Obama the Idiot

[Michael Tee]

Is there anyone in this group who is so fucking stupid that he would lend money to someone he knows only from doing business with him, without getting as much as a signed IOU from him?

Well, your President seems to have done the equivalent with General Petraeus, according to a book by Jonathan Alter and referred to in an article by George Will:

<< . . . there’s the following exchange from 2009 between President Obama, General Petraeus, and Admiral Mullen about the escalation of the war in Afghanistan, taken from The Promise: President Obama, Year One, Jonathan Alter’s book on Obama’s first year:

<<OBAMA "I want you to be honest with me. You can do this in 18 months?"

<<PETRAEUS: "Sir, I'm confident we can train and hand over to the ANA [Afghan National Army] in that time frame."

<<OBAMA: "If you can't do the things you say you can in 18 months, then no one is going to suggest we stay, right?"

<<PETRAEUS: "Yes, sir, in agreement."

<<MULLEN: "Yes, sir.">>

http://www.thenation.com/print/blog/getting-out-2011

Beautiful, huh?  An "exchange" between them, memorialized only by the professional reputation of Jonathan Alter.  Nothing in writing signed by the good general.  No public hearing to record the good general's words indelibly for posterity.  Just an "exchange," one that happens to be vouched for by Jonathan Alter, hardly a rock-solid guarantor of credibility of anyone's word should push come to shove.

Obviously this fucking wimp has absolutely nothing in his hand when the time comes for Petraeus and Mullen to make good on their absurd and ludicrous promises.  The usual bullshit (cut and run, sacrifices of our brave men and women, the trust of our brave Afghan allies, armchair generals inside the Beltway versus men in the front lines braving rocket fire and bombs, etc., etc., etc.) will be brought to bear on Obama and the same promises made all over again (anyone remember "the light at the end of the tunnel?") and the fucking wimp will once again cave in and let the atrocity continue for another year and a half or two years.

The military-industrial complex sure got their money's worth out of this clown.  As did the insurance industry.  As did the mining industry.  As did the oil industry.  Fuck him.  I hope they amend the Constitution so George W. Bush can serve a third term.

[Xavier_Onassis]

So, what would you suggest? That Petraeaus provide him with a money-back guarantee: all soldiers killed will be restored to life and all funds spent will be cheerfully refunded? I am not certain what you expected him to do.

[Michael Tee]

What I personally would have done was to get some Congressional committee to hold hearings in 2009 when Petraeus was making his bullshit promise to Obama in an "exchange" and fed the exact same questions to some trusted confederate (Carl Levin comes to mind) and hammered at Petraeus until he made the same commitments on camera in open committee.

If Petraeus performed before the committee as expected there would be permanent unimpeachable evidence of his 2009 promises which would be solid gold when he comes around in 2011 pleading for still more time as we all expect he will.  Obama had already committed in public to a 2011 withdrawal date, so nothing would have been "given away" in a public forum.

If he didn't commit in front of the cameras, it would be back to the off-the-record exchanges, where Obama could refuse point-blank on any further funding since Petraeus didn't have the balls to commit publicly to what he promised Obama privately.  Plus if the guy got out of line in private, Obama could rake him over the coals for his duplicity in promising privately what he backed off from publicly.

Personally, I think Petraeus would have had to go along with the public commitment to a 2011 handover had Obama insisted, because otherwise he wouldn't even have had a chance to keep the game going in 2009 and 2010.  Half a loaf is better than none, and Petraeus isn't stupid.

As it is, he got the funding, he made no enforceable commitments (the promises made in the exchange, you can wipe your ass with) and it's now a sure thing he'll be back asking for time and money in 2011, something which neither Obama nor the Democratic Party will have the balls to refuse, considering the approaching 2012 elections.

[BT]

It was Obama's decision. Petraeus gave his best estimate. What's the big deal?

[Michael Tee]

Petraeus was obviously bullshitting Obama, playing for time.  Obama thought he was smart to pin the guy down verbally - - "So if I give you the time you're asking for, you'll be all set to hand off in 2011?"  "Yeah, sure, Chief."  But the dumb schmuck just took a virtually undocumented promise.  There's no way in hell the military will have a viable puppet government in place by 2011.  Karzai's a fucking joke.  Petraeus will be back with new demands for more time and money, and of course, new promises.  And Obama stuck with no way in hell of showing up Petraeus' earlier promises and inability to make good on them.  Petraeus will simply deny that the conversation ever occurred.

[BT]

Petraeus doesn't have to deny anything. He simply can claim conditions changed. Either way it still was Obama's decision at that time and it will be Obama's decision at the end of 11.

[Plane]

Did President Obama give the resorces and manpower that the estimate was predicated on?

[Kramer]

Why do you think he's referred to as Carter II?

[Michael Tee]

<<Did President Obama give the resorces and manpower that the estimate was predicated on?>>

Apparently he gave two-thirds.  The estimate itself was bullshit.  Petraeus knows hundreds of thousands more are required, but he knew there's no funding for that.  He asked for a ridiculous number, but one that's within the limits of what the U.S. can afford to fund.  Knowing it's not enough and knowing he'd have to come back to ask for more, later.  Obama knew that too.  Instead of trapping Petraeus into a dead end from which he could never credibly asked for more, Obama kept it all off the record, so when Petraeus asks again, he'll have to give in again.  He doesn't have the balls to stand up to the military.

[Michael Tee]

<<Why do you think he's referred to as Carter II?>>

Because he's a pushover?  Just like dumbass Carter listened to that Nazi creep Kissinger and let the Shah in for "medical treatment" Obama listens to the military and gives in to them

[Kramer]

I like the title of your post.

[Christians4LessGvt]

Fuck him.  I hope they amend the Constitution so George W. Bush can serve a third term.

LOL...you're funny Michael Tee!

[Michael Tee]

<<It was Obama's decision. Petraeus gave his best estimate. What's the big deal?>>

The big deal is that Obama totally failed to nail him down.  As far as claiming "conditions have changed," all Obama would have had to do would be to re-play the promises that Petraeus made to get the last 18 months, and when he asks for the next 18 months, ask him, how do you know conditions won't change again?

[BT]

<<It was Obama's decision. Petraeus gave his best estimate. What's the big deal?>>

The big deal is that Obama totally failed to nail him down.  As far as claiming "conditions have changed," all Obama would have had to do would be to re-play the promises that Petraeus made to get the last 18 months, and when he asks for the next 18 months, ask him, how do you know conditions won't change again?

And nailing him down would accomplish what? And what about Alters book. Isn't that nailing him down?

The fact remains is that conditions change and the timetable needs to be extended, Obama will have to make that decision.

ANd i suspect this whoe meme is more about Petraeus than it is about the war. I think this would be used against Petraeus if he decides to run for office.

[Plane]

What did it mean when Obama and his supporters chanted "Yes we can!"?

Were they claiming to be competant?