"Nothing in all the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity." -Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
I realize that I'm not supposed to criticize President Obama. Even when I disagree with him, I'm obliged to just shut up and praise his "pragmatism." I'm supposed to realize that I shouldn't expect him to actually do anything meaningful because that might (insert menacing music) "give ammunition" to the Republicans. At least that's what I've been told by critics.
Apparently, John Nichols of The Nation never got the memo. He actually thinks that if Obama does something that the left would've slammed George W. Bush for doing, then the left should criticize Obama for it too.
When Bush proposed a 'surge' in Iraq, the left vigorously opposed this. But when Obama proposes something similar to Afghanistan, Nichols points out that the left is largely silent.
This Nichols guy is so naive. He thought the "Change We Can Believe In" slogan implied a change of the fundamental direction of the country, not just a change in the party that occupies the White House.
I'm sure, one day he'll stop being so childish and realize that principles are only for those people whose 'side' is out of power.
Afghanistan, long referred to as 'the place empires go to die,' is far more of a mess than Iraq ever was. The unpleasant reality is that Afghanistan is a morass with American troops and will be without them.
The British Empire couldn't sort out Afghanistan. The Soviet Empire couldn't sort out Afghanistan. The American Empire isn't able to sort out Afghanistan. Here's a novel idea. Why not let Afghans sort things out for themselves?
2 comments:
I think one of the bigger problems is that even though we seem eager to fight the war in Afghanistan, the enemy wants to fight the war in Pakistan.
I'm not knocking your right to complain this time, he has finally taken the oath of office. :-)
Anyway, I wouldn't be so quick to discount the Left to turn on its own when it gets pissed off.
After all, LBJ was constantly concerned about being hammered from the Right that he never in a million years saw that he'd be brought down by "his own" side until it was to late. Same w/ Carter.
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