Stop Playing Politics; Fight to Win in Afghanistan

I haven't said anything the last couple of days about what is going on in Afghanistan. I've been waiting to see what the president was going to do about the recommendations he's received from his commanding General — Stanley McChrystal — who requested more troops and emphasized that they were seriously needed within the next year or the mission would be likely to fail.

Well, it seems the president has been too busy lately to get to that report. After all, he had to sit down this past weekend with ABC, NBC, CBS, CNN, Univision and David Letterman:

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIPS)

PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA: I think mathematically the White Sox can still get in the playoffs.

OBAMA: The Yankees are also doing pretty well.

OBAMA: I have no interest in increasing the size of government.

GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS, ABC NEWS: How about the funding for ACORN?

OBAMA: Frankly it's not something I've been following closely. I didn't even know that ACORN was getting a whole lot of federal money.

OBAMA: Foreign leaders who are heads of center-right governments say to me, I don't understand why people call you socialist.

OBAMA: There's an awful lot of misinformation out that that gets around that we have to fight through and that's why I'm on the David Letterman show.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

He had to pander to the dictators who hate us at the United Nations:

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

OBAMA: The United States stands ready to begin a new chapter of international cooperation, one that recognizes the rights and responsibilities of all nations.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

Oh, and he had to blather about the coming climate apocalypse at the Climate Change Summit. After all, it was only the 4th coolest summer in New York City history. The last time it was this mild in New York City was the summer of 1927. And you know what that means? Global warming was resting up this year, to hit us with 700 degree temperatures next year.

So, President Obama just can't decide whether to follow the advice of the general he appointed to run the war. Have you noticed that everything else on his agenda has to be done.... now?

He had to race out and apologize to Europe and Islam right after taking office:

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

OBAMA: In America, there's a failure to appreciate Europe's leading role in the world. Instead of celebrating your dynamic union and seeking to partner with you to meet common challenges, there have been times where America has shown arrogance and been dismissive, even derisive.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

We just had to have the Waxman-Markey climate bill immediately or Des Moines, Iowa, would be submerged in the Gulf of Mexico and Bangor, Maine, would burst into flames.

And if we didn't get the health care reform passed by yesterday, billions would die and the few left alive would be bankrupt and homeless if they ever caught a cold.

He's taken the time to capitulate to Russia on a Polish missile defense shield and got nothing in return.

Ronald Reagan won the Cold War, in part by not compromising the "Star Wars" defense initiative — even though it didn't even exist, knowing it would strain the Soviet Union to the point of collapse trying to keep up. It was one of the biggest, boldest bluffs of the last century.

But Obama caved in while holding all the cards. Why?

In a totally unrelated story: Several massive corporations announced an hour after the Russian fiasco that they would be meeting with Vladimir Putin about some lucrative new business opportunities — in Russia. What a coincidence.

So, President Obama had time for all that. But General McChrystal submitted his 66-page report on August 30, while the President was vacationing on a $20 million-estate on Martha's Vineyard.

Obviously, he couldn't decide anything then, but it's been nearly a month. We can't commit to doing what your own general deems necessary in Afghanistan? Whose side are we on?

If we're not going to fight this war to win, Mr. President, please bring the troops home.

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Yes, I supported the war — both of them — when I believed our cause was just and that we would shock and awe our enemies; win and get out.

We all know that war is hell. And when our sons and daughters are putting their lives on the line and human beings on both sides are dying. When a nation makes the decision that war is necessary, they have a moral obligation to do everything they can to end it as soon as possible, so that the suffering isn't protracted.

This may sound trite right now, but my dad taught me that it's not whether you win or lose, it's how you play the game that counts. War is not a game. A war cannot be won without horror; stop the politics and fight to win this thing, so that we can limit the horror and return home with honor.

Several years ago, I received a lot of heat for putting together a series of rallies across the country that I called, "Rallies for America." The media and the left said that they were pro-war rallies. They were pro-troop rallies and tens of thousands showed up to show their support. We banned politicians from those events, because they were not political and we promised that we would do everything in our power to avoid for our troops in Iraq and Afghanistan, the public reaction our troops experienced after Vietnam.

Well, I'm fulfilling that promise. President Obama, follow the advice of your commanders on the ground and fight to win this war or bring them home now.

I've said several times that I find myself becoming more and more libertarian all the time; it's because of our politicians. They can't seem to do the right thing. We have troops all over the world — putting their lives on the line and their family lives on hold. In return, they're treated like garbage in the countries they protect. Let South Korea, Japan and Germany fund their own security.

And not only is our military denied the tools and resources they need to finish their mission and come home, but how does the CIA feel, as they put their lives on the line every day, and are called liars and threatened with investigation, prosecution and have their hands tied?

All of my sources on Capitol Hill have told me that Congress' main question to the CIA in the aftermath of 9/11 was: "Are you sure you're doing enough to get information?" Now, they're vilified, threatened and cut off at the knees.

We won't investigate rampant corruption at ACORN, but we WILL investigate the CIA?

Whose side are we on?

President Obama just held a mini-race summit at the White House, after accusing a highly respected police officer of acting stupidly — without even having all the facts, again, jumping to such a conclusion about an officer who puts his life on the line every day. It begs the question: Whose side are we on?

We're cozying up to our enemies, while pushing away our allies. Whose side are we on?

We would just like some answers to these reasonable questions, because our foreign policy doesn't make any sense to us.

So many things don't make sense — like finding out this week that ACORN CEO Bertha Lewis has members of the Venezuelan embassy staff in her rolodex. Members of the Congress came back from Cuba with open adoration for Communist dictator, Fidel Castro:

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. BARBARA LEE, D-CALIF.: Former President Castro was very engaging, very energetic.

CONGRESSWOMAN LAURA RICHARDSON, D-CALIF.: With Fidel, he listened, he said the exact same words that President Obama has said.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

Nancy Pelosi met with Syria's Bashar Assad against the will of the sitting president at the time, George Bush.

In this crazy climate where there just seems to be no good or evil, no right or wrong anymore, we just can't help but wonder sometimes: Whose side are we on?

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