Huckleberries Online

Roark: Obama Just Finishing Business

Posted by DFO

Dec. 2, 2009 10:09 a.m. • 9 comments

Idaho Democratic Party chairman R. Keith Roark made the following statement regarding President Obama’s speech on the military effort in Afghanistan: “If the Bush-Cheney administration had kept its eye on the ball in Afghanistan and not plunged our nation into a reckless war of choice in Iraq, our troops would likely be home with their families this holiday season. Unfortunately, President Obama has no choice but to clean up the mess the previous administration left behind. Last night’s address at West Point set the right tone and strategy for bringing America’s involvement in both Afghanistan and Iraq to a close. All Americans - Democrats and Republicans and Independents alike - need to stand shoulder to shoulder in support of our troops and our Commander in Chief”/Julie Fanselow, Idaho Democratic Party.

Nine comments on this post so far. Add yours!

JamesBond on December 02 at 10:16 a.m.
I strongly agree that we must step up the war in Afghanistan. My only real complaint with the announcement is that I just do not think it’s a good idea to tell your enemy when you are planning to leave.
hmoffsuite on December 02 at 10:26 a.m.
Roark speaks like a true democrat. I wonder if he got ‘his’ word tracks from Sis. It’s Obama’s mess now. And, fwiw, a bigger mess than he was left with. And, JamesBond is correct. The Taliban will likely go on vacation for 18 months (just prior to next elections when Obama starts pulling troops to get liberal votes) and then come back when we are gone. Obama dug himself a real hole with this speech last night.
Phaedrus on December 02 at 11:03 a.m.
And, fwiw, a bigger mess than he was left with.

Please don’t just throw out your opinion, or Glenn Beck talking point, without some reasons why: How is it a “bigger mess?”

As for your contention that the setting of a date for the completion of this mission is a mistake, I heard McCain say that he did not think the Taliban could sit by for 18 months and come back with any effect. When Democrats in Congress demanded a troop withdrawal date for Iraq they were pelted with the same criticism, yet the Iraqi government and the Bush Administration negotiated a troop withdrawal date and none of the criticism has proven to have merit.
hmoffsuite on December 02 at 11:08 a.m.
Phaedrus >> ” How is it a “bigger mess?”

When Obama was elected, we had about 30,000 troops there. Then, he doubled it to 60,000. Now, we are looking at about 90,000. Doesn’t that make it a bigger mess?
wheels on December 03 at 8:12 a.m.
The kiss & make up between hmoff and phaed is unraveling.Shallow gesture to begin with.
CaptainAmerica on December 03 at 8:21 a.m.
Ah…Job approval <45%…

http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/obama_administration/daily_presidential_tracking_poll
hmoffsuite on December 03 at 8:24 a.m.
Wheels >> :The kiss & make up between hmoff and phaed is unraveling.”

Not so. We are doing just fine, thank you.
Phaedrus on December 03 at 8:30 a.m.
Doesn’t that make it a bigger mess?

No, that is a logical fallacy.
Phaedrus on December 03 at 8:35 a.m.
The kiss & make up between hmoff and phaed is unraveling.Shallow gesture to begin with.—wheels

First, truce doesn’t mean we aren’t going to have differences of opinion, from my side it just means I’m not going to beat him about the face and head every time he says something. ;-)
Second, I take offense at your false and unwarranted claim that it was a “Shallow gesture.” What evidence do you have to make such a claim?

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D.F. Oliveria is a columnist and blogger for The Spokesman-Review. Huckleberries Online was judged the best 2008 Idaho newspaper blog by the Idaho Press Club. And the best 2007 news blog in the Pacific Northwest by the Society for Professional Journalist. Print Huckleberries is a past winner of the Herb Caen Memorial Column contest by the National Association of Newspaper Columnists. The Readership Institute of Northwestern University cited this blog as a good example of online community journalism.