Friday, October 10, 2008

Listen to the Commander on the Ground

Via Andrew Sullivan: David Petraeus Obama (or Barack Petraeus)--all about talking to our enemies. Either way John McCain, Sarah Palin and these here folks, need to listen to the CommanderS on the Ground. Including the Brit.


General Petraeus was speaking at a conservative think tank, the Heritage Foundation. Largely agreeing with British General Layton, that was a great line about the Brits talkinging to thugs, including us, at one time.

7 comments:

the jester-in-exile said...

even our own political leadership don't really listen to field commanders, you know?

it's quite the irritation, i'd think.

john marzan said...

talking to our enemies. but that was what the "anbar awakening" was all about. the US military had talks and made deals with the sunni tribes in exchange for them turning against al queda in iraq.

the six party talks with north korea led by christopher hill is another example.

but dean, do you really think it is a good idea for obama to personally talk to ahmadinejad? or pointless?

Deany Bocobo said...

Sure, why not? As Churchill (?) said talk softly but carry a big stick.

All eyes are on America and will be for the foreseeable future. Even if Ahmadinejad is irreformable, America must rally the world behind it, or suffer a disastrous decline. Besides, she will need all the help she can get, now that she has become a Banana Republic (Christopher Hitchens).

War has become a hubristic luxury. let's hope it doesn't become a necessity more than it already is. $700 billion is a lot that can't go into make weapons, planes, missiles and tanks.

After all it was never our military might that represented America's strength, but her ideals, made real by a strong, successful economy that could produce those things in profusion.

If anything, Bush and Petraeus seem to be taking obama's position.

As for Nokor, it doesn't seem they've done quite enough talking.

I've had it with ugly, angry Americains like McBush and Palin the Impaler. They will bring about a real world war or another civil war the way their talking and acting. Straight talk is right. Straight to hell!

Unknown said...

Dean, let's not be shy about saying things as they are:

"After all it was never our military might that represented America's strength,"

False!

Military might represented America's strength. End of story. American ideals and the rest of the philosophical kaboodle are a follow on representation of that strength that had been founded largely on military might.

Unknown said...

Gen Patraeus is a wise man -- he clearly believes in British General Templar's, known as Tiger of Malaya doctrine: winning hearts and minds. He's the 2nd US general (first was Gen Jones, SACEUR whom Rumsfeld recalled when he learned that Jones believed in the winning hearts and minds doctrine).

I'm of two minds about talking direct to Ahmadinejad for the simple reason that this man's following inside Iran is questionable. Reports have it that opposition to Pres Ahmadinejad is pretty strong and is increasing.

To talk to him right away could be used as a propaganda gimmick by Ahmadinejad.

That said, I am not against Obama talking to him at all if it's proven that the Iranian people's support for the Iranian pres is solid.

Unknown said...

There's a war, sorry, an insurgency that we must solve: Afghanistan...

And yes, by talking to our enemies and if need be, by installing a dictator.

john marzan said...

interesting hail mary scenario for mccain.

http://www.globaldashboard.org/us-politics/mccains-next-stunt/