Afghanistan isn’t Iraq, but the debate over the former sure sounds a lot like the debate over the latter. Once again, David Petraeus is overseeing a surge to rescue a failing war effort, and once again a legion of critics isn’t waiting to see if he will succeed. Many are ready to write off initial gains on the ground as “unsustainable” and to argue that the indigenous political class is so weak, corrupt, and self-serving that long-term security is impossible. Instead, those critics urge us to downsize preemptively to a small force focused primarily on hunting down terrorists.
Good thing President Bush didn’t follow that advice in Iraq. If he had, the civil war that was starting to break out in 2006 would have raged out of control, with civilian casualties accelerating and possibly reaching Rwanda-like levels. American commandos would have been incapable of stopping this slide to disaster — just as they have been incapable of ending the chaos in Somalia and curbing the growing power of Islamists there. Or in Pakistan.
Instead, for all its imperfections, Iraq has been remarkably successful in drawing back from the brink of disaster. It’s true that Iraq’s politicos have not solved all or even most of their quarrels, but they have managed to keep their quarrels nonviolent. It’s true that Iraq is still a mess in terms of inadequate infrastructure and overly bureaucratic, ineffective governance, but it’s also one of the freest countries in the Middle East. The Iraqi security forces have matured and taken on much of the burden of defending their country. Terrorist atrocities have continued sporadically, but the situation is infinitely better than it was in 2006 — and infinitely better than if we had aborted the surge prematurely. Iraq’s progress is symbolized by this week’s ratification of a new government and by the letting of oil contracts to foreign companies that promise to unlock vast riches beneath the country’s soil.
Again, Afghanistan isn’t Iraq, and simply because a counterinsurgency strategy worked in Iraq doesn’t mean it will work in Afghanistan. But at the very least, critics should give Petraeus a fair shot to implement his strategy — meaning at least a year — before starting to look for a Plan B. Especially when the most prevalent Plan B — a counterterrorism strategy carried out by a much smaller force — is one we already tried in Afghanistan and found wanting.
“Obama’s talents flourished, in part, because they were free of the insulting and demoralizing effect of handouts.”
He’s admitted himself that he was an affirmative action case at Harvard, and furthermore that his race was a factor in getting onto the Law Review.
Oh, and he also was elected president of the United States by threatening, overtly and otherwise, to brand as a racist anybody opposed to him in the primary or general election.
So I agree with your point, but let’s not get ahead of ourselves here.
On a TV show about Obama’s community organizing days, there was a woman who proudly said that Barach “taught us to fish” rather than just giving them fish.
Of course, the fishing she and others were doing was in City Hall….agitating for more services.
Now, from one point of view, that is healthy, since I think that Chicago Politics probably pretty much tramples over poor people (while using them as a banner, think William Ayers, or the Mike Nichols comment about Hyde Park: Black and white, marching arm in arm, shoulder to shoulder against the poor)
What is PE Obama’s “new type of social activism”?
He was a community organizer. He served on the boards of leftist foundations. He took as his spiritual guide and sounding board, Reverend Wright, the epitome of what it means to be obsessed with victimhood. As a law professor he spoke in the accents of underdoggism. As an Illinois legislator he served a constituency pickled in underdoggism. What is new social activism all about?
I am all for laying off the criticism and giving Obama a chance in a difficult job in the best of times, which these are not. But it is ridiculous to dress up his past, because he was not an Al Sharpton, as some new species of social activism. His past shows an agile fellow using everything that comes his way, to advance himself, no one else, himself. If this is a new form of activism, it is for a very small society.
I also think it is premature to judge his foreign policy m.o. What matters is not how he gets started, but his moves once he is up to speed, and what he ends up trying to do. We are still two months from inauguration day. He has made some centrist appointments. Fine, but did anyone apart from the jerks at The Nation expect him to make radical appointments in this skittish time? Let’s not jump the gun. He isn’t. He is just starting to dig his cleats into the dirt, and hasn’t yet left the starting line.
Unfortunately, Obama’s own political positions reinforce all the bad attitudes of dependency and victimhood that Abe deplores.
Oh for God’s sake… everyone — white, black, middle class, poor, rich — wants better health care these days because the system is crap. My husband and I pay $500 a month for health insurance which does not cover dental or eye care. That is a huge chunk of our budget.
This is the kind of thinking that will insure that the GOP remains a minority party.
Teresa, what else would you like the gov’t to buy for you? Your house? A new SUV. A vacation to the Canary Islands?
My healthcare is great. I live in TX. If you think your healthcare is bad now, wait until the govt takes control. Private healthcare will only be available for the wealthy. You will long for the “crap” healthcare you get now.
When he was in high school, other blacks thought Obama was an Uncle Tom, and told him so (say those who were there at the time.) I’m guessing this is one reason Obama changed his everyday name from “Barry” to “Barack” upon moving to Southern California.
Unless Obama works hard to prove otherwise, folks shouldn’t be surprised to witness the return of the “Obama is an Uncle Tom” meme.
“”"Whatever you may think of him, Obama is clearly a man who spent his time focused on what he could accomplish, not on what he couldn’t.”"”
Abe, I missed the memo: what was it that he had accomplished ?….
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