My Thoughts on the Decision to Send More Troops into Afghanistan

For the most part I have not yet been dissappointed in the President of the United States. Sure, some of his ideas have yet to pan out and work (I'm thinking job creations and the foreclosure prevention programs)but, at least he did something rather than just sit back and do nothing. The Republican party tends to do nothing on just about everything, in my opinion. Oh, accept declaring war etc. After all , two wars is the only real accomplishments Bush and the Republicans have made during their rein. In addition, we are , for the first time, on the brink of reforming our very screwed up health care system. Sure, the Republicans and the right are whining and quite loudly about ANY proposal that comes out of the Democratic House and Senate, but to me, they have NO credibility on the issue. Why, you might ask? It's simple. They did nothing, proposed nothing for well, eight years! If they were still in "control" there simply woudn't be any discussion of health care reform at all!

There are many reasons I voted for Obama. One of them is and was on the promise of ending the war in Iraq. I personally do not remember any promises made on the war in Afghanistan. What I do remember thinking is that perhaps the focus would be turned to the war we should have actually been fighting and finished with a long time ago. When I heard about him contemplating whether or not to send more troops to Afghanistan I was hoping that he would not. After all, we need to focus on more domestic issues. Since we gave all that money to Wall Street (and the right likes to use that as an excuse to block health care reform) I felt we really needed to just get out now before we spend even more money we don't have. And, I knew darned well the right would use the surge of troops in Afghanistan as more "proof" to why we should NOT be enacting major health care reform in the U.S.

I took in the information. I read (I didn't watch) the President's speech. I read articles and took in what was being said and spoken about on the news. I had a conversation with a good friend of mine who tends to be socially liberal, fiscally conservative and doesn't really identify with either political party ( I believe she is a Libertarian). In addition, she has a husband that is about to be deployed to, well probably Afghanistan. I spoke with her about how dissappointed I was, but how I thought hard, long and deep about the entire situation. In the end, while I wish we didn't have to do it, I ultimately believe that Obama made a tough decision but one that needed to be made and he made the right one. After all, turning our focus on Afghanistan will ultimately put an end to the war started (and focus taken off of) when those buildings went down on 9/11. If we left Afghanistan now, all we would be doing is repeating the mistakes made in the 80's that lead to the anger, hatred and resentment of the United States that ultimately lead to the rise of the Taliban and Osama Bin Laden. If we walked away now we ultimately would be putting ourselves right back to where we started and where we were on 9/10/01. And, with an unfocused half assed "in" in Afghanistan what should take a few years would end up taking decades and costing us triple or more in both money and lives. Ultimately, even though her husband was going to be one that most likely would have to go, my friend pretty much agreed. Let's get in strong, get it done, then get the hell out. Obama listened to the people he is supposed to listen to.

What I found really interested and made me laugh was hearing stories in the media that the President was indecisive and showing his lack of experience in making the decision? WHAT? Huh? So, let me get this straight. If he makes a decision on the fly he is "cramming things down the American peoples throats" but, if he thoughtfully contemplates his choices and his decision he is "indecisive"? All I could do was roll my eyes. Really people. You (the right) are NEVER happy with ANYTHING ever are you? Ironically was not McCain all for sending more troops to Afghanistan?

But here's the difference people. Obama has a PLAN.. not an open ended, could go on forever "plan". To me, THAT is being a leader. Get in, get in strong, do what you want to do and set your goals and GET THE HELL OUT! But McCain says this is a bad thing? What would he have done? Send more troops in there, but keep them their for an undetermined period of time? Or would he have NOT sent them in at all? Keeping in mind that the decision to send more troops is very unpopular, you can't just do it and do it with no ending in sight. THAT would have been repeating the mistakes of the past administration. That would have been more of the same.

So, while the right and those opposed to Obama want to say that he is doing more of the same, I say NO ,he IS doing something different. He is cleaning up the mess that was left by the previous administration in Afghanistan and doing so with an actual plan and goal of getting out. That is why I elected Obama. And, I'm glad he took his time to make the decision. Makes me believe that he truly examined every option available to him.