mismanagement doesn't excuse Obama's mismanagement. The BBB doesn't absolve Obama of his campaign promise to listen to the generals on the ground and let THEM determine the needs of the services.

Plus, it's completely agreed by all (Republicans AND Democrats) that Obama's idea of an 18 month and out campaign is next to impossible.

It probably was Obama's goal to set the July 2011 goal so as to have maximum impact for his 2012 campaign for re-election.

Well, now Obama is gonna look like an idjut for setting ANOTHER deadline that he won't meet.

If there was ever another indication needed that Obama would be a one-termer, this is it..

Michale.....

You're not making any sense.

Bush/Cheney/Rumsfeld plan for Afghanistan: under-resource and under-man the mission. Continue this for SEVEN YEARS.

Obama plan for Afghanistan: first off, double the troops. After six or seven months, triple the original number.

How are these in any way similar? I'm not arguing the merits of either plan, by the way, just asking you to define your terms a bit.

-CW

There is no doubt that the Bush Administration dropped the ball (ok ok, screwed the pooch) by getting sidetracked in Iraq.. Not that taking down Saddam was a BAD thing (no one seems to argue that) but it could have been timed better...

However, if Bush et al was so incompetent, why did Obama adopt the Bush plan in Afghanistan in March of '09??

It simply goes back to what I have been saying all along. When it come to wearing the CnC hat, Obama emulates Bush over and over and then seems surprised that the results are the same.

One of the very definitions of insane.

Michale.....

US troops in Afghanistan:

11/01 -- 1,300
12/02 -- 9,700
12/03 -- 13,100
4/05 -- 19,500
4/06 -- 23,300
5/07 -- 26,500
7/08 -- 33,700
2/09 -- 30,000+ (est. when Obama took office)
12/09 -- 71,000

For the first six years, we had fewer than 30,000 troops there. It took TWO YEARS before we even had 10,000 troops. If anyone screwed any sort of pooch on this war, their names were Bush, Cheney, and Rumsfeld. If anyone is overly-macho (best I could do to come up with an antonym for "wimp") on the war, it is Obama.

Carry on... (sorry can't get to comments right now, it's ObamaPollWatch day...)

-CW

Obama made it clear that the generals will determine military strategy, NOT politcs...

ANOTHER campaign promise that he broke.

Let's face facts. Obama came out of the gate, eager to prove he has the mojo to be Commander In Chief.. He screwed the pooch with his Afghanistan plan set into motion in March and, like always, he refuses to admit he made a mistake. He would rather drag out the old BBB for some more fixing the blame endeavors.

Now having said that, I have to say that Obama made lemonade with his NEW plan. He gave the military what they wanted and gave the Left what they wanted.

The Military got their surge and the Left got their exit timetable.

But, I agree with Liz, but for different reasons. Obama's new razzle-dazzle plan will fail for many reasons.

1. The Left will still castigate Obama for sending any more troops at all.

2. Like ALL deadlines Obama has set (Gitmo, Healthcare, Scheme n Ream, Iran, NK, etc etc etc??) this one will not be met. Obama just doesn't understand that he can't control the enemy with his eloquence. We are seeing the "wimp" Obama here.

3. You never, EVER, EVER announce to the enemy what your timetable is from a position of weakness. Let's face facts... again.. We are on the defensive in Afghanistan. To announce a timetable for withdrawal when being on the defensive is to say to our allies and enemies alike, "We're outta here.."

So, Liz is dead on ballz accurate when she says that Obama will not achieve his stated objectives.

Michale.....

I'm afraid the 'strategy' announced by President Obama last night has less than a snowball's chance in Hell of achieving the stated objectives.